New Mexico

[Rich Johnson]

Hi, Planning on trip to New Mexico mid October, Oct 11 to Oct 16th. Anything suggestions for this week?

[Robert Schaller]

Make reservations (call 1-888-CUMBRES, or see their website) and ride the C&TSRR from Antonito (CO) to Chama (NM) or reverse (they shut down for winter on 10/17).

It's a 64 mile ride through spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery on a narrow gauge steam railroad, following the CO/NM border and crossing it multiple times. Includes a cafeteria style lunch at the midpoint (Osier). Whichever direction you ride, there is motorcoach transportation provided for the round trip.

Be sure to tour the mountain areas around Taos, also very beautiful. Bob

[PNW Judy]

It's a big state!

My top picks:
Taos
White Sands NM
Carlsbad Caverns
Tucamcari and Gallup for their great Route 66 kitsch
"Old Town" Albuquerque

[Rich Johnson]

Sorry, Should have qualified my area of focus:
North part of state, Alburquerque north, Santa Fe, Taos.

Probably too much to include White Sands, Carlsbad etc.

[Chuck]

Rich,

Moderator Bob's suggestion is a great one. We did the C&TSRR this past Labor Day Weekend and the leaves were already turning. I suggest you take the train from Chama to Antonito and the bus back. Chama has many more accommodations than Antonito and if you have time you can tour the railroad yard.

Here are some other highlights for Northern New Mexico, based on having lived there for several years.

· If you're going between Taos and Chama (as in to or from the train) take the US 64 route that goes through Tierra Amarilla (Yellow Earth or Land), the county seat for Rio Arriba County. Follow US 64 from here over the ridge to Tres Piedras. Look for the old water tower there. If you rode the C&TSRR, you rode the northern part of this route, which actually continued south from Chama through Tres Piedras and on south (see below). Then cross 64's flat part to Taos. You'll go over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, worth a 15-minute stop. (Reverse for the other way, of course.)

· Taos — Santa Fe with altitude. But fun. Try Hacienda de Martinez. A lot of folks like to take the "High Road," but I prefer the "Low Road," N.M. 68. Stop at Embudo Station on the way and check out that old water tower that serviced the steamers on the old narrow gauge called the Chili Line that actually began in Silverton, Colo. and went all the way to Santa Fe. It's the one your will ride or have ridden.

· Española — Española offers little per se, but check out Jo Ann's for some pretty authentic northern New Mexico food; El Paragua is highly over-rated, by the way. But Española sits near several pueblos, my favorite being San Ildefonso. San Juan and Santa Clara are near by, as is Nambé, with its waterfall. Tesque and Poajoque have little to offer.

Chimayó — Don't miss the Santuario, known as the Lourdes of America. It's a wonderful stop and near two of my favorite weavers, Ortega's and Cientalla (I know that's not spelled right). The best food in that part of the world is at Rancho de Chimayó.

I'm not even going to try to talk about Santa Fe. Who knows where to start there? I love The City Different.

If you have some specific questions, let me know.

[cathy williams]

Visiting Santa Fe in a few weeks and there's so many choices on where to stay I just can't make up my mind. Will I be sorry if I don't stay on the Plaza? Any recommendations on reasonably priced accomodations on or off the plaza would be so helpful. If I don't stay on the plaza is there a shuttle? Coming up from Albuquerque and want to drive up to Taos too, so what's worth seeing, doing, eating? Thanks.

[Chuck]

How do you define reasonably priced for Santa Fe?

Staying on the plaza — La Fonda, for example — or near — the Inn at Loretto, the Inn of the Governors, the St. Francis — will be premium ($200-300) and I'm not sure how much you gain by doing that. Of course, those and some others are first class hotels and can be considered luxurious.

Reasonable in Santa Fe might be in the below-$120 range, but for those you'll need to stay out a bit, like on Cerrillos Road. We've had very good luck with Red Roof Inn and using Hotwire have gotten two stays at the Courtyard by Marriott, also on Cerrillos, at the $55 range.

I've never stayed in some of the funky little 1950s-era places along Cerrillos but some day will consider it.

I don't know of any shuttles to the plaza this time of year.

As for other suggestions, see my post above.

[Rich Johnson]

Hi, We had originally planned on Northern New Mexico the week of Oct 10th, but can't get away until 17th. Other than the railroad trip, is the timing still worth the week exploring Northern New Mexico or should We put off till someother time? Planned on Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos and surrounding areas. Would the fall foliage be past peak the week of October 17-23rd.

[Robert Schaller]

I'd still go. The color season varies from year to year by as much as a few weeks. Call the Carson National Forest at 505-758-6200 and they may be able to give you some idea of how the fall colors are shaping up in northern New Mexico this year. Bob

[Mark Sedenquist]

One of the links on the <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/links/Autumn.htm">RTA Autumn<a/> page highlights road trips in New Mexico. Check it out,

Mark