travelnewmex.com 28-48 New mexico vacation directory

Page 1

El Rancho de las Golondrinas: A Living Museum One of Santa Fe’s outstanding familyfun venues is also one of the most natural: El Rancho de las Golondrinas, in the rural village of La Cienega southwest of Santa Fe. It’s not digital and there’s no glitz. El Rancho de las Golondrinas—the ranch of the swallows—is built on the site of a genuine Spanish Colonial ranch and way station on El Camino Real, the Royal Road into the province of New Mexico from Mexico City. The ranch was founded 300 years ago and is now a “living museum.” Opened in 1972, it recreates 18th- and 19th-century Spanish colonial and Territorial life on a 200-acre site. Guides are dressed in period clothing and demonstrate how people lived with such activities as weaving, hide-tanning and blacksmithing. Its acequia system (irrigation ditch) is on the National Register of Historic Places. Some original colonial buildings on the site date from the early 1700s. In addition, historic buildings such as a flour mill from other parts of northern New Mexico have been reconstructed at Las Golondrinas. The museum is a working farm, with part of its acreage cultivated.

There’s often a special event at “Golondrinas,” as it is popularly called. There is an $8 admission charge for adults, but children ages 12 and under are always free. Your children can be immersed in the culture with hands-on activities and demonstrations as Golondrinas offers its visitors an in-depth look into the celebrations, music, dance and many other aspects of life in the Spanish, Mexican and Territorial periods of the Southwest. Special events include the Fiber Arts Festival, May 24-25; Spring Festival and Children’s Fair, June 7-8; Herb and Lavender Fair, June 21-22; Santa Fe Wine Festival, July 5-6; Viva Mexico! Celebration, July 19-20; Summer Festival and Territorial Law and Order, Aug. 2-3; Survival New Mexico, Aug. 16-17; Fiesta de los Niños, Aug. 30-31; Santa Fe Renaissance Fair, Sept. 20-21; and Harvest Festival, Oct. 4-5. Information can be found at golondrinas.org or 505-471-2261.

History tastes better fresh from the horno.

Santa Fe 505-471-2261 golondrinas.org Support provided by New Mexico Arts 28

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014


Make the O Keeffe part of your Santa Fe experience THIS IS O’KEEFFE COUNTRY Take an adventure drive 65 miles north of Santa Fe to the 21,000 acre ranch and see the dramatic cliff walls, rock formations and red hills that inspired Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams. O’Keeffe Landscape Tours | Day Pass Horseback Riding | Hiking Trails Transformational Workshops Overnight Lodging | Camping Archaeology Museum & Tour Paleontology Museum & Tour

GhostRanch.org

georgia o’keeffe, Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico / Out Back of Marie’s II, 1930. oil on canvas, 24 1/4 x 36 1/4 in. georgia o’keeffe Museum. gift of the burnett Foundation. © georgia o’keeffe Museum.

217 Johnson st., santa Fe, nM = 5o5.946.1ooo = okeeFFeMuseuM.org For advance ticket purchases, please visit our website

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

29


Parade of Homes in the City Different is Different A Parade of Homes competition is not unusual in cities with an active housing market, but the annual Homebuilders’ Association Parade of Homes in Santa Fe, the “City Different,” is somewhat, well, different. In Santa Fe, the Parade of Homes is aimed straight at visitors, particularly those who might be dreaming of a second home or a retirement villa. “We purposefully take advantage of high season and the high-rolling, outof-town guest,” Homebuilders’ Association Executive Officer Kim Shanahan says. This year’s “Santa Fe Haciendas—A Parade of Homes” will take place on the weekends of Aug. 15-17 and 22-24. Called “the Southwest’s best open house,” it’s a selfguided tour of new and remodeled homes. Maps are available at the homes, with a list on the Homebuilders’ Association website (sfahba.com). Tickets are sold by local sports teams as a way to benefit their programs. There are between 2,000 and 3,000 tour participants, Shanahan says. “It’s been really interesting the last couple of years. There have been almost no speculative homes produced for our Parade of Homes in the last couple of years,” Shanahan notes. “When you’re doing a spec home, you do something that’s safe. Instead, we’ve had homes owned by homeowners who have hired builders to build their dreams. This has opened up Santa Fe style pretty dramatically, and we hope that’s going to be a permanent thing in our market” Meanwhile, another aspect of Santa Fe style is making itself felt. “Santa Fe builders have been on the cutting edge of green building for the past 30 years,” Shanahan says. “We’re now embracing a lot of the principles of green building science. Santa Fe has one of the most progressive green building codes in the U.S., and Santa Fe County has adopted its code. Our builders have come to embrace it. Now they’re competing to show who is the greenest,” he says.

