A fun spot to come visit, with hike-able mountains near by, that overlook the Lincoln National…read moreForest You go up about 3 hills Murals painted throughout the area Can get to the last hilltop in about an hour if you're not stopping too long Was worth the visit, but there's only so many circles with dots in the middle that I can have fun admiring in a hike

This certainly isn't for everyone, but if you like outdoors and hiking, check this out. Certainly…read moregrab a bottle of water and the sunscreen. The views of the surrounding areas at the top of the hills is impressive. BTW, shout out to the worker who suggested we stop at The Owl in San Antonio, NM. Thank you!

New Mexico 01-2024 ABO Ruins Salina Misson in the Mountaire area of New Mexico. Medieval…read moreArchitecture looks like castle ruins. It was extremely cold with the wind whipping wildly. It was like 6 degrees !! It's located in the mountains and it's a beautiful drive up the ruins. It's Free to check it out. Check out all the photos, it's absolutely amazing there!

We visited Gran Quivira while passing through the area. I had never heard of the Salinas Pueblo…read moreMissions and didn't know much about it. In researching it, I got the impression all 3 sites were comparable. Unfortunately having visited Gran Quivira and seeing the pictures at the park headquarters, I think the other 2 sites were better. The have larger structures still standing. Gran Quivira may be the largest of the three, but outside of the main church, there's not much left. The ruins tend to be pretty low and largely overgrown. The main church has walls maybe 15 feet tall made with local stone. This site has not just ruins of the mission, but also of a village that sprouted up around it. We walked around it and saw it in maybe 30 minutes or less; would have been less if we'd used the ramp but it was closed due to the possibility of lightning. Gran Quivira was alright, but I'd check out Abo or Quarai instead if you get the chance. The fact that we saw the impressive ruins at Chaco Culture NHP the day before may have left me less impressed. Check these out if passing through, but I wouldn't go out of my was to see Gran Quivira.

The best place to stay in an RV. It was heaven for me! This is nature at its best. From the flora…read moreand fauna, to the animals around (horses, birds, elks, etc) and most especially - the night skies! A much deserved perfect 5 stars. Unforgettably memorable.

DEFINITELY A MUST SEE! Brad took me to this amazing spot on top of the mountain above the clouds!…read moreAbsolutely breathtaking! 360 degrees of unobstructed views. You will need to drive 5 miles up the mountain to reach the top and by the way this is on a dirt road. We made it in a car so just be extra careful and you should be just fine. You will feel on top of the world!

A fun historic site in the old west town of Lincoln. Not many options as far as food or drink, but…read morea very pleasant way to spend the day learning about cattle rustlers and the like!

Great fun for all ages. From bullet holes to babbling brook, a walk through Old Lincoln is a step…read moreinto the 1800s!

Our road trip today took us back through the town of Lincoln to Fort Staton. Named for Captain…read moreHenry W. Stanton, who was killed in a skirmish with the Apaches, Fort Stanton was built in 1855 by soldiers of the 1st Dragoon and the 3rd and 8th Infantry Regiments to serve as a base of operations against the Mescalero Apache Indians. It served as a military fortification through 1896. Built of local stone, the sturdy 1855 buildings have lasted to this day. The Fort was named for Captain Henry W. Stanton, killed fighting the Apaches in 1855 near present day Mayhill. Troops marched out from the Fort to search for and fight the Mescalero Indians during numerous campaigns from 1855 until the 1880's. One of the best preserved forts in America from that Era. Then passed by the cemetery and up to Mt. Serra Blanca reaching 10,090 ft. Beautiful scenery. Worth the trip!

This was a wonderful historic find for me. The Officer's quarters were left almost original. The…read morevolunteer had tons of fun information. I could almost picture myself there. Go.. you'll be happy you did.

Went to Lincoln County where Billy the kid was held awaiting hanging for the killing of sheriff…read moreBrady. Sheriff Pat garret goes out of town on business and Billy the kid makes his escape while Deputy Olinger was across the street feeding some of the prisoners. Billy talked Deputy Bell into taking him to the privy (outhouse) to relieve himself. They are not sure if a gun was left in there by one of his friends or if he over powered bell on the way up the stairs getting his gun. Bell was shot in the stairwell, then retreats out the back door and falls dead. Bob hearing the shot rushes to the courthouse thinking Bell had shot Billy but what he doesn't know is at this point Billy has broken into the armory and grabbed Bob's own shot gun, runs to the window as Bob is running up. Catches Bob's attention and as he looks up Billy blasts him with his own shotgun and kills him instantly. He then grabs a horse and heads out of town. Lots of history in this town. All events started over a merchant war. Tunstall came from England and opened a beef outfit and a store while Murphy and Dolan also had a beef outfit and a store. Tunstall is killed over this and Billy made war. Great place to see. Great visit!

This is Apache Summit on US-70 which has an elevation of 7591 feet. The road here is two lanes on…read moreeach side with a wide breakdown lane where you can stop to read the marker and maybe take a photo. The marker reads, "Sierra Blana, a complex ancient volcano, rises more than 7300 feet above Tularosa Basin to peak at 12,003 feet. Vertical geologic movement between ranges and basin is about 2 miles. San Andres Mountains on west side of Tularosa Basin are uplifted on east side and tilted westward. Elevation 4,670 feet." The majority of the Sierra Blanca range is within the Lincoln National Forest, and part of this is protected as the White Mountain Wilderness Area. Much of the southern half of the range, including the summit of Sierra Blanca Peak, is within the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation. The peak is sacred to the Mescalero Apache, and requires a permit from the tribe for access. Sierra Blanca is a massive complex of volcanic rocks, including pyroclastic materials, lava flows, and intrusions. An ancient and heavily eroded volcanic pile, it is the largest mid-Tertiary volcanic complex east of the Rio Grande, with an estimated volume of erupted products of 185 cubic miles. Eruptions began about 38 million years ago, and extended over a twelve-million-year period. [Review 17466 overall - 76 in New Mexico - 984 of 2022.]

What a great hike. I had heard about this hill to climb…read moresouth of Albuquerque and had marked it as a solid hike for my daughter and I. It didn't look too hard so we planned it as the 1st hike of our most recent trip to New Mexico. It's not a far drive from town, maybe 30 minute or so. We left early to beat the heat. When we arrived we didn't totally know where to go and as we came up the road to what appeared to be the hill the road split and we took the right. There was a place to park just a ways up the road. There was a modern art statue that was from the Tomé Hill location there as well that we checked out later. After gearing up with hiking poles and such we headed up. It was a steep grade most of the way. We were definitely winded but it was a simple enough route. There is very little vegetation so you can see the top of the mount, the destination, moist of the time. When we made the top, the pay off of the view was great. We took a seat and after a few pics we both broke open a book to read a bit and take it in. after a bit of time we saw someone hiking up, from the other side. We noted that that trail was far more gradual. So a big tip, if you want the easier way, take the left turn at the split. We stayed on the top for about an hour, it was quite peaceful. We checked out the couple statues at the base of the hill and headed out. Its a nice easy hike with a great payoff, we will have to do it again sometime.