35 Detour-Worthy Things to Do on a Northern New Mexico Road Trip
Note: This Best Things to Do in a Northern New Mexico Road Trip Guide is part of my Southwest USA Road Trip Series. If you’re new or on a road trip anywhere between California to Texas yourself, visit the blog series intro for the full list of southwest USA destination guides.
Destination 10: Northern New Mexico
Although few famous iconic landmarks occupy this area, I hope this post of 35 weird and fun things to do on a northern New Mexico road trip convinces you to stay a while longer. I sure did. Welcome to the Land of Enchantment.
What is Northern New Mexico Known For?
Northern New Mexico surprised me. It wasn’t just more West Texas nothingness but an area profoundly ingrained in history, Native American culture, archaeological sites, and unsuspecting sceneries. Northern New Mexico is littered with hidden gem natural wonders and beautiful places.
If you’re driving through, I hope you slow down a bit to fully appreciate this great state’s history and beauty, especially for those on a long road trip.
Best Things to do in Northern New Mexico
Aside from White Sands National Park, Northern New Mexico is the prettiest part of the state. It is home to Martian landscapes, the state’s only cities (Santa Fe and Albuquerque), and one of the nation’s strongest Native American cultures.
Read on to find out 35 places to stop and things to do on your Northern New Mexico road trip.
Related Post: Driving through Southern New Mexico too? Find information on the dunes of White Sands National Park or the UFO Museum in my Southern New Mexico guide here.
Best Things to Do in Santa Fe, New Mexico
1. House of Eternal Return – Meow Wolf Santa Fe
If you haven’t heard of the crazy art collective Meow Wolf yet, you should definitely put these out-of-this-world immersive art exhibits on your radar! As Meow Wolf’s popularity balloons across the country, these unique installations are popping up in different cities, each with its own mystery. Still, Santa Fe will always be their permanent flagship installation.
You must go to Meow Wolf Santa Fe’s — House of Eternal Return to fully understand the experience. But, here’s a little trailer.
Synopsis Alert: You enter a seemingly ordinary house; however, it is anything but a typical home. Opening fridge doors could lead to an interdimensional portal to a clown art exhibit. Crawling through a laundry machine can land you in a lost sock room.
You can even embark on the story narrative to “solve” the puzzle. But for us first-timers, with all the stimulation for your senses, the plotline may be better devoted for your second visit.
If you like these awesome large-scale trippy art installations, check out another Meow Wolf exhibit in Las Vegas, Wonderspaces in Austin, or Seismique in Houston.
Address: 1352 Rufina Cir, Santa Fe, NM 87507
2. Old Town Santa Fe
The historic old town features blocks of adobe-walled buildings, with doors open to art galleries and vendors selling Native American wares. At the center is Santa Fe Plaza, the central gathering place of a town and even named a national historic landmark.
Quite similar to the old town in Albuquerque, you should at least visit one of the two historical centers. In Santa Fe, see the oldest trading post in the United States clocking in at over 400 years old. If you are looking for bars or fine dining, the old town contains the most significant cluster of variety aside from the Railyard.
Original Trading Post Address: 201 W San Francisco St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
3. The Railyard
The Railyard is a recently developed arts district that lines either side of, you guessed it, a railroad. This area has a more hipster vibe, with pop-up restaurants, bars, and a movie theatre.
Address: 332 Read St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
4. Coffeeshops
I have heard that “coffee shop-ping” is a thing to do in Santa Fe, and I can attest that there are many, many shops to try. There are a plethora of choices to visit, so here is a guide to caffeinating yourself through Santa Fe.
5. Hiking the Santa Fe Trail
If you thought that Santa Fe was a flat desert, you would have thought wrong. Santa Fe is actually elevated at 6500 feet high and surrounded by hills, mountains, and shrubbery. Since it is along the Santa Fe trail, where the Native Americans brought back goods from St. Louis, there are plenty of hiking trails all around the city.
