March 2023 | Issue No. 34 |
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Established in 1608, Santa Fe is the oldest capital city & the third oldest city in the U.S. Unlike many capital cities, Santa Fe is a small town covering roughly 33 square miles & home to only around 80,000 residents. It makes up for its physical size with an abundance of history, art, dining, recreation & culture. You'll find more than 400 restaurants, 250 art galleries & 19 museums! In Old Town Santa Fe, the historic Plaza is a highly walk-able stroll back in time with traditional adobe architecture now featuring shops, dining, galleries & local artisans. The oldest church in the country is located in Santa Fe. Canyon Road is a destination for art lovers from all over the world. You can stroll more than 100 galleries, artist studios, shops & restaurants along a half mile distance. If you visit during the holidays, prepare to be delighted with luminaria & farolito displays throughout town. The Canyon Road Farolito Walk happens each Christmas Eve & is a highly anticipated holiday activity. |
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Roughly an hour northwest of Santa Fe you'll begin to see the cliffs & mesas of Abiquiu, where the Rio Chama flows amid cottonwood trees & mountain views. The landscape of the area is most famous for being a defining inspiration to the artist Georgia O’Keeffe, who occupied a studio on a parcel of Ghost Ranch from 1949 to 1986. Ghost Ranch encompasses 21,000 acres of towering rock walls, saturated colors & big skies. The history of the land is studied by anthropologists interested in ancient civilizations spanning 10,000 years into the past. Paleontologists study the area, best known for the discovery of the Coelophysis by Edwin Colbert in 1947. Because of the natural beauty & wide open spaces, Abiquiu is also a popular filming destination for movies. You can see glimpses in the opening scene of Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Cowboys & Aliens, City Slickers, Red Dawn, Wyatt Earp, The Last Outlaw & the TV series Earth 2. |
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Taos is a highly sought after destination for travelers desiring rejuvenation & the opportunity to experience abundant natural beauty on ancient land. It has long been a place of inspiration to artists, visionaries & adventure-seekers. The pace of life is slow, the air & water are clean & the hospitality of the residents is welcoming. Taos offers natural hot springs & skiing for outdoor enthusiasts. Taos Ski Valley is a haven for skiers & snowboarders of all levels. You can't visit Taos without visiting the Taos Pueblo, a collection of multi-storied adobe dwellings that have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years. Taos Pueblo is still occupied today, embodying a living culture. It offers an amazing opportunity to experience culture & history in the modern world, amid breathtaking landscapes & soul-filling experiences. |
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The Rio Grande Gorge was created millions of years ago from geological changes such as earthquakes & lava flows. The Rio Grande River snaked through the resulting valley carving it into the deep gorge of today. The Rio Grande Gorge is approximately 50 miles long…New Mexico's answer to the Grand Canyon. The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge sits at 650 feet above the river. It is a steel marvel that is equally breathtaking to see & to look down into the gorge from above. During construction in the 1960s there was no funding to continue the road on the other side, leading to its nickname the Bridge to Nowhere. It has appeared in several films including Paul, Terminator Salvation, Natural Born Killers, Wild Hogs & White Sands. |
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Capulin Volcano National Monument is a long extinct cinder cone volcano located in the Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field in NE New Mexico. It is one of the most perfectly preserved cinder cones in North America. The volcano sits at a height of 8182 feet above sea level & has a four mile circumference. The crater measures 415 deep & 1450 feet in diameter. A paved road spirals around the volcano & you can drive up to a parking lot at the rim. Nearly 5 miles of hiking trails circle the rim as well as down into the mouth of the volcano. This natural marvel offers visitors a glimpse into nature's power & an up close look at 10 million years of geologic history. |
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The rock formations found in the De-Na-Zin Wilderness (Bisti Badlands) are otherwordly. With areas named the Alien Egg Hatchery, or Egg Factory & Hoodoo City, you can imagine that this is no ordinary wilderness landscape. The area covers 45,000 acres of what was once a pre-historic swamp. Once home to primitive mammals, dinosaurs & large trees, it is now a vast desert expanse featuring hoodoos, arches, spires & fossils of the plants & animals from millions of years ago. The fossils of an early tyrannosaur known only to be found in New Mexico were discovered here in 1997. This wilderness attracts photographers, adventure seekers, tourists & hikers from all over the world. All you need to do is take one look photos of this extraordinary place & you'll definitely want add it to your personal bucket list. It is a remote area with no services & is extremely hot & dry in warmer weather. It is advised to plan accordingly & bring lots of water, but seeing the formations in person is truly a life-changing experience. |
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Chaco Canyon was a major center of ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 & 1250. It was an important location for trade, ceremony & politics for the Chacoan culture. The impressive & intricate architectural structures of this ancient civilization were aligned to solar, lunar & cardinal directions on sacred land, in ways that archaeologists are still studying & contemplating today. Astronomical observations played an important role in Chaco life. This was one of many connected great houses, including nearby Aztec Ruins & Salmon Ruins to the north. Created in 1907, Chaco Canyon National Monument became Chaco Culture National Historical Park in 1980 & a World Heritage Site in 1987. In 2013, Chaco Culture National Historical Park was designated an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association. It is in a remote area, yet still attracts tens of thousands of visitors yearly. |
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Visible from 50 miles away, Shiprock rises 1583 feet above the plains in NW New Mexico. What we see towering up from the ground is the throat or neck of an ancient volcano. Geologists think the crater formed roughly 3000 feet below the earth's surface 27 million years ago. Shiprock as we know it is actually the root system of the volcano, visible as a result of millions of years of water & wind erosion. The U.S. Geological Survey described Shiprock as “one of the best known and most spectacular diatremes in the United States.” The National Park Service designated Shiprock as a National Natural Landmark in 1975 & it has become a favorite for photographers & travelers. Shiprock depicted in photos does no justice to the magnitude & majesty of the ancient formation, it is a wonder worthy of seeing in person. |
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The Real Estate market in Albuquerque is still experiencing a shortage of available homes as we approach the end of the first Quarter of 2023. If you are thinking of selling this year, now is the time to reach out to me. I can help you prepare to list your home & navigate offers & negotiations. Please visit nmhouse.com for a comprehensive look at the services I provide to all of my clients, both sellers & buyers. Let's reach your real estate goals together in 2023! |
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Thanks for joining me for the second segment of my New Mexico Bucket List. I hope you'll tune in next month as I wrap up the list with some spots closer to Albuquerque. There are definitely some must see places that are just a short road trip from the city. Hopefully you're finding some inspiration in this list & also sharing with friends & family who live elsewhere. This Spring is the perfect time to visit a new spot or revisit an old favorite. To Be Continued… |
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