Great stop on the way to Bandalier National Monument. It was under construction when we were there…read moreso we couldn't see all of it but they have a museum and a map to guide you around the site.

If you want to get a little lesson in culture and go back in time, this is a nice stop to do just…read morethat. Nice walk with a lot of information on the history. I walked through kinda quick but, I should of took my time, as afterwards I realized I had enough time to see it all. The church was probably the most beautiful part of the whole site. Huge and sitting there I felt as if I would hear someone speak.

One of my favorite national parks that I have ever been to and hiked! STUNNING. I love that you can…read morehike up the ladders on one of the hikes here. That hike definitely is not for the faint of heart and pushed my limits at the top (you are high and it seems scary) but it is one of my most memorable hikes all around for the scenery and unique experience. A must visit! For those who don't to do the ladder hike, you can still walk to the bottom of it and look up and get a good view. So there is something for all levels here. The scenery is gorgeous. It does get windy here sometimes (we had a lot of wind blasting us as we were climbing the ladders) so be careful and be prepared for that. The nature all around is beautiful. Additionally, there are some tables so you could bring a picnic. Staff in the visitor center is very friendly and has lots of great recommendations of what to do here or nearby. A must do! This was the highlight of my trip to this area and I can't recommend it enough :)

Without a doubt one of the best national parks or monuments I've ever been to! Highly, highly…read morerecommended if you are in the Santa Fe area. A couple notes: 1. Parking looks like it might get tough on busy weekends, mid-week we didn't have an issue early, and but when we left in the early afternoon, the main lot was pretty full. 2. The main Pueblo Loop trail was well maintained and quite accessible up to and just past the Big Kiva and Tyuonyi. The top-back part of the loop was a little more broken up, but still a pretty easy stroll. 3. The trail out to the Alcove House was absolutely beautiful! It's not paved, but it's a well maintained gravel. The ladders to the alcove itself are an interesting experience. If you don't love heights, there are some benches at the bottom of the ladder to sit on and relax. 4. Helpfully, there is a well-maintained pit toilet about halfway out, in case you need it. 5. The restaurant at the visitor center might not be the most efficient place, but the food was much better than you would expect!

Jemez historic site (formerly Jemez State monument) include the ruins of 17th century Spanish…read moremission and the remains of an early Native American Pueblo- Giusewa (Towa's word for hot springs) cca 700 years old. The site is National Historical Landmark. It is somewhat secluded in Jemez river valley at the community of Jemez Pueblo or Walatowa. Parking is on the site, gravel and dirt covered lot in front of museum, that is also an entrance for the site. The whole loop trail is quiet short (1,400 steps), but with museum included, we spent an hour walking around. Large kiwa on the beginning of the trail is incredible. It's fully restored and can be entered by ladder. Inside can't be photographed, and honestly I don't think any photograph would do it justice. The energy of this place is amazing. I was happy that I got to spend few moments alone in there, as on the day we visited not many people were there, and most of them were intimidated and didn't even attempt to enter the kiwa. After kiwa there are pueblo walls, some more ruins and the main building at the site-the mission church. In the 17th century, the Spanish missionaries established a Catholic mission at the village (pretty common event for the time), but it wasn't long lived, due to no interest from locals. Giusewa moved to different location soon, and the ruins were decaying til the beginning of the 20 century when they were rediscovered and acquired by state. I liked the place was not overrun by tourists, it's quite condensed and it's beautifully taken care of.

Actual Name: Jemez Historic Site…read more 700 years ago the precursors of today's Jemez Pueblo (known as the Walatowa), began constructing their homesteads in the narrow San Diego Canyon, which is now beautiful downtown Jemez Springs. They named their village, "Giusewa," translated as " Many hot springs." They were right about that. Three centuries later the Franciscans missionaries arrived with their Spanish culture intent on christianizing the heathens, whose spirituality they saw as demonic. Of course, they had it backwards, as it was the invading barbarians who were cruel in their conversion practices who disregarded the simple beauty of the indigenous culture, and ultimately destroyed the locals through outright hostilities and European diseases. In 1621, the brown robes began building a church to be the foundation of their mission. Defacto slave labor was used and the structure was said to be quite unusual for a remote house of worship, with octagonal bell tower and large colorful frescos on the thick walls. It was abandoned by 1640 during the successful rebellion of this pueblo and many others against the Spanish and the Franciscans, who were seen as little more than soldiers without armor by the populis. Today, the ruins of the church and the older adobe village remain to remind visitors that religious persecution is no way to win the hearts and minds of the people. Interestingly, the Catholic Church has established a religious retreat for priests in need of rehabilitation nearby. One wonders if the irony is recognized by the recovering abusers, that it was their predecessors who really needed the enlightenment to see the profound error of their ways, and that if the church had truly loved the people they encountered, all the death and destruction that came afterwards might have been avoided. But, then again, their ancestors didn't learn much from the Crusades.

National parks are amazing aspect of our country. This one is focused on the history of the…read moreManhattan project, leading to the atomic bomb. It is a relatively new park, celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year. Literature is great, especially the map for the walking tour as well as the buildings "behind the fence". If you collect national park stamps and the NPS visitor center is closed, you can also get it at the Los Alamos visitor center right next door as well as at the Los Alamos Historical Center museum just a little ways away.

Very interesting to tour these sites especially after seeing the movie Oppenheimer. I would…read morerecommend stopping to learn about the history of the project and where it took place.

