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U.S. state
Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
New Mexico (Spanish: Nuevo México), the Land of Enchantment, is a state in the American Southwest. It became a Spanish colony after conquistadors arrived in the 16th century, then a Mexican territory until the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, and then an American territory until it achieved statehood in 1912. New Mexico still has a large native Spanish-speaking population and many Native American communities, offering a unique culture that clearly stands apart from that of other states. Spanish is the official second language. A visitor to New Mexico will also discover fantastic natural scenery, a major fine arts scene centered around Santa Fe, great outdoor recreational opportunities, and a distinctive regional cuisine. Plus, an assortment of high-tech, Space Age installations - radio telescopes, cutting-edge laboratories, military testing sites, speculative spaceports - gives the state a fascinating fusion of the ancient and the futuristic. New Mexico is a forgotten jewel in the United States.
Situated along the Middle Rio Grande Valley and home to Albuquerque, the Central region contains most of the state's population.
This scenic mountainous region has many of the better-known tourist destinations of New Mexico, such as Santa Fe and Taos.
Here, the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains. The Santa Fe Trail, railroads, and Route 66 all passed through here.
Part of the Four Corners region, this area is home to many unusual geological formations, red rocks, and part of the Navajo Nation.
Home to scenic low-lying mountains and much of the agricultural production in the state, along the Rio Grande.
Elevation-wise, this is the lowest region of the state, mostly desert but with some strange geologic phenomena.
By car
Interstate 10 and Interstate 40 cross the state east/west, the former entering between El Paso and Las Cruces and paralleling the southern border, and the latter following the route of historic Route…
By train
The Southwest Chief, the main Amtrak line through the southwestern United States, makes a daily run between Chicago and Los Angeles through New Mexico.
On foot
For the dedicated long-distance hiker the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail) is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 mi between Mexico and…
By train
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter train connects Albuquerque and Santa Fe, along with residential communities in the area.
By bus
Information on transit can be found from APTA.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Albuquerque · International · ABQ
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The state capital and primary tourist attraction of the state, with historic architecture, scenic beauty, and a concentration of arts and culture.
By far the state's largest city and the center of commerce for the state, with a fair number of tourist attractions in its own right, including a massive and spectacular hot-air balloon fiesta.
Situated in the southernmost Rocky Mountains, Taos is among the most popular destinations due to the incredible scenic beauty, world-renowned ski resorts, architecture, its art scene, museums and food.
The largest town in the northwest section of the state, and a gateway to the Navajo Nation and Four Corners area.
A lovely little town with a lot of history, and the largest town in the northeast section of the state.
The state's second largest city and the largest in the southern portion of the state.
A large town notable for its museum of space history and proximity to the White Sands National Park.
A medium sized town most well known for the alleged crash of a flying saucer near here in 1947.
An old mining town located in the southwestern section of the state.
A spa city in southern New Mexico that is commonly put on lists of weird place names because the town was renamed from Hot Springs to its current name because of a 1950s radio show by the same name.
Gorgeous canyon scenery and well-preserved ancient cliff-side dwellings.
One of the most famous cave systems in the world, with spectacular underground formations.
Extensive archaeological ruins of a large Ancestral Puebloan culture.
Scenic desert landscapes, including ancient lava flows, sandstone cliffs, and caves.
Where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet at right angles, though vehicle access is exclusively in New Mexico.
The largest Indian reservation in the country, covering much of Northwestern New Mexico as well as parts of Arizona and Utah.
The 19 Indian Pueblos of New Mexico, each offering unique attractions.
One of the oldest continually-occupied settlements in the Americas, this UNESCO World Heritage site is located just outside of Taos and has a unique history of its own.
A huge volcanic caldera in the middle of the Jemez Mountains; today filled with a lush alpine meadow.
One of the most spectacular of New Mexico sights, this park holds a vast gypsum sand dune field.
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