A good Santa Fe view hike is Sun Mountain Trailhead. It is not particularly long at 1.5 miles to the top, but you can see all of Santa Fe (which isn’t much) and the surrounding mountains. You can even make the hike longer by hiking along the ridge to the neighboring peak, Moon Mountain.
Sun Mountain Trailhead GPS Coordinates: (35.656771, -105.920788)
Black Canyon is another area with many trails to check out. Explore Santa Fe trails with AllTrails, a user-reviewed trail aggregator.
Things to Do in Las Vegas, New Mexico
Not to get confused with Las Vegas, Nevada, Las Vegas NM is a one-hour drive from Santa Fe.
6. Montezuma Hot Springs
In northeastern New Mexico, just an hour outside of Santa Fe near Las Vegas, New Mexico, Montezuma hot springs used to be part of the Montezuma Hotel. When the hotel became abandoned, the public could now use these natural hot springs for free. Plus points: the springs are a close walk to the parking area.
Approximate GPS Location: (35.654327, -105.284762)
7. Montezuma Castle
No, not the Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona. Montezuma Castle in Las Vegas, New Mexico, capitalized on the nearby hot springs to build a destination hotel in 1886. This building was considered one of the places to visit last century.
I wouldn’t recommend going out of the way for it, nor am I sure this is an Urbex-type situation. Still, if you’re planning on taking a dip at the undeveloped hot spring nearby, Montezuma Castle’s unique architecture will be within eyesight.
8. Dwan Light Sanctuary – Public Art Space
Even not so well-known amongst locals, the Dwan Light Sanctuary aims to put those who enter in a state of contemplation and peace. This hidden gem attraction literally takes prisms that shine and reflect light to illuminate the space. Best to go on a nicer day for optimal lighting.
You may also need to check-in before entering. Occasionally, the space also throws events: yoga, summer concerts, memorials, poetry readings, sound healing, and more.
Best Things to do in Albuquerque, New Mexico
I didn’t hear the greatest things about Albuquerque, mainly regarding safety, but I felt very welcome and had great conversations with random people in just one day. There are pockets of homelessness and high crime, but locals say it seems mostly contained to certain areas.
Breaking Bad Set Locations
So if there is one thing that puts Albuquerque on the map, it’s Breaking Bad – the TV show that follows a high school science teacher’s transformation into one of the biggest meth kingpins.
The set of Breaking Bad was based on and filmed in real locations around Albuquerque. Being a big fan, I decided to pay a visit to a few set sites. Here’s a guide to many other filming locations.
9. The Candy Lady
Located in the Old Town, The Candy Lady was the one who supplied all the “Blue Meth” in Breaking Bad. Here, alongside bachelorette x-rated shaped candy, you can buy “Dime bags” or “Distribution Bags” of blue meth, aka rock candy.
A bit of gossip: I have heard she had to move locations due to the raunchy-shaped chocolate in a conservative area or fame politics.
10. Walter White House
A private residence from an apparently rude lady, according to Google reviews, I was kind of scared to approach as she was outside. Fun Fact: A fence had to be erected outside her property since too many fans encroached onto their property. Some fans even tried to reenact the throwing pizza on the top of the roof scene.
11. A1 Car Wash
In season 1, Walter White toiled away working at the A1 Carwash. Then, later on, he bought the carwash to launder money. The real-life location used to be an Octopus Car Wash now turned into Mister Car Wash.
12. Better Call Saul
The Better Call Saul set location wasn’t as evident as the iconic Statue of Liberty roof décor was not there. There was a carriage from a neighboring store, but it was hard to tell still.
13. Sandia Peak Tramway
Take the scenic route above Albuquerque with the Sandia Peak Tramway on the city’s eastern mountains. In 15 minutes, you reach above 10,000 feet up for a panoramic view of all of Albuquerque. Entrance Fee (Adult): Roundtrip – $29, One-way – $18
14. Albuquerque Old Town
The Albuquerque historic old town starts with a square plaza lined with shops, galleries, and a historic cathedral. From the center, adobe-walled buildings line the roads with shopfronts and local artisans selling Native American souvenirs, art galleries, cafes, restaurants, and more. Quite similar to the one in Santa Fe, you should at least visit one of the two old towns.
