New Mexico: Gypsum Dunes, Pueblo Heritage and Hiking Trails

White Sands National Park protects the world’s largest geologically unique gypsum dune field. Five designated hiking trails and sledding on the sand dunes offer different ways to experience this landscape. Dunes Drive is an eight-mile scenic route from the visitor center into the heart of the gypsum dune field. Road conditions can change; check them before driving.

Hiking Trails and Landscapes

At Bandelier National Monument, rugged canyons and mesas are the focus of a protected area spanning more than 33,000 acres. Its trail network covers more than 70 miles and connects with adjacent areas of the Santa Fe National Forest. The landscapes around Gila Cliff Dwellings are different: hikes there pass through rugged canyons, scenic river valleys and high-desert landscapes rich in history and wildlife.

The Cliff Dweller Trail to Gila Cliff Dwellings is a moderately strenuous to strenuous one-mile out-and-back route. The Penasco Blanco Trail in Chaco Canyon offers a longer loop: the 7.5-mile route leads to the remains of three Great Houses, a petroglyph trail and the Supernova Pictograph. The lengths of the two routes provide a concrete comparison for planning hikes; the difficulty level is also specified for the Cliff Dweller Trail.

Archaeology and Historic Routes

The Great Houses in Chaco Canyon are multistory stone structures, each with hundreds of rooms. Dozens of Great Houses in the canyon were connected by roads to more than 150 Great Houses in the region. In summer, night-sky programs there combine presentations by staff with telescope viewing of celestial objects. Availability depends on staffing; check the schedule before your trip.

Historic routes also offer a distinctive perspective on the journey. The Old Spanish National Historic Trail runs between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California. The Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway follows exploration routes used by Spanish, Mexican and American explorers, and takes visitors to traditional Pueblo and Navajo settlements. New Mexico has eight National Scenic Byways and 13 State Scenic Byways.

Pueblo Culture and Regional Cuisine

Taos Pueblo has been continuously inhabited. Its North and South Houses rise five stories high. The designated Taos Pueblo Blue Lake Wilderness Area encompasses 19,425 hectares in the Taos Mountains. The five-story North and South Houses make an architectural statement; the Taos Pueblo Blue Lake Wilderness Area covers 19,425 hectares in the Taos Mountains.

The Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial takes place every August in Gallup at nearby Red Rock Park. Check event dates before your trip. Cuisine is also part of the region’s character: New Mexican cuisine blends Spanish and Indigenous American influences and has been refined over more than 400 years. Red and green New Mexico chiles are used in dishes ranging from enchiladas to ice cream. The Santa Fe School of Cooking offers hands-on cooking classes and operates a market focused on food from the American Southwest.

Plan Your Visit and Choose What to Focus On

Timed-entry tickets are required to enter Carlsbad Cavern. The entrance fee includes self-guided access to the Big Room and Natural Entrance routes; fees and procedures may change. Check current visitor information before your visit.

Clayton Lake State Park has been designated New Mexico’s first Dark Sky Park since 2010. Its visitor center showcases the region’s dinosaur history and geology. New Mexico also has natural hot springs due to geothermal activity. These topics offer different ways to shape a trip: hiking trails, archaeological sites, culture, cuisine and geological features. When planning your hotel stay, it may help to first decide which of these will be the focus of your visit.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Chaves County, Lea County, McKinley County, Cibola County, Quay, Mora County, Curry, Valencia, Eddy, Guadalupe County, Sandoval, De Baca County, Union County, Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Taos, Colfax, Doña Ana, Lincoln, Roosevelt, San Juan, Rio Arriba County, Socorro, Luna, Rice County, Hidalgo County, Otero County, Torrance County, Grant County, Sierra County.

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