ROAD TRIPS LAND OF ENCHANTMENT EL PASO, TEXAS, TO ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AND BACK 2,121 miles Land of Enchantment Stunning landscapes, culture and adobe villages await on this 2,121-mile trip. 52 ROCKY MOUNTAIN JOURNAL 2018
WYOMING Cheyenne Rocky Estes Mountain Park 25 Park Lyons Grand Lake Dinosaur Monument Colorado Monument 70 80 Boulder 40 Denver 70 Breckenridge 25 Grand Junction Colorado Springs COLORADO Mesa Verde Park Durango 285 Great Sand Dunes Park Cañon City Pueblo 25 160 Alamosa Pagosa Trinidad Springs Farmington 550 40 Taos Chimayó Capulin Los Volcano Bandelier 25 Alamos Monument Monument Las Vegas Santa Cerrillos Fe Madrid Albuquerque 40 25 Socorro Truth and Consequences 10 PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK, MAP BY PETER SUCHESKI BANDELIER CLIFF DWELLINGS T raveling through New Mexico is like traveling in a foreign country where every turn gives you a different glimpse into a magnificent blend of cultures and food. From El Paso, Texas, head to Las Cruces, N.M., to immerse yourself in New Mexico's chile-based food culture. From there drive to Carlsbad Caverns Park and White Sands Monument. Farther north Albuquerque and Santa Fe await you, as do the impressive ruins left behind by ancient people in Bandelier Monument and Mesa Verde Park. En route, stop in Farmington to visit a trading post, 25 NEW MEXICO White Sands Monument Las Cruces Carlsbad 10 MEXICO El Paso Carlsbad Caverns Park TEXAS a brewhouse and even a cave where you can spend the night. For a really unique experience, head to Alamosa and Great Sand Dunes Park and Preserve in the stunning San Luis Valley in Colorado. After you've removed the sand from your shoes, head north to the historical town of Grand Lake on the western edge of Rocky Mountain Park [see pages 6-19 for more park details]. On your way home, drive up Pikes Peak Highway to reach a 14,115-feet-high summit by car. Farther south stop in Trinidad, Colo., to learn about a fascinating western illustrator before exploring Capulin Volcano Monument 53 miles to the south. MYROCKYMOUNTAINPARK.COM RMJ2018_RoadTrips_LandEnchantment_PROOF.indd 53 53 12/7/17 11:41 AM
ROAD TRIPS LAND OF ENCHANTMENT EL PASO, TEXAS, TO LAS CRUCES, N.M. 45 miles and 46 minutes Sand and Sun WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT From El Paso, head to Las Cruces, a great launching point for two national park sites. With 320 days of sunshine and a thriving chile-based culinary scene, Las Cruces is literally a hot spot in southern New Mexico. While there, explore the Walk of Flame Green Chile Trail made up of a number of restaurants and businesses that offer ecclectic green chile dishes and products. Then head to the world s largest gypsum dune field, which spans 275 square miles, at White Sands Monument. Start your adventure at the monument s historic visitor center. Housed in the 1930s-era Pueblo Revival building are interactive exhibits, information on daily activities and a great film A Land in Motion to orient you. You ll find the White Sands Trading Co. in there as well, which sells snacks, sandwiches and drinks. Learn more at nps.gov/whsa. EXPLORE THE INSIDE OF THE EARTH Carlsbad Caverns Park is a stunning place whether you re a cave fanatic or never thought twice about caving. Check out the Big Room, North America s largest single cave chamber that's as large as six football fi elds. You can take a self-guided tour of the Big Room by walking 1.25 steep miles one way via the Natural Entrance. Or use the elevator in the Visitor Center and descend 750 feet into the Big Room. From there, you walk on a paved trail. It s $10 for adults; kids 15 and younger are free. To explore other caves, make reservations at least 48 hours in advance for a guided tour, ranging from easy to very difficult. Adults tickets start at $7. Each cave has a different minimum age requirement for children based on the difficulty of the excursion. For reservations go to recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777. Learn more about the park located in Carlsbad, N.M., at 575-785-2232 or at nps.gov/ cave. PHOTO COURTESY LAS CRUCES CVB 54 ROCKY MOUNTAIN JOURNAL 2018
Tsankawi Prehistoric Site - Bandelier Monument Beautiful adventures begin here. PHOTOS BY COURTESY MYROCKYMOUNTAINPARK.COM 55