30

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014


5 1/2 Acres of Pottery, Folk Art, Gifts, Artisans, and FUN!

Home Building Santa Fe Style

A

P A R A D E

O F

H O M E S

2820 Cerrillos Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87507 (505) 471-8539

Santa Fe’s Best Open House

6400 San Mateo Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 (505) 349-0955

AUGUST 15-17 & 22-24, 2014 SANTA FE AREA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION A driving force for quality building in Santa Fe. 1409 Luisa Street, Santa Fe • 505.982.1774

™ D. Maahs Construction Fast Signs H&S Craftsman, LLC Paul Davis Restoration South West Metal Products

LANB Creating a better way.

Average Monthly Temperature Range in New Mexico MONTHLY HIGHS & LOWS JAN: 47 / 23 FEB: 53 / 27 MARCH: 61 / 33 APRIL: 71 / 41 MAY: 80 / 50 JUNE: 90 / 60 JULY: 92 / 65 AUG: 89 / 63 SEPT: 83 / 56 OCT: 72 / 44 NOV: 57 / 32 DEC: 48 / 24 This information is specific to weather in Albuquerque, NM

Est. 1981

Beer • Wine • Spirits

Competitive Prices • Largest Selections • Friendly Staff • Temperature Controlled Wine Cellar • Currently Stocking 222 Tequilas, over 100 Single Malt Scotches, 390 varieties of Vodkas, 157 types of Rums, over 1000 different Beers and over 3500 Imported and Domestic Wines.

505-455-2219

34 Cities Of Gold Rd • Santa Fe, NM 87506 (12 miles north of Santa Fe) www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

31


North-Central New Mexico: Home to Three Storied Destinations The large quadrant of the north-central and northeastern parts of New Mexico has, not surprisingly, an enormously varied terrain, ranging from the staked plains of the east to the highest mountains in the state to the Rio Grande valley. The northcentral/northeast quadrant is home to three of New Mexico’s most storied municipalities: Santa Fe, Taos and Las Vegas. Santa Fe, of course, is known worldwide for its arts scene and its exotic (to many visitors) architecture. What is less well-known is that it is the oldest state capital city in the U.S. From the first European arrivals—Spanish colonists in the early 17th century— Santa Fe has always been the capital of New Mexico, which was called Nuevo Mejico on the first maps. It has remained the capital through Spanish colonial times, through the Mexican Republics

Camping - Fishing - Hiking The ideal camping location whether you are planning a getaway for two people or for a family vacation.

Call us: 1(575) 586-0542 or 1(800) RIO-PARK

www.RioCostillaPark.net

and into U.S. territory and then statehood. Santa Fe also is the county seat of Santa Fe County, and as the state capital is the locale of many federal agencies. It’s no wonder that “government” in all its forms is a major employer in Santa Fe! Right behind it is tourism in its many guises. Besides the many fine museums in the capital, you’ll find more than 200 restaurants ranging from streetside carts to white-tablecloth dining establishments and at least three neighborhoods full of art galleries. North of Santa Fe are the river valleys and ranges of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where one of the oldest continuously inhabited housing entities—Taos Pueblo—sits just outside the arts-and-recreation village of Taos. Taos is where many of the state’s early arts pioneers—especially the famed Georgia O’Keeffe—started their New Mexico sojourns. The ancient village of Abiquiu to the southwest of Taos is where O’Keeffe lived and painted for many years. Go around the mountains on I-25 to the east-northeast of Santa Fe and you’ll be in Las Vegas, once the busiest, most raucous town in the state. Situated on the east side of the mountains at the point where they join the plains, Las Vegas is where cattle were brought to be shipped to market. Las Vegas provided R and R for cavalrymen stationed at nearby Fort Union. Las Vegas was the first mercantile town in New Mexico, a convenient stop on the Old Santa Fe Trail that began in Independence, Mo. Las Vegas is where Teddy Roosevelt came to recruit the Rough Riders he led up Puerto Rico’s San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War. These histories and many more can be found in the museums and events of Las Vegas.

