New Mexico

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New Mexico is a state in the American Southwest. A Spanish and then Mexican colony until the Mexican War of the 1840s, New Mexico still has a large native Spanish-speaking population, as well as many Native American communities.

	new mexico Travel Guide : 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 5 Talk 6 Get in 6.1 By air 6.2 By car 6.3 By rail 7 Get around 8 See 9 Do 10 Eat 11 Drink 12 Stay safe 12.1 Crime 12.2 Environment 13 Get out 14 External links

Regions

• Central (New Mexico)
• North Central (New Mexico)
• Northeast (New Mexico)
• Northwest (New Mexico)
• Southwest (New Mexico)
• Southeast (New Mexico)

Cities

• Albuquerque
• Carlsbad
• Deming
• Española
• Farmington
• Gallup
• Grants
• Jemez Springs -- see under Jemez Mountains
• Las Cruces
• Las Vegas -- see under Sangre de Cristo Mountains
• Los Alamos
• Madrid
• Raton
• Roswell
• Santa Fe
• Silver City
• Socorro
• Taos
• Truth or Consequences
• Tucumcari

Other destinations

• Bandelier National Monument
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Chaco Culture National Historical Park
• El Malpais National Monument
• El Morro National Monument
• Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
• Navajo Nation
• Valles Caldera National Preserve
• White Sands National Monument
• Sacramento Peak National Solar Observatory
• Very Large Array - a well-known radio astronomy observatory on the Plains of San Augustin, some 50 miles (80 km) west of Socorro

Understand

Understanding New Mexico starts with grasping the overpowering importance of two of its geological features: the Rio Grande, which bisects the state north to south, and the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southernmost range of the Rocky Mountains and a part of the same large-scale geological structure that produces the Rio, the "Rio Grande rift." The eastern third of the state is an extension of the Great Plains both geographically and culturally and has more in common with the western parts of Texas and Oklahoma than with the rest of New Mexico. The western third, beyond the Rio and the assortment of minor mountain ranges (Nacimientos, Magdalenas, and the not-so-minor Jemez Mountains) to its west, is part of the same "basin and range" geography as comprises much of Arizona and Nevada, with a little Utah canyon country thrown in toward the northwest corner.

It's the area in between these two sparsely inhabited regions that gives the state much of its identity, houses the majority of its population, and contains many of its tourist attractions. The "Rio Grande Corridor" starts at the Colorado state line and includes (from north to south) such well-known places as Taos, Los Alamos, Santa Fe (one of the world's great travel destinations), Albuquerque, and Las Cruces at the southern end of the state. Travelers who have seen only the flat emptiness of the eastern side or the rugged desolation of the western third simply do not expect this region, with its snowcapped mountains, fertile riparian habitat along the Rio, and a population density that, while not high by the standards of the United States (let alone Europe), is still unusual in the Southwest. Most of the state's many American Indian reservations are here (Navajo Nation, however, is in the northwest region), as are the most conspicuous remnants of the Spanish influence resulting from the state's ties to Mexico that persisted into the 19th century. At the same time, the relative prosperity of this area (although no part of New Mexico can really be considered "wealthy" except in isolated neighborhoods) is making several of its communities into high-tech centers, for example the Albuquerque suburb of Rio Rancho that houses a great manufacturing plant for computer components. The Sangre de Cristos and Jemez also create a relatively cool and moist (at least compared to the rest of the state) climate zone in which snow can persist in the highest mountains nearly year-round.

There is also a more subtle north/south dichotomy to the culture and geography that breaks basically along the route of Interstate highway 40, which follows the historic Route 66 across the state. Most of the north/south differences (apart from the observation that the north is higher and cooler than the south) are political in nature and affect residents more than travelers, but they lead to the state self-identifying the six regions given under the "Regions" heading of this article. Note that there is no "South Central" region; the Rio Grande Corridor narrows toward the southern end of the state, and features along the southern Rio are treated in the southwest region.