In Albuquerque Old Town (Aside from wandering around):
- The Candy Lady – the one who provided all the blue meth in The Breaking Bad.
- Notice in the corner of the Cathedral’s property, notice a cool sculpture within a tree, carved by a conservationist hoping to save the tree from being cut down.
15. The Sawmill Market
Only a 5-10 minute walk from the Albuquerque old town square, an old sawmill had laid abandoned for a few decades. The city recently decided to turn it into a desirable space again, Sawmill Market, a new development restaurant area giving major hipster vibes.
What’s cool is that its sawmill days are still evident from the facade’s architecture and materials. It was very unlucky that it opened in March of 2020, but it is up and running now!
16. Walk Along the Rio Grande
Dividing Albuquerque into East and West is the flow of the Rio Grande, which is the river that defines much of the Mexico-America border. There is plenty of green spaces, hiking and biking trails that run through the whole city along the river banks, and there are even fields near the banks filled with birds lounging around.
17. NM Rail Runner Express Train in Nice Weather
Locals have said that in good weather, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, which runs between Santa Fe to Albuquerque, is a train ride that should not be missed. One can experience the true New Mexico landscape and diversity as the train stops in many pueblos and over mountain passes. Next time.
18. Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest hot air balloon festival, attracts more than 550 balloons and 1,000 pilots every fall. This nine-day October festival also features parachute displays, concerts, food vendors, fireworks, entertainment, etc. Wholesome fun for all ages.
If you’re looking for another awesome Balloon Regatta, Page, Arizona also holds one annually.
19. Petroglyph National Monument
The Petroglyph National Monument, located in northwestern New Mexico in the Rio Grande River valley, is home to many ancient Native American rock art – “A Land of Sacred Symbols”. Its most famous feature is its petroglyphs, images carved in the basalt by indigenous peoples and early Spanish settlers hundreds of years ago.
One of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, it is estimated there are more than 25,000 petroglyphs throughout the park, most of which can be seen from the trails. There are three hikes for petroglyph viewing: Boca Negra Canyon (100 petroglyphs), Rinconada Canyon (300 petroglyphs), Piedras Marcadas (400 petroglyphs). The Boca Negra Canyon hike is easy and suitable for families and non-hikers.
Visitor Center Address: 6510 Western Trail NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120
Best Things to do on the Northern New Mexico Road (East-West)
Note: This route maps only the things to do on a northern new Mexico road trip but doesn’t include city stops for Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, the Hot Springs, or Pueblos.
20. Billy the Kid Museum
Who is Billy the Kid? The lanky youth shot and killed at least nine folks before he was finally stopped near Fort Sumner State Monument by Sheriff Pat Garrett. The Billy the Kid museum commemorates Billy as an American icon and hosts the Kid’s rifle, horse-riding equipment, the original Wanted poster, and a bunch of other random stuff. According to rumors, the museum has some of his hair, too…Also, it’s the only thing to do around this area.
21. Santa Rosa Blue Hole
The Santa Rosa Blue Hole appears like a large blue diamond in the desert. Once known as Blue Lake, this phenomenon is one of seven sister lakes connected as part of a larger water system. The Santa Rosa sink is a magical geological wonder in a place that rarely rains against the backdrop of the surrounding red mesas. I will have to save it for next time, when it’s, you know…not blizzarding.
More Fun? Not just a swimming hole, you can also go scuba diving and snorkeling in the Santa Rosa Blue Hole.
22. Pecos National Historical Park
Pecos National Historical Park encompasses what was once one of the largest Native American pueblos in the state. Its single most prominent feature is Pecos Pueblo, the relic remains of an abandoned Native American community. The park is infused with other historical elements: archaeological sites, 19th-century ranches, and a battlefield of the American Civil War.
Visitor Center Address: Ancestral Sites Trail, Pecos, NM 87552
23. Bandelier National Monument
Housing the ancestral Pueblo people, Bandelier National Monument protects 33,000 acres of history, ancient ruins of native dwellings, petroglyphs, and nature in the mesa itself.
