New Mexico - Come see the wonders
Need a vacation? Go to New Mexico. New Mexico is famous for its amazing scenery, from volcanoes to caves to sheer walled canyons. You can walk lava flows and be amazed at the incredible rock formations. This state is gem to behold. And history! Ancient petroglyphs and ancient dwellings abound. There are so many places to see it’s hard to know where to start.
One way to see New Mexico is to travel on of the 27 scenic byways that run through the state. These roads have one or more of the follow: archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational or scenic sites. One byway is Geronimo Trail. This trail runs thru the Chihuahua desert and the wilderness of Gila National Forest. Check out these names. The trail starts in Truth or Consequences, on the edge of Elephant Butte Lake. It goes through Cuchillo, a stagecoach stop and then the ghost towns of Winston and Chloride and onto Gila.
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument will allow you envision the lives of the people of the Mogollon culture. These cliff dwellers lived in the Gila Wilderness from 1280 until the early 1300. Hiking is popular in this area and there are several hot springs to be found.
Petroglyph National Monument has 5 volcanic cones and hundreds of archeological sites. There are, perhaps, 25,000 images carved by native people and early Spanish settlers.
El Malpais National Monument allows you to go underground and experience the life that is growing in lava tubes. There are lava flows, cinder cones, and pressure ridges. Another place to view natural wonders is at City of Rocks State Park. There are amazing rock formations formed by volcanic ash and sculpted by the wind and water. There are only six other places in the world that have rock formations so unique.
Let’s not forget that this is part of the “wild west”. Visit Shakespeare Ghost Town and walk the same streets as Billy the Kid, John Ringo, Curley Bill, and the Clantons. Hear stories about how the West really was. There are tours of the saloon, hotel, mail station, assay office and other buildings.
New Mexico is home to generations of Native Americans. The Navajo Nation occupies 27,000 square miles with some in northwestern New Mexico and into Arizona and Utah. You may camp, hike and fish but a permit may be required. Please contact the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department. There are many attractions for tourists but please remember that this is their home and should be treated with respect. It is well worth the trip to see the Navajo rugs, sand paintings, and jewelry. The Navajo silversmithing is beautiful.
For more information try the following website:
http://nmtourism.org/go/loc/outdoor06/page/nmoutdoor06.html