Driving from Mesa Verde to Santa Fe...
 

We will be driving from Mesa Verde to Santa Fe in June. We plan to stay three to four nights in Santa Fe. I am wondering if there is a logical overnight location between the two that will allow us to visit some sights and Pueblos before we get to Santa Fe so we can focus our time in Santa Fe on the town, without having to do many day trips. I had been thinking about the Jemez Springs area or Abiquiu, but not having been to the area, it is hard to figure out.

Perhaps the best solution is to drive straight through and then do the visits as day trips from Santa Fe even though it might seem like backtracking.

Any thoughts or ideas? Thank you!

It's only 4 hours from Mesa Verde to Santa Fe; day trips sound like a good idea.

Thanks sylvia. I know 4 hours isn't really that long of a drive.

Perhaps there are some places we can stop along the way even as a day long drive? We will probably be taking route 84.

Any ideas about that anyone?

There is a nice small museum in Jemez Springs. Between there and SF are Valles Caldera and Bandelier NM both of which could be done as a day trip from Santa Fe. Bandelier would be a nice comparison to Mesa Verde as many of the dwellings are carved into the soft hardened ash of the mountainside. I have some pictures of them at www.flickr.com/photos/emalloy2009 in the 2013 set and probably in a couple of others. The area called Tsankawi that is about 5 miles closer to SF is less developed and is also nice to explore.

This was fun: finding the old church in Hernandez that's featured in Ansel Adams' iconic "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico".
It's there, and quite picturesque (you might have to ask someone; it's on a road that parallels the highway, but only a minute from it).

slyvia, I love that idea! I've come up with images and maps for locating it. It sounds like something unusual to do.

emalloy, Bandelier is certainly on my list of things that I wanted to see while in the area. Thanks for the photos!

You could stop in Abiquiu. Ghost Ranch offers a couple of Georgia O'Keeffe tours, if that interests you. http://ghostranch.org/georgia-okeeffe/okeeffe-tours

Lee Ann

Thanks Lee Ann. Some of the tours do sound interesting. Perhaps even spending the night there!

Bandolier is a great place to explore.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/50430597
http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/50430590

We spent a night in Jemez Springs a few years ago at a wonderful B&B in a gorgeous canyon next to the river called Canon del Rio. Beautiful inn with very reasonably priced rooms.
http://www.canondelrio.com/

In Jemez, we also hiked a few miles to a beautiful hot springs - what a wonderful experience swimming in a warm pool of water in a stream in the middle of the woods!

Sharondi, that inn looks wonderful! Thanks for the photos. I think exploring the Jemez Springs area and spending a night at that inn sounds like a great idea.

You could consider visiting Chaco Canyon since you are obviously very interested in pueblo culture. It is a long drive in but worth the trip

If it's not too late, check out Farmington. We are 1 1/2 hours from Mesa Verde, very near Chaco Canyon, the Bisti wilderness area, and the Aztec ruins, plus great opportunities to buy Navajo artwork at local (non Santa fe) prizes direct from the artists. plus we're very friendly and have lovely parks and walkways, great hiking and an hour from Durango's restaurants and trails.

Thanks laura. The trip has been pushed back until June 2015 and has morphed into a Moab/MesaVerde/Monument Valley/North Rim GC trip. I really wanted to see Arches/Canyonlands, Monument Valley and also wanted to spend more time at the North Rim. We loved it there a few years ago. We'll fly into Salt Lake City and out of Las Vegas. Santa Fe will have to wait. I just made reservations for Mesa Verde and scored a Rim Cabin at the Grand Canyon Lodge.

oh do enjoy - the area is so beautiful. We visited Arches/canyonlands last Thanksgiving so let me know if you want any advice with that. We are close to Mesa Verde - if you get a chance jump down to take a drive by shiprock - it is amazing

Hi laura, thanks for you offer of help. I would appreciate any hints or insights about visiting Arches, Canyonlands and Mesa Verde that you have. Thanks!

wakewoody, I hope your reservations for Mesa Verde were for Far View Lodge, because the road in is up the mesa and very twisty and takes about a half hour to get to the top of the mesa. There are mule deer etc. that you would want to avoid at night too.

Sounds like a wonderful trip for 2015, although I might want to do a test run this year too, it never gets old.

Yes emalloy, we have a room at Far View for three nights. We are thinking three nights at Moan as well. We might do four. Thanks!

