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We are planning on a 4 night trip next summer working our way south from Colorado and eventually exiting to the NE and back torwards Minnesota.
Mostly looking to experience as much as we can in that short of a time to get a feel for the New Mexico atmosphere as someplace that we may want to settle into a few more years down the road. Although I am fascinated with and find the desert areas beautiful, I don't think Mrs Ghengis would be willing to move to that climate/flora so we would be limiting this time to forested and mountain/higher elevation areas.
Considered staying in one or both of Taos and/or Santa Fe the entire time and doing day trips from there but, I wonder if there are other places further south that we should include as well. We would be perfectly willing to spend the time in 4 different cities/towns or combinations thereof but obviously the less we have to check-in/check-out the better. Any hotel/resort recommendations would be appreciated as well. Any small town 4th of July celebrations to recommend?
I don't think we will be that concerned with being where the jobs are but we would prefer to be part of a growing community rather than one on the decline. Don't think that Albuquerque would be part of a home consideration in the future (too big) but we would certainly be unopposed to visit on this trip.
I anticpate a 6 or 7 hour drive in from CO that 1st day and we will try and make it back to MN when we leave in 2 days so we would like to spend that 4th night closer to the NE than the SW part of the state. Don't mind back-tracking as needed to squeeze anything in.
Saw your other post on the Nebraska board. Northern New Mexico offers a wealth of neat stuff to see. I personally loathe the tourist places like Santa Fe and Taos. There is not that much of the "real" New Mexico left there, in my opinion--too many phony people from someplace else. If one wants to see the real New Mexico, go to the small towns in northern New Mexico that haven't been overrun by tourists and development. There are numerous small communities around in the Sangre de Cristo mountain areas and in the areas of northern Rio Arriba County. One of the must-do attractions, in my opinion, is the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad out of Chama, NM and Antonito, CO ( On the Tracks | Cumbres & Toltec Railroad ). Now, as for a place to live, those places are extremely difficult--almost no jobs, a predominant old-line-native Hispanic culture that can sometimes be somewhat unwelcoming to outsiders, and a lot of poverty. Unfortunately, lack of jobs and extremely limited (and often declining) economic prospects describes a lot of the rural Rocky Mountain West. I should know--I research economics of the rural parts of the region as part of my work.
I personally loathe the tourist places like Santa Fe and Taos. There is not that much of the "real" New Mexico left there, in my opinion--too many phony people from someplace else. If one wants to see the real New Mexico, go to the small towns in northern New Mexico that haven't been overrun by tourists and development. .
We are planning on a 4 night trip next summer working our way south from Colorado and eventually exiting to the NE and back torwards Minnesota.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Wow, sounds like a great time! We were actually about 5 years ahead of you, moving from Wyoming (Minnesnowta, that is, not the state) to the Ruidoso area. Great you are starting to look now, and have fun.
You'll see a ton of great posts and suggestions, and from a lot of more knowledgeable people than myself. But if I can offer just from personal experience, might be of some value. Don't spread yourselves too thin. The west is a huge, vast, diverse area and it will take several trips to figure out where you'd like to be. Personally, we loved Flagstaff, Prescott, Durango, Santa Fe, but Ruidoso really stole our hearts, so not only did we decide to retire there, but ended up moving there a lot earlier than originally planned (life is like that sometimes!) Anyway, pick some areas you like and try to stay there for a week or longer. Get past the tourist stage, and try to get a feel of the areas like the locals do. We actually rushed to buy our first property a bit quicker than we should have (don't get me started on Carrizozo) so take the time. A word of warning, though-after living in MN for 20+ years we absolutely fell in love-and still do-with New Mexico. But it isn't for everyone-and it ain't the Twin Cities area-both good and bad! And it won't change-again good and bad.
Have fun, do lots of research, and I hope your experience is as good as our is.
As usual I suggest buying a copy of the Benchmark Maps New Mexico Road and Recreation Atlas as well as the same for Colorado as well as obtaining the tourist information package from the both state websites. Add "Off the Beaten Path in New Mexico" for out of the way places. We are easterners enchanted with NM and are planning a trip in the same areas.
You did not specify where you were going to start in Colorado so I will assume Denver.
Day 1: Take US 285 to San Antonito, CO. If you start early you should be able to make the afternoon train to Chama and back. Check schedules to be certain. You may have to stay over in Chama and take the morning train back the next day.
Day 2: Starting from San Antonito continue south on US 285 to Tres Piedras. At Tres Piedras turn East on US 64 toward Taos. Stop and admire the view from the Rio Grande Bridge. After recovering from acrophobia continue east to the Taos area. Spend rest of day in Taos admitting the Town, the art and the food. Stay over in the Taos area.
Day 3: From Taos drive south on NM 68 to Espanola then NM 76 to NM 518 to Las Vegas. Stay over in the Historic Hotel. Check out the town and the hot springs in the area.
Day 4: Drive north on NM 518 to Mora. Stop at the Native American weaving museum and the Cleveland Roller Mill. From Mora take NM434 (real back road) to Angle Fire then US 64 to Eagle Nest. At Eagle Nest you can take US 64 east through the Cimarron Canyon to Cimarron and then to Raton and I-25 home to Denver. Or you can go west on NM 38 to Questa and back to Denver via NM 522 and roads in Colorado.
In any case enjoy your trip and be willing to change you schedules to accommodate spending time at interesting places. Drive conservatively and watch out for motorcycles and local wildlife.
PS: We may well follow this plan when we visit next.
Although I am fascinated with and find the desert areas beautiful, I don't think Mrs Ghengis would be willing to move to that climate/flora so we would be limiting this time to forested and mountain/higher elevation areas.
I wonder if there are other places further south that we should include as well.
There are reasons I prefer paper maps. I laid out that trip using the Recreational Map of New Mexico by GTR mapping. They also publish similar maps of most of the Western States. These maps are not a detailed as the benchmark atlas but are larger and have more information than other road maps. I think you will find them useful.
Starting in Estes Park would only involve driving to Denver to pick up US 285. I limited the plan to northern NM around the Enchanted Circle because you said you only had four days. Given this restraint you might have to drop the Rail trip on the C&T to Chama. Never the less the drive to San Antonito, if you take the US (?) 17 bypass to Alamosa, CO, takes you through a fascinating environment of grass prairie and sand dune desert.
Not to put to fine a point on this, but it's Antonito, CO, not "San Antonito." Antonito is indeed near San Antonio Peak and the San Antonio River, but the town is Antonito. Also, CO 17 does not bypass Alamosa--in fact, it goes right through town--it joins US285 at the east edge of Alamosa, goes right through town on the main drag, then goes south to Antonito, where CO17 turns west to La Manga and Cumbres Passes, thence to Chama, NM. And, it's not a "grass prairie" between the CO17 turnoff near Villa Grove, all the way south to Alamosa on CO17--it's high desert scrubland. Please get the facts right before you post.
I personally loathe the tourist places like Santa Fe and Taos. There is not that much of the "real" New Mexico left there, in my opinion--too many phony people from someplace else. If one wants to see the real New Mexico, go to the small towns in northern New Mexico that haven't been overrun by tourists and development.
This is such garbage. Santa Fe and Taos attract tourists because they have so much to offer compared to the little towns you prefer, including more history of the "real New Mexico", more historic preservation, and less of the dilapidated trailer homes you find in those smaller towns.
You are from "someplace else" also-- does that make you a "phony" when visiting New Mexico?
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