Back to original page Printer Friendly Version of REDTT's: Scenic Byways, Historical Routes and Walking Tours Adventure and history can be found along 3,531 miles of road in the Land of Enchantment. The roads of New Mexico have a wonderful tale to tell. New Mexico boasts 26 scenic byways - eight with national scenic byway recognition. Historic walking tours are offered in many of the older cities. So, fill up the car, or put on the good walking shoes, and plan to enjoy the history of the old west. America's Byways - National Scenic Byways The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has provided funding for almost 1500 state and nationally designated byway projects in 48 states. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities. Visit the National Scenic Byways Web site to learn more about this program. New Mexico's currently has eight byways that have National Scenic Byways status. They are listed below. If the byway does not have its own personal Web site, they have been linked to the National Scenic Byways site at www.byways.org. Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway - Lincoln County, in south central New Mexico, is rich in history. Many historical people and events call this county home. Billy the Kid, the Lincoln County War, the Mescalero Apache tribe, Kit Carson, "Black Jack" Pershing, the Buffalo Soldiers, the world's richest Quarter Horse race and Smokey Bear are all examples of the history you will find there. Take an online "tour" of the communities along the Byway and then make a plan to visit this great historical area. El Camino Real National Historic Trail -"The Royal Road" is a National Scenic and Historic Byway that runs from Ciudad Juárez to Santa Fe, NM. It was once the main roadway for travelers and settlers to New Mexico. Visit the attached Web site to learn about its fascinating history and get maps. The newest New Mexico State Monument is also the new visitor center - El Camino Real International Heritage Center, located near Socorro, NM. Plan to visit this wonderful interpretive center while on your travels. Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway - Ghost towns, cliff dwellings, lakes and rivers, historic churches and lots of history. The Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway is located in southwestern New Mexico. It covers terrain from dry desert to mountain forests to scrub-dotted hills, and spans many different life zones. There are several interesting and beautiful side-trips which can be taken as well. Please visit the Geronimo Trails Web site for much more information and where to begin! Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway - With its amazing geological formations, ancient Indian ruins, an Indian pueblo, and the remainders of the area's logging, mining and ranching heritage, the Jemez Mountain Trail is not to be missed. Much of the region is now a National Recreation Area and there are many opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping, and cross- country skiing. The Jemez Mountains are also famous for their natural hot springs. Visit the Web site for more details. Route 66 Historic Trail - Route 66 means different things to different people, but freedom is always a common theme. The trail runs from Chicago to Los Angeles with a great show in New Mexico! For maps, information, and history about this historic route, visit the Web site. Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway - a great resource of links to the places you can see along the Santa Fe Trail. Museums, wildlife, historic hotels, old churches and more!! So get in the car this weekend! You are in for a treat! Trail of the Mountain Spirits - 93 miles of history and wilderness. Lakes, Gila Cliff Dwellings, Continental Divide, Gila Wilderness, the historic mining town of Pinos Altos, Chino Copper Mines, Fort Bayard, and more. Turquoise Trail - This scenic and historic area encompasses 15,000 square miles in the heart of central New Mexico, linking Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Enjoy a breathtaking view from atop Sandia Crest, the magnificent summit of the Sandia Mountains in the Cibola National Forest. Then drive back into history through the mining towns of Golden, Madrid and Cerrillos, now coming alive with art and crafts, theater, music, museums and restaurants. Back roads often lead to great discoveries. Venture off the freeway and onto the Turquoise Trail, and you'll see what this means. (505) 281-5233 New Mexico State Designated Scenic Byways Abo Pass Trail - An important segment of a Native American trade route first established in 1450 A.D., it eventually became part of a trade corridor which linked the Pueblos and the Plains Indians to El Camino Real and a network of trails throughout the Southwest. Runs through Socorro, Torrance, and Valencia counties for 31 miles. Visit the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, and enjoy the beauty of the Manzano Mountains Corrales Road Scenic and Historic Byway - Short in length, but long in beauty, this 6 1/2 mile trail has birds, bosques, vineyards, old churches and more. NM Route 448 near Corrales, NM Dry Cimarron Scenic Byway - Old West history abounds on this 192 mile route through out the farthest northeastern corner of New Mexico. Some of its famous stops include: Battleship Rock and Wedding Cake geologic formations ; Capulin Volcano National Monument; Clayton Lake State Park; Folsom Museum; Kiowa National Grasslands; McNees Crossing; the Santa Fe Trail; and Sugarite Canyon State Park. Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway - A beautiful, 85-mile drive if you like to view alpine valleys, wild flowers, clear blue lakes, evergreen forests, and historic western communities. The route circles the states highest mountain, Wheeler Peak and travels through the Carson National Forest. Other stops and diversions along the way could include: the famous Taos Pueblo, which is near the awesome Rio Grande Gorge Bridge; Elizabethtown; Eagle Nest Lake; the Vietnam Veterans National Memorial just west of Angel Fire; Angel Fire Resort; D.H. Lawrence Ranch; Taos Ski Valley; Red River Ski Area; and the Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area. Guadalupe Back Country Byway - This byway is on NM 137 in southern New Mexico. It begins at the NM 137/US 285 junction near Brantley Dam State Park, 12 miles north of Carlsbad, and proceeds southwest to Sitting Bull Falls in the Lincoln National Forest. High Road to Taos - A very interesting and historical area, steeped in Spanish culture. Some of the sights along the way include: Nambé Pueblo; Nambé Falls; Picuris Pueblo; Pot Creek Cultural Site; San Francisco de Asis Church; San José Gracia church, Las Trampas; and Santuario de Chimayo. You will drive through the Santa Fe and Carson National forests. La Frontera del Llano Byway - If you like nature, you will enjoy almost 95 miles of natural scenic beauty. With stops such as Conchas Lake and Ute Lake state parks, as well as Kiowa National Grasslands, you can experience the natural wild west. Mostly ranching communities in northeast New Mexico's Harding County. Lake Valley Back Country Byway - A scenic loop of about 47 miles, the Lake Valley Back Country Byway travels through the wilderness of the Black Range; through the historic villages of Kingston and Hillsboro, once thriving mining towns; and don't forget to stop at the Lake Valley ghost town, owned by the Bureau of Land Management, which offers a free self-guided walking tour (505-915-5603; open 9:00 to 4:00; closed Tuesday and Wednesday). The schoolhouse museum (which is still used for weddings and dances, by appointment) is the place to start - Lake Valley artifacts are displayed inside. Mesalands Scenic Byway - In eastern New Mexico, this byway is about dinosaurs! The complex byway loops on several roads around I-40. It passes through Santa Rosa, where you can scuba dive at the Blue Hole. It then dips down to Puerto, figure-eights around Ragland, into Tucumcari (historic Rt. 66 and home of the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum), continues through Conchas, Newkirk, Wheatland, San Jose, and Logan, and terminates at Glenrio. Visit the linked Web site for a lot more historic and visiting information. Narrow Gauge Scenic Byway - A short drive (about 9 miles) but long in railroad history. The Cumbres-Toltec railroad lines offer summer train rides through some awesome mountain passes. It doesn't take a railroad buff to enjoy the sound of a steam engine and the rhythmic clack of wheels on the narrow gauge. For more information call, in Chama (505) 756-2151, or Durango-Silverton (888) 872-4607 in Durango, Colorado, for information and reservations. Also, visit the Jicarilla Apache Reservation and the Southern Ute Reservation. The Utes are the oldest continuous living residents of Colorado. Native Heritage Trail - As the name suggests, this 665 mile scenic route may be the most historically significant route in New Mexico. The several day trail will take you past such historic stops as: Aztec Ruins National Monument; Bandera Volcano and Ice Cave; Bisti/De-na-zin Wilderness; Chaco Canyon National Historical Park; Crownpoint, which has a world famous rug auction; El Malpais National Monument; El Morro National Monument; Salmon Ruins and Heritage Park; San Juan River, famous amongst fly fishers for its quality waters; Shiprock, a ship shaped volcanic plug; Toadlena Trading Post, where natives trade rugs for goods and services, and where famous Two Grey Hills weavings can be found; and the Zuni Pueblo, the legendary “Seven Cities of Gold” sought by Vasquez de Coronado. Puye Cliffs Scenic Byway - Located totally on the Santa Clara Pueblo in north central New Mexico, the Puye Cliffs Scenic Byway boasts fishing, and 12th century cliff dwellings. These ancient dwellings were carved into the jagged volcanic tufa (a rock formed from compressed volcanic ash and cinders) and were eventually expanded