Petroglyphs, Indian Culture, Ghost Towns and Railroads!

We are plannning our next vacation out West (from Florida) and am considering New Mexico. We%26#39;ve been to Bryce, Zion, the Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley and places in between. Can a local or an experienced NM traveler clue us in on the above topics and suggest a great vacation for us? We don%26#39;t mind lots of driving, but are unsure where to fly in and out of, and what route to take to maximize our trip. We can stay up to 2 weeks and would want to come probably in May if that%26#39;s a good time. THANK YOU in advance for your help!

Petroglyphs, Indian Culture, Ghost Towns and Railroads!

Rather than trying to map out an entire vacation, I%26#39;m going to toss out a few places that you might wish to consider.

First, as far as flying into NM is concerned, that usually means flying into Albuquerque, which is well-located in that it is pretty much in the center of things. Be sure to check Southwest%26#39;s website for flights as Albuquerque is a major destination for them (and their flights are not published on any other website).

On the edge of Albuquerque there is an entire park full of petroglyphs; there are also a few out at the Gila Cliff Dwellings in the SW quadrant of the state (my area of expertise).

ABQ is also a good jumping-off point for immersing yourself in Indian culture.

There are several ghost towns in the SW quadrant including Mogollon, Steins, and Shakespeare.

As for railroads, one of the most famous is the Cumbres %26amp; Toltec narrow-gauge railway based far to the north in Chama (near the Colorado border).

I suggest the following: make a list of the places mentioned by forum participants, plot them on a map of the state, then start to prioritize them, because the chances are good that you won%26#39;t be able to see them all in two weeks-- remember that NM is a big state, with a lot of space between attractions.

Good Luck!

Petroglyphs, Indian Culture, Ghost Towns and Railroads!

Thank you so much, Mitch - that%26#39;s just the information I need to get started! I%26#39;ll be looking forward to more information from forum experts!

Since it sounds like you%26#39;ve seen quite a bit of Arizona %26amp; Utah%26#39;s best attractions, you may wish to try New Mexico, and possibly portions of Southern Colorado also. Two weeks will give you ample opportunity to take in a lot of area.

As Mitch said, Albuquerque has a good ';central'; location from which to start, not to mention the only major airport in 265 miles (El Paso).

In Albuquerque I%26#39;d suggest our historic Old Town area, and many diverse museums nearby as well. Also the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, the Sandia Crest Tramway (the longest in the world), the Balloon Museum out by the balloon fiesta%26#39;s launch field, etc.

In the immediate area we have Acoma Pueblo, the ';Sky City,'; approx. an hour%26#39;s drive west on I-40. Located atop a formidable mesa top, t may be the oldest, continuously inhabited town in the U.S. We also have several casinos, golf courses, and great biking and hiking.

NM-14 behind the Sandia Mountains has some old ghost towns, now pretty lively with artists, and unique little shops. It is called the Turquoise Trail, or the ';backroad'; to Santa Fe. There is also an excellent scenic highway from NM-14 to the top of Sandia Crest, if anyone is too acrophobic for the tramway.

Santa Fe of course is the ';City Different,'; and there is so much to see and do there, I%26#39;ll leave it to the SF Experts.

You%26#39;d also want to take in Taos, and Taos Pueblo, only 2 1/2 hours from Albuquerque. One route follows the Rio Grande River through it%26#39;s deep canyon, another hugs the Sangre de Christo mountains, passing through quaint Spanish-era adobe villages, with picturesque churches.

NW of Albuquerque, you can reach Durango, CO in about four hours, passing by Chaco Canyon (about a 50 mile roundtrip off US550), and more ruins at Aztec National Park, Aztec, NM...and even better in Mesa Verde National Park, west of Durango. The drive north from Durango on US550 through the San Juan Mountains is one of the most beautiful in the entire Rockies, with a steam engine train ride between Durango and Silverton, a touristy old mining town. Ouray further on is also charming, and you could make a loop over to Telluride, and then south to Mesa Verde before returning to Durango. Much of US550 near Silverton and Ouray is above the timberline, but the highway is very good.

In southern New Mexico, you have Carlsbad

Caverns, White Sands National Monument, Old Mesilla (just south of Las Cruces), and the mountains around Ruidoso/Cloudcroft...and in the Southwestern corner of the state...Silver City, and the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

May weather is usually ideal, as the Spring winds have gone, yet the heat of summer has yet to arrive.

You could probably make somewhat of a ';Figure 8'; trip with Albuquerque in the middle. We would be happy to share our many ';enchantments'; with you!

Great advice so far. Early May can be windy in the north, but usually very nice weather.

Here%26#39;s a trip visiting National Parks and Monuments as well as a few State Parks/Mon.

Day 1 arrive Albuquerque

Day 2 Albuquerque - Petroglph Nat Mon, Coronado State Mon, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Old Town, Rattlesnake Museum, Sandia Tram

Day 3 Albuquerque - what you did not do above.

Day 4 West to Acoma Pueblo, El Malpais Nat Mon, El Morro Nat Mon, Zuni Pueblo and Gallup.

Day 5 Southeast to Carlsbad (5 hours). See the Caverns that day and into the evening, the bats program should be going at that time.

Day 6 Drive to Cloudcroft, Ruidoso or Alamogorodo. White Sands Nat Mon.

Day 7 A visit to Las Cruces and La Mesilla. La Posta Restaurant is quite nice in Mesilla. On to Silver City

Day 8 Gila Cliff Dwellings. Stay in the area?

Day 9 Head on north to Santa Fe, possibly visiting one of the Salinas Pueblos Nat Mon sites.

Day 10 Santa Fe

Day 11 Santa Fe

Day 12 Taos

Day 13 Chama NM and Cumbres Toltec Train

Day 14 Back to Albuquerque.

CasaAzul has a great plan for you since May in Colorado can still mean snow or mud in the high country while New Mexico is experiencing really nice weather. So many times people think New Mexico is all desert but it isn%26#39;t - lots of mountains and forests. There is so much to see and do that I think 2 weeks will go by so quickly you will wonder where it went. White Sands National Monument by Alamogordo is also great fun. Check it out at http://www.nps.gov/whsa/ - get a sled at the gift shop to go sledding on the sand.

Another idea would be to stay in two or more vacation rentals, since you are going to be there awhile, and take day trips in the area. Then, you would not have to make so many hotel reservations. Maybe 3 to 4 days in the southern part, Ruidoso or Las Cruces - 3 or 4 days in Albuquerque and 3 or 4 in Santa Fe or Taos.

Lots of places to choose from and when averaged over your trip could end up costing you less than hotel rooms.

Have Fun!

If you decide to include Durango and Mesa Verde National Park, you might want to include a stop near Dolores, CO at the Anasazi Heritage Center.