Most of New Mexico lies above 4,000 ft/1,220 m and is a wonderful combination of mountains, rolling hills, deserts, plains and farmland. Generally, the farther north you go, the more mountainous the state becomes, with the most scenic portion being the north-central area, where the Sangre de Cristo Mountains march south from Colorado.
One of New Mexico's oldest mysteries is the fate of the Ancestral Pueblo people (sometimes called the Anasazi, although that term has fallen out of favor), who developed an advanced civilization beginning about AD 800. Their famous multitiered adobe dwellings housed as many as 1,500 people, and some were constructed in breathtaking settings atop cliffs and mesas. (You can see several of these structures at Chaco Canyon and Bandelier National Monument, among other places). Yet by about 1200, their dwellings were abandoned. Various explanations have been offered for the sudden end of the Ancestral Pueblo culture, including drought, warfare among communities and the rise of a new religion.
When the Spanish explorer Coronado first came through the region in 1540, he found sizable communities dispersed along the upper Rio Grande. The inhabitants of these settlements likely were the descendants of the Ancestral Puebloans. Spain's first settlement, at San Juan Pueblo in 1598, was followed 12 years later by the founding of Santa Fe. From the outset, relations between the colonists and the Native Americans were strained and, at times, brutal and bloody. In 1680, the oppressed pueblos staged a successful revolt. Although the Spanish would eventually regain control, the pueblo uprising was one of the most substantial resistance movements among Native Americans. It deterred Spanish colonization for 12 years.
The Spanish territory became a possession of newly independent Mexico in 1821 and was passed to the U.S. after the Mexican-American War. New Mexico grew more slowly than other western U.S. territories (it didn't become a state until 1912), but the discovery of uranium and other energy resources stimulated growth and revenue for the state and gave it a prominent place in the nuclear age.
As with other major cities in the Southwest, Albuquerque has grown steadily in the past 30 years, while Santa Fe and other mountain areas have become popular travel and retirement destinations. Down south, the climate and border location of Las Cruces make it a popular choice for both retirees and new businesses. The state continues to attract investment attention, with moviemakers focusing on the mountains and cities of New Mexico because of tax breaks and other incentives. Aviation, technology and increasing trade with Mexico are all part of New Mexico's modern mix.
New Mexico's main attractions include Native American and Hispanic culture, adobe architecture, spectacular mountain and desert scenery, festivals (celebrating everything from hot-air balloons to grand opera to folk art), Santa Fe, art galleries, Carlsbad Caverns, ghost towns, Taos, Native American pueblos, ancient ruins, Albuquerque, casino gambling, skiing and distinctively spicy cuisine (often made with green and red chilies).
New Mexico will satisfy any traveler interested in the Southwest. An American locale with European and Native American roots, the state gives tourists a sense of place and community lacking in many other parts of the U.S. Those who are looking for watersports, big-city entertainment or short drive times between attractions may find the state less to their liking.
If you want to ride a steam train through beautiful alpine scenery, make reservations for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad from Chama, New Mexico, to Antonito, Colorado. It has been called the most spectacular mountain railroad in North America. The line operates late May-late October, with occasional rides in wintry December.
New Mexico is the oldest wine-growing region in the U.S. and has 21 vineyards and wineries. Many offer tours and tastings. We're especially fond of a sparkling wine made in Albuquerque called Gruet.
Drive about 50 mi/80 km west of Socorro on Highway 60, and you'll see the shape of a large "Y" in the far distance. It's the Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope: Some 27 huge dish antennas (each of them 82 ft/25 m in diameter) lined up across the desert. (It was seen in the film Contact, starring Jodie Foster.) The telescope is used to photograph distant galaxies. A visitors center is open at the site, and tours are available.
Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur, was once New Mexico's territorial governor.
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is the only town in the U.S. named after a game show. Its name was officially changed in the 1950s as part of a publicity stunt that benefited both the TV show and the town.
The Lightning Field, in southwestern New Mexico, is an internationally recognized piece of art by sculptor Walter de Maria. Viewing its gridlike pattern (advance reservations and an overnight stay are required) amid a vast expanse of sky can be life-changing.
Smokey the Bear was New Mexican, found as a cub in 1950 after a forest fire in the Capitan Gap. He later lived at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and became the beloved firefighting symbol of schoolchildren across the U.S. He died in 1976 and is buried near Capitan.
New Mexico's second and final statue for U.S. Statuary Hall, is of Pope (pronounced poh-pay), who led the successful Pueblo Revolt in 1680.
Virgin Galactic and New Mexico have teamed up to build a Spaceport near Alamogordo.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson holds the world record for most hands shaken in a day: 13,392.