/santaclaranhotelcasino @SantaClaranHC

32

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014


S a n M i g u e l C o u n t y, N e w M e x i c o

HEAVENLY GOLF High Country Adventure

where to play pendaries.net

where to stay plazahotel-nm.com

where to eat

charlies bakery and cafe

where to meet el fidel restaurant

where to drink

dicksdelipubandrestaurant.com

v

where to think nmhu.com

C B

Las Vegas San Miguel Convention & Visitors Bureau

lasvegasnewmexico.com

“You cannot come to Taos without feeling that here is one of the chosen spots on earth.” —D.H. Lawrence

Lenny Foster

Taos is Taos.org 800.348.0696 www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

33


bloomfield • chama • taos bloomfield

taos

LODGING

Cottonwood Inn Bed and Breakfast ....................................... 575-776-5826

Best Western ....................................... 505-632-9100

Casita 203 romantic lodging in downtown taos historic district ....................................... 575-751-1262

Navajo Lake State Park ....................................... 505-632-2278

chama

LODGING

Branding Iron Motel ....................................... 575-756-2162

The Gateway To The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide Trail!

LODGING

Super 8 ....................................... 505-632-8886

Camp Chama ....................................... 575-588-7884 Gandy Dancer Inn Bed and Breakfast ....................................... 575-756-2191 Chama River Bend Lodge ....................................... 575-756-2264

Casa Gallina ....................................... 575-758-2306 Salsa del Salto is an enchanting Taos bed and breakfast ....................................... 575-776-2422 La Posada de Taos ....................................... 575-758-8164 El Rincón Bed and Breakfast ....................................... 800-758-9187 Touchstone Inn Bed and Breakfast ....................................... 575-779-8712

Gandy Dancer Inn Bed and Breakfast ....................................... 575-756-2191

American Artists Gallery House B&B ....................................... 800-532-2041

Heron Lake State Park ....................................... 575-588-7470

Hacienda del Sol ....................................... 575-758-0287 Indian Hills Inn Taos Plaza ....................................... 575-758-4293

STATE PARKS Santa Rosa Lake State Park ....................................... 575-472-3110

Plenty of wide open spaces to play, fish, and hike. Chama has family fun and adventure. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Starts Memorial Day Weekend. Territorial Days ~ Last weekend in June. 4th of July Fireworks Train & Display. Chama Days ~ 2nd Weekend in August. Chama Valley Studio Tour ~ Labor Day Weekend. Come to Chama, New Mexico Experience adventure in the High Country. Lodging, fine dining, festivals, events & steam train excursions all Summer.

(800) 477-0149 or (575) 756-2306 info@chamavalley.com

Storrie Lake State Park ....................................... 505-425-7278 Sugarite Canyon State Park ....................................... 575-445-5607 Sumner Lake State Park ....................................... 575-355-2541

34

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

Cerrillos Hills State Park ....................................... 505-474-0196 Coyote Creek State Park ....................................... 575-387-2328 Eagle Nest Lake State Park ....................................... 575-377-1594

Villanueva State Park ....................................... 575-421-2957

El Vado Lake State Park ....................................... 575-588-7247

Cimarron Canyon State Park ....................................... 575-377-6271

Morphy Lake State Park ....................................... 575-387-2328

Clayton Lake State Park ....................................... 575-374-8808

Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park ....................................... 575-377-2293

STATE EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION LOCATIONS: Santa Fe – Main Branch 813 St. Michaels Drive Santa Fe, NM 87505 .................................505-983-7328 Toll Free....................800-983-7328 www.secunm.org

Albuquerque 3451 Candelaria NE Albuquerque, NM 87107 .................................505-884-0128 Photos:exporsureandfstop.com, Roger Hogan, Jolene Jessie, Lynn Lamore

Hyde Memorial Park State Park ....................................... 505-983-7175

Ute Lake State Park ....................................... 575-487-2284

Santa Fe – Cerrillos Rd. 4920 Promenade Blvd Santa Fe, NM 87507 .................................505-983-7328

