9 Most Beautiful Cities In New Mexico
New Mexico, with its breathtaking, suntanned landscape, its vast and rugged terrain, and its wild, untamed appearance, is doubtless one of the most stunning states in the country. New Mexico’s landscape is also dotted with quite a number of breathtaking national parks, several historical sites, and lush, somber forests. One other New Mexico highlight is its amazing skies. "Elsewhere the sky is the roof of the world;" wrote celebrated American novelist Willa Cather, "but here the earth was the floor of the sky." New Mexico’s mysterious allure is one to explore and see, not merely read about. These are the nine most beautiful towns and cities in New Mexico that best reveal the state’s surreal beauty.
Taos
Taos is a small, charming town that boasts a population of only about 6,500. For someone who enjoys the charm and authenticity of small towns, Taos could be an ideal choice. Moreover, because it is small, Taos is delightfully walkable. Its downtown boasts quite a number of fantastic shops, eclectic art galleries, and beautiful architecture. The highlight of the town’s downtown is the famous Taos Plaza known for its low adobe buildings. One will enjoy strolling through its streets while taking in the Colonial Style residences. And only about two miles to the north, the Taos Pueblo, a historic settlement that has been continuously inhabited for more than a millennium—beckons. According to UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the Taos Pueblo is the largest of the pueblos that still exist.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States, ranked as the third-best city in the country in 2022 by the New York-based travel magazine, Travel + Leisure. Only New Orleans and Charleston, South Carolina, were ranked ahead of the oldest capital city in the United States. Whether one will want to enjoy the city’s robust art scene, have a taste of some delectable delicacy in a city famed for its food, or wander through the downtown soaking in centuries of time, Santa Fe is a city many will want to lace up for. Other Santa Fe highlights include the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum as well as the Loretto Chapel. For adventure-seekers, the famous Santa Fe Ski Basin is only about 16 miles to the north.
Chimayó
Nestled in a beautiful valley within the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that boasts most of New Mexico’s highest peaks, is the tiny but historic town of Chimayó. According to the most recent census, Chimayó has a population of about 3,000. While small, Chimayó is anything but dull. Its name alone, translated as "superior red flaking stone," bears witness to its colorful allure. A visit to Chimayó is never complete without a detour to the beautiful El Santuario de Chimayo. The environs of this historic structure are often serene and meditative while the gorgeous structure comes with a history that self-avowed history buffs will relish with great delight. Chimayó is also famous for its weaving tradition.
Ruidoso
Perched high in the Rocky Mountains, the largest mountain system in North America, Ruidoso beguiles visitors with its rustic charm. Beautifully set in an alpine backdrop and framed by rolling acres of complete wilderness, Ruidoso does a fine job displaying New Mexico’s regal grandeur and picturesque splendor. Whether one will want to enjoy hiking, mountain biking, or riding horses through the majestic evergreens that cover the edge of the town with alluring serenity, Ruidoso is beautiful in every sense of the word. Concerning horse racing, Ruidoso Downs Race Track is not only an amazing place for watching horse races but is also home to the richest quarter-horse race on the globe.
Silver City
The whole state of New Mexico is a paradise for those who love the outdoors. Silver City, one of the state’s most beautiful, exhibits that distinctive appeal. The town of about 9,500 inhabitants boasts a wide range of outdoor options including the vast Gila National Forest. There are many reasons Gila National Forest is a must-see. For starters, it is vast. Not many forests can measure up to three million acres. Gila National Forest is a perfect picture of a pristine wilderness landscape. Gila Wilderness is also reputed to be the first wilderness in the United States. All this stunning vastness is easy to reach from the city’s beautiful downtown—less than 10 miles away.
Madrid
Curled up in a panoramic canyon of the Ortiz Mountains, Madrid may strike a visitor as a ghost town, but it is lovely and vibrant —and teems with several attractions that make it one of New Mexico’s most beautiful. A former mining town that has found a new love in art, Madrid boasts several eclectic art galleries that will not fail to impress an art lover. While many may have written an epitaph on the town’s Main Street, today, the Main Street, though small, includes more than 40 galleries. These galleries have given the town a complete makeover and transformed it into a vibrant, eccentric, art scene. Visitors will also enjoy shopping at the town’s vintage stores and jewelry shops that copiously dot the streets.
Roswell
There is a reason Roswell features as the setting of several documentaries and TV series. This alone is a testament to the city’s stunning allure. Yet Roswell had all along enjoyed its sleep by the side of the Pecos River in southeastern New Mexico until 1947 when it became the center of a conspiracy theory involving UFOs and extraterrestrials. Up to now, the 1947 Roswell incident is arguably the most famous UFO incident in the history of the country. Wild speculation has since been put to rest by the 1994 revelation that the strange object was part of Project Mogul (an enterprise established to detect the presence of Soviet nuclear bomb tests). Today, as part of its history, Roswell boasts a UFO museum and research center as well as alien-themed streetlights that make it every bit unique.
Mesilla
For those who like a small-town charm, Mesilla, whose roots go back to the mid-1800s, might just be the epitome of small-town charm and appeal. Located in Doña Ana County, Mesilla has a modest population of about 1,700. Once named by the Confederates as the capital of Arizona, Mesilla boasts a history that is as fascinating as it is intriguing. Besides its storied past, this little town has a number of art galleries, shopping options, and fancy restaurants that offer delicious cuisine. Mesilla Plaza, the picturesque town square whose history is closely intertwined with that of the town, is a National Historic Landmark worth checking out. The historic Basilica of San Albino is also an easy stroll away.
Red River
Red River looks like a small resort town—and not that of a bustling metropolis. Nestled in the heart of Taos Ski Valley, the town is a secluded mountain playground that will not fail to impress a nature lover. Besides being charmingly laid-back and hence, an ideal getaway from the hustle of busy city life, Red River serves up a wide range of outdoor activities visitors will find pleasure in losing themselves in. Some of these include hiking, mountain biking, and horse riding. For self-avowed anglers, the Red River, the water body that lends the town its name, as well as the nearby streams and rivers, provide a treat that will be both rewarding and enjoyable. Other than that, Red River has an established reputation as one of the finest live music destinations in the state.
The United States has many beautiful destinations. New Mexico, is a state whose sun-tanned landscape makes it every bit other-worldly. Home to the oldest capital city in the United States, which, incidentally, is also the highest, New Mexico deserves lacing up for. Besides, the 47th state boasts many towns which are ideal bases to explore the stretched-out beauty. From Taos to Roswell, Santa Fe to Mesilla, New Mexico serves up a unique mix of towns and cities many will find great pleasure wandering through.