Address: 15 Entrance Rd, Los Alamos, NM 87544
24. Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a 64-mile train ride from Chama, New Mexico, to Antonito, Colorado. But, why would I randomly take a train? This train is old school AF. Think late 1800s steam-powered, black smoke puffing train winding through the impressive Cumbres Pass and the dramatic Toltec Gorge.
The ride is surrounded by scenic countryside as it crosses the creek trestle, climbs the face of a cliff, and doubles back dramatically on the Tanglefoot Curve. Passengers will see many of the Railroad’s original structures along the journey and have the chance to stop in the rustic Osier, Colorado, halfway through the trip for a lunch break and some exploring.
25. Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is an archaeological site in northern New Mexico featuring the history of the ancestral Pueblo people. The ancient city of Chaco Canyon was a central regional hub, and its 15 massive ruins and hundreds of smaller peripheral settlements leave behind evidence of their former glory.
Visitor Center Address: 1808 County Road 7950, Nageezi, NM 87037
26. Bisti Badlands/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
A must-do, add this to your New Mexico bucket list now! Bisti Badlands/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is surprisingly one of the most unique and best places I may have seen in North America. Incredibly remote, hike to find badland sceneries, hoodoo formations, and egg-shaped rocks all to yourself!
This 1.5-hour detour from route 40 is a worthy stop, especially for sunrises and sunsets. The area covers a massive span of 45,000 acres and deserves more than one day to visit all the notable stops. I instead decided to do 2 hikes: one early in the morning on the north side and one on the south, altogether totaling 8 miles for the day.
You must pre-plan your trip and have GPS or an offline map. There are no trails, no signs, barely any people. Bring water and be smart. This blog post was the best map and GPS coordinates to Bisti Badlands I found for getting to the best sceneries.
Tip: This is BLM land, so you can camp here. Just pack everything you bring in, out.
North Parking Lot GPS Coordinates: (36.27886, -108.25331)
South Parking Lot GPS Coordinates: (36.25915, -108.25179)
Something Unexplainable Happened Storytime:
Before I begin, I want to emphasize that this is an incredibly remote place! I met only 3 souls my whole day there, and to top it off, it was below freezing these days, which makes the below story even weirder.
As I was taking blue hour photography just after the sunset, I see in the corner of my eye: a hovering light. No matter, it’s just another person. A few photos later, the hovering light had not moved and did not waver as it should if it was a flashlight. Getting uncomfortable, I start to head towards my van, still 3+ miles away. The last hues of orange were fading as the navy blue set in.
I turn back around.
The light is still there, and perhaps even closer! Still just hovering. I pause to stare with a mounting sense of uneasiness.
What could it be?
A human – but why would it just be staying in one place.
A drone – but I don’t hear any buzzing.
A star – but it looks so close compared to the others.
I decided to set my ISO high to take a picture. A blurry high ISO picture. I wanted to try again better. I set the camera to aim, and it was gone. The light was just gone!
Looking over my shoulder the whole hour hike back, I finally arrive back to the van, to safety. But I wish I knew: was I just imagining it or…..?
27. Ah-Sle-Si-Pah Wilderness Study Area
If you have more than one day, another even lesser-known destination than Bisti Badlands is Ah-Sle-Si-Pah Wilderness Study Area. With sceneries similar to Bisti Badlands, hoodoos and badland formations are aplenty. The most famous trail here is the Valley of Dreams, which will take you to giant hoodoo formations like the King of Wings, a hoodoo formation that juts 22 feet out!
GPS Coordinates (Have not personally tried)
Trailhead: (36.1838500°, -107.9717000°)
King of Wings: (36.1711167°, -107.9726333°)
28. Shiprock Monolith
Basically, just a really cool-looking rock jutting out in an otherwise flat area; Shiprock Monolith is a pretty far out-of-the-way spot to look at. This monolith is part of the Navajo Volcanic Field, which are eroded volcanic centers. More for a photographer, if you happen to be driving through, you can find some pretty amazing shots of this unique rock formation.