Funding Provided by the Village of Chama Lodgers Tax

Conchas Lake State Park ....................................... 575-868-2270

Belen 19390 N Hwy 314 Belen, NM 87002 .................................505-864-0335 Las Vegas 1201 Mills Avenue Las Vegas, NM 87701 .................................505-454-1111 Los Lunas 1870 Emilio Lopez Loop Los Lunas, NM 87031 .................................505-565-8400 Rio Rancho 7851 Enchanted Hills Rio Rancho, NM 87144 .................................505-884-0128


www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

35


Historic San Miguel Mission: The “Mother Church” Starting in the late 1500s, Spanish colonists journeyed up the Rio Grande valley and established settlements and mission churches along the river. The “mother church” for the missions in Socorro county is San Miguel Mission in the city of Socorro. It’s finishing up a laborious, four-year restoration and repurposing project this year. The original mission was built between 1615 and 1627. It has massive adobe walls, large carved vigas, and supporting corbel arches. The church remains an inspirational symbol of the Spanish Catholic heritage, celebrated at its annual Fiestas in late September. The mission originally was named for Our Lady of Help, but the name was changed after a dramatic event in the 18th century. Some marauding wild bunch came to town, and settlers fled to the church and were safe there—protected, they said, by a large man with wings who stood in the doorway and intimidated the marauders into leaving. They decided it was the archangel Michael, and renamed the church after him. “We hope to reopen the church in late summer, and the official rededication will be in late September 2014 around San Miguel’s Feast Day on Sept. 29,” says the Rev. Andrew J. Pavlak (“Father Andy” to his friends). “We plan a year of observations that will close at Fiestas in 2015.” San Miguel is one of 217 Spanish Colonial-era missions in the Archdiocese. As pastor of San Miguel Mission, Father Andy is in charge of 10 Roman Catholic missions in Socorro county alone, an area of 6,500 square miles! He has supervised the San Miguel project since Nov. 7, 2010, the day insurers for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe ordered the church closed. “They had to,” Father Andy says earnestly. La Familia Sagrada Mission at nearby Lemitar had a whole wall fall in following a day

of rain and an earthquake. The Archdiocese then decided to check the condition of San Miguel. What the engineers found was enough to turn their hair white. The pitched roof added to the originally flat-roofed church in the late 19th century was in scary shape. They said it was 200 to 300 percent. In addition, the wiring that had been the floor needed to be replaced to stop moisture from coming in; and the original adobe walls had wicked in so much moisture over the centuries over the centuries that hot wires were sitting in wet adobe. There was evidence of small fires that had started and been snuffed out, or as Father Andy puts it, “evidence of little miracles our patron San Miguel has been giving us.” San Miguel brought another miracle—a $1.1 million grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to restore the church, make it safe and remodel the buildings of a discontinued school into restrooms, a museum, a sacristy and a gift shop. There will eventually be a high-tech classroom for an out-of-school training program for at-risk kids. The hotel mogul Conrad Hilton, you see, was a hometown boy. Born in the nearby village of San Antonio, he was baptized at San Miguel Mission. “His family and the foundation staff have been really supportive of what we’re doing,” Father Andy says gratefully. The rededication should be a gala occasion, with music and food and – no doubt – plenty of speeches. There will even be dance performances by descendants of the Piro Indians who helped Spanish colonists create the original Socorro. The Archdiocese cannot possibly afford to rebuild or restore all of the deteriorating old adobe missions in the state. Some are being lovingly allowed to “go back to the earth,” as New Mexicans put it. But that was never an option with San Miguel. It is the mother church for the county. It had to be saved.

New Mexico Tech a “Best-Kept Secret” Among Science and Engineering Schools One of the best-kept secrets in science and engineering education circles rests right in the middle of Socorro. It’s the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, more familiarly known as New Mexico Tech. Tech offers more than 30 bachelor of science degrees in technology, the sciences, engineering (including mineral engineering), management, and technical communication, as well as graduate degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels. In a 2010 Newsweek article, New Mexico Tech was designated one of the best small science and engineering schools in North America. Tech leads the world in some disciplines—lightning research, explosives/technology, all petroleum hydrocarbon studies (geology/engineering/geophysics), hydrology, astrophysics and anti-terrorism technology, to name a few. New Mexico Tech’s graduates will tell you a Tech degree gets attention like that of a degree from schools like Cal Poly or MIT. Yet it’s a small university, around 2,100 students—because it has strict entrance requirements—and its state-subsidized status means tuition is far less than those better-known institutions, even at out-of-state rates. Because of its especially strong research programs, Tech offers numerous scholarships and unique research opportunities 36

