New Mexico Road Trip: Santa Fe, Taos, and the High Road

Start in Old Town Albuquerque before heading north. Santa Fe Plaza and Canyon Road — 100+ art galleries packed into a half-mile — anchor the afternoon, followed by the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

• Old Town Albuquerque — adobe plaza, founded 1706
• Santa Fe Plaza — the historic heart of the oldest capital city in the US
• Canyon Road — 100+ art galleries in a half-mile, best explored on foot
• Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

NM-76 through Chimayo, Truchas, and Las Trampas — a mountain village art trail at elevations up to 8,000 ft. This is the scenic route, not the fast one; budget the full 2 hours.

• Chimayo — El Santuario de Chimayo, the "Lourdes of America," a pilgrimage church
• Truchas — a village perched on a mesa at 8,000 ft
• Las Trampas — historic adobe church and village

Taos Pueblo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — a 1,000-year-old, continuously inhabited multi-story adobe community. Pair it with the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and, if time allows, Taos Ski Valley for summer hiking.

• Taos Pueblo — $16 entry, some periods closed for tribal ceremonies (check taospueblo.com)
• Rio Grande Gorge Bridge — 650 ft above the river, second-highest bridge in the US highway system
• Taos Ski Valley — summer hiking trails

NM-68 follows the Rio Grande back to Albuquerque. Finish at the Sandia Peak Tramway — the world's longest aerial tramway at 2.7 miles, with 360-degree views over the city.

• NM-68 Low Road — 70-mile river-hugging alternate to the High Road
• Sandia Peak Tramway — 2.7 miles, the world's longest aerial tramway

The Low Road and High Road together make a loop — you won't repeat scenery on the way back.