NEW MEXICO IS CALLED THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENTfor a reason, and you’ll find out why as you drive through the technicolor landscapes that inspired Georgia O’Keeffe, past traditional adobe villages tucked beneath the 13,000ft Sangre de Cristo range and over juniper-speckled plains that seem to roll to infinity. Along the way you’ll stop at old mud-brick santuarios filled with sacred folk art, visit ancient and living pueblos, explore surreal underground caverns and soak in soothing hot springs.
You’ll travel what might be the oldest road in America and follow in the footsteps of Geronimo and Billy the Kid. You’re never far from great hiking and camping – or platters of local cuisine smothered in the state’s signature green or red chile sauce.
Take the mountains up and the canyons down, looping between iconic destinations.
El Camino Real & Turquoise Trail 3–4 days
Follow the 400-year-old Royal Road up the Rio Grande Valley.
Georgia O’Keeffe Country 2–3 days
Enter a world of vibrant color and raw elemental force.
Highway 4: Jemez Mountains 2 days
Hot springs, hiking, ancient cave dwellings and the birthplace of the bomb.
Enchanted Circle & Eastern Sangres 2 days
From high mountains to grassy prairies, with canyon hikes and haunted hotels.
Las Cruces to Carlsbad Caverns 2–3 days
Pure white sand dunes and surreal caves dazzle the eye – and the mind.
Geronimo Trail 2–3 days
Mountain roads twist past restored mining towns in Geronimo’s old stomping grounds.
Into The Gila 2 days
Cruise from high-tech telescopes to an historic Wild West town.
Highway 53 to Acoma 2 days
Explore pueblos and lava fields – and meet the wolves!
Billy the Kid Trail 2 days
See where the Kid escaped, Smokey Bear was found and aliens (maybe) landed.
DON’T MISS
Lincoln
The entire town is a historical monument, including the courthouse from which Billy the Kid shot his way to freedom; on Trip
Ghost Ranch
Hike, ride horseback or take a van tour through the colorful terrain immortalized in the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, on Trip
Santuario de Chimayó
This adobe church built in 1816 is home to miracle healings and is the site of the largest Catholic pilgrimage in the US. Find it on Trip
Canyon Road
The heart of the Santa Fe art scene, with over 100 galleries plus fine dining and the oldest tavern in town (El Farol). Dive in on Trips
Pueblos
Find some of the oldest continuously inhabited places in North America, rich in culture including dances and crafts, on Trips
HIGH & LOW ROADS TO TAOS
Santa Fe. Taos. The Rio Grande. The Sangre de Cristos. And all the adobe villages, galleries, Spanish Colonial churches and burrito stands in between make this loop a classic.