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

for students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with a very high professor-to-student ratio of approximately one professor per 12 students. So if you have a wanna-be engineer in the back seat, or you’re just curious yourself, it would be worth your while to wander over to the campus and take a look at this educational secret. There are plenty of things to peruse, including the Tech Duck Pond, a chance to get back to nature in the middle of a city and the middle of a busy university; an 18-hole, championship-level, golf course; and an exemplary bookstore, crammed with science-technology-engineering tomes. This year, 2014, is the 125th anniversary of the university. According to a brief history written by Kathy Hedges, the then New Mexico School of Mines opened its doors on Sept. 5, 1893, with one building, two professors, and seven students. Courses offered included chemistry and metallurgy. The Territorial Legislature, wanting to boost New Mexico’s economy, had passed enabling legislation four years earlier to establish a School of Mines (NMSM) to train mining engineers. Socorro was deemed the ideal location. Silver and lead ores from the nearby Magdalena Mountains were processed at a smelter owned by German immigrant Gustav Billings, and the (continued on Page 39)


www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

37


socorro

Socorro Celebrates Several Anniversaries in 2014

This is an anniversary year for the city of Socorro. Starting in September, the Mission Church of San Miguel will be celebrating its 400th anniversary. Plus, 2014 is the 125th anniversary of the founding of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, New Mexico Tech. And it’s the 75th anniversary of the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. Socorro—the Spanish word means “help,” or “succor”— began with the settlement and exploration led by Don Juan de Oñate in the last years of the 16th century. He and his band of Spanish soldiers, Franciscan friars and would-be settlers came up from the south and had a hard journey across that

stretch of desert aptly called the Jornado del Muerto, or “journey of death.” The indigenous Piro Indians, who had a pueblo nearby, came to their aid. In honor of that help, Oñate ordered a couple of the Franciscans and some of the settlers to establish a town at this oasis and to name it Socorro. The town now is a fascinating place, where visitors can drop in on cultural events, a world-class golf course or the famous Estcorn Observatory, all at New Mexico Tech. In Socorro’s historic district, beautiful Elfego Baca Heritage Park is where you’ll learn about one of New Mexico’s legendary lawmen, and serene Isidro Baca Park honors Socorroans who (continued on next page)

socorro

RV AND CAMPING

Casey’s Socorro RV Park 1101 New Mexico 1 Socorro, NM 87801 ........................................ 575-835-2234 Escondida Lake Park 17 Pueblito Road Socorro, NM 87801 ........................................ 575-835-2041 Kiva RV Park and Horse Motel I-25, Exit 175 ........................................ 505-861-0693

socorro

LODGING

Comfort Inn & Suites 1259 Frontage Road NW Socorro, NM 87801 ........................................ 575-838-4400

Days Inn 507 N. California St. Socorro, NM 87801 ........................................ 575-835-0230

Rodeway Inn 807 Hwy 85 Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-835-4300

EconoLodge 713 N. California St. Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-835-1500

San Miguel Inn 916 N. California St. Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-835-0211

Economy Inn 400 N. California St. Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-835-2263

Sands Motel 205 N. California St. Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-835-1130

Fite Ranch B & B P.O. Box 205 San Antonio, NM 87832 ....................................... 575-838-0958

Socorro Old Town Bed & Breakfast 114 West Baca St. Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-838-2619

MEXICAN RESTAURANT (575) 835-2208 www.sanantoniocrane.com

Holiday Inn Express 1040 N. California St. Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-838-4600

Super 8 Motel 1121 Frontage NW Socorro, NM 87801 ....................................... 575-835-4626

Great Food, Great People! 17 S. Pino St. • San Antonio, NM 87832

#1 Road Food Spot in the West- 2013 Sunset Magazine!

Buckhorn Tavern

vertu FINE ART GALLERY

Excellence In Southwestern Fine Art™ 575-835-4423 • San Antonio, NM 87832 www.buckhornburgers.com

Photo by Jerry Sintz

2 $4 $6 $8

$ Open 24/7 Free Wifi

VALUE MENU Signature Roast Coffees AARP Discount

Featuring original fine art by award winning local and nationally-known artists. Oils, pastels, watercolors, tapestry, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, much more. In the historic Juan José Baca House 113 Abeyta Avenue, Socorro, NM 87801

Socorro, NM • 575 835-2504 38

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

info@vertuarts.com • 575-835-4487 • www.vertuarts.com 11 - 6 Wednesday - Saturday • Noon - 5 Sunday also by appointment or chance


Socorro Celebrates Anniversaries (continued from previous page)

served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Also downtown is a thriving art scene with amazing galleries like Vertu Fine Art attracting visitors and locals alike. Recreation spots abound. Escondido Lake and Park offers fishing and camping, RV hookups, tent sites, bathrooms and potable water. Box Canyon Recreation Area is a popular site for camping, hiking and rock climbing. And then there’s the wildlife refuge, with its bird and wildlife viewing opportunities.

