| New Mexico, or Estado de Nuevo Mιxico in Spanish, is a southwestern state in the United States of America. Once occupied by Native American populations, it now part of the Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, a state of Mexico and a U.S. territory. Among U.S. states, New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanic Americans (some recent immigrants and others descendants of Spanish colonists) and the second-highest percentage of Native Americans (mostly Navajo and Pueblo peoples). As a result, the demographics and culture of the state are unique with strong Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. Amerindian cultural influences. A Spanish and Mexican colony until the Mexican War of the 1840's, New Mexico's population speaks mostly Spanish. That includes its many Native American communities. New Mexico's landscape ranges from wide, rose-colored deserts, broken mesas to high, snow-capped peaks. Despite New Mexico's arid image, heavily forested mountain wildernesses cover a significant portion of the state. Part of the Rocky Mountains, the broken north-south oriented Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) range, flanks both sides of the Rio Grande from the rugged, pastoral north through the center of the state. Get in By plane
The state's only major airport is in Albuquerque, in central New Mexico. Santa Fe has limited service connecting to Denver. Several of the state's minor cities such as Carlsbad, Farmington, Roswell, Hobbs, and Gallup and Taos offer commuter air service.
Consider flying into El Paso in extreme west Texas for travel to the southern part of the state, particularly the southwestern region. Las Cruces, the state's second largest city, is only 45 miles from El Paso compared to 226 miles from Albuquerque.
By car
Interstate highways 10 and 40 cross the state from east to west. Highway 10 enters between El Paso and Las Cruces and is parallel to the southern border. Highway 40 follows historic Route 66 through the middle of the state. Interstate 25 enters the state in the northeast corner near Raton, passes through the eastern plains, crosses the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at Glorieta Pass near Santa Fe, then follows the Rio Grande south through Albuquerque before ending at I-10 in Las Cruces.
By train
The Southwest Chief, the main Amtrak line through the southwestern United States from Chicago to Los Angeles, enters the state westbound at Raton. The line basically follows the route of I-25 to Albuquerque, making stops in Las Vegas and Lamy (where you can catch a shuttle bus to Santa Fe). After Albuquerque the train follows the route of I-40 to Gallup and continues west.
The Sunset Limited makes its way from Orlando to Los Angeles with stops in El Paso, TX, Deming, and Lordsburg. Drink Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces are the only cities large enough to have significant night life. However, several of the American Indian pueblos operate casinos that bring in name-brand entertainment. New Mexico has a surprising number of acceptable wineries. They are concentrated mainly in the north central region, with a few others located between Albuquerque and Socorro.
The wine and fruit-based beverage known as sangrνa, more commonly associated with Spain, is quite popular in New Mexico. Warning: small-town bars, particularly in the northern part of the state, are not always good places for out-of-state visitors. For one, northern New Mexico has significant problems with drunk driving, and the concentration of intoxicated drivers is higher close to small-town bars. Secondly, there have been ethnic tensions intermittently in this part of the state that have led to serious bar fights, some of which have involved visitors. Tread carefully. Attractions One of New Mexico's primary attractions is its large and diverse collection of American Indian pueblos, reservations, artwork, and of course, people. The north central and central regions have the greatest diversity of Native American centers, while Navajo Nation in the northwest region (extending into the other Four Corners states) is the largest Indian reservation/nation in the United States. Other attractions include:
International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque. Held each year during the first full week in October, this extravaganza of color and sound is a unique event with between 700 and 800 hot air balloons.
The Indiana Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, Albuquerque, 1-800-766-4405. Come experience the cultural significance New Mexico's Native Americans have in shaping the state's personality.
National Hispanic Cultural Center of New Mexico, 1701 Fourth Street SE, Albuquerque, (505) 766-9895. Pride, passion and perseverance of the local and national Hispanic community is on exhibit at this state-of-the-art facility, which features a performing arts center and a visual arts center.
Cliff's Amusement Park, 4800 Osuna Road NE, Albuquerque, (505) 881-9373. Thrill riders rejoice, there's a place besides Area 51 to get your fix. The family park has 23 rides and is open from April to October. Activities Hiking
A considerable portion of New Mexico is preserved in national parks and monuments, national forests, wildlife refuges, and other wild areas, and is available to the hiker/backpacker. The pronounced north-south elevation gradient means that one part or another of the state has satisfactory hiking weather throughout the year. Good places for hiking include:
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains
The Jemez Mountains
The Sandia Mountains
The Gila Wilderness
The Organ Mountains
White Sands National Monument Skiing
Alpine skiing is also very popular in New Mexico and is much more widely available than the state's desert image would suggest. The state's main ski areas are in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the north central part of the state but the best are found in Taos and Santa Fe. However, there are also interesting areas near Los Alamos in the Jemez Mountains, possibly in the Sandia Mountains above Albuquerque, and at Ruidoso in the southeastern part of the state.
Nordic (cross-country) skiing is widely practiced, although snow conditions can be marginal. The most reliable snow for Nordic skiing is near Cumbres Pass on the Colorado state line near Chama. There is usually enough snow around Taos for Nordic work and Enchanted Forest Nordic Ski Center near Red River maintains, an extensive network of groomed trails. Nordic skiing at Bandelier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve in the Jemez Mountains is of variable quality; the scenery is gorgeous, but snowpack varies greatly from year to year and may be insufficient to allow much skiing. | | 
Bisti Badlands, New Mexico, U.S.A. Regions Central New Mexico
North Central New Mexico
Northeast New Mexico
Northwest New Mexico
Southwest New Mexico
Southeast New Mexico National Forests The Federal government protects millions of acres of New Mexico as national forests including:
Carson National Forest
Cibola National Forest
Lincoln National Forest
Santa Fe National Forest Get around By car
The larger cities (Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe) have some degree of public transportation, but the state is best viewed by car. By train
The Rail Runner commuter train currently connects residential communities with downtown Albuquerque. Get out If you're planning to cross into Mexico, the crossings at Juarez (reached via El Paso or Santa Teresa) are far busier than the one near Columbus. There are longer lines on the US side, but more to do across the border. Head's up: legal drinking age in Juarez is 18, and on weekends, many younger students at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, and at colleges in El Paso, make the pilgrimage to indulge. This sometimes backs traffic into Las Cruces. 
Quarai, Salinas Missions, New Mexico, U.S.A. Stay safe New Mexico has a severe problem with drunk driving, although aggressive enforcement and public-education campaigns have reduced DUI levels over the last 10 years. No road in the state is immune to this problem - it can happen at anytime of day. Defensive driving is the obvious antidote. Large animals on the roadway also create hazards. |
