Trip to 4 corners
 

I am in the planning stages to go to the 4 corners and need some help. We have seen most of Utah,.(Arches ,Canyonlands ,Bryce and Zion). Mesa Verde is one place we have not seen and would like to know where else to go with-in a reasonable range of there. We will be there for 6 days. Also, should we land In Albuguerque or Flagstaff or somewhere else? Would like to fly Southwest from SC
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
CSG

Absolutely fly to Albuquerque on Southwest. What time of year are you coming to Mesa Verde?

Durango, Telluride are close to Mesa Verde and would be worthwhile. If you have not spent time in Albuquerque or Santa Fe, that would be good too.

I have homes in both areas and would be happy to help you plan.

If you haven't been to Canyon de Chelly that is definitely the place to go. Stay at the Holiday Inn and arrange a tour into the canyon at the ticket office in the hotel.

HTtY

Since you mention Mesa Verde, I'll assume you have an interest in Ancestral Peubloan sites. In your way from Albuquerque to Mesa Verde you could visit Chaco Canyon...the "Rome" of the Ancestral Puebloan culture. It is off the beaten track and there's no place to stay inless you camp. Chaco Canyon is preceeded Mesa Verde and represents the peak of the culture. Strange place...

http://www.exploratorium.edu/chaco/

Mesa Verde is where the fled to after and during the gradual end of the peak of the culture...why the defensive move to the canyons...no one knows for sure.

Canyon of the Ancients is just west of Mesa Verde

http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nm/canm.html

and includes the Anasazi Heritage Center...I haven't been but will be in October.

http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nm/canm/...ge_center.html

Hovenweep is west of that and in Blanding Utah there's the amazing collection of artifacts at the Edge of the Cedar Museum but that might be out of your range.

Have fun!

Monument Valley may interest you. It is in the general area, but may be further west than you want to go.

peterboy offers some very good suggestions. The Anasazi Heritage Center is small but is wonderful.

Driving the Million Dollar Highway is another great ride.

Albuquerque, Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Acoma, Albuquerque.

Thanks for all the info on the 4 Corners. I am putting this together.We plan to fly into Albuquerque, drive to Santa Fe, Farmington, Durango, Cortez, Mesa Verde( spend the most time there) Include Canyon de Chelly and Anasazi Heritage Park. Back to Albuquerque by way of Gallup.Is there anything we need to see that I have not considered. Is the coolest time the last of Aug or middle of Sept? This will be a 7 day trip. Any suggestions? Thanks again.

Middle of Sept will be nicer weather; slightly cooler days. You may be trying to squeeze to much in 7 days.

I think that's an awful lot for 7 days. I guess part of your experience at the higher elevations would be cooler, but some of it is going to be hot.

In Albuquerque - Eat dinner in old town

Site to see:

l. In N.M. Famed western painter Georgia O'Keef museum in Santa Fe, http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/
Ghost ranch, http://ghostranch.org/georgia-okeeffe/okeeffe-tours/ ,
her home (must see - much more austere than photo in web site) http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/her-houses.html
2. Taos - Kit Carson Museum and the only fully restored Native Pueblo Village. Native crafts.
http://www.taospueblo.com/
3. In N.M. Chaco - Most magnificent native Indian city in North America. Only massive ruins remain. Excellent
http://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm
4. Aztec, NM - The only fully restored Native American Kiva (church) Stunning
5. In Gallup, NM, stay at super historic El Rancho Hotel
http://www.elranchohotel.com/
Many Navajo craft stores - Insure each is a Navajo certified craft store.


And many more

Vaga

Just to clarify, Taos Pueblo isn't a "restored native pueblo village" but is the oldest continually inhabited community in the United States....about 1,000 years and counting.

Many thanks again for your suggestions. Changed the date to
Sept 17 departure for 8 days.Would you suggest the route to be from Albuquerque, Gallup and to Mesa Verde. Like to go back another route in order to see the best there. Our sole purpose is to tour that area. We did Utah last year. Please suggest a route to return to Albuquerque and include Santa Fe.
Thanks.

Skip Gallup.

We are just back from a trip to some of the areas you are interested in seeing.

You might consider Acoma Pueblo about an hour west of Albuquerque--a stunning location on top of a mesa.

We drove into Gallup for lunch on our trip, and I thought it was interesting to spend a few hours there, but I would not make a major detour to see it.

I am going to post a description of our itinerary this afternoon as the beginning of a longer TR. If there are any sections you want to know more about after you see it, I would be glad to give more details.

This may be a bit outdated on a few places, but should give you some ideas:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...by-debitnm.cfm

I have others for Durango and Albuquerque, do a search on my name.

Driving the route thru Gallup is ok but boring. I would definitely do Acoma on the way as you will go by it coming from Sunport, ABQ's airport. Another stop would be a El Malpais, pretty unusual but a detour, for sure.

I would suggest leaving the airport, taking I25 north to Bernalillo exit 242. Get on NM550 [ left off the exit] and take it all the way into Durango. Then pick up 160 to Mesa Verde.

The trip back to ABQ -

Take 160 to 64 to 84 its the most direct way to Santa Fe. You would then take I 25 south to get to ABQ.

OR from Mesa Verde, head east on 160 into Durango. Then pick up 550 south and that will take you all the way to I 25. If you have the time, stop at Chaco Canyon! It's at about midpoint. From I 25 there you can go north to Santa Fe. If you go that way, consider Tent Rock - amazing hoodoos.

Acoma and Hopi village of Old Oraibi are the oldest continuously inhabited Pueblos in U.S.

Peterboy is correct in that Taos Pueblo is not really "restored", but it is maintained like a Hollywood movie set for tourists. They sell tickets to visit their village like Disneyland - well worth the fee.

Those villages above are natural with native inhabitants living in, almost, the same primitive way their ancestors did. Walpi, on Hopi's 3rd Mesa is truly isolated by a narrow bridge on a high cliff mesa. Tourists are not allowed except by a native guide and NO photographs of any Hopi village is allowed.

The ONLY fully restored Indian Kiva (their equivalent of a church) is in the town of Aztec. Highly recommend visiting it. I've been there three times.
http://www.nps.gov/azru/index.htm

Vaga

Summrt7, Why are you going to Gallup? I would head to Bloomfield or Farmington for a stop the first night on the way to Mesa Verde from ABQ. Take i 25 to 550 to 160 as DebitNM said, she's the go to person for the area. There are a couple of motels in Bloomfield and a couple in Farmington.

The OP doesn't even need to spend the night in Bloomfield or Farmington, unless they are arrive ABQ late. Total drive time to Durango from airport is 4.5 hours, add in time to get rental car.

Debit, we come from the east coast, so by the time we get up early, get to the airport, fly out, get the car, and get a couple of hours down the road, it is night for our body clocks, that's why we are lucky to make it to Bloomfield. The road up to MV is very pretty also and the one up the mesa is a bit of an E ticket ride, so we need to be awake to see it.