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Sandoval County sits just west of the Rio Grande River, and
Albuquerque, in central New Mexico. According to author Robert
Julyan, The Place Names of New Mexico, the county was
created in 1903 and named for the Sandoval family, whose members
still live in the county to this day.
Artisans and craftsman, wine festivals, farmers markets, natural
wonders, Native American pueblos, prehistoric cultures, Sandia
Man, hots springs, scenic byways, state and national monuments,
museums, agritourism, ranching, bed and breakfasts, and fabulous
shopping are just some of the things to do and places to visit
throughout the county of Sandoval.
REDTT's County Tourism Council (CTC) meets on the 3rd Thursday
of each month in various locations around the county. For additional
information, to become a member and get involved in tourism in
Sandoval County, contact the REDTT director at redtt@nmsu.edu
or call (505) 646-8009. REDTT is open to all persons interested
in tourism issues. The REDTT CTC bylaws of Sandoval County are
available by contacting the REDTT project.
Towns in Sandoval County include: Algodones, Bernalillo, Cochiti,
Corrales, Cuba, Jemez Pueblo, Jemez Springs, La Jara, Pena Blanca,
Placitas, Ponderosa, Pueblo of Sandia Village, Regina, Rio Rancho,
San Felipe Pueblo, San Ysidro, Santa Ana Pueblo, Santo Domingo
Pueblo, Torreon, Zia Pueblo. Learn more about Socorro County
by visiting some of the following Web sites:
- Sandoval County Tourism Department: Find information
about the scenic byways, outdoor activities, history, culture,
lodging, restaurants and the market places of Sandoval County.
Order a free visitors guide, too. (505) 867-TOUR (8687) or toll
free (800) 252-0191 or www.sctourism.com
- Sandoval County Chamber of Commerce: www.sandovalchamber.com
- Sandoval County: www.sandovalcounty.com
- Scenic Byways: To attain official designation, a stretch
of road has to be nominated and meet the requirements of being
scenic, historical and cultural. The "scenic byway"
designation helps the route become more "tour friendly"
and focuses resources toward further preservation efforts. Sandoval
County has parts or all of five scenic byways. Visit their Web
sites to learn more.
- Native American Culture: From exquisite artwork and
delicious food to authentic celebrations passed down from centuries
earlier, nine Native American communities continue to weave an
integral pattern into the fabric of Sandoval County. Learn more
at: sandovalcounty.org/sandoval.php?vpage=NativeAmeric
- Intel Museum of the Computer Chip: Self-guided or
prearranged guided tours. Rio Rancho (505) 893-8687 www.intel.com/museum/index.htm
- Casa San Ysidro: Gutierrez/Minge House
973 Old Church Road, Corrales, NM 87048 (505) 898-3915
www.cabq.gov/museum/history/casatour.html
Travel back in time at Casa San Ysidro. Across the street from
the old San Ysidro Church in Corrales is Casa San Ysidro which
dates from the 1870s. The property once belonged to the descendants
of Don Felipe Gutiérrez, recipient of the Bernalillo Township
Grant in 1704. The property was purchased in 1952 by Alan and
Shirley Minge to renovate and house their ever-growing collection
of Southwestern artifacts and treasures. This partially reconstructed
19th century home is an important link to the history of New
Mexico. Inside the adobe walls you will find Spanish Colonial
furniture, authentic handwoven floor coverings, hand forged iron
tools and an authentic loom made in the late 1700s. On the State
Register of Cultural Properties, Casa San Ysidro is one of New
Mexico's unique treasures. In 1997, the Albuquerque Museum of
Art and History acquired the Casa San Ysidro Collection from
the Minges through donation and purchase. The Minges in turn
donated the house and land to the Museum, creating what is now
known as Casa San Ysidro: The Gutiérrez/Minge House.
- Corrales Main Street for Art and Shopping
Village of Corrales, N.M.
www.corrales-nm.org
Corrales boasts a great assortment of locally owned specialty
shops, galleries and restaurants. Many talented artists and craftsmen
call Corrales home. You can find their wares in several of the
eclectic shops and galleries as you stroll down Main Street.
Stop at various shops such as: the Coppertree Gallery, featuring
local artisans, pottery and jewelry; Hanselman Pottery, nationally
known pottery from wine goblets to casseroles; Ambiente de Corrales,
Southwest Imports; Prize Possessions, antiques; and much more.
The following Web site link connects you to a greater list of
shops, galleries, vineyards, and more, in the Corrales area.
www.premiersystems.com/corrales/bizart.html
- J&R Vintage Auto Museum
3650 NM Highway 528, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 (505) 867-2881
www.jrvintageautos.com
Travel along historic Route 66 to the J&R Vintage Auto Museum.
