New Mexico

Warpy

(111,245 posts)

1. If you can travel just a bit more, consider Bandelier National Monument

Wed May 22, 2013, 06:32 PM

May 2013

Like most NM parks, the improvements are pretty Spartan, but there are cliff houses cut into the tuff (rock from volcanic ash falls from a nearby supervolcano) and it's a truly beautiful area. The drive between San Ysidro and Los Alamos is wonderful, miles of red rocks suddenly dropping away on one side of the road to reveal a brilliantly green valley in the old supervolcano caldera.

http://www.nps.gov/band/planyourvisit/upload/area%20map%2012307%20wo%20overlay%202.pdf

Mesa Verde has more refined cliff dwellings with adobe facades, but it's considerably out of your way.

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Favorite New Mexico State Park? [View all] pamela May 2013 OP

If you can travel just a bit more, consider Bandelier National Monument Warpy May 2013 #1

Thanks, we definitely want to go there eventually. pamela May 2013 #3

I agree with Warpy about Bandelier. likesmountains 52 May 2013 #2

Valley of Fires, Aztec marybourg May 2013 #4

Chaco Canyon !! King_Klonopin May 2013 #5

Ojo Calliente hot springs has camping too womanofthehills May 2013 #7

Villanueva is very beautiful womanofthehills May 2013 #6

Thank you! pamela May 2013 #8

I remember a couple of steep spots heading N. out of Villanueva Quixote1818 May 2013 #9

No, not yet. pamela May 2013 #10

I've always entered Villanueva from the south womanofthehills May 2013 #11

I wish we'd gone to Villanueva. pamela May 2013 #12

Is there a fire down your way? pamela Jun 2013 #13