In winter, bald eagles and thousands of sandhill cranes and snow geese flock to the fields and marshes. Plan to visit the weekend before Thanksgiving during the annual Festival of the Cranes. Bosque del Apache is a true conservation success story. Think of this: In 2009, the count of sandhill cranes overwintering at the refuge topped 17,000, compared to the inaugural count in 1940 of – 17. An oasis, indeed.

New Mexico Tech (continued from page 36)

new School of Mines would allow young engineers to train near the eventual site of their work. It was a small school, and stayed small. In 1927, the state created a Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources that was made a division of the school. During 1930s, Hedges writes, NMSM enrollment increased as more people sought a college education during the Depression. Graduating classes now numbered in the dozens, rather than the handfuls. Petroleum engineering was added to the curriculum and quickly acquired more students than mining engineering. The college’s president, Edgar Wells, was instrumental in obtaining funds from federal programs such as the WPA to increase the number of buildings on campus. Several of the

campus’ classic mission-style buildings with red tiled roofs date from this period. In 1946, the school acquired a dynamic new president, E. J. Workman, and its character changed. Workman was a physicist, primarily interested in atmospheric electricity. He brought with him a research group that worked on weapons testing and analysis (the Terminal Effects Research and Analysis group, or TERA) and also a determination to study thunderstorms, his primary peacetime interest. Out of Workman’s dreams and labor rose Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, a mountaintop laboratory for the study of thunderstorms. A hydrology program was founded, which grew to be one of the foremost in the world. Workman added a graduate program, which produced Tech’s first Ph.D. in 1956.

Come see what’s really going on... Research.

Explore.

Play.

Visit New Mexico Tech

www.nmt.edu

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

39


Four Corners Offers Array of Outdoor Activities Northwest New Mexico is in what’s called the “Four Corners Region,” referencing the fact that this is the only place in the U.S. where the corners of four states meet neatly – New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. A Four Corners Monument marks the spot on the geographic surveys where the corners are contiguous. And indeed, there is a Four Corners Economic Development Agency that is trying to diversify and grow the economy of the region, which is historically dependent on oil and gas production. Director Christa Romme says the agency is concentrating on six different areas, one of which is tourism. The Four Corners certainly contain a vast array of vacationing highlights, from the Bisti Badlands’ unusual geologic features; to the two U.N.-designated World Heritage sites (Chaco Canyon National Historical Park and Mesa Verde National Park); to the

superb fly-fishing on the San Juan River; to the skiing available in the San Juan Mountains around Durango, Colo.; to the restored pueblo ruins at Salmon Ruins and Aztec Ruins. Then there’s the spectacular mesa-surrounded beauty of Navajo Lake State Park (created by the Navajo Dam), with its three recreational areas that enhance camping, fishing, boating, and historical and educational opportunities. And here’s a best-kept secret: If you like friendly small towns, you’ll LOVE Bloomfield, a little community east of Farmington with 8,000-plus friendly souls, small-town prettiness, great small restaurants and lodgings, and a location that makes it truly “the heart of the Four Corners.” From Bloomfield, you’re less than a day-trip from Salmon, Aztec or Chaco; you’re practically within an expert cast of the San Juan. You can find your best fishing, day-camping or picnicking sites at the Pine River, Cottonwood or San Juan River campgrounds at Navajo Lake, and still sleep in a comfy bed that night. If all that’s not enticement enough, Janet Mackey at the Bloomfield Chamber offers another— Bloomfield has a brand-new and “wonderful” municipal swimming pool. What could be a better base camp for your Four Corners adventure?

“Bloomfield...The Heart of the Four Corners!”

Stay here and access the Four Corners...