FAM tour attendees will have the opportunity to view more than
seventy classic automobiles. Some of these vehicles have completed
the Great American Race, the country's longest and richest running
vintage automobile rally. Shoppers and car lovers will have the
opportunity to browse the 2,000 square-foot gift shop, as well
as the opportunity to purchase some of the vintage automobiles
on the showroom floor!
- Anasazi Fields Winery
P.O. Box 712, Placitas, NM 87043 (505) 867-3062
www.anasazifieldswinery.com
Anasazi Fields Winery sits on the western edge of the old village
of Placitas, New Mexico, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The
orchards and vineyards surrounding the winery are watered by
a spring-fed irrigation system that dates back over a thousand
years to a time when the Anasazi people farmed the Placitas Valley.
Nearby petroglyphs have been reproduced for the wine labels.
At Anasazi Winery, the dry table wines are hand-crafted from
fruits and berries other than grapes. Unlike most "fruit
wines,” these wines are not sweet dessert wines. Their delicious
dryness makes them the perfect accompaniment to any meal. The
wine selection includes plum, apricot, peach, and raspberry wines
crafted from local and other New Mexico fruits and berries. You
will have the opportunity to tour the grounds and taste the fruits
of their labor.
Whether you're a seasoned wine connoisseur or you just love being
outdoors, you won't want to miss out on your opportunity to visit
one of the foremost wineries in northern New Mexico.
- Coronado State Monument
485 Kuaua Road, Bernalillo, NM 87004 (505) 867-5351
www.nmmonuments.org
Coronado State Monument includes the partially reconstructed
ruins of the ancient Pueblo of Kuaua, a Tiwa word for "evergreen."
The pueblo of Kuaua was occupied from 1300 AD and abandoned near
the end of the 16th Century. This monument is named for Francisco
Vasquez de Coronado who is thought to have camped near this site
with his soldiers in 1540 while searching for the fabled Cities
of Gold. Today you can visit this historical site and learn about
the history of the Kuaua pueblo people. An interpretive trail
(1/5 of a mile) winds through the site leading to a reconstructed
kiva (ceremonial chamber) that was excavated at the site in the
1930s. Many decorated layers are visible and are considered the
finest example of pre-contact mural art in North America. Inside
this kiva you will find mural reproductions of Pueblo life depicting
animal figures and human images. The Kuaua Mural Hall houses
15 panels of the original murals excavated out of one of the
rectangle kivas. Native American and Spanish Colonial artifacts
are also on display in the John Gaw Meem designed visitor center.
The Children's wing displays the history of central New Mexico.
Activities include trying on conquistador armor, grinding corn
on a slab metate and two-handed mano. A video presents the history
of the two cultures past and present lifestyles.
- Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Santo Domingo/Cochiti Lake Recreation Area
www.nm.blm.gov/recreation/albuquerque/kasha_katuwe.htm
The national monument includes a national recreational trail.
It is for foot travel only, and contains two segments that provide
opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, geologic observation
and plant identification. Both segments of the trail begin at
the designated monument parking area. The Cave Loop Trail is
1.2 miles long, rated as easy. The more difficult Canyon Trail
is a 1.5-mile, one-way trek into a narrow canyon with a steep
(630-foot) climb to the mesa top for excellent views of the Sangre
de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia mountains and the Rio Grande Valley.
Be prepared for a hiking adventure of the easy or difficult persuasion.
- Bandelier National Monument
Los Alamos, N.M. (505) 672-3861 ext. 517
www.nps.gov/band
Several thousand Ancestral Pueblo dwellings are found among
pink mesas and sheer-walled canyons. The archeological sites
in Frijoles Canyon were inhabited from the 1100s into the mid-1500s.
- Jemez State Monument:
www.nmmonuments.org
Visit the stone ruins of a 500 year old Indian village and
the San José de los Jemez church dating to 1610. The village
of Giusewa was built in the narrow San Diego Canyon by the ancestors
of the present-day people of Jemez (walatowa) Pueblo. The name
Giusewa refers to the natural springs in the area. The heritage
center contains exhibitions that tell the story of the site through
the words of the Jemez people. A 1,400-foot interpretive trail
winds through the impressive site ruins.
- Delavy House / Sandoval County Historical Society Museum
Bernalillo, N.M. (505)867-2744 - by appointment, look through
1,000 of historical photos dated 1880-1980, geneological information
and village histories.
- Cuba Regional Visitor Center: The National Holiday
Tree for 2005 was harvested from the Santa Fe National Forest
near Cuba.
Cuba, N.M. (505) 289-3808
- Corrales Winery
6275 Corrales Road, Corrales, N.M. (505) 898-5165
www.corraleswinery.com
- More to come as information is received - contact
Web master with new information
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