I have given lots of input on here as a local in the Mesa Verde areas for several years. I will be happy to give a hand as the time gets closer. In meantime, an advanced search or google my name and: Mesa verde; Cortez; Durango. I also have a TR on Moab here too. A bit old but should still be pretty accurate.

Make that Moab.

Yes Deb, I have read your posts on these areas over the years and will be using your suggestions for sure. Thank you!

If you are staying three nights at Far View I hope you've reserved one of the nicer rooms. It has been several years, but the standard rooms were a step above camping and after reading TA reviews it doesn't sound like much has changed. Staying in the park is a must, and I usually love in park lodging, but three nights in the room we had would be two too many.

Have fun planning.

Yes wtm, I reserved what they call a "Kiva King" and it seems to an upgraded room.

Hi Wekewoody - well first bit of advice, remember you are in the American west and always carry lots and lots of water for all the hiking (and driving) you do. we made the mistake of not filling the car up before taking off several times and had to stop mid trip as distances between stations are long. So especially in Canyonlands - fill your car before you leave. Arches is lovely and easy to hike, Canyonlands is rougher I am told. Zion is lovely, but some of the hikes are not for the faint of hearty (I sat and had tea while my son and husband did the Angel trail). Mesa Verde is easy to see and lots of good trails. You can sign up for ranger led trips into the actual ruins, or just climb around yourself. I don't know if you already have your hotel reservations, but you can easily stay in Durango which is less than an hour away and has a lot of good hotels and restaurants, coffee bars, etc. (it is also a college town). I'd say Mesa Verde is only worth a day, Arches and Canyonlands you could spend several at. From Mesa Verde drive down rte 491 to see Shiprock, or come down 550 through Farmington and Bloomfield and see Angel Peak which very few people visit , or Chaco Canyon (you need 4 wheel drive for the latter). Let me know if you have any questions about this area - we love visitors and people here are very friendly.

Thanks laura and everyone else. So far the plan is for two full days in Mesa Verde. I want to see the Weatherill Mesa area and I have read that having another day for that is a good idea. I have made reservations at Far View in the park already, but will look at what is available in Durango. Three full days in Moab is what I am thinking at this point. I'd like to keep the trip 12 nights or under.

Here are my thought at this point as far as nights go

Moab 3/4 nights
MV 3 nights
Monument Valley 1 night
NRGC 3 nights
Vegas 1 night

I like the new plan, but unless you do a lot of hiking in NRGC, I would do one night there and head from there to Bryce for at least a day and Zion for at least a day before heading to Vegas.

Thanks emalloy. We like the North Rim as a place to chill out and relax as well as an exploring place. Sitting on the terrace of the Lodge with a good book is something we both love to do. I am always so amazed and pleased with how quiet and low-key it is up there. We've been twice and each time we leave saying, "We need to spend more time here." We might spend our last night or two in Bryce instead of Vegas. I love it there too.

where were you going to stay in monument Valley? it's pretty desolate there. If you can instead I would get there early, hike, and then go on to Bryce or Zion for a night (lots of lodging options and a short drive to the Canyon - in any case, enjoy!

We are probably going to stay at The View at Monument Valley. We may or may not make it to Zion or Bryce this time.

A great article to read before a Monument Valley trip -
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/fe...t-valley200903

The first time we went to Mesa Verde we stayed in Durango. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at MV the tours were sold out for the day. It was much easier arriving mid to late afternoon, purchasing our tickets for the following day and staying at Far View.

Thanks wtm. I had have read that over and over again. We will be arriving at Mesa Verde in the afternoon coming from Moab.

Here is a sort of random question...I'd like to go to Natural Bridges National Monument. Would that be better done on the trip from Moab to Mesa Verde or from Mesa Verde to Monument Valley?

I would do it on the way to Monument Valley and you can take the Moki dug way down to Mexican Hat and get a bit of an E ticket ride. You also could stop for a quick photo op at Goosenecks of the San Juan State park.

Thanks emalloy. Would that be the downhill direction?

From the access road for Natural Bridges, go east on 95 a very short way then take 261 south. It is paved most of the way, but there is about a 3 mile stretch in the middle down the side of the cliff that has wonderful views and is a series of unpaved switchbacks. It is well maintained and you can do it in a regular car. Goosenecks is right off 261 also.

I think taking a side trip to see the goosenecks and Mexican Hat sounds like a great idea.

Two full days or three full days in Moab? We aren't interesting in doing the river rafting or any of the paid tours, but would like to get a good look at Canyonlands and Arches.