Visit Erik and Gretchen in Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico Sites


There are great things to see to the North, West and South/Southeast of Albuquerque (and certainly elsewhere, but we don't know about them). We've been to some the sites below. Check our online gallery to get psyched to see them for yourselves!


Below is some general information of things to see if you visit us.
Albuqerque, New Mexico

We live at 4949 Roma Ave NE #19, Albuquerque NM 87108.
See our vacation schedule for optimal visiting times.
See Gretchen's flight information to help you get out here.

Follow our potential trip using maps.google.com -- the best maps!
Information Organization
  1. Opening message
  2. Possible schedule
  3. Items to bring
  4. In and around Albuquerque
  5. General National/State park info
  6. Hot Springs
  7. North of Albuquerque and Santa Fe
  8. Northwest of Albuquerque
  9. West of Albuquerque
  10. South/Southeast of Albuquerque
  11. Unlikely to get to
  12. Closing

Opening Message

The National parks appear much more interesting than the state parks, so I'm going to focus my attention there. If you check out the state parks or see other sites not here, let us know and we'll learn more and try to see them.

There are two major trips from Albuquerque, each taking a few days:
  1. Trip one does a counterclockwise loop starting by heading N on I25 to Santa Fe, W to Chaco Culture, S to El Malpais, then E to ABQ.
  2. Trip two heads southeast to Carlsbad caverns, then W to white sands, then N on I25 to ABQ.
Possible Schedule
This schedule is from Summer 2005, and is left here for future planning purposes.
  1. Sunday 15
    1. See our house
    2. Get lunch
    3. Visit
    4. Dinner
  2. Monday 16
    1. Finish preparing everything
    2. Pack and leave by 3pm
    3. Tent Rocks 4pm, 2 hours hiking
    4. Cochiti Dam
    5. Camp at Cochiti Dam
  3. Tuesday 17
    1. Drive to Santa Fe
    2. Capital Building
    3. Other Santa Fe attractions
    4. Drive to Bandelier National Monument
    5. Camp
  4. Wednesday 18
    1. Bandelier National Monument (morning)
    2. Soda Dam (early afternoon)
    3. Drive to Chaco Culture
    4. Camp at Chaco Culture
  5. Thursday 19
    1. Chaco Culture all day
    2. Late afternoon, south to El Malpais
    3. Camp at El Malpais
  6. Friday 20
    1. El Malpais
    2. Acama City Pueblo
    3. Return to Albuquerque
  7. Saturday 21
    1. 2pm, drive South to Carlsbad Caverns in time to see 6000 bats/minute exodous of caves
    2. Camp in Carlsbad
  8. Sunday 22
    1. Explore Carlsbad Caverns through midafternoon
    2. Drive West to White Sands for sunset
    3. Camp in Alamogordo
  9. Monday 23
    1. Petroglyph National Monument?
    2. Relax
    3. Laundry
    4. Tramway to the top of Sandia Mountains
    5. Dinner
  10. Tuesday 24
    1. Finish preparing everything
    2. Pack and leave morning
    3. Tent Rocks 3 hours hiking
    4. Cochiti Dam
    5. Camp at Cochiti Dam
  11. Wednesday 25
    1. Drive to Santa Fe
    2. Georgia O'Keefe museum
    3. Other Santa Fe attractions
    4. Drive to Bandelier National Monument
    5. Camp
  12. Thursday 26
    1. Bandelier National Monument (morning)
    2. Sulfur Springs Hot springs (189 degrees!)
    3. Soda Dam (early afternoon)
    4. Drive to Chaco Culture
    5. Camp at Chaco Culture
  13. Friday 27
    1. Chaco Culture all day
    2. Late afternoon, south to El Malpais
    3. Camp at El Malpais
  14. Saturday 28
    1. El Malpais
    2. Return to Albuquerque
    3. Relax
    4. Laundry
    5. Dinner
  15. Sunday 29
Items to Bring

  1. Bedding
    1. Sheets
    2. Blankets
    3. Pillows
    4. Sleeping bags
    5. Tent
    6. Tarp
  2. Washing
    1. Towels
    2. Soap
    3. Hand lotion
    4. Antiseptic
    5. First Aid Kit
    6. Toilet paper and other toiletries
    7. Trash bags
    8. Rubber gloves (RV)
  3. Eating
    1. Food
      1. Cooler
      2. Food
    2. Water/ice
      1. Water filter
    3. Cooking
      1. Cook Pot
      2. Fry Pan
      3. Cook stove
      4. Matches/lighters
      5. Can opener
      6. Knives
      7. Metal spatula
      8. Food Containers
      9. Foil
      10. Pot Holders
    4. Eating
      1. Plates/Bowls
      2. Silverware
      3. Knapkins
  4. Hiking
    1. Bags
    2. Flashlights
    3. Batteries (AA, AAA)
  5. General
    1. Tire Pressure Guage
    2. Bungee cords
    3. Water pail
In and around Albuquerque

Both Sandia peak and Petroglyphs can be done easily in one day while staying in Albuquerque.
I would do PNM in the morning, something else midday, then Sandia peak in the midafternoon for the sunset.

