New Mexico

7 Most Inviting Towns in New Mexico

Published

2 years ago

May 18, 2024

When you travel, one of the best feelings is going to a warm and welcoming town. While you know a welcoming town when you experience one, it’s harder to define what makes a place inviting. A combination of vibrant culture, history, natural places, and passionate people all contribute to making a town inviting. In New Mexico, this is what the most welcoming towns have in common. Madrid, for example, has a vibrant community with art galleries and a rich history. Jemez Springs invites people to the natural scenery and famous hot springs. These are only a few of the most inviting towns in New Mexico. Here, we will explore New Mexico’s seven most inviting towns.

Madrid

Street scene in Madrid, New Mexico. Historic Turquoise Trail and Route 66.

One of the most welcoming towns in New Mexico is Madrid. The small town has under 300 residents, but despite its small size, there is a vibrant community. Madrid is well known as a funky, artistic community in the narrow canyon of the Ortiz Mountains. There are many art galleries, shops, boutiques and museums throughout the town. One of the best galleries in town is the Johnsons of Madrid Galleries which features the work of Mel Johnson plus 100 other local artists.

While Madrid is a thriving art community today, the town wasn’t always this way. In fact, Madrid used to be a mining town. However, when the coal market collapsed, the town became a ghost town. In the 60s and ’70s hippies and artists settled in the community, making the warm, vibrant community that exists today. The Madrid Old Coal Town Museum, explains more about the town’s history.

Corrales

Corrales, New Mexico, is a bigger town than Madrid, with a population of around 9,000. However, Corrales still maintains its inviting rural, small-town atmosphere. The area has agricultural heritage, and the community celebrates all things local. Many people in the town live a rural lifestyle. There are many farms selling fruits and vegetables available at the local Growers Market. There are farms to visit to grab local produce and goods as well. For example, Heidi’s Raspberry Farm sells an assortment of jams using USDA Certified Organic Raspberries.

There are also historic buildings in Corrales giving an idea of what life was like in the old town. The Casa San Ysidro is a restoration of an adobe home built in the 1870s. The town has festivals throughout the year that celebrate the community and local culture. Some of the festivals include the Garden Tour, Corrales Art Studio Tour, the Harvest Festival, the Scarecrow Festival, and the Starlight Parade.

Jemez Springs

A small town that shows off the inviting charm of New Mexico’s outdoors is Jemez Springs. The town is north of Albuquerque along the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway. People have been traveling to the area since the 1800s to experience the nurturing hot springs. There are natural hot springs to enjoy as well as secluded, more luxurious hot springs. The Jemez Springs Bath House offers cool or hot mineral soaks and healing massages. Some of the natural hot springs to enjoy outdoors include McCauley Warm Springs, Spence Hot Springs, and San Antonio Hot Springs. Beyond the hot springs, there is a lot of natural beauty to enjoy in the town, including the wilderness of the Santa Fe National Forest and Valles Caldera Preserve. Fenton Lake State Park is a local camping spot with the backdrop of the Jemez Mountains. The beautiful scenery in Jemez Springs invites people to unplug and connect to nature and the community.

Tucumcari

Tucumcari is a small town that invites you with nostalgia. Home to murals, roadside motels, diners, and museums, Tucumcari is one of the most interesting towns to explore. The town even has its own drive-in movie theater, Foxy Drive-In, which first opened in 1956. Walk around town and enjoy the small business that invites you in with its historic charm.

To learn more about the town’s history, visit the Tucumcari Historical Museum. There is also the Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum. This museum has the world’s largest collection of full-scale bronze dinosaur skeletons. Tucumcari also has colorful murals around town, including one of the world’s largest murals devoted to Route 66 in the United States.

Santa Rosa

The Blue Hole is a famous deep pool with clear blue water and hidden underwater caves proper for scuba diving. Editorial credit: rawf8 / Shutterstock.com

Situated on the Pecos River is the beautiful town of Santa Rosa. Full of picturesque stone buildings in the historic district, Santa Rosa invites people to relax and enjoy the scenery. There are many recreational trails around town, making for a friendly, outgoing community atmosphere. Santa Rosa’s claim to fame is the Blue Hole. The natural artesian spring is 81 feet deep and is a popular spot to scuba dive. The Blue Hole has earned Santa Rosa the title of the “Scuba Diving Capital of the Southwest.”

Above all, Santa Rosa values community. Some of the local businesses have been around for decades, such as Silver Moon Cafe. The restaurant is a local staple and first opened in 1959. Today, it is well known for its signature New Mexican dishes and American favorites.

Raton

Similar to other towns on this list, Raton is a small town in New Mexico known for its outdoor scenery. Situated in the Rocky Mountains, Raton is the highest point on the Historic Santa Fe Trail. Around town, there are dazzling views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Around Raton there are many opportunities to explore and enjoy nature. Sugarite Canyon State Park is near town and is great spot to enjoy some hiking.

While Raton is a small town with a population of under 6,000 people, the people are proud of their heritage. This shows in the local cuisine. Many local restaurants make use of the green Chile and unique regional cuisine. Overall, the relaxed way of life in Raton makes it an inviting town to explore.

Mountainair

The small town of Mountainair in New Mexico has a welcoming vibe combined with stunning scenery. The charming town has historic ruins, art galleries, charming shops, forest trails, horseback riding, mountains, and hiking trails to explore. Historic sites in town merge the past with the present. There are three major historic sites that attract historians and visitors every year to the town. The Ancient Cities of Mountainair are Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira. The community also hosts festivals throughout the year, including the annual Sunflower Festival in August.