Talk

If you worry that you'll have to speak Spanish to get around in New Mexico, don't worry, and you're not alone. New Mexico magazine, the state's tourist rag (and a good read), carries a regular column called "One of our Fifty Is Missing" that describes the many humorous misconceptions (the polite word) that the state and its residents experience at the hands of those seemingly unaware that New Mexico is part of the United States; linguistic misunderstandings are among the more frequent anecdotes appearing there. In fact, English will do just fine, although particularly in the North Central and Northwest regions, you'll have a good chance of running into people for whom English is a second, or even third, language, behind Spanish and/or a tribal language. Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Los Alamos and Santa Fe all have notably diverse populations that include native speakers of most of the world's major languages. It's common (if unexpected, given the town's historic secrecy) to walk into a store or restaurant in Los Alamos and hear a conversation between storekeeper and patron in Russian or Chinese, or even Polish or Korean.

This said, when you encounter an apparently Spanish place name or surname, as you will in almost all parts of the state, it's wise to pronounce it as Spanish. Anglicizing the pronunciation may be acceptable in some parts of the United States, but is likely to be considered rude here. The WikiTravel Spanish phrasebook can help with this; particular things to be on the alert for are "ñ" (e.g. Española and other place names), double "ll" (e.g. Valles Caldera National Preserve), and double "rr" (e.g. Rio Arriba County in the North Central region, which incidentally is a particularly good place in which to avoid Anglicized Spanish).

Get in

By air

The state's only major airport is in Albuquerque, in nearly the exact center of the state. Santa Fe has limited service connecting to Denver. Several of the state's minor cities such as Carlsbad, Farmington, Roswell, Hobbs, and intermittently Gallup and Taos have commuter air service.

For travel to the southern part of the state, particularly the southwestern region, consider flying into El Paso in extreme west Texas. Las Cruces, second largest city in the state, is much closer to El Paso than to Albuquerque.

By car

Interstate highways 10 and 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 66 through the middle of the state. Interstate 25 enters the state in its northeast corner near Raton, passes through the eastern plains, crosses the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at Glorieta Pass near Santa Fe, then follows the Rio Grande south through Albuquerque to its terminus at I-10 in Las Cruces.

Although New Mexico has a fairly long border with Mexico, there are few ports of entry. Most traffic inbound from Mexico enters the United States at El Paso and then continues to Las Cruces and beyond. In addition to the usual Customs, etc., at the national border, there are checkpoints along the major highways out of Las Cruces at which vehicles may be searched for illegal immigrants. (If you're considering bringing an illegal in, don't; penalties are serious and enforcement is stepping up, if still uneven.) The small town of Columbus, west of Las Cruces, has the only border crossing within New Mexico itself that is certain to be open.

In practice, traffic inbound from neighboring states is generally not subjected to inspection for controlled items, apart from the usual weigh stations, etc., for commercial trucks. However, commercial traffic heading out of New Mexico for Arizona may be inspected on the Arizona side of the state line, owing to concerns about the introduction of agricultural pests.

By rail

The Southwest Chief, the main Amtrak line through the southwestern United States, enters the state westbound at Raton, and basically follows the route of I-25 to Albuquerque, then the route of I-40 to points west. There is presently no other rail service from other states (or Mexico) to points in New Mexico.

Get around

The larger cities (Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe) have some degree of public transportation, but this is still a state where you'll have to drive most of the time. There are plans for a commuter-oriented train linking some of the cities in the Rio Grande corridor; stay tuned for developments.

Speed limits on the Interstates are normally 75 miles per hour, except in urban areas. US and state highways have speed limits ranging up to 65 miles per hour, but the limits are frequently lower. A number of state highways, remarkably enough, are still unpaved and should be driven at reduced speeds. Between this, a number of radar traps, and the fact that many of the roads through the mountains are more sinuous than is apparent on a map, you should expect intercity travel to take a bit longer than the distance would imply, except on the Interstates. There are exceptions in the eastern parts of the state, where you're in serious danger of being run over if you drive as slowly as the speed limits.

Weather-related driving hazards are generally confined to the winter months, when the northern half of the state, as well as the mountainous parts of the southwestern region, can experience snowstorms that close highways or render them hazardous. Have chains or 4-wheel drive available in these areas from December through February, particularly in the mountains. Spring winds can be disconcerting to drivers in tall vehicles and occasionally create reduced visibility from blowing dust, but dust storms are less of a problem than in some neighboring states. Most of New Mexico is at higher elevation, hence slightly cooler, than other states of the Southwest; problems with boiling radiators, etc., are therefore not as common, although it's still a good idea to take water with you when driving in the summer.