Sandia Peak Ski & Tramway
Time:
30 minutes driving from E&G's home on NE corner of city.
14 minutes each way on tram -- about 1 hour with wait.
2 hours at top.
If the skies are nice, it is pleasant to watch the sunset from the mountain top.
Main:
Tram:
http://www.sandiapeak.com/tramway.html
Dine at the top of the mountain! (I'm sure it's too expensive to be worth it.)
http://www.sandiapeak.com/dining.html
http://www.highfinancerestaurant.com/


Petroglyph National Monument
Time:
30 minutes drive from E&G's home on W side of city.
There are two sites, one smaller (but denser) one to the N of main location; Gretchen's been to both.
About 2 hours to see most of it.
Main:
Map:
General National/State park info

Look at these links first. This first link will whet your appetite, the
National and State parks links provide official information.

National Parks & Monuments in New Mexico
National Parks Service - New Mexico map
New Mexico State Parks
Scenic Byways Routes Map (to help choose our route)
Hot Springs

List of 77 locations, temperatures, and links to topo maps.

We'll make sure to get to at least one of these along our travels. Some are developed and cost money, but many are remote enough that a short (or long) hike from a road will get us to one for free and will typically be more enjoyable since less populated.
North of Albuquerque and Santa Fe

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Time:
Drive from ABQ.
3--4 hours hiking.

Cochiti Lake (camping)
Time:


Santa Fe, New Mexico's capital city
Take a picture of the capital building!
Time:
Main:
Map:

There's lots to do in Santa Fe, but I don't know much.


Bandelier
Time:
Drive from Santa Fe (approximately, really S on rt 4)
Camp, then next morning...
4--5 hours for a 3--4 mile hike and explorations of ruins and caves.
Main:
Map:
Northwest of Albuquerque

(on our way W to Chaco Culture)
Soda Dam
(bring your headlamps)
Rt 4 southwest from Sante Fe -- really beautiful drive.


Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Time:
Drive (then SW) from Bandelier
Camp
A full day of exploration of the ruins with a hike up to the top of a mesa for a beautiful look down.
We should plan on camping here at least one night.
Main:
Area Map:
Park Map:

There is easily a day's worth of things to see here. There is also a campgroup that accepts RVs. We've camped here before -- it is totally beautiful!

In the summer there is nightly star gazing at their observatory!
West of Albuquerque

From Chaco Culture to El Malpais: Total Est. Time: 4 hours, 43 minutes Total Est. Distance: 135.67 miles.
We cross the continental divide on this drive.

El Malpais National Monument
(bring your headlamps)
Time:

3--4 hours hiking and caving.
Back to I40 via VIA 117 N.
Main:
Map:
Go underground and experience the diveristy of life thriving in lava tubes.


Acoma Pueblo
Time:
About 1 hour E of El Malpais N 117 I40 E to SE 38.
N BIA 22 to Casa Blanca, then 1 hour E to Abq on I40 , .
2--3 hours in city.
Main:
Main is not working, so this one:
Info:
When we stopped by before it was $10/person and $10/camera! You take a tourbus to the top of the mesa and are free to buy stuff, but can take pictures only where allowed.
South/Southeast of Albuquerque

Carlsbad Cavern
(bring your headlamps)
Time:
Drive from ABQ:  195 mi (about 4 hours 46 mins).  Not far, but a long time.
If we get there at dusk, we can witness the thousands and thousands of bats leaving the caves to feed!
5 hours of caving.
Main:
Map:

Roswell, New Mexico
(UFOs... something fun on the way to Carlsbad from Albuquerque)
Time:
From Carlsbad:  76 mi (about 2 hours 5 mins)
2 hours to see UFO/Gov't conspiracies and have lunch.
Main:


White Sands
Time:
Drive from Carlsbad:  245 mi (about 3 hours 44 mins)  Round up to 4 hrs since a bit more E on 70 than this link shows.
3--4 hours of walking and wonder at sunset.
Main:
Map:
Nature is so surprising:

Totally amazing -- be ready to have a little sand in your shoes.


Alamogordo NM (camp)
Time:
Drive from White Sands:  50 mi (about 1 hours 10 mins)
3--4 hours of walking and wonder.
Main:

Back to ABQ
Time:
Drive home: 213 mi (about 4 hours 7 mins)


Unlikely to get to

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
In the southwest, probably too far from most of what we'll see.


Capulin Volcano National Monument
Too far northeast to get to.


Coronado State Monument
(On rt 40 north of Albuquerque toward Santa Fe)
Main:

I don't know much about this, but it looks like a quick hike to some ruins.


El Morro National Monument
Time:
About 2 hours W of El Malpais I40 W to 53 S (W).
After a brief stay we can camp at one of at least two campgrounds.
Main:

Guadalupe Mountains National Park
(in Texas -- just south of Carlsbad, but may be too far)


Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
(east of rt25 on rt60)
Time:
From Roswell:  185 mi (about 4 hours 11 mins)
2 hours?
Then to Abq: 73 mi (about 1 hour 28 mins)
Main:
Map:
Closing

I'm betting that such a list of attractions will keep us busy for a week or so. Travel distances/times have been estimated in most cases.

I hope you've enjoyed checking out a little what we'll be doing. We've got a couple coolers for food and a very good water filter for drinking water. Also tents and sleeping bags.

Can't wait, love,
-Erik and Gretchen