10 Unforgettable Fall Getaways From Albuquerque
New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment, and once visitors arrive, they quickly find out why. Visiting New Mexico in the fall cannot be beaten for variety and color. The weather is sunny, with cool mornings and evenings typically lasting throughout the season. Experience the picturesque Sandia Mountains, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Southern Rocky Mountains, and an impressive abundance of fall colors. Explore the enchanting beauty of New Mexico using Albuquerque as a gateway to nearby adventures, festivals, and native history that visitors only experience in New Mexico.
Taos
Taos is surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo mountains and awash with brilliant golden yellow and orange aspen groves nestled within the surrounding evergreen forests. Even the lower valleys shimmer throughout the season as the cottonwoods and elms shift from yellow to red. The weather changes drastically, with a typical daily high of around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Visitors can take scenic drives and enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, rock climbing, golfing, and hot air balloon trips throughout the fall. For scenic drives, try the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. The entire trip is 84 miles. Start in Taos and view the colors as you drive through Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest, and Angel Fire.
Taos uniquely blends Native American history, art, and scenery. Explore Taos Pueblo, which has been inhabited for over one thousand years. Near the Taos Pueblo is the historic trading/market area called the Taos Plaza. The plaza includes restaurants, art galleries, and a variety of shopping options. Check out the Millicent Rogers Museum for a well-rounded cultural experience, or take a tour of the San Francisco de Asis Church and drive across the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.
For outdoor enthusiasts, Taos sits within the Rio Grande Del Norte Monument, which includes approximately 242,000 acres of public land. Visitors can view or explore the Rio Grande Gorge and an array of unique volcanic cones that populate the area. From Albuquerque, Taos is a two-and-a-half-hour drive through spectacular mountain scenery.
Santa Fe
The drive from Albuquerque to Santa Fe is approximately one hour and ten minutes. Drivers can take the Turquoise Trail, which provides access to scenic fall views along the Sandia Mountains and passes by several interesting small towns for exploring. Santa Fe is an artist’s colony drenched in history and culture. Consider visiting the New Mexico Museum of Art or the Georgia O’Keefe Museum. Truth be told, fall is one of the best times to visit Santa Fe because the tourist crowds grow smaller as the temperature cools.
Go to the annual Harvest Festival from October 5 through 6 in Santa Fe. While there, learn to make cider using an apple press and pick a pumpkin or a few. There’s even a special section for children where they learn to make cornhusk dolls or homemade tortillas. For visitors interested in learning more about the Native American culture, the Weekend Celebration features authentic dancing and music at the Santa Fe Plaza.
One of the most popular events is the Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Santa Fe Plaza. Honor all of your ancestors on November 1 with mariachi music, boleros, traditional paper decorations, and food trucks serving authentic flavors of Mexican food. Stay the night and attend the candlelight parade on November 2. Don’t forget to enjoy the sugar skulls, live music, and commemorative altars.
Ruidoso
Visitors from Albuquerque to Ruidoso experience a vast change of scenery from the desert plains to the cool, green mountains surrounding Ruidoso. Ruidoso is home to the Lincoln National Forest and two high mountain lakes, Grindstone and Alto. Visitors may consider packing a picnic lunch and heading out to Grindstone Lake to fish, boat (non-motorized), or ride down the trails on a bike or a horse.
Grindstone Lake is stocked regularly with rainbow trout, catfish, and smallmouth bass. Year-round fishing is allowed with a New Mexico fishing license. Grindstone Lake is also home to black bears, deer, elk, blue herons, ospreys, and bald eagles. Moreover, there's a viewing platform to help visitors see more birds in their natural habitats. Hikers and bikers will find the Eagle Creek trail to Alto Lake travels past creeks and multiple bridge crossings. There are multiple-use trails all around Grindstone Lake. Visitors planning to camp in the area must call ahead to confirm the sites are open. Enjoy the fall foliage within the center of the incredible New Mexico mountains in Ruidoso.
Acoma Pueblo Sky City
Visitors can depart from the hustle and bustle of Albuquerque and experience a stunning and complete change of culture in little over an hour. The Acoma Pueblo Sky City is one of the most unusual and exciting spots you’ll visit. The Acoma Pueblo is an ancient Native American village that sits on the top of a mesa. The city has been continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years and thrives in the modern world. The Sky City Cultural Center includes the Haak’u Museum.
Acoma Sky City is a big part of New Mexico’s cultural heritage and is designated a National Historic Preserve. Learn about the Anasazi and the city’s construction in the 13th century. In 2024, the city thrives on tours and sales of handmade Indian art or supplies. Check out the exhibits documenting the founding and continuous settlement of the Acoma Pueblo, including artifacts and distinct thin-walled pottery only crafted in Acoma. Visitors can also pick up some pottery or other unique and authentic items made at Acoma from independent vendors for souvenirs. While at Sky City, spot fall colors and wildlife that occupy the area surrounding Acoma. There’s even a cafe where one can experience authentic local fare.
Jemez Springs
Find the perfect laid-back fall experience in Jemez Springs, approximately an hour and fifteen minutes from Albuquerque. Jemez Springs is a small mountain town that is overflowing with scenic drives, fall foliage, red rock scenery, and a host of trails. Visitors can hike up to Jemez Falls and enjoy the scenery, which includes an impressive natural waterfall.