New Mexico has a severe problem with drunk driving, although aggressive enforcement and public-education campaigns have reduced DUI levels somewhat, compared to 10 years ago. No road in the state is immune to this problem; there is no time of day when it cannot occur. Defensive driving is the obvious antidote. Large animals on the roadway create hazards as well, whether from cattle and sheep in the open range in the east and west or from wildlife (notably elk, which can really mess up a car in a collision) in the north central mountains. Again, just drive defensively.

See

Do

Eat

A distinctive regional cuisine has developed in New Mexico. Often considered a subset of "Mexican" food, "New Mexican" cooking is characterized by:

• First and foremost, chile peppers. New Mexico chiles, despite their reputation, are generally not as hot as habaneros and some Asian peppers, although their spiciness can still come as quite a jolt to the palate unused to spicy foods. Chiles are green for most of their growing life but turn red and dry out as they mature, and can be picked and cooked either "red" or "green." When you order a New Mexican dish in a restaurant, you'll be asked whether you prefer red or green sauce, referring to the color -- maturity -- of the peppers used to prepare the sauce. Red is usually, though not always, spicier, while green is more flavorful and substantial; try both while you're here. (Incidentally, "red" chile has nothing at all in common with the red "chili" -- note spelling -- typical of Tex-Mex-style Mexican food, which is generally scoffed at in New Mexico.) The small town of Hatch, near Las Cruces, is famous for its chile farms, and is a good place to pick up some chile to take home.
• The sopaipilla, a light, puffy fry bread that can be served as a side dish or turned into an entree by stuffing it with meat, cheese, beans and chile peppers. The stuffed sopaipilla is perhaps the quintessential New Mexican dish and is most commonly seen in the northern half of the state (southerly restaurants are more likely to involve tortillas as the table bread, as in the cuisine of "old" Mexico).
• "Blue corn," which is just what it sounds like: corn in which the kernels, and resulting corn meal, have a distinctive bluish color. Tortillas made with blue corn differ from the usual tortillas not only to the eye but also to the palate, with a pleasingly gritty consistency and slightly "nutty" taste. Enchiladas made with blue-corn-meal tortillas are characteristic of Santa Fe and environs and have become trendy on a national if not world-wide level.
• Piñon nuts, the fruit of the scruffy little piñon pine tree that is widespread in the state. These can be eaten as snacks or as components of dishes, particularly some of the upper-end "Southwestern" cuisine.

These components merge into a cuisine that ranges from utterly basic, everyday-lunch fare (served almost everywhere in the state) to incredibly elaborate "Southwestern" meals with any number of exotic variations and add-ons. Santa Fe is justly famous for its rich assortment of New Mexican and Southwestern restaurants, but don't eat New Mexican food just there; there are a number of subtle variations in New Mexican cooking in the different regions of the state (for example, topping enchiladas with a fried egg is characteristic of southern New Mexican food but rare in the north), and you'll be well advised to experiment locally.

Drink

• Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces are the only cities large enough to have significant night life. However, several of the American Indian pueblos operate casinos that bring in name-brand entertainment. The casinos themselves are controversial locally because of problems with patrons with gambling addictions, but the entertainment can be reasonably good.
• There are a surprising number of acceptable wineries in New Mexico, concentrated mainly in the north central region, which see, but with a few others between Albuquerque and Socorro.
• The wine- and fruit-based beverage known as sangría, more commonly associated with Spain, is also widespread in New Mexico. Most restaurants with a liquor license that serve New Mexican cuisine will also serve sangría.
• One warning: small-town bars here, particularly in the northern part of the state, are not always good places for the out-of-state visitor to hang out. For one thing, northern New Mexico has significant problems with drunk driving, and the concentration of intoxicated drivers is high close to small-town bars. For another, there have been ethnic tensions intermittently in this part of the state that have led to serious bar fights, some of which have involved visitors. Tread carefully.

