Is it reasonable to expect to be able to explore New Mexico without a car?

Not in any reasonable timeframe, imho.

You could do parts - Santa Fe can be done without a car; Albuquerque to a degree. You would need to use public transit [bus or taxi] which is available but isn't great. There is a light rail/ commuter train that runs from just south of Albuquerque to Santa Fe. IF you wanted to go to other parts, it gets to be very difficult.

Albuquerque has a city bus service that is used a lot along Central Avenue (old US66).
The RailRunner will get you from ABQ to Santa Fe. http://www.nmrailrunner.com/maps/rail-runner-system-map
Other parts of the state will require a car.

I appreciate this info. I am Australian and trying to avoid driving on the "wrong" side of the road!

Others adjust quickly to driving on the right--you will too. If you want to see New Mexico beyond the big cities, you best have a car. (Sometimes we have to take a deep breath and forge ahead as I did recently in overcoming my apprehension about driving a standard shift in Spain because it had been twenty-five years since I had done so.)

HTtY

Much of New Mexico is very empty.

Your may be the only car on the road.

I can't think of a better place to practice driving on the opposite side of the road.

What Ackislander said!

I agree with Ackislnader, too. Without a car, you'd miss seeing some of the most beautiful scenery in the US, outside the cities, which would be a shame. You might consider renting a car for the day and seeing how it goes and then extending the rental if all goes well, which I am quite sure it will. Enjoy your trip!

(Whether or not you end up driving around, but especially if you don't, take the gondola from Albuquerque to Sandia Crest ski area, and ride the ski lift while you're up there. Amazing scenery.)

Unless you fetishize using slow and irregular public transportation, you need a car. New Mexico is the 6th largest state and one of the emptiest. Albuquerque is the only real city and it is spread out (physically, it is 40% larger than Philadelphia, the 5th most populated city in the US and Philly has about 3x the population).

Driving on the right side of the road will become second nature when you hop in behind the steering wheel on the left. We do it in reverse.

US drivers are less polite than Aussies, tho'. But we're not European (thankfully), especially not in the Southwest.

I agree with DebitNM, you could see Albuquerque, but honestly the most amazing bits of NM are the bits "in between" the gorgeous drives between towns (towering cliffs and rock formations) Don't forget to visit us in the four corners/Farmington area, we are not as well known but have great cliff dwellings, scenery, native jewelry and rugs (much less expensive than in SF) etc. I'm not a great highway driver and the roads here are really easy to navigate. Enjoy your visit and welcome (and if someone asks you red or green they are referring to what kind of chili you want on your dish)

Thanks, I get the picture. Will try to be brave. By the way, I'll opt for red chilli.

Get both: Christmas.

Ask for both, red and green, on the SIDE. They can be very hot and if you aren't accustomed to chile, it can ruin your entire plate of food if it is served "over".

And it isn't that green is hotter than red or vice versa. It has to do with the restaurant and also the particular batch. It can vary from day to day, batch to batch - even at same restaurant.
[And locals never ask for Christmas; just ask for both.]

And please note - it is chilE, not chilI. 2 very different things.

travelbroadcaster, I was really apprehensive the first time I drove on the "wrong" side in the UK, but really, it is easy to get accustomed to it.

If you can allow yourself a day or so to get over the jet lag a bit before you strike out in a car, it may help your concentration.

When are you coming to the Stqts? If you are in Santa Fe in summer there is the opera to experience. If Fall the ristras (strings of red chiles)and the golds of the poplars, green of the pinons, the crystal clear light. If winter, the snow and wonderful lights and luminaries (candles lining the sidewalks)and above all the desert clearly entrancing. An experience not to be missed will be the back roads and villages and pueblos.. I envy you as I will probably never get back to the enchanted land again!!!

>>Thanks, I get the picture. Will try to be brave. . .

you need a car

Santa Fe is fine without a car, but the whole American west is a driving place. Like others said, it's a pretty good place to practice your right-side driving (not in Santa Fe)on the open road. It is a bit of a pain to have to concentrate on the part of driving that you take for granted at home.