ROAD TRIPS LAND OF ENCHANTMENT LAS CRUCES, N.M., TO SANTA FE, N.M. 284 miles and 4 hours and 7 minutes CERRILLOS HILLS STATE PARK 1. CHIMAYÓ WHY GO: Built in 1816, the quaint adobe El Santuario de Chimayó attracts thousands of people each year to attend mass, tour the grounds and collect the miraculous holy dirt found inside the chapel. Apparently, numerous miracles have happened on site with people leaving crutches and other medical devices behind to be hung on the walls. TIP: Head to longtime legendary Rancho de Chimayó Restaurante, which has been serving traditional New Mexican dishes for more than 50 years. Try the hand-rolled tamales, blue corn enchiladas or the legendary carne adovada. In 2016, it won the prestigious James Beard Foundation America s Classic award. 2. True New Mexico Looking for adventure that feeds the soul? Check out our top six things to do in Santa Fe County. TURQUOISE TRAIL NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY WHY GO: This 62-mile route is dotted with extraordinary scenery and colorful towns like Madrid, pronounced MAH-drid. A former mining town, Madrid is an art district fi lled with boutiques, galleries and cafes. TIP: Order a green chili cheeseburger at the Mine Shaft Tavern and sit at its 40-foot lodgepole pine bar. The tavern is rumored to have ghosts. 3. CERRILLOS WHY GO: Five miles of trails in Cerrillos Hills State Park offer you a glimpse of more than 1,000 years of area mining history, plus magnifi cent views of four mountain ranges. Some of the turquoise mined here ended in the Spanish crown jewels collection and later was used in Tiffany & Co. pieces. TIP: Stop in The Black Bird Saloon in Cerrillos for a drink and food. You ll fi nd burgers, elk and lamb, along with saloon snacks like the Lawless Bandit, freshmade guacamole and six-gun salsa with blue corn chips. 4. BANDELIER NATIONAL MONU- MENT WHY GO: See ancient ruins that are easily accessible by foot in an uncrowded environment. TIP: Hike (and climb ladders) along the Tsankawi prehistoric site, a 1.5 mile walk on a mesa, viewing cavates (human-carved alcoves), petroglyphs and the ancient village of Tsankawi. 5. THE SANTA FE OPERA WHY GO: One of the most spectacular settings on a hill overlooking Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Opera is an open-air theater with a roof over all seating areas. TIP: Tailgate up to three hours before in the opera house's parking lot with a pre-ordered picnic or make reservations for a preview dinner that is opera-themed on the rehearsal grounds open-air cantina. During dessert, a speaker will introduce the night s opera. 6. TEN THOUSAND WAVES WHY GO: Just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Fe, Ten Thousand Waves offers spa treatments, massage and hot tubs inspired by Japanese mountain hot springs resorts. TIP: Dine at izanami, a higherend restaurant on site that offers izakaya dining, which is the sharing of small plates that come out of the kitchen as they are prepared. Learn more at santafenmtrue. com. THE SANTA FE OPERA PHOTOS COURTESY SANTA FE COUNTY 56 ROCKY MOUNTAIN JOURNAL 2018
Treasure Hunt BISTI/DE-NA-ZIN WILDERNESS Native American history meets natural wonders in Farmington, N.M. Plus it's just 35 miles from Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness area, dotted by spires, sculpted rock and hills of various colors. PHOTO BY DEPOSIT DINÉTAH ROCK & PUEBLITOS Explore some of the more than 200 Navajo pueblos built between 1680 and 1775. Simon Canyon Ruin is a one-room structure built on top of a 20-foothigh boulder in 1754. It can be accessed via the Simon Canyon Recreation area 3.4 miles below the Navajo Dam. A half-mile hike will bring you to the ruin. Learn more at farmingtonnm.org/listings/dinetah-rock-art-pueblitos. KOKOPELLI S CAVE Originally conceived to be geologist Bruce Black s offi ce, Kokopelli s Cave is a spectacularly wonderful bed-and-breakfast venue. Hike along a sandstone path to get to your 1,700-foot cave suite equipped with a kitchen, Jacuzzi tub, queensized bed and a replica Native American kiva. Sunset views of Shiprock, a sacred Navajo mountain, are gorgeous. Learn more at kokoscave.com. THREE RIVERS EATERY AND BREWHOUSE Located in the historic Andrews Building built in 1912, this local favorite has 12 of the brewery s 50 beers on tap at any one time. While you are there, check out the more than 600 beer labels hanging on the walls. Donated by Henry and Margie Glosser in 1999, they constitute New Mexico s largest beer label collection. Learn more at threeriversbrewery.com. Learn more at Farmington Museum and Visitor Center, 3041 East Main St. or at farmingtonnm.org. HOGBACK TRADING POST Fourth-generation Native American trader Tom Wheeler runs this authentic trading post located in a 10,000-square-foot Hoganshaped building just outside of Farmington. Wheeler s great grandfather established the family s original post in 1871. Today, travelers can buy Native American jewelry, Navajo rugs, baskets and alabaster sculptures. Find it at 3221 Hwy. 64, Waterfl ow, N.M. MYROCKYMOUNTAINPARK.COM 57