Stay safe

Crime

• Albuquerque has a crime rate that is higher than average for an American city, but most of it is property crime that affects residents more than visitors. The "South Valley" and the region between the University of New Mexico and Kirtland Air Force Base (including the infamous "War Zone" near the state fairgrounds, the site of some nasty drug-related crime) are best avoided by solitary travelers after dark. Otherwise there are no specific violent-crime issues that unduly threaten the visitor.
• Illegal immigrants are a problem in the southern region of the state, although less of one than in neighboring Arizona. Use caution when picking up hitchhikers (or hitchhiking yourself) here. There are checkpoints along major highways leading north, at which the Border Patrol checks vehicles for illegal passengers. Behave sensibly at them and you won't have any problems.
• There are some social problems associated with the drug trade that may create unpleasant situations for the unwary visitor in some areas. The world-wide cautions regarding packages from strangers, etc., apply here too, and in addition, some caution is indicated in rural areas of the north central and northwestern regions. The former is a notorious "pipeline" for narcotics entering the country from Mexico, and you really don't want to blunder into a drug deal being transacted in the hinterlands. The main drug-related hazard in the rugged northwest is that it is a "drop zone" for contraband delivered by light plane. If you see a small plane drop below the local horizon when you know there is no airport around, don't investigate; chances are good that a shipment of something illegal has just been delivered to waiting, unfriendly people on the ground. This is less of a problem today than 20 years ago, but can still lead to decidedly hairy situations.
• Drunk driving is a notorious social problem in New Mexico, particularly in the northern half of the state. There is no hour of the day, and no road, immune to DUI. Simply drive defensively.

Environment

• Disease: New Mexico made unpleasant headlines a few years ago owing to an outbreak of the "Sin Nombre" hantaviral lung disease that claimed some lives and depressed the tourist industry. Realistically, however, hantavirus is of very little concern to the traveler, as is the better-known bubonic plague that is endemic in the state's rodent population. Sensible precautions apply here as anywhere else (don't handle dead animals, don't poke around in animal dens, etc.), but these just aren't major concerns. Much more prevalent, if less threatening, is the Giardia parasite that causes gastro-intestinal disturbances; to avoid it, purify water if backpacking or camping. Tap water state-wide is generally safe.
• Most of the state is high desert. When out and about, use sun screen, and if hiking, carry more water than you think you'll need. It's wise to wear long pants when hiking (particularly off-trail) in the desert, even if they're uncomfortably warm; most of the desert flora and fauna are thorny, spiny or venomous, and long pants will help keep you from being stuck or bitten. (Don't worry unduly about rattlesnakes, though; many long-time residents of the state have never seen one, and bites are rare.) If bicycling, beware the dreaded "goat head," an invasive weed whose seeds, distributed in the fall, seem tailor-made for puncturing bike tires -- they look like a miniature version of the caltrops used in ancient days to hinder passage of foot soldiers. Carry a patch kit and a spare tube, particularly in the fall.
• The mountains of the north (and some near Alamogordo in the south) are high enough to create hazards from altitude sickness and some other environmental threats. The high peaks create thunderstorms in the summer, so that the wise hiker is off the summits by 1 p.m. or so to avoid lightning strikes. Avalanches are fairly common in the Sangre de Cristos during the winter, and can occur in some of the other ranges.

Get out

If you're planning on crossing into Mexico, the crossing at Juarez (reached via El Paso) is far busier than the one near Columbus, with all that that entails -- longer lines on the US side, but more to do once you're over the border. The mercado is busy, schlocky, and colorful. One warning: drinking age in Juarez is 18, and on weekends, many younger students at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, and at colleges in El Paso, make the pilgrimage to indulge. Traffic back into Las Cruces can be frightening at such times. Be cautious.

Some destinations in other states that are close to their borders with New Mexico and hence reachable as day excursions are (clockwise from the southwest corner):

• Arizona
  • Chiricahua National Monument
  • Petrified Forest National Park
  • Navajo Nation extends into New Mexico, but is mainly in Arizona.
  • Canyon de Chelly National Monument
• Utah
  • Hovenweep National Monument -- extends into Colorado
• Colorado
  • Mesa Verde National Park
  • Durango with a superb scenic railroad; gateway to the San Juan Mountains
  • Alpine skiing areas closest to the state line are Durango Mountain and Purgatory near Durango and Wolf Creek near Pagosa Springs.
  • The Colorado continuation of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, known in Colorado as the Sangre de Cristo Range, contains several "Fourteeners" (mountains with summits over 14,000'), hiking and backpacking opportunities, and Great Sand Dunes National Monument.
• Oklahoma
  • Black Mesa, highest point in the state and a pleasant hike, is literally a stone's throw from the state line near the tiny town of Kenton (OK).
• Texas
  • Amarillo
  • Lubbock
  • Guadalupe Mountains National Park
  • El Paso

External links

• Official tourism Web site (http://www.newmexico.org/)

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