Rio Grande River
In Sept, 2012 I embarked on a 2,000 mile long road trip circling around the state of New Mexico. I had 6 days from start to finish and in that time wanted to take in and enjoy as much of what it had to offer as I could. New Mexico is home to 12 national monuments, second only to Arizona; many parks and 3 World Heritage sites. The air was clean, people friendly, and roads well maintained.
Some things I noticed along the way:
1. We only saw 1 vehicle pulled over by a cop the entire trip. Very little hassle by law enforcement for drivers. Unheard of in many other places I’ve driven in throughout the country.
2. New Mexico loves Sonic. Every small town I stayed in or drove through had multiple locations.
3. Their parks and monuments entry-fees are the cheapest I’ve seen. Most were only $3.00 per person and didn’t expire for a week.
4. Even in small non-touristy cities on week days hotels were sold out. If you want to insure you get a good price book ahead of time.
A Spiny Lizard
Trip Summary
Day 1
- Depart Scottsdale, AZ.
- Visited Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.
- Visited White Sands National Monument for sunset.
- Hotel stay in Alamogordo, NM.
- Miles driven: 590
Day 2
- Visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
- Hotel stay in Roswell, NM.
- Miles driven: 280
Day 3
- Visited Santa Fe Plaza.
- Hotel stay in Santa Fe, NM.
- Miles driven: 211
Day 4
- Visited Bandelier National Monument.
- Hotel stay in Santa Fe, NM.
- Miles driven: 90
Day 5
- Visited Taos Pueblo.
- Visited Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town Plaza.
- Hotel stay in Grants, NM.
- Miles driven: 311
Day 6
- Visited Ice Caves, Bandera Volcano.
- Visited El Morro National Monument.
- Arrived in Scottsdale, AZ.
- Miles driven: 430
Trip Stats
Total miles traveled: 1,912 (3,077 km)
World Heritage Sites Visited: 2
National Monuments Visited: 4
National Parks Visited: 1
Hotel costs: $390.00
Gas costs : $198.00
I’ll be posting reviews and photos from all the places I visited in the following weeks so check back soon!
Me, 750 ft Underground
