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New Mexico may be known as “The Land of Enchantment,” but the enchantment doesn’t stop with this state’s natural beauty. New Mexico also has an amazingly rich and multicultural history, one that goes far beyond the 47th state’s attainment of statehood in 1912. Throughout New Mexico, you will find towns that tell the most interesting stories, including the town formed by Mexican nationals after the Mexican-American War that itself became part of the United States and a town that was abandoned for over a century following a Native American uprising against Spanish colonizers. There is also that one town with a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has continually been inhabited for the past millennium.

New Mexico has so much history to be seen, heard, and experienced that one road trip probably isn’t enough to discover half of it. Discover ten timeless towns in New Mexico that are always worth visiting for their history, scenery, and extraordinary architecture.

Lincoln

If you seek a small town that’s seemingly frozen in time, it’s hard to find a town icier than Lincoln. Located about 184 miles southeast of Albuquerque and 168 miles northeast of El Paso (Texas), Lincoln State Monument is the state’s most widely visited state monument thanks to its dedicated preservation of some 17 structures from the 1870s and 1880s. Retrace the footsteps of Old West legends like Billy the Kid, William H. Bonnet, and Pat Garrett at landmarks like the old courthouse, the La Iglesia De San Juan Bautista, the Tunstall Store, and the Torreón.

While Lincoln might feel like a ghost town, there is still activity happening here these days. Head to Ran La Loca for some fun and pretty contemporary art, and stop at Annie’s Little Sure Shot for ice cream, espresso, Italian sodas, and other cool refreshments. For harder adult beverages, try Bonito Valley Brewing Company for tasty craft beer. When you are ready for rest, check into a historic stay at the Old Wortley Hotel, which has welcomed guests to Lincoln since 1872.

Mesilla

When you want a taste of the old Southwest, get ready for a feast full of treats in the historic village of Mesilla. Situated about five miles southwest of Las Cruces and 45 miles northwest of El Paso, Mesilla was once the refuge for people wanting to keep their Mexican citizenship following the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican-American War in 1848. Yet once the Gadsden Purchase was finalized in 1854, Mesilla ultimately became US territory. At Mesilla’s own Gadsden Museum, you can learn more about the Gadsden Purchase, and you can spot plenty of Native American art and Civil War-era artifacts. And at the old Mesilla Plaza, you can find more traces of this town’s Spanish and Mexican heritage.

Meanwhile, at Galeria on the Plaza and Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery, you can discover works by contemporary local artists. A few blocks away, Andele Restaurant and Andele’s Dog House serve some of the area’s most authentic New Mexico-style cuisine. And at the Hacienda de Mesilla, you can enjoy great food and drinks at the cantina and stay at the cozy and comfy inn that’s attached.

Taos

When a town has managed to last a millennium, it’s easy to call this town timeless. Located about 132 miles northeast of Albuquerque, Taos is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Taos Pueblo, a Puebloan indigenous community with a collection of multi-story adobe buildings that was likely founded about 1,000 years ago. In addition to Taos Pueblo, you can explore the town of Taos, which has its own central Plaza that has existed in various forms since the turn of the 19th century. Also, make sure to check out the Kit Carson House that the famed frontiersman built in 1825 and the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, which has soared 650 feet above one of the nation’s most iconic rivers since 1965.

Just beyond town, take time to explore the many natural wonders of Carson National Forest, including New Mexico’s tallest summit at Wheeler Peak (13,161 feet above sea level). During the winter season, you can also ski and snowboard the many wondrous trails at Taos Ski Valley. To complete your historic Taos adventure, book a stay at the Taos Inn or La Doña Luz Inn in town.

Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas… in New Mexico? Yes, really. The Land of Enchantment has its own town named for meadows (in Spanish) that is about 122 miles northeast of Albuquerque. Yet unlike that more famous Las Vegas in Nevada, this Las Vegas feels much less sinful when you take the time to sail the smooth waters of Storrie Lake State Park. You also don’t have to feel any guilt or shame as you enjoy the serene landscapes of Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge along the Gallinas Nature Trail.

Back in town, take notice of Las Vegas’ 900+ buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places. Highlights include the City of Las Vegas Museum and Rough Rider Memorial at the (1940) Historic Municipal Building, the (1884) Temple Montefiore that is New Mexico’s first permanent Jewish synagogue, and the First United Presbyterian Church’s (1870) Old Town Mission. If you want to go further and stay in a Las Vegas legend, book your stay at the Hotel Castañeda, which originally opened in 1898 and reopened in 2019 following local artisans’ labor of love to restore this hotel to its former glory.

Mogollon

These days, Mogollon looks and feels quite uninhabited. Yet, once upon a time, this town that’s about 227 miles northwest of El Paso was known as one of New Mexico’s wildest mining towns. Sergeant James C. Cooney tried to keep his initial (1870) discovery of gold and silver a secret, but word started to get out around 1875, and Mogollon eventually became a prosperous town by the 1890s. Though Mogollon eventually met the fate of other Western mining towns once it got mined out, you can still catch glimpses of this town’s glorious past at surviving landmarks like the Mogollon General Store and the (building that now houses the) museum.

What makes Mogollon even better is the wealth of natural treasures surrounding this semi-ghost town. Admire the majestic waterfalls and solid rock walls of Catwalk National Recreation Trail, hike through the ecosystem at Cooney Canyon, and discover more of the great wonders of the nearby Gila National Forest. Once you are finally ready to settle down, stay at the historically charming Silver Creek Inn.

