12 Off-The-Beaten-Path Towns In New Mexico
Infamous for the Manhattan Project, aliens and ghost towns, New Mexico has a calming, somewhat haunting aura about it. It’s these elements that make the whole state an intriguing place to visit. Especially if you’re willing to take a trip to some lesser-known areas and learn about their rich history. Come to the Land of Enchantment and hop off the beaten path to these 12 towns for an unforgettable visit.
Taos
Located in the state’s high desert, Taos is a small, traditional town surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Explore the history of the town by visiting the Taos Pueblo. The Taos Pueblo is an active Native American community that has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years. The residents graciously allow guided tours through their community to experience their way of life. But leave your phones and camera in the car, no recording devices of any kind are allowed on the property. The geography of New Mexico is another reason it is such a desired destination. For the daredevils, walk across the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. During construction of the bridge, the project ran out of funds, and it was momentarily dubbed the “Bridge to Nowhere”. Upon completion it stands 650 feet above the river and is the 5th highest bridge in the US. After walking over the river, take a trip down to it. Visit the Stagecoach Hot Springs, sometimes referred to as Manby Hot Springs, and relax in the small pools located within the gorge. The pools are only accessible by the river as there is no public road access to them.
Silver City
Another town with an elevated landmark as a main attraction, Silver City is the home of the Catwalk Recreation Area, a half mile bridge over a creek and along the canyon. The bridge is located in the Gila National Forest and was originally built in 1893, then rebuilt in the 1930s and once again rebuilt for a third time after it washed away from flooding. Flooding is a reoccurring issue in New Mexico, but it can lead to some beautiful destinations. The Big Ditch, which was once Main Street in Silver City, was washed away in a flood and is now a sprawling park located beneath the surface of the town. Immediately after flooding, the area became a makeshift dump, and residents fought to have it cleaned. They prevailed and in 1975 it was transformed into the public park it is today. With its proximity to multiple rivers and waterways, Silver City is a great place to take a ride down the water. Stop at The Gila River and Wilderness Run for a trip downstream. Starting in Spring, enjoy the 7-mile boat ride with the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument being the first attraction on the trip. Also enjoy canyons, springs, wildlife and rapids, and don’t forget to stop and get out along the way and check out the Indian Petroglyphs.
Cimarron
Enjoy the Colin Neblett State Wildlife Area by taking a hike down the Clear Creek Trail. The trip is 4.2 miles out and back and along the way you’ll pass three waterfalls as you walk along Clear Creek. Cimarron is also rich with history, including the Aztec Mill Museum. Built in 1864, the mill is Cimarron’s tallest and oldest structure. The mill has previously been used as a flour mill, wedding chapel, barn, and is now a museum that holds artifacts of Northeast New Mexico’s natives, including China, arrowheads and ranch wagons. Another stop on the history tour of Cimarron is the Villa Philmonte History Museum. What was once a private home of a prominent family in the 1920s, the establishment now offers guided tours and history of the Phillips family, who had lived there for many years. Waite Phillips started Waite Phillips Company, an oil drilling operation. Waite sold the company for 25 million dollars in 1925 and gifted thousands of acres of land to the Rockymountain Scout Camp as well as the Boys Scouts of America.
Dawson
One of New Mexico’s ghost towns, Dawson was once a bustling coalmining town until two major incidents shut the entire town down. Two massive explosions over the course of ten years were enough for Phelps Dodge to shut down the mines and give all the residents 30 days to vacate. The town was leveled, and the only remaining structure is the Dawson Cemetery. There are 600 marked graves of WW II casualties and coal miners. To honor and remember those who lost their lives during their time in Dawson, there is a Biennial Pilgrimage. Pay respect by visiting during Labor Day Weekend during the Pilgrimage and join former Dawson residents and their kin. Awnings, tables, chairs and grills are set up among the remnants of the dilapidated buildings and stories of the past are told. Take a break from the somber experience of the town’s past and walk along the Vermejo River into the foothills and canyons and take in the natural beauty of the area. In the summer, sunflowers line the road into the once busy town.
Cloudcroft
Not something you would expect in a desert state, but New Mexico has a thriving ski population. If you’re planning to visit during the right season, visit Ski Cloudcroft and experience the beauty of the Sacramento Mountains while skiing, snowboarding or tubing. At 9,100 feet elevation gain you can take in all the beauty of the snowcapped mountains. If you’re looking to stay closer to the ground while visiting Cloudcroft head to the Trestle Recreation Area. This recreation area has a hiking trail that is unique from other trails. The difficult trail takes you to the historic trestle. Built in 1899, this bridge was part of the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway. For a more traditional vacation activity, make reservations to golf at The Lodge Golf Course. The first hole is a 150-foot vertical drop and the rest of the course is just as challenging. Being 9,000 feet above sea level can be to blame for that but the picturesque course makes the challenge worth it.
Truth or Consequences
Originally named Hot Springs, Truth or Consequences is known for just that. Its sprawling hot springs throughout town. Located on the Rio Grande, visit Riverbend Hot Springs and immerse yourself in the mineral rich water that remains untouched and free of odors. Members of the Apache and Mimbres tribes have long considered these waters sacred. If you want to work up a sweat before your soak, take a drive down the Geronimo Trail National Scenic Byway and hop out for stops along the way. The trail consists of segments of mountain forests, deserts and rolling hills. It also ventures past two large New Mexico lakes. The entire trail is approximately 138 miles so plan a day for it, especially if you get out and stop at the marked sites. To learn more about Geronimo, visit the Geronimo Springs Museum and view the largest collection of prehistoric pottery that Sierra County has.