ROAD TRIPS LAND OF ENCHANTMENT FARMINGTON, N.M., TO CORTEZ, COLO. 73 miles and 1 hour 25 minutes Palaces of the Past While climbing one of the several 10-foot ladders at Cliff Palace on a hot day, you'll realize why ancient people spent 700 years in what is now Mesa Verde Park. About 1,400 years ago, ancestral Puebloans (also known as Anasazi) built more than 600 dwellings into the gorgeous sandstone cliffs that serve as nature's air conditioning in the heat of the summer. Tour these dwellings to catch a glimpse into our nation's ancient history. You must go on a guided tour with a park ranger to see Cliff Palace, Balcony House and Long House. Purchase your tickets for these tours in person at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center up to two days in advance. The visitor center is home to exhibits, restrooms, park information and the park's museum collection of more than 3 million objects. Learn more at nps.gov/meve. 30 FOOT LADDER TO BALCONY HOUSE Visit Mesa Verde Park to see how ancient Americans lived. Stop in South Fork Don t let this sleepy town tucked into the folds of the mountains fool you. Its small size is counteracted by the extraordinary amount of energy its 350 year-round residents generate through outdoor recreation. You may catch sight of the Silver Threads hiking group, who seem to get outdoors as often as they get out of bed. Fish in the legendary waters of the Rio Grande River that meets the South Fork in town or try fl y- fi shing with a local guide. Hike or bike part of the Continental Divide Trail. Golf at the Rio Grande Golf Course, a diffi cult mountain course. Explore the Weminuche Wilderness just two miles from town. It s one of the wildest places in the state. In 1979 the last Colorado grizzly was killed here, 27 years after they were thought to be extinct in the state. Learn more at the South Fork Visitor Center, 28 Silverthread Ln., at the junction of Hwy. 160 and Hwy. 149 or southfork. org. PHOTO BY MALCOM SURGENOR/FLICKR 58 ROCKY MOUNTAIN JOURNAL 2018
where your minivan can go all-terrain Few roads can take you up a mountain of this magnitude. From treeline to tundra, marvel at every mile as you drive up 14,115 feet of unparalleled natural beauty.
ROAD TRIPS LAND OF ENCHANTMENT SOUTH FORK, COLO., TO ALAMOSA, COLO. 47 miles and 52 minutes Local Taste Base in Alamosa to explore Great Sand Dunes Park and Preserve and dine in a farm-to-table restaurant. GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE Explore the tallest sand dune in North America, ride a historic train and eat in the shadow of 14,000-foot peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, all within 35 miles of Alamosa, Colo. The Great Sand Dunes Park and Preserve is one of the most unique national park experiences you'll ever have. Be sure to wear closed-toes shoes because cool morning sand can heat up to a dangreous 150 F on a hot summer day. Be on the look out for the 750-foot Star Dune, which is the tallest sand dune in North America. Three miles south of the national park entrance is Zapata Falls, a cool oasis. The 25-foot-high waterfall is just a short half-mile hike from the parking lot and involves wading through cool water or walking on log bridges to reach. Hungry? Head to Locavores for a farm-to-table fastcasual meal. When you walk into this relative newcomer on Alamosa s Main Street (it opened in September 2016), you ll be greeted by a large map of the San Luis Valley. On it are stars denoting local farms where the restaurant buys its ingredients. From Haefeli s Honey Farm and sausage made in the valley to potatoes and lamb raised in the valley, the food is so fresh Locavores doesn t even have a freezer. Owner Wendi Seger opened the restaurant to tap into the San Luis Valley s farm scene and make food available locally. Love her housemade sauces? Take some with you. You can buy everything from garlic aioli to tzatziki under her brand Avant Garden. For a farm-to-tap experience, head to Square Peg Brewerks where local childhood friends Mark Martinez and Derek Heersink, whose barley provides the base malt, own this tasting room. Then put your feet up and take a train ride on the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad. Your train excursion will take you through the San Luis Valley and Alamosa's neighboring towns. For a unique musical journey, a Rio Grande Scenic Railroad ticket to the Fir Amphitheatre on La Veta Pass will give you entry to a concert experience only accessible by train. It closes for the winter season. Learn more at the Colorado Visitor Center, 610 State Ave., or alamosa.org. PHOTO BY ISTOCK 60 ROCKY MOUNTAIN JOURNAL 2018
