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.

Late in the May of 2023, my family of 5 (including 11 year old dog) was traveling thru Texas and…read moreNew Mexico for few weeks. Driving on Jemez Mountain National Scenic Byway is quite spectacular as you are greeted to gorgeous red sandstone mountains wherever you look. After passing thru small village of San Ysidro, the vistas starting to give us some clues on what's ahead of us, but still nothing prepared us for the majestic red giants that presented themself as we turned the corner. Across the street is the visitor center (which was closed late in the afternoon when we stumbled upon this Red Rocks), otherwise we would have definitely visited to hear more about this area and possibly ask about the guide for the Red Rock Trail. Not being able to ask for more info and not knowing how sacred it was to natives (particularly since we had dog with us), we didn't want to be disrespectful and take a walk on the trail without enough info. Instead, I took 30 minutes and walked around taking some photos and enjoying the majestic rocks, while my family waited in air conditioned car. This is definitely one of those activities that is better to do earlier in the day and in cooler months. Lucky for us, in the afternoon due to the position of the rocks, sun blasts them and gives you the best red colors as it starts its trip towards the west.

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.

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!

What prompted me to investigate the ruins of this historic church in the middle of nowhere? I could…read moreregale you, Dear Reader, with a tale of the supernatural and/or metaphysical ("I felt inexplicably drawn here, as though the spirits of the 18th-century settlers had beckoned me all the way from San Antonio"), but the truth is much more mundane. I was on a road trip and needed to tinkle. The New Mexico Department of Transportation is stingy with rest areas, so this seemingly abandoned adobe structure seemed the perfect place to evacuate my bladder. Now, before you cry "blasphemy!", let me assure you that I did not desecrate this holy place with my sulfurous, asparagus-scented urea. No, I did my business several feet from the entrance. That's when I noticed the eerie beauty of the structure before me. My knowledge of New Mexican history is lacking, so I consulted Wikipedia and found the following article, which I have quoted verbatim. "Santa Rosa de Lima was an early 18th-century Spanish settlement in the Rio Chama valley, near the present-day town of Abiquiu in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. All that remains of this settlements are the ruins of its church. The church, on the plaza, was built around 1744, and was in use until the 1930s. Repeated raids by Utes and Comanches caused the settlement to be abandoned in 1747. In 1750, the Spanish founded a new settlement at the present site of Abiquiú, about a mile from Santa Rosa de Lima. Today the site of Santa Rosa de Lima is a ghost town, with substantial adobe ruins of the church, and mounds where the settlers' adobe houses stood. The site is private property, belonging to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Santa Rosa de Lima de Abiquiu was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978." As I poked around the ruins, I felt a sense of presence, the inexplicable kind of energy so common in places with long, storied histories. Just like sound is recorded onto vinyl, emotions and events often weave themselves into the very fabric of a structure, its bricks, its wood, or (in this case) its adobe/mudbrick. I touched the walls, closed my eyes, and visualized the religious rites that occurred here, the bloodshed, the suffering. Santa Rosa de Lima's palpable vibe is made all the more eerie by the cluster of crucifixes, sage bundles, and bottles of holy water placed at its northernmost wall. Is the Archdiocese of Santa Fe trying to keep some unspeakable evil force at bay? The lighting in my photos adds a vaguely sinister/ethereal patina reminiscent of the visual motif of Juan López Moctezuma "Alucarda," a delightfully sleazy supernatural Mexican horror film from the late 70's. I seldom post reviews of landmarks, but I wanted to document this strange little place. I imagine most travelers stumble upon Santa Rosa de Lima the same way I did. Did you over-imbibe on Hawaiian Punch? Do you suffer from benign prostatic hyperplasia? If so, then pull to the side of the road and make a golden offering to symbolize the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Explore the grounds and bask in the odd energy of Santa Rosa de Lima.

This was a rare and very cool find. This abandoned town is off the beaten path a little bit in the…read moremiddle of nowhere.

Clearly, for at least a short time, the people running San Felipe de Neri church in Old Town had no…read moreidea what was gathering dust in the back parking lot. I originally found an online post about this wood carving back in, say, 2012, researching funky, unique landmarks in the 505, and the next day I went on a hunt to find it. Sure enough, tucked away in a corner of the asphalt, this gorgeous little work of art sat, unloved. Several years ago the church moved it to a prominent spot on the property. Go to the northwest corner of North Plaza st and San Felipe and you'll see a colorful, hand carved stump featuring Our Lady of Guadalupe, grab a selfie, it's a great backdrop. Word has it that in 1970, a parishioner carved this icon into the heart of the tree. I'm happy it's back, and glad disco remains buried.

Interesting and free local attraction (a little further away from downtown Santa Fe) that drives…read moretoday's needs for environmental awareness. Ethyl isn't super huge and as well known in Santa Fe yet, but it's hopefully making Santa Fe (and the US heading in the right direction with the use of recycling! Check this free local quirky attraction out if you have some time in Santa Fe!

While planning our day trip to Santa Fe from Albuquerque, we discovered Ethyl the Whale, a…read morelife-sized blue whale sculpture made entirely from single-use plastics to raise awareness about reducing plastic waste and encouraging recycling. She's located at the end of the track at Santa Fe Community College. We parked across the street and walked over for some great photo ops. It's an impressive and meaningful sight, definitely worth a quick stop on your way to or from Santa Fe!

A spiritual and WONDERFUL experience watching Tribal members do the Turtle Dance. And what an…read morehonor to be escorted by one of the Kachina Clown Men. Thank You for letting me be there.

One of our favorite national historic parks since it is so beautiful and a nice walk around its…read moretrail. Dogs are allowed which is a plus and the gift store and staff great. There is so much history that is within this park to include Native American dwelling and Spanish church remnants, and even an area where the Santa Fe trail passed by. The 2 kivas you can climb down inside are a bonus, fun and interesting. Not too far away is also Glorieta Pass, the site of a American Civil War skirmish which has a monument. There is plenty of easy parking here as well as an overflow area. Definitely worth the stop if you are passing by and no park entrance fee.

This was a great road trip stop. There is a loop trail that takes you past the main sites as well…read moreas more extensive hiking if you have the time. We learned some of the history of what the indigenous people experienced with colonization by Spain and missionaries. There is an interpretive center in the visitor building that gives a good timeline of events throughout this area's history. Then you have the opportunity to go out and see what has been excavated and maintained by the National Parks system. There is plenty of parking and I was impressed at the accessibility of this park. There is an additional parking lot closer to the main ruins with wide paths that would be chair accessible.

Well the reason why it's not 5 star cause u can't go in. Which I get it. It's all og furniture and…read morefridge and door knobs. It's amazing how they have left it alone. U can stick your face in the windows but they don't want u record. Go see if u r a history buff