All the towns on this list are warm and welcoming places to go. Whether you are looking to plan a road trip or move to a new town, these small towns in New Mexico would make a great destination. After visiting any of these small towns, you will want to call them home after only a few days. The vibrant culture, history, local businesses, and nature make for an inviting atmosphere.

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New Mexico

NMDOT and Santa Ana Pueblo break ground on $2.4M intersection project

Published

5 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

NMDOT and Santa Ana Pueblo break ground on .4M intersection project

The project is aimed at making it easier for drivers to turn in and out of the pueblo.

SANTA ANA PUEBLO — Construction is set to start next month on a road project designed to help drivers turn in and out of the Santa Ana Pueblo.

The Santa Ana Pueblo and the New Mexico Department of Transportation broke ground yesterday at New Mexico State Road 313 and Dove Road.

The Santa Ana Pueblo governor said they’ve been working on plans for that intersection for a decade now. The whole project is expected to cost $2.4 million.

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New Mexico

Water managers push for funding to remove invasive plants from the bosque

Published

17 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Water managers push for funding to remove invasive plants from the bosque

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — It’s a major problem, sucking up lots of water from the Rio Grande. Now, some water managers are asking lawmakers to get serious about ripping invasive plants from the bosque by spending millions. An “out of control bosque” is how the head of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) describes the areas around the river in central New Mexico, and he said it’s time for a generational project to take on the problem.

Not everything green in the middle valley’s bosque is helping New Mexico’s water supply, with a newer study highlighting how the Rio Grande’s riparian species are taking just as much water as surrounding farms. In fact, they’re actually consuming a percentage point more than agriculture.

Jason Casuga, the MRGCD’s CEO and Chief Engineer, said conversations are not being had across the board regarding water conservation. “We’re not having a fair conversation about riparian depletions,” said Casuga.

He said he thinks both the bosque and farming are worth protecting. “If we’re going to have standards for depletions on urban areas, standards for depletions on reducing those across farming, then the only way to have a realistic discussion about reducing depletions, as a whole, is to include the riparian area.”

Casuga said that invasive Salt Cedar and Russian Olive plants drive the problem of the extreme riparian water depletion, and that it’s unfair to farmers and cities to ignore what he calls a “takeover.” And that is especially when irrigators are often the first to cut back on water use. “Are we really going to ask farmers and have cultural farms on the Rio Grande go away? And leave hundreds and hundreds of acres of invasive species of Salt Cedar and Russian Olive? Is that what we’re protecting?

He stressed that he thinks if there are standards for agriculturalists and municipal entities, then there ought to be standards for invasive species as well. That feeling has Casuga pushing for a massive, coordinated invasive plant removal effort. He’s calling on lawmakers to fund a multi-million dollar investment in the project next session.

He said not everyone is quick to get on board with proposals like this. “Right now, everyone says, ‘Hey, it’s expensive, and it’s hard, and the easy thing to do is to target ag.’ But, I pose the question back, ‘If we love the Rio Grande in the Middle Valley, and we love the heritage of ag, is it a conversation worth having?’”

He said the millions would also ideally pay for bosque upkeep and native plant restoration. But one hurdle is finding qualified contractors to take on that difficult job

A Mississippi crew is now working to clear invasives near Belen. The MRGCD said while saving water, the job also cuts wildfire risk, and makes a big difference if firefighters do need to move in.

The MRGCD’s Bosque Management Coordinator said the next step in the Belen bosque restoration project is to plant more native grasses and bushes, which is expected to help wildlife. The methods used to eradicate the invasives protected the native plants that were already there.

“The more diverse food sources you have available for the wildlife, the different types of wildlife you have, and you’ve got a healthy food system that’s supporting multiple species throughout the year,” she said. “The species that come here in the summer to breed, and the species that come here in the winter will still have access to be able to find bugs under the ground, find any of the seeds from the species that have been seeding out, and still have access to water and then access to places where they can hide and they can have burrows and sustain themselves through multiple conditions.”

The MRGCD is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. It was founded to create the infrastructure capable of transforming the Middle Rio Grande Valley—by building and connecting more than 1,200 miles of canals and hundreds of miles of levees—to support agriculture and enable the growth of Albuquerque and surrounding communities.

Casuga said that it was a difficult endeavor then. “Tremendous amount of effort and resources were put in for that day—to set the river for essentially a hundred years that we’ve enjoyed with some problems here or there,” said Casuga.

He took a moment to think. “This might be generational work that needs to be done that sets the stage for the next hundred years.”

The MRGCD said Valencia and Sandoval counties need the most attention in removing invasive plants. While the District is still considering its exact proposal for a large removal effort, and doesn’t have a specific dollar figure on potential cost, it’s thinking of a project worth at least several million dollars.

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New Mexico

Debate rages on oilfield wastewater in New Mexico – Carlsbad Current-Argus

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Debate rages on oilfield wastewater in New Mexico – Carlsbad Current-Argus

A pump jack operates in Carlsbad. File photo

Adrian HeddenCarlsbad Current-Argusachedden@currentargus.com Wastewater from oil and gas drilling could be reused by other industries next year, if a state body acts despite criticism from…

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