New Mexico is famous for its deserts, mesas, soaring plateaus and peculiarly shaped hoodoos, but don’t expect searing temperatures in every corner of the state. Many people don’t realize that four-fifths of the 47th state sits above 4000ft (1200m), rising to a breathless 13,000ft (4013m) at the summit of Wheeler Peak.

With this raised elevation comes cooler temperatures, so there’s always somewhere to escape the heat in the scorching summer months. Even when it’s too hot to roam out in the lowlands, the verdant pine forests in the hills are deliciously cool, and it gets cold enough to ski in winter.

In fact, it’s quite possible to experience four seasons in one day in New Mexico, depending on where you find yourself in the state. Average temperatures can be misleading; summer highs can soar to 120°F (48°C) but winter lows can plummet to −50°F (−46°C).

If you plan on traveling around the state, embrace New Mexico’s diverse climate and pack for all eventualities. Bring shorts and a sun hat, rain gear, and warm layers (fleeces, base layers), in case the temperature dips.

Whether you’re here for desert adventures or winter skiing, here are the best times to visit New Mexico.

June to September is the time for festivals, high-altitude hiking and star gazing

The peak season months from June to September see the biggest crowds, and the highest prices for accommodation, but this is by far the best time to experience New Mexico’s vibrant festivals. A mass celebration of food and music takes place at the Santa Fe Railyard during the International Folk Art Market in July, and the city’s Wine & Chile Fiesta sees more than 60 restaurants and 90 wineries show off their best food and drink for five days in September. The New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque and the White Sands Balloon and Music Festival near Alamogordo also draw crowds in September. 

Be sure to fuel your summer adventures with some of the local chiles. Green chile is part of New Mexico’s identity, slathered on everything from burgers and burritos to pizzas and even ice cream. Fall is the harvesting and roasting season and there’s no better place to try this spicy delicacy than the small town of Hatch, the capital of chile production in the state. The Hatch Chile Festival takes place in late August or early September, with punchy chile loaded into every dish and treat.

Although some areas are scorching hot in the middle of the day, particularly at lower elevations, nights are perfect for camping and stargazing, with clear skies and mild temperatures from dusk through till morning. The Cosmic Campground off US Route 180 is a designated International Dark Sky Sanctuary, with the Milky Way visible almost every night.

Fort Union National Monument is another Dark Sky Preserve – great for evening walks and night sky talks. Star parties are also held at the base of the cinder cone at Capulin Volcano National Monument from April to September, with park rangers pointing out stars and constellations and explaining more about what lies beyond our solar system.

Don’t miss the opportunity to jump in the Santa Rosa Blue Hole during the summer months. Around 24m deep, this stunning natural pool, formed up to 300,000 years ago by erosion, is an unexpected dive site, with visibility up to 100ft in cool, clear waters that hover at around 62°F (17°C) year-round. Water surges into the chasm at high pressure from underground aquifers, renewing the water in the pool every six hours.

Winter is best for skiing and desert hiking

Winter is the best time for an off-season bargain when it comes to flights and accommodation costs, but that’s not the only lure. Skiing is possible close to all of New Mexico’s biggest cities from December to late February.

Beginners and intermediate skiiers love the slopes of the Sandia Peak Ski Area near Albuquerque, while the retro vibe of Taos Ski Valley attracts a serious ski crowd with out-of-this-world powder (300in of snow can fall in an average year).

The smaller Ski Santa Fe area attracts both families and experts, with a base elevation of 10,350ft and tons of powder between the aspen trees. Smaller resorts include Angel Fire, with mostly green and blue runs, and the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, which offers a unique opportunity to ski down the side of a volcano.

The cooler weather also makes hiking a joy at lower elevations. Non-skiers can walk all day on the shifting sand dunes at White Sands National Park. Many travelers visit in summer and find it’s way too hot to hit the trails, but during the winter months, temperatures are mild, and there are no crowds.

Nearby, the 32-mile-long Carlsbad Caverns are another superb place to spend a winter’s day. The area has a semi-arid climate and inside the cavern, the temperature is about 56ºF (13ºC) year-round, so it doesn’t matter when you visit to admire skyscraper-sized stalactites and stalagmites hidden 1000ft (313m) below the ground.

Museum-hopping is another great winter activity in New Mexico. The state is famous for its reputed UFO encounters, space exploration and indigenous cultures, and there are museums covering all of these themes. Head over to Roswell for detailed accounts of unexplained encounters at the International UFO Museum & Research Center. 

Alternatively, if you prefer science fact to science fiction, visit the New Mexico Museum of Space History near Alamogordo to learn about the birthplace of America’s space program. You can see how astronauts live and work in space and view the largest rocket ever launched from New Mexico. For something even more trippy, visit Meow Wolf, an immersive, multimedia experience in Santa Fe, where visitors are catapulted into kaleidoscopic fantasy realms.

The shoulder seasons are the best time to visit Native American pueblos

The two shoulder seasons, from March to April and October to November, see fewer crowds across the state. This is the best time of year to delve into New Mexico’s rich Indigenous history. Kick off by viewing thousands of Native American petroglyphs at Petroglyph National Monument near Albuquerque. 

It’s also worth checking out the numerous ancient cave dwellings in the state, including those at Bandelier National Monument, with structures constructed between 1150 BCE and 1600. It’s possible to climb in and out of some of the caverns and there are original kivas (large, circular underground rooms) to explore.

Visitors can also tour the state’s fascinating pueblos, a term that the Spanish used to describe the villages of the varied Indigenous communities they encountered along the Rio Grande in the 16th century. Zuni Pueblo is a fascinating example of a thriving modern pueblo community; local guides offer tours exploring the settlement’s history and migration story.

Alternatively, visit the Acoma Pueblo – also known as Sky City – which sits atop a 330ft-tall mesa. Visitors can tour the adobe structures in the village and learn more about the people living here today. Held near Albuquerque in April, the Gathering of Nations festival attracts members of more than 500 tribal communities from all over America, and all visitors are welcome to join in this celebration of tribal music, dancing and crafts.