Suggestions for small towns to visit in NM?
 

My friend and I are visiting Albq & Santa Fe for five days at the end of August. We are looking for suggestions as to what small towns (ghost towns even?) to visit during our stay. We are willing to drive up to an hour outside of Albq & SF.

Please advise?

I don't know about ghost towns, but my favorite cities nearby are:

Abiquiu - Georgia O'Keeffe's home is here, and available for tours through the museum (reserve well in advance), Ghost Ranch - place to hike, and also where GOK stayed in the past, Echo Ampitheatre (outdoor natural ampitheatre), Abiquiu Lake (man-made, but breathtaking), Christ in the Desert Monastery (long 13 mile twisting, turning drive off main road, but beautiful setting), and of course, the amazing red rock scenery. Check out Abiquiu Inn for eating out - great food.

Madrid - on the Turquoise Trail (NM14). Used to be a ghost town until artists settled there and reformed the town. A little funky, quirky, and great people watching at the Mine Shaft tavern.

Chimayo - Sancturario de Chimayo is here, supposedly the dirt in this ancient church is holy. Good restaurant nearby.

Nambe - on the way to Chimayo, beautiful waterfall area.


White Rock/Los Alamos - White Rock offers an amazing scenic overlook, and Los Alamos has many nice restaurants, and a Science (?) museum. Plus nearby Bandelier National Monument is a must-see for your trip. Assume you have info on that?

Also, Taos is not a small town, but well worth the drive. Check out the Rio Grande Gorge, Taos Pueblo and more.

Thanks! I've been reading about the same places over and over but you've given me some new and interesting options.

Quick question, we are not big hikers, so is it still worth going to Bandelier?

Yes...the trail is easy and interesting.
There is also the falls trail not difficult but i don't know how are the falls this year due to the climat.
Jemez springs is also a nice place to go : an old mission, the springs, a caldera,...
Erik.

Given the limited amount of time you have, you've gotten some great suggestions.

You could visit Madrid by taking the Turquoise Trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe or vice versa.

I finally drove the high road to Taos (Nambe, Chimayo, etc.) a couple of weeks ago with a friend and it was really lovely, but unless you're staying in Santa Fe it is farther than you want to drive.

Lee Ann

"Quick question, we are not big hikers, so is it still worth going to Bandelier?"

Definitely. The drive is beautiful. I'm no hiker, but enjoyed my visit to Bandelier immensely.

Cerrillos is another "ghost" town on the Turquoise Trail that's worth a look. There are some really interesting old buildings and a few shops. It's much less commercialized than Madrid, although Madrid is certainly fun.

Is the drive to the Monastery doable in a rental car? It doesn't sound horrible, but I heard there was one place that wasn't advisable to drive in a rental car...is this it?