Silver City

Located around 154 miles northwest of El Paso, Silver City has all kinds of interesting treasures awaiting your discovery. Start at Silver City Museum, housed in an 1881 Italianate mansion that now houses some 50,000 local historic artifacts. For more interesting history, go to the Western New Mexico University Museum for one of the world’s premier collections of vintage Indigenous pottery (including prehistoric Mimbres pottery), then stay on campus for thought-provoking and cutting-edge works at the Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art.

If you crave even more history, do a leisurely drive up to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and see the one-time home of the Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) Indigenous people in the 13th century, and check out the Central Mining District to see where and how prospectors struck it rich in Silver City in the 19th century. After exploring all around town (and beyond), settle down at the cozy Murray Hotel or the quaint Serenity House bed and breakfast in town.

Santa Rosa

Sitting in the vast desert of Eastern New Mexico, about 117 miles east of Albuquerque, Santa Rosa may have the state’s most astonishing surprises. For one, you simply have to see and dive right into the Santa Rosa Blue Hole, an 81-foot-deep natural artesian spring with remarkable clarity, a consistent 62° Fahrenheit temperature that feels very refreshing during the hot summer months, and by far New Mexico’s best conditions for scuba diving. For even more fun on open water, head to Santa Rosa Lake State Park for all kinds of water sports and Perch Lake for great fishing.

Once you feel like exploring on dry land, do a scenic drive past sandstone mesas and cool arroyos to the hauntingly beautiful Puerto de Luna 1860s-era ghost town, check out the striking ruins of the (1879) Old St. Rose of Lima chapel, and get your kicks at the Route 66 Auto Museum to learn more about how this town evolved during the glory days of the famed US Route 66 highway. If you plan to stay in town for a while, enjoy a comfy stay at the Best Western Santa Rosa Inn.

Ruidoso

About 138 miles northeast of El Paso, Ruidoso is a mountain oasis pretty much where you may least expect one. Nestled in the Sierra Blanca Range of the Rocky Mountains, Ruidoso also has a long and fascinating history that you can start exploring at the Wingfield Heritage House Museum that’s housed in a 1920s vintage house. To learn even more of the region’s backstory, drive over to Fort Stanton State Historic Site to discover a military base that was first established in 1855 and experienced everything from Civil War battles to the 1899 tuberculosis outbreak and the internment of German prisoners of war during World War II.

When you feel like crafting your own epic stories outside, go to Moon Mountain Recreation Area and experience everything from natural wildlife habitat spaces to the park’s elite-level disc golf course and an extensive network of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. For one of the state’s best ski areas, go to Ski Apache for over 750 acres of skiable terrain with up to 1,900 feet of vertical drop. And for perhaps the region’s finest luxury resort, book your stay at the Inn of the Mountain Gods for all the fine amenities you want (like a full-service spa and an 18-hole golf course) and a convenient location near town and the ski area.

Roswell

Perhaps New Mexico’s most famous town, Roswell (located about 205 miles northeast of El Paso), lives up to its otherworldly lore with its unique attractions that really do feel out of this world. Since the crash of a mysterious aircraft in July 1947, locals have insisted it was a UFO, conspiracy theory enthusiasts have insisted it was proof of a larger alien presence on Earth, and many more people have insisted on traveling to Roswell to investigate for themselves. If you are also seeking answers, you might as well start at the International UFO Museum and Research Center. And if you are traveling with kids, you might also want to take them to Spaceport Roswell for a cool virtual reality experience and to BrickTown: Alien Attack for an extensive array of massive yet intricate LEGO® creations.

For those curious to see what else Roswell has to offer beyond the spaceships, stay tuned for updates on the Roswell Museum & Goddard Planetarium and the Walker Aviation Museum as they work to reopen (following a severe storm that caused flooding in October 2024). You might also want to check out the Anderson Museum for Contemporary Art for its wide collection of works by New Mexico artists, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge for a natural oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert, and Bottomless Lakes State Park for 90-foot deep lakes ideal for swimming, paddling, and scuba diving. After all your explorations, make your own landing at Home2 Suites by Hilton near downtown.

Aztec

Aztec may not have a monument as old as Taos Pueblo, but that doesn’t make Aztec any less monumental. Located about 180 miles northwest of Albuquerque, Aztec’s biggest calling card is Aztec Ruins National Monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of the Southwest’s best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan structures that date back to the 12th and 13th centuries. To learn even more of Aztec’s history, head to the Aztec Museum & Pioneer Village to see how this area developed in the 19th and 20th centuries, and drive out to the Salmon Ruins Museum to discover even more archaeological artifacts and Puebloan indigenous heritage.

When you are up to explore more of the natural treasures of the area, go to Angel Peak Scenic Area for a stunningly colorful landscape crowned with the nearly 7,000-foot-tall Angel Peak, and head to Navajo Lake State Park for prime boating, paddling, and fishing. If you are hoping to stay in town a little longer, check into the Aztec Comfort Inn & Suites.

These Towns May Be Historic, Yet They Also Abound in Timeless Charm

These ten timeless towns in New Mexico really do a great job of reminding visitors of how this state earned the title of “The Land of Enchantment.” At Taos, you can experience a millennium-old community and ride the slopes of one of the Mountain West’s finest ski resorts. At Roswell, you can immerse yourself in the wild and wonderful world of the extraterrestrial that somehow feels far more curious than scary. At Silver City, you can discover the interesting intersection of ancient Indigenous culture, longtime mining heritage, and fascinating contemporary art. No matter how much history you want to dig into in New Mexico, these towns provide plenty of timeless thrills that you will always want to see and do for yourself.