Jemez Springs is known for the Caldera National Preserve and several natural hot springs. The preserve is a fourteen-mile-wide circular depression made by the explosion of a nearby volcano. The preserve currently features an abundance of colorful mountain meadows, wildlife, and a host of interconnected small rivers and streams that flow into the Jemez River. The preserve hosts an array of birds not found anywhere else. Consider taking the Early Bird Bird Tour given by the Park Rangers.
For the adventurous, there are two natural hot springs open to visitors. Find your spot, but be cautious. Keep your nose out of the water due to the possible presence of parasitic amoebas, which is common in untreated hot spring water. After a good soak, drive either direction on Highway 4 and get your fill of vibrant fall foliage.
Los Alamos
Visitors interested in Native American culture and history will love a trip to Los Alamos. Los Alamos is an hour and forty-one-minute drive from Albuquerque. In Los Alamos, you’ll find the Bandelier National Monument. The monument includes 33,000 acres of red-walled canyons that hold miles of petroglyphs, walls, reconstructed kivas, viga holes, and other areas accessible only by ladder. The historical structures give visitors a taste of what life was like for early inhabitants.
Visitors must take a shuttle from the White Rock Visitors Center in Los Alamos to Bandelier. Find hiking trails at the Bandelier Visitor Centers that take hikers past Indian ruins, natural waterfalls, and an ancestral long-house pueblo. As you walk, look for several Puebloan cliff dwellings and accompanying petroglyphs from hundreds of years ago.
While in Los Alamos, check out the Fall Fiesta at Valles Caldera from October 5 to 13. Or, participate in the LA Bathtub Gravity Race down Central Avenue on October 12, along with the Harvest Festival featuring local vendors, food, and pumpkin painting.
Madrid
Madrid is an hour north of Albuquerque and halfway to Santa Fe. The town was featured in the recent “Wild Hogs” movie and is a popular stop along the Turquoise Trail scenic route from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Madrid is a historic mining town with the first lighted ballpark west of Mississippi. Be sure to make a stop at the Old Coal Town Museum and learn about Madrid’s coal mining history.
For a different vibe this fall, check out the Mine Shaft Tavern, where visitors find local food, draft beer, and live music. On October 19, listen to live music from the Slim Belly Blues band or the One More Silver Dollar band on October 20. For Halloween lovers, attend the annual costume and dance party at the Madrid Cemetery on November 2 and 3.
Truth or Consequences
A two-hour drive south of Albuquerque, visitors find the interesting town of Truth or Consequences. Truth or Consequences is the current home of Spaceport America or the facility that launches space-bound aircraft for Virgin Galactic every month. Visitors can book a private tour of the facility or visit Spaceport America’s Visitor Center in town.
A fall visit to Truth or Consequences nearly always includes a day visiting the local hot springs around town. It’s all about wellness in this small resort town, so be sure to soak in the healing waters at various public establishments. Tourists can also find private hot springs baths, massage, reflexology, mud wraps, and reiki. When you’re done soaking, walk through downtown for shopping and dining. During the fall, attend the Second Saturday Art Hop that runs year-round.
Chama
The drive to Chama from Albuquerque is bit longer at just under three hours. It is worth the time as the route takes visitors through several valleys and gorges with spectacular scenery, especially in the fall. Imagine the red and gray rocks accented by miles of gold and red foliage mixed within the forests. The best way to see fall foliage is by boarding the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad takes visitors on a scenic ride using a historic steam engine. Riders experience breathtaking views of the Cascade Trestle, aspens, and meadows of wildflowers. View the Rio Chama River as it winds through the valley during the trip.
Chama sits high in the Southern Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 7,860 feet. Take the day and soak in the beauty of fall without the hassle of driving. Anglers will love the local trout-filled streams and lakes. Try your hand at fly fishing the Rio Chama River or find a hiking trail to meet any challenge within Edward Sargent’s Wildlife Area.
Cochiti Pueblo
Cochiti Pueblo is an hour’s drive north of Albuquerque. Cochiti is best known for the number of odd cone-shaped rock formations found throughout the area. The cones are leftovers from past volcanic eruptions and group together to form towering rock walls with wild-looking formations. Take a closer look by visiting the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. One can also hike the National Recreational Trail, which provides access to the area for hiking, bird watching, or geologic observation.
Kasha-Katuwe is controlled by the local tribe and is open to the public at the Tribal community’s discretion. So, call before you visit to ensure the area is open for hiking or mountain biking. While at Cochiti, visit the nearby Cochiti Lake offering camping and long beachy shorelines to enjoy the lake through the fall season. Fall is the perfect time to visit the tent rocks without the desert heat. Be sure to notice the changing foliage from trees, cacti, and wild flowering plants. Bird watchers will find various birds using the rock cones for nesting.
Wrapping Up
Experience fall in a variety of ways within a three-hour drive from Albuquerque, New Mexico. You’ll find fall foliage in trees and a vast number of unique rock formations of various colors. Hike, bike, drive, or board a train and get a close-up view of miles of stunning fall scenery. As the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico will not disappoint. Experience the fall season in the mountains, valleys, and desert plains of New Mexico. Get enchanted!