ROAD TRIPS LAND OF ENCHANTMENT ESTES PARK, COLO., TO COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. 138 miles, 2 hours and 30 minutes Pikes Peak Highway Want to reach the summit of one of Colorado s famous 14,000-foot peaks the easy way? Point your wheels to the Pikes Peak Highway. You ll drive a stunning 19 miles up Pikes Peak, beginning at 7,400 feet and ending at the top of the 14,115-foot summit. It s one of North America s most visited mountains. Keep your eyes peeled for bighorn sheep, elk, deer and yellow-bellied marmots. Along the way, stop at the many pulloffs, including three lakes where you can fish or kayak. Don't forget to purchase a Colorado fishing license in town to fish. There s also the Crystal Reservoir Visitor s Center with ranger-led talks at mile marker 6, the historic Glen Cove Inn with ranger programs, a dining area and gift shop at mile marker 13 and the Summit House at the top. The Summit House is known for its "world-famous" donuts but also serves burger, hot dogs, salads, coffee and more. Allow for at least two to three hours for this adventure: you ll spend about an hour each way driving, depending how often you VIEW FROM DOUBLE CUT There s only one 14,000-foot peak in Colorado that you can reach by driving all the way up to the summit. stop. And be sure to fill up your gas tank before you reach the Pikes Peak entrance. There s no gas station on the road, and you ll need a minimum of a half tank of gas for the entire trip. At the top, head to a Meet the Ranger program to learn more about this gorgeous mountain s history, geology, wildlife and beyond. If you begin to feel light-headed or dizzy, you may be feeling the effects of high altitude and should immediately go to a lower altitude. Drinking plenty of water before and during the drive can help combat the effects of altitude. Because this is not a national park, your national park pass will not work here. Prices are based on the season, so check the website to learn about fees for when you'll be visiting. This drive to a very high elevation is not recommended for infants under 6 months. The entrance to Pikes Peak-America's Mountain road is west of Colorado Springs. It's is at 5089 Pikes Peak Hwy., Cascade, Colo., 80809. Learn more at pikespeakcolorado.com. PIKES PEAK BY THE NUMBERS 19 NUMBER OF MILES LONG THE ROAD IS 14,115 FEET IS THE HEIGHT OF THE SUMMIT OF PIKES PEAK 15 NUMBER OF MILES THE ENTRANCE IS WEST OF COLORADO SPRINGS 2-3 Hours AMOUNT OF TIME ROUNDTRIP TO DRIVE UP AND DOWN THE ROAD 3NUMBER OF LAKES YOU WILL PASS ON YOUR WAY TO THE SUMMIT PHOTO COURTESY PIKES PEAK - AMERICA'S MOUNTAIN 62 ROCKY MOUNTAIN JOURNAL 2018
BRONC BUSTERS COPYRIGHT A.R. MITCHELL MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART PHOTO COURTESY OF AND COPYRIGHT A.R. MITCHELL MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART From a hike up an ancient volcano to a stroll past a world-class skate park, expect the unexpected when you visit Trinidad, Colo., a town of 9,000 people on the edge of Colorado s border with New Mexico. Once a stop on the Old Santa Fe Trail and later a mining community, Trinidad's historical buildings are worth seeing. Hop on the free Trinidad Trolley and get off at the Trinidad History Museum complex to see the 1882 Bloom Mansion and the Santa Fe Trail Museum that has Kit Carson s buckskin coat on display. Don t miss the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, known by locals as The Mitch. Housed in a former department store built in 1906, the museum showcases one of the Artistic Bent Historic and hip sites line Trinidad's streets. town s most famous characters: Arthur Roy Mitchell. Born in 1889, Mitchell sketched scenes of cowboy life as a young ranch hand, eventually becoming a prolific painter of Western pulp magazine covers. See his fantastically colorful work, early Hispanic folk art, photography and Old West artifacts. In addition, Trinidad holds bragging rights to one of the country s best skate parks, a 14,000-foot slice of paradise for skateboarding fantatics. Explore the outdoors at Trinidad Lake State Park, which has 10 miles of hiking trails and two campgrounds. Or hike along the rim of an extinct volcano at Capulin Volcano Monument 53 miles away. Visit the Colorado Welcome Center at 309 Nevada Ave. MYROCKYMOUNTAINPARK.COM 63
www.discovertrinidad.org TRINIDAD_RMJ_2018.indd 1 11/30/17 9:53 AM