Jemez Springs
Built in the narrow of the San Diego Canyon is the Jemez Historic Site, a 700-year-old village built by ancestors of the current Jemez Springs residents. The village includes the San Jose de Jiminez Church which dates to 1621-22. Enjoy a self-guided tour along the 1,400-foot trail but be respectful of your surroundings. Jemez is home to many unique land formations that attract visitors every year. One of those landmarks is the Jemez Soda Damn, which built up over 7,000 years. The Jemez River flows under the dam and in winter icicles form around the open areas of the rock creating a remarkable sight. Take the Soda Dam Trail down to the dam and afterwards join the Jemez Falls Trail that leads to a stunning waterfall. Another interesting land formation to visit is the Battleship Rock. A 200-foot-tall natural land formation of volcanic rock that looks like, you guessed it, a battleship. Set up a picnic in the recreation area and marvel at the astonishing creation.
Aztec
Aztec is home to many places sacred to the Indigenous people in the American Southwest. Make sure not to skip these sites while in town. The Aztec Ruins National Monument are amongst the most well-preserved Chacoan dwellings. You can take a self-guided tour through the ruins and step inside the ancient buildings. To continue your adventure through historical dwellings, visit the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Chaco Canyon is another sacred and personal place for many Southwest Indigenous people. While in the community visit Una Vida and Hungo Pavi, both “great houses”, or public buildings, still naturally preserved. Since Aztec has so many ancient ruins continue the tours through them by stopping at the Salmon Ruins. These ruins are self-guided, however for the more inquisitive you can book a ranger guided tour! Four different tours are offered that focus on geology, paleontology and more. The most popular tour is through Chaco Canyon, which is difficult to traverse, but leads to several of the Great Houses.
Los Alamos
A former secret city, Los Alamos is considerably one of the most famous aspects of New Mexico. This secret city was built specifically for scientists and creators to reside during the development of the atomic bomb. Not only the developers of the bombs lived there but their families as well. So, schools, houses, stores and dentists’ offices were in this tight knit community. Between the 6,00 residents 4,000 of them were working in the labs. Make sure to learn more about the history of this place by visiting the Bradbury Science Museum. There are over 60 interactive exhibits within the museum’s three sections including defense, history and research. Once you’ve learned about the history, travel back to it by visiting Bathtub Row. Since the town was constructed so quickly not all the houses were equipped with bathtubs, those were reserved for the elite members of the Manhattan Project. These houses can be visited on the street now named Bathtub Row, walk the street and see how life was during that time. The grounds also preserved what the area was like prior to the secret city. The Ancestral Pueblo Site showcases what remains of life in 1150-1500 CE (common era) for the Ancestral Pueblo people. Their residences depict what is left of their bedrooms, kitchens, storage rooms and kivas.
Socorro
One of the best ways to get the views of what Socorro is like is to drive down the Quebradas Backcountry Byway. The 24-mile road is unpaved and rugged but provides endless opportunity to view the colorful landscapes. A large section of the road rises above the Rio Grande floodplain. If you want to get out of the car and do some walking, stop and play 18 holes at the New Mexico Tech Golf Course, which is located on the New Mexico Tech campus. The course provides exquisite views of the Rio Grande valley, that the rolling hills and dramatic elevation changes more than make up for. Golf Digest rated the course “one of the 10 best public courses in New Mexico”. Another stop to make while in Socorro is to a building that has seen a lot of change since its early days. The current Hammel Museum started as a brewery, eventually turned into a soda bottling plant, and ended as an icehouse. After the icehouse closed in the 1950s it was reopened as a museum that includes a toy train layout arranged by the Socorro Train Gang.
Chimayo
Chimayo is a healing town. The Santuario de Chimayo is a gathering spot for many people who pilgrimage to it for healing and health. There are two chapels on site for prayer, Lord of Esquipulas Chapel and the Santo Nino de Atocha Chapel. The Lord of Esquipulas Chapel is the site of el pocito, translated into small pit of holy dirt. Visitors come to collect dirt to bring back to the sick. It is said the dirt has healing powers when rubbed on the areas in need. The Santo Nino de Atocha Chapel is also part of the Easter Pilgrimage tradition that has spanned generations. To learn more about the healing powers of the el pocito visit the Chimayo Museum and view the artifacts, exhibits and photographs. For a final stop in Chimayo head over to the family owned El Potrero Trading Post, who proudly boast the highest quality of religious articles, chiles and folk art. The post was opened in 1912 and is still run by the same family.
Las Vegas
Not to be confused with Nevada, but New Mexico also has their own Las Vegas. Albeit a slightly different atmosphere, this town still has ample opportunities to keep you busy and entertained. Possibly in a more relaxing way than Nevada’s version. Las Vegas also has opportunities for healing in hot springs. Visit the Montezuma Hot Springs, located on private property, but visitors are considered guests of the Friends of the Montezuma Hot Springs, whose mission is to preserve and protect the springs. Before or after your soak take the time to visit the Sabinoso Wilderness, consisting of high narrow mesas surrounded by canyons. Streams periodically flow in the bottom of the canyon which helps keep the vegetation thriving. To learn more about the town’s history take one of five historic walking tours. Each tour goes through one of five districts and focuses on a different section of the town. The Historic Home trail is arranged according to time periods.
If you get the chance to make it out to the Land of Enchantment, make sure to visit as many of these off the beaten path towns as you can. Rich with historic structures and dwellings, natural landmarks, and a golf course or two, these places all provide something unique and special to the history and culture of New Mexico. A fascinating place to visit and learn about, make sure you’re soaking in all you can, or just soak in a hot spring.