New Mexico • Arizona • Colorado • Utah Fabulous Restaurants, Event Lodging,World Class Fishing & More! Ancient Ruins (Salmon Ruins)

Top-Notch Aquatic Center

www.BloomfieldChamber.info

20,000 Trout Per Mile (San Juan River)

Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center 224 West Broadway • Bloomfield, NM 87413 • 505-632-0880

40

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014


www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

41


truth or consequences truth or consequences

GOLF

Municipal Golf Course 685 W. Marie Truth or Consequences NM 87901 ....................................... 575-894-2603

Geronimo Trail National Scenic Byway ....................................... 575-894-1968

Blackstone Hotsprings ....................................... 575-894-0894

La Paloma Hot Springs and Spa ....................................... 575-894-3148

Rocket Inn ....................................... 575-894-2964

Riverbend Hot Springs-Mineral Springs Resort & Spa ....................................... 575-894-7625

The Oasis Motel ....................................... 575-894-6629

The Desert View Inn ....................................... 575-894-2239

truth or consequences

LODGING

Desert View Inn ....................................... 575-894-2239

Sierra Grande Lodge & Spa ....................................... 575-894-6976

Fire Water Lodge ....................................... 575-740-0315

Cloudcroft Offers Quiet Charm (continued from page 14)

stressful, urban districts. Stroll down its main street, Burro Street, and you could be forgiven for thinking you’d wandered onto a movie set. Have a beer and play a set of pool in the Western Bar. Rent a mountain bike and enjoy nearby trails in the Lincoln National Forest that surrounds the village.

KAYAK & SUP

SALES & RENTALS Single $29.95

Double $49.95

FISHING GEAR

Sunglasses Sunscreen Watershoes

Kayak Rentals may be 24 Hrs OPEN 7 (575) DAYS

to ZiaKayaks.com 744-4185 Gofor Reservations

310 Rock Canyon Rd., Elephant Butte

RV SALES • SERVICE • COLLISION • ACCESSORIES

Drive up the winding road to The Lodge and have a martini or margarita in its cellar bar while you wait for a table in the luxurious dining room. Play golf on a high-altitude course that has amused visitors from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. to Lee Trevino—a drive from the first tee goes straight down about 400 feet and then doglegs to the right! Built in 1899, the course follows the Scottish tradition of playing different tees and separate flags on each hole. The ninehole course, when played twice, makes for an 18-hole round that challenges both hackers and pros. There’s fishing near Cloudcroft, and horseback riding at nearby ranches. The village is anything but backward, just determined to keep it simple. The Cloudcroft Light Opera Company performs melodrama and vaudeville during the summer. There are barbecues in the park. A new bakery recently opened on Burro Street and features beignets made by its New Orleans-trained owner. And the Trestle remains, restored and stabilized. These days you can walk an easy 2.8-mile trail (a couple of steep climbs) to the Trestle Recreation Area, and relax and watch the ravens play in the thermal updrafts of the canyon below the structure. They, too, enjoy the quiet charm of Cloudcroft.

Truth or Consequences has been known for its healing waters for centuries. True o

False o

AMERICA’S #1 RV DEALER! Based on Statistical Surveys 2013.

WE CARRY THE TOP MANUFACTURERS:

14303 CENTRAL AVE. NW IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM 866.695.9191 | CampingWorldOfAlbuquerque.com 42

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

Truth or Consequences is

sierraCounty.info


Experience a place where

you blaze your own trail.

Experience the area’s best wineries, one of the top Farmer’s Markets in the country, the regions finest Mexican cuisine, and the thrill of sliding down a sand dune at White Sands National Monument. These are just some of the natural wonders you’ll discover when you blaze a trail in Las Cruces.

REQUEST A FREE VISITORS GUIDE at explorelascruces.com

FOLLOW US

C /lascrucescvb M/lascruces www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

43


las vegas las vegas

GOLF

Pendaries New Mexico Golf Community ....................................... 800-733-5267

las vegas

LODGING

Historic Plaza Hotel In an instant you’ll know why the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas was called “The Belle of the Southwest” when built in 1882. 230 Plaza Park, Las Vegas, NM 87701 ....................................... 505-425-3591

las vegas

AMENITIES

Charlie’s Bakery & Cafe 713 Douglas Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701 ......................................(505) 426-1921 El Fidel Restaurant 510 Douglas Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701 ......................................(505) 425-6659

Dick’s Restaurant 705 Douglas Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701 ......................................(505) 425-8261 New Mexico Highlands University 1005 Diamond St, Las Vegas, NM 87701 ......................................(505) 425-7511

The 19 Pueblos of New Mexico Acoma - Acoma Pueblo also known as “Sky City,” is built on top of a 367-foot sandstone mesa. Cochiti - Cochiti is the northernmost of the Keresspeaking pueblos with a population of about 1,502. Isleta - Originally established sometime in 1300s, the name Isleta comes from the Spanish language and means “Little Island.”