The Los Alamos area has *so* many phenomenal parks and trails, but if you're pressed for time and…read morecan only choose one, and the weather is good for it, I highly recommend the Tsankawi Section of Bandolier National Monument. It's less than 20 minutes away and you can have a great 1.5 mile loop hike with cool history & stunning vistas in less than 2 hours. The hike isn't really strenuous, but there are some ladder climbs & descents, as well as several instances of unprotected paths along an open cliffside, a little nerve-wracking for those with fear of heights. If there's ice on the ground, I'd recommend a different trail. Note that there is no shade or shelter at all, so wear appropriate cover & sunscreen, and don't go if any storm is forecast. Watch out for snakes, and beware of the possibility of splinters in your hands from the ladders - use gloves there if you have them. At Tsankawi, you will see wonderous 360-degree views of colorful mesas, valleys, skies, and mountains. Keep your eyes peeled for ancient petroglyphs carved into boulders along the way. Some of the hike is on sandy or gravel paths, while other parts are along deeply grooved ruts in stone, worn by 1000s of years of footfalls. Eventually you will reach hollowed out cave dwellings with soot covered ceilings, the remains of the Tewa people's pueblo homes from another era. Official hours are 9a - 5p daily, but I've heard that sunrise and sunset are amazing from this mesa. As of November 2024, you'll pay $25 for the per-vehicle parking pass, and this will be good for 1 week of entry to all of Bandolier. You can pay with credit card at the covered kiosk near the trailhead and receive a receipt to display on your dashboard. Of course, if you're planning to see other national parks this year, you might as well spend the $45 to get the annual pass.

Spectacular! It was the highlight of our day. Only about dozen or so parking spots. I'm shocked…read moreit's not more known. I think it's better that way. Less the better. We went to cliff dwellings at Bandelier day prior. That was nice too but we enjoyed the ruggedness here more. The rocks are easy to climb. And we probably saw 6 other people the whole time we were there. The highlight is to climb that second ladder for mind blowing views from the top.

Quiet, serious quiet. Vast open solitary landmass…read moresculpture erupting from the desert with steely precision. Not a first date destination. Overnight in a comfortable cabin with heat and dinner that needs reheating. The feast is outside the cabin, the poles tiny against the land.

I recently attended an event here. Everyday I wake up and discover there are wonderful places and…read moreexperiences in my little neck of the woods that I had no idea existed. The Old San Isidro Church in Corrales, NM is one of those unique 'hidden' places. It really isn't hidden if you open your eyes and pay attention. The Old San Ysidro Church is a beautiful window into the history of rural New Mexico. Come visit. Attend one of the free (yes, FREE!) Speaker Series during 2025 at the Old Church managed by the Corrales Historical Society. Soak in the history just by being in this wonderful old church building.

Located right across the street from Casa San Ysidro, the Old San Ysidro Church in Corrales is an…read more1868 building recognized on both the New Mexico Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register of Historic Places. It is open for "tours" - docents are available to point out features and answer questions (even when there are no current displays). And it is rentable for private events (suitable for a church setting). It is an absolutely beautiful setting for a wedding and can seat 150. Throughout the year there are art shows and monthly speakers - all free to attend. There is also a small "gift shop": the docents run a table with books, cards, and items baring San Ysidro and the scene of his miracle - an angel ploughing his farm land for him.

Corrales has a culture all its own! There is a friendly vibe that is almost palpable. The mom and…read morepop stores are full of quality unique items for great prices that you can't find anywhere else. It's hard to think of it as a Mecca for shopping but I love finding one-of-a-kind goodies and this is the right area to do it in! The restaurants also are a must! Chains are nowhere to be found! You'll find locally owned, quality fare with fresh ingredients made with the heart and the soul. There are several farms in Corrales that sell apples, chile, and other fruit and veggies. Anything you want fresh can be found fresh and you better believe a lot of the restaurants utilize those fresh ingredients as well! If you love local events and culture, there is always something going on in town, whether it is a parade or a farmers' market. There is also an old church that is now a museum. Also be sure to visit all the award winning wineries!

Corrales does have a culture of it's own and one has to be part of the priveledged, and actual…read moreyears of seniority gets points deducted, especially if you are robbed and are witness to who the thieves are. The $5700 taxes I pay fon my property does not cover police protection and actually the chracter assasignation they do is very damaging. If you are a senior they might get the court to require you get a mental health evaluation and get admitted to a psych unit and drugged to fully discredit you when they tell the judge that you imagined your coins were stole and the police officer who took the report in front of the empty safe is fired and does not sign the report. Or they might file a phoney case in court and not serve you and get a arrest warrnt when you do not show up for arraignment. Then wait two years to arrest you as if you had been tried and found guilty and not shown up for your arrest. They did that to me and refused to let me pay $100 bail that I had with me and kept me in MVD for four days when I was 78 years old. It is a power trip. But when the Police Chief has never been to an academy and does not get annual inservcie I guess he is oblivious to the laws that pertiain to Constituional Rights. It is a darn power trip when they protect the thieves who rob you and tell your neighbors they have a thick file on you. It is so much worse than this. There were some vibs I felt when looking for my property 28 years ago that something was off. When I had over $40K gold and silver coins stolen from my safe and saw thieves leave over our shared fence and the investigation closed the next day you gotta know something in wrong. The same people refuse to write a report when you car engine under 49K miles, a Saab 9-5 is replaced with a much older one and the paibt is blisterd on hood, roof and trunk and burglar wires pulled out from the dash. So much more that I will testify in a court of law, if you can find one in New Mexico. They play a mean games that organized crime are experienced at. I have been told about others suffering similiar treatment, so if you wanna talk you can find my number on the internet.

Park on the roadside, take a picture or walk down and view. A good 10 minute stop.The Soda Dam was…read moreformed by calcium carbonate and travertine deposits from the thermal spring water that was built up over the course of 7,000 years. The river flows through the dome-like bridge created by the deposition of these minerals across the river. There is also a waterfall at the site

These are currently closed off. If you're looking for hot springs you'll need to go elsewhere.read more