New Mexico
Exploring New Mexico: A travel guide to the Land of Enchantment
New Mexico, often called the Land of Enchantment, is a stunning vacation destination, celebrated for its diverse landscapes and Native American, Spanish and Anglo-American cultural influences.
Before European colonization, the region was shaped by the traditions of Hispanic and Native American people.
Today, the state’s compelling history is a main attraction for visitors often awestruck by its rugged and varied terrain.
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From the local food and art to the overall character, New Mexico reflects the convergence of cultures to define this unique state.
Another reason visitors come to New Mexico is the alluring landscapes, ranging from dry deserts to lush forests.
The rich history involving Native American, Hispanic and Anglo influences is reflected in the state’s art, architecture, festivals and cuisine. (Nextrecord Archives/Getty Images)
Many people often imagine red rocks, vast deserts and distinctive rock formations of the Southwest when they think of New Mexico.
What might surprise new visitors is the white sand dunes, river gorges and dense, evergreen woodlands included in the state’s natural diverse landscape.
Here are some of the top locations to put on your New Mexico itinerary:
Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the oldest capital city in the United States. Inhabited in 1607, it was officially settled between 1609 and 1610, according to the city’s official website. Originally established with European-style dwellings, the city is full of historical sites and experiences.
A visit to Sante Fe can include a trip to the historic Santa Fe Plaza, exploration of the oldest church in America and a visit to one of the many museums, such as the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, where the 20th century artist’s love for Northern New Mexico and Santa Fe is on display.
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Families visiting the city will enjoy the Santa Fe Children’s Museum, Santa Fe Southern Railway and the Museum of International Folk Art.
Albuquerque
Albuquerque’s rich history and resulting culture are reasons it is a popular city to visit.
Albuquerque was established in 1706, but the city was originally inhabited by Native Americans. Following its establishment, the city became an important trading center. Although Albuquerque has become an area known for its high-tech industry, its historical significance has been preserved.
For a unique experience, visitors can explore historical pueblo sites or attend events like the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (Joe Raedle/Newsmakers)
Beyond the historical significance of Albuquerque, the city attracts visitors with its family-friendly attractions, such as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which is a yearly hot air balloon festival. Another activity that families visiting New Mexico can enjoy is a trip to the ABQ BioPark, where they can explore the zoo, botanic garden and aquarium.
Visitors of all ages can also enjoy a scenic ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway, North America’s longest aerial tram ride. For those not afraid of heights, the tram offers fresh mountain air and incredible panoramic views of New Mexico.
Taos
Taos is best known among ski enthusiasts. Located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near New Mexico’s high desert, the small town offers ski opportunities for those who enjoy the popular winter sport.
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Taos is also a haven for the arts. The Taos art colony was founded in Taos, New Mexico, because of the creative culture of the Pueblo people. The area celebrated a diverse range of artistic mediums, including furniture and tin work.
Taos received a modern artistic makeover in the early 20th century, and there are more than 70 galleries in Taos, according to Taos.org.
Taos Pueblo in Taos, N.M., has been designated both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. (obert Alexander/Getty Images)
Taos is also home to the Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest inhabited sites in the country. For context, other UNESCO-recognized historical cultural landmarks include the Taj Mahal in India and the Grand Canyon in the United States. The pueblo features 1,000-year-old adobe homes that exemplify the early history of the village. Travelers to northern New Mexico are welcome to visit the pueblos.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
The caverns of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, located in the Guadalupe Mountains, is a large underground system formed over 4 million years ago, according to the National Park Service (NPS). The park consists of more than 100 limestone caves formed through a complex geological process involving acid dissolving the Capitan limestone, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
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One of the most notable cave chambers in North America, because of its size by volume and ease of accessibility for visitors, is located in Carlsbad Caverns.
The Big Room is a 1.25-mile trail that takes around an hour and a half to walk, according to NPS.
White Sands National Park
White Sands is a national park in New Mexico. Originally designated as a national monument in 1933, it was redesignated as a national park in 2019, according to the NPS. The White Sands National Park preserves a large portion of the unique white gypsum sand dune field and the plants and animals that live there.
Not only is it a remarkable place to see, the park offers a full day’s worth of activities. After an exciting dune sledding adventure, families and friends can sit down for a relaxing picnic enjoying the tranquil views. The day can end with a sunset stroll around one-half mile long, according to the NPS.
New Mexico has a high altitude and dry climate. Visitors should remain hydrated, wear sunscreen and be prepared for temperature changes. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
What to know before your New Mexico visit
When considering when to visit the state, some ideal times are from May to October, when the temperatures are warm enough to enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities. Skiers can still enjoy the snow-capped mountains in the spring without the freezing temperatures, according to travelandleisure.com.
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Winter months are ideal for travelers on a budget or those hoping to avoid the crowds of tourists.
No vacation is complete without partaking in the gastronomic culture of the location visited. New Mexico’s cuisine blends Native American, Spanish and Anglo dishes. The state’s signature dishes are reminiscent of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine with a distinctive flair. A main ingredient that sets New Mexico’s cuisine apart is chile, an ingredient indigenous to North America.