GPS Coordinates: (36.686186, -108.835662)
29. Four Corners Monument
The Four Corners Monument is the only place where you can simultaneously be in four states at the same time: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Upon entering, there is an artisan market for local souvenirs too. Entrance Fee: $5
Address: 597 NM-597, Teec Nos Pos, AZ 86514
30. The Very Big Array (Detour)
In basically every movie where they show an enormous array, The Very Big Array in New Mexico is the star of the shot. A visit to the array includes a short documentary and exhibits, a VLA guided tour, and an outdoor self-guided walking tour.
This spot is quite a detour as it sits in the central west region of New Mexico, but is open every day from 9 am to 4 pm.
GPS Coordinates: (34.078252, -107.618074)
Other Fun Categories of Things to Do in New Mexico
31. Undeveloped Hot Springs in New Mexico
Like in California and the Ring of Fire, New Mexico has some incredible hot springs. I drove through a winter storm; even the most sizzling hot springs wouldn’t have kept me comfortable at 0F temperatures.
Here is a great blog post about some hot springs in Northern New Mexico (and one in the South) for you to soak in.
Best Pueblos to Visit in Northern New Mexico
32. Taos Pueblo (North of Santa Fe)
Taos Pueblo (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) celebrates over 1,000 years of tradition and continuation of the Native American culture. This village in northern New Mexico even offers tours to significant areas to highlight the culture, history, and people of the Native Americans.
Visitor Center Address: 1201 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur Taos, NM 87571
33. Taos Ski Valley
Calling all those who love snow sports, Taos Ski Valley is in the same area. For hikers, the rare alpine tundra Wheeler Peak Wilderness is close by too.
34. Acoma Pueblo (Closest to Albuquerque)
The road to the Sky City of Acoma is beautiful already. Only 13 miles away from Route 40 south of Albuquerque, this pueblo towers over from the top of the cliff and has a museum to walk you through the history of its people. Especially if you are there during sunset time, you can find that the beautiful golden hour hue highlights parts of the monoliths very dramatically.
Sky City Cultural Center & Haak’u Museum GPS Coordinates: (34.901258, -107.587845)
35. Santo Domingo Pueblo (South of Santa Fe)
Due to COVID, I was only able to enter the surrounding area of Santo Domingo Pueblo, but not the town itself. Driving a few minutes into the security checkpoint, there was a small museum that I never found and an old trading post…with some adorable dogs.
Trading Post Address: (35.511085, -106.320903)
Bucket List Worthy? Things to do in Northern New Mexico Road Trip
I spent way more time in Northern New Mexico than I had expected. I highly recommend slowing down to smell the cactus as there were so many things to do in a northern New Mexico road trip.
If you have time for nothing else, add these to your Northern New Mexico road trip:
- House of Eternal Return – Meow Wolf Santa Fe
- Bisti Badlands/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
- Four Corners Monument
- At least one Native American Pueblo
Storytime – Winter is Coming: Stuck in a Snowstorm
On the road to northern New Mexico. A brewing winter storm fast on my tail catches me straight into its dangerous eye. I got stuck in the worst winter storm of my two years vanlifing, with lows reaching 0F (-17C). Not believing I could survive such low temperatures, I found a fantastic Couchsurfer in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Tip: I highly recommend the travel app, Couchsurfer, which is like Airbnb but free. What you give instead of money is your time to get to know a stranger.
The only problem: I was still a four-hour, 279 mile drive away in Amarillo, Texas. With the blizzard and freezing temperature, I internally cried as I slid across black ice multiple times and saw terrible car crashes and backups on the highway before arriving, safe and sound. It was a traumatizing drive, but I was welcomed with open arms to a warm home and new friend in Santa Fe.
Good thing because my 7-gallon water jug and an entire watermelon became ice blocks overnight. Only four days later did temperatures reach the mid 20’sF (-5C), and I felt ready for the road again.
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