Ohkay Owingeh - Ohkay Owingeh, known as San Juan Pueblo until the community returned to its pre-Spanish name, is the headquarters of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council. Picuris - Picuris is located in an isolated valley in the northern hills of New Mexico. They refer to themselves as the “People of the Hidden Valley.”

Jicarilla Apache Nation Nomadic in nature until just before European contact, the Jicarilla tribe established trade with Taos and Picurís pueblos. They wandered and traded as far east as Kansas until they settled deep in the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the mid-1720s.

Pojoaque - The Pueblo of Pojoaque has always owned its land in communal title – the Pueblo has never been a federal reservation. The pueblo, located 12 miles north of Santa Fe, has two hotels, a casino and a world-class golf course. Sandia - Originally named Nafiat, the pueblo was deserted in 1680 when the residents fled to Hopi Pueblo during the Pueblo Revolt. The people of Sandia did not return until the mid-1700s, and their old village is evident in ruins near the church.

Laguna - Keresan-speaking Laguna pueblo has six villages (Encinal, Laguna, Mesita, Paguate, Paraje and Seama) and is home to a notable business and industrial community.

San Felipe - The pueblo is wellknown for its beautiful dancing, particularly for the Feast of St. Philip on May 1, when hundreds of men, women and children participate in traditional Green Corn Dance.

Mescalero Apache Reservation - The Mescalero traditions remain strong as they develop a strong economic foundation. Nambé - The Nambé Falls Recreation Area, located above the pueblo, offers swimming, lake fishing, a stunning doubledrop waterfall and camping. Navajo Nation - The Diné (Navajo) Nation stretches across three separate U.S. states. The largest U.S. Indian tribe, the Navajo Nation consists of more than 298,000 members, about 106,807 of whom live in New Mexico.

San Ildefonso - San Ildefonso is best known as the birthplace and home of the late Maria Martínez, who along with her husband, Julian, developed the world-renowned black-onblack pottery with black matte designs.

Jémez - The Pueblo of Jemez is the only remaining village of the Towa-speaking pueblos in New Mexico and is surrounded by colorful red sandstone mesas.

44

Santa Ana - Santa Ana Pueblo has a long history of progress. In 1709, the pueblo purchased 5,000 acres along the Río Grande to increase its agricultural production and land base.

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

Santa Clara - Contemporary Santa Clarans believe their ancestors first lived in the nearby Puyé Cliff Dwellings, including Top House, a ruined mesa top village built along a stunning cliff face in Santa Clara Canyon. Santo Domingo- The village people have a distinguished history of making fine jewelry and heishi. Taos - Taos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America. It continues to enchant visitors as it has done for the past 1,000 years.

Tesuque - The name Tesuque is a Spanish variation of the Tewa name, Te Tesugeh Oweengeh, meaning the “village of the narrow place of the cottonwood trees.” Zia - Zia Pueblo is the birthplace of the familiar ancient sun symbol, which sports multiple stylized rays radiating in each of the traditional four directions from a central sun. Zuni - New Mexico’s most populated pueblo was the first native settlement visited in 1540 by Spanish explorers, who thought it was one of the legendary Seven Golden Cities of Cíbola.


www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014

45


46

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2014


Every great restaurant aspires to be memorable. The chefs at Vintage 423 take pride in sourcing the highest-quality ingredients and using simple, pure, local and regional flavors on our made-from-scratch menu. From USDA Prime Cuts aged for maximum tenderness and flavor to a Wine Spectator-honored wine list, our passion is to deliver an extraordinary experience to each and every guest.

(505) 821-1918 vintage-423.com 8000 Paseo del Norte, Suite A1 Albuquerque, NM 87122 www.travelnewmex.com | (Southeast corner of Wyoming & Paseo del Norte)

SUMMER • WINTER 2014

47


Camping, hiking, boating, and family fun… Adventures come alive at New Mexico State Parks. TRUE

FALSE

New Mexico State Parks are

IAL

Bluewater Lake State Park

SPONSOR OF

NE

W

PA

RKS

OFF

IC

Hyde Memorial State Park

TE 48M E X www.travelnewmex.com | I C O S TA

SUMMER • WINTER 2014

Caballo Lake State Park


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.