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Visitors to New Mexico should take full advantage of the rich culture by exploring the activities and events available during their stay, such as those at museums, art galleries and historic locations.
We’re expecting widespread light snow Thursday in New Mexico. See the latest forecast at KOB.com/Weather.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The snow was falling and the roads were slick to start Thursday in parts of New Mexico and it’s likely that will continue throughout the day.
We’ll see on and off scattered snow showers, especially in parts of southern New Mexico. That will become more widespread with blowing snow possible.
A winter weather advisory is still in effect until Friday morning for 1-3 inches of snow expected and 5-6 inches of snow in higher-elevation areas. It encompasses most of southern New Mexico and stretches just above Interstate 40 near Tucumcari, heading toward the Texas state line.
High temperatures will be at least 10° below average for pretty much everyone.
Meteorologist Kira Miner shares all the details in her full forecast in the video above.
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) — The state of New Mexico announced it is sending five fire engines and 25 New Mexico firefighters to assist in fighting the California wildfires.
The departments participating are from Bernalillo, San Juan, and Los Alamos Counties, as well as the cities of Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The units and firefighters will leave for California on January 9 at 9 a.m.
The state of New Mexico is also warning residents that high winds and dry conditions make the state at high risk for fires as well. Residents are encouraged to clear dry brush from around their homes and keep anything flammable away from heat sources.
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New Mexico
Survey finds more than half of New Mexicans have experienced sexual violence • Source New Mexico
More than half of all New Mexicans have been sexually assaulted or raped at some point in their life, and 40% have been the victim of some kind of sexual violence while in New Mexico in the past year, according to a report published Wednesday.
Researchers from the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine set out to understand how often people in New Mexico become victims of sexual violence, how often they report it and how often they seek help.
They surveyed 1,272 people between September 2023 and June 2024, and 54% of the people who responded said they had either been raped or sexually assaulted within their lifetime. “This rate translates to more than 1.1 million New Mexico residents,” the authors wrote.
The findings mark the first new New Mexico sexual violence crime victimization survey data in nearly two decades, the authors wrote. The last one was conducted between 2005 and 2006.
Researchers collected the data for the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, a nonprofit that provides technical assistance to more than 60 sexual assault service providers, sexual assault nurse examiners, child advocacy centers and community mental health centers.
In an interview with Source, Alexandria Taylor, the coalition’s executive director, said she thinks a lack of funding is the primary explanation for why it’s been so long since the last survey.
Taylor said the findings validate and quantify what she has known anecdotally for years: sexual assault is present in many people’s lives.
“All of our service providers, whether it’s our substance use treatment centers, our schools, our places of employment — even our places of incarceration — they’re all serving survivors of sexual assault,” she said.
Rachel Cox, the coalition’s deputy director of programs, told Source she was surprised the report gave her some hope they can actually address the prevalence of sexual assault, because it shows neither victims nor perpetrators of sexual violence are exceptional.
“We’re really talking about something that vicariously impacts everyone in New Mexico,” she said.
While counts of sexual violence victims commonly derived from service organizations and police reports are informative, they are also “certainly undercounts,” the report states.
Researchers asked New Mexicans about their experiences with four kinds of sexual violence: stalking, rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. Forty percent said they had been the victim of at least one of these crimes within the last 12 months while they were in New Mexico.
The research was funded by the Crime Victims Reparation Commission, a state agency that helps crime victims recover losses resulting from being victimized, and provides federal grants to other organizations serving them.
In a news release attached to the report, the coalition outlined its priorities for the upcoming legislative session to boost support for survivors and evidence-based prevention education.
The group plans to ask the Legislature to set aside $3 million to the Department of Health for prevention initiatives, $2 million to the Health Care Authority for medical and counseling needs, and $2 million to the Crime Victims Reparation Commission for providers and the New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline.
The report also noted that 68% of victims of sexual assault and 75% of victims of rape did not seek support.
State law prohibits reparations to people victimized in prison
As researchers conducted the survey, they also sought to find disparities between demographic groups.
For example, people who have been incarcerated have the highest overall rate of victimization: 69%. They were also more likely to have been the victim of stalking than any other group.
Formerly incarcerated New Mexicans were also less likely to seek victim services, and more likely to have experienced “significant problems” with their job or schoolwork as a result of being victimized, the researchers found.
The group with the next highest rate of victimization was homeless people, at 68%.
Taylor said people who are most systemically impacted either have experienced sexual violence or are at greater risk of experiencing it. Cox said incarcerated and unhoused people can be some of the most invisible in society.
The findings are notable, in part, because New Mexico law does not allow reparations to people who were victimized while they were incarcerated. Taylor said it can’t be ignored that people who do harm and end up incarcerated have also themselves experienced harm and need healing.
“That’s where we have to use what we know from the individual level to impact things at the policy level,” she said.
Transgender or nonbinary people were more likely than cisgender people to have been raped, and Black respondents were more likely than other races to have been raped.
Perpetrators of rape were most commonly identified as casual acquaintances of the victims, at 34%; followed by a former partner or spouse, 30%; a current partner or spouse, 23%, and finally a stranger, 22%.
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