to include adobe structures along the slopes and atop the numerous mesas. Also, artists and artisans living in the pueblo, sell their famous redware pottery, carved blackware and much more. Quebradas Back Country Byway - An unpaved county road traversing about 24 miles of rugged, colorful landscapes east of Socorro. Two National Wildlife Refuges are only a few miles from this byway - Sevilleta to the north and Bosque del Apache to the south. Photography, rock hounding, hiking, wildlife watching, hunting, cultural sightseeing and backcountry vehicle touring are among the many recreational opportunities. The Socorro Fat Tire Festival includes the Quebradas Backcountry Byway on the itinerary of its annual mountain bike race. Salt Missions Trail - 10,000 years ago the Estancia Valley, of central New Mexico, was a salt water ocean. When the water evaporated, salt was left behind, which later became a useful trading item amongst various tribes in the area. Because of this important commodity, the trail was once an important trade route. Today, as you drive this route through the Cibola National Forest and Manzano Mountains, be sure to stop and visit the Quarai ruins of the Salinas National Monument; the old Shaffer hotel in Mountainair; take a free, self-guided tour through the 80 rooms of the Tijeras Pueblo, a large pueblo from the 1200s until 1435; and be sure to notice some of the Route 66 architecture of past times. Sandia Crest Byway - Short and sweet, this byway is the highest scenic drive in the southwest! A little more that 13.6 miles uphill, the Sandia Crest Byway takes you through the Cibola National Forest to the Sandia Peak Ski Area, Capulin Snowplay Area, Sandia Peak Tramway and even a gift shop and restaurant on top! Be sure to stop off at Tinkertown, a private roadside museum with an animated village of carved wooden miniatures by Ross Ward and more than 50,000 glass bottles and other interesting stuff he has collected. Socorro Historic District Byway - Spanish settlement, ranching, birding, mining and space history all come together in and around Socorro, NM. Visit the linked Web site for more detailed information. Sunspot Scenic Byway - Starting at Cloudcroft, take NM 130 to NM 6563, and drive around the rim of the Sacramento Mountains. Along the way enjoy beautiful vistas of White Sands, the Tularosa Basin and San Andres Mountains. There are several hiking paths, too. The byway is officially designated N.M. 6563 – the light wavelength in Angstroms used by scientists to locate active areas on the Sun. So, it's fitting to stop at the National Solar Observatory/Sacramento Peak, Apache Point Observatory at the end of this route to learn more about it. The sun telescopes are only for the scientists, but the visitor center has some wonderful displays and exhibits about what happens there at the observatory. Wild Rivers Back Country Scenic Byway - This Back Country Scenic Byway follows the Rio Grande Gorge. The Gorge plunges 800 feet at its deepest point and gapes up to a mile across at its widest point. Trails lead down into the Gorge where the adventurous can explore. One can also stay topside and explore natures wonders there. The Sangro De Cristo mountains to the east and volcanic mountains to the west add beautiful variety to the countryside. Visitor Center at the end of the route. More Tour Ideas and Programs Around New Mexico Deming Walking Tour - An interesting old Western town, read about Deming history here. Grants Day Tours - Acoma Sky City / Laguna Pueblo, Ice Caves / Bandera Crater / El Morro National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Mount Taylor, Zuni Mountain Historic Auto Tour (see below). Greater Grants Chamber of Commerce, Grants, NM (505) 287-4802 La Morena Walking Tour of Historic Mesilla - Walk with Preciliana Sandoval, a fifth generation native historian, as she takes you on a walking tour of Old Mesilla. See historic battle sites, hear romantic ghost stories and feel the centuries old grace of Old Mesilla. Tours are various times from Thursday through Sunday. Mesilla, NM (505) 647-2639 Seven Cities of Gold - Take a journey back to Spanish explorations of the mid 1500's. "YOU DRIVE, I'LL TALK" - Driving tours of eastern New Mexico and west Texas by Sherry Barrow, with segments about New Mexico history, culture, and personalities. For information about free radio airings or to buy tapes of recorded driving tours, go to her web site or send her an e-mail! Zuni Mountain Historic Auto Tour - A 60-mile route (about a half-day trip) that winds through scenic Zuni Canyon into Agua Fria Valley, through the historic town of Sawyer and back to Grants by way of Bluewater Lake. Experience the history of the railroad, logging and mining industry of the past with 18 interesting stops along the way. Visit the only underground uranium mining museum in the world! Suitable for mountain biking. For more information contact the Grants Chamber of Commerce, Grants, NM (505) 287-4802 Back to original page