New Mexico
Discover New Mexico
New Mexico (Spanish: Nuevo México), the Land of Enchantment, is a state in the American Southwest. It became a Spanish colony after conquistadors arrived in the 16th century, then a Mexican territory until the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, and then an American territory until it achieved statehood in 1912. New Mexico still has a large native Spanish-speaking population and many Native American communities, offering a unique culture that clearly stands apart from that of other states. Spanish is the official second language. A visitor to New Mexico will also discover fantastic natural scenery, a major fine arts scene centered around Santa Fe, great outdoor recreational opportunities, and a distinctive regional cuisine. Plus, an assortment of high-tech, Space Age installations - radio telescopes, cutting-edge laboratories, military testing sites, speculative spaceports - gives the state a fascinating fusion of the ancient and the futuristic. New Mexico is a forgotten jewel in the United States. Understanding New Mexico starts with grasping the overpowering importance of two of its geological features: the Rio Grande, which bisects the state north to south, and the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southernmost range of the Rocky Mountains and a part of the same large-scale geological structure that produces the Rio, the "Rio Grande rift." The eastern third of the state is an extension of the Great Plains both geographically and culturally and has more in common with the western parts of Texas and Oklahoma than with the rest of New Mexico. The western third, beyond the Rio and the assortment of minor mountain ranges (Nacimientos, Magdalenas, and the not-so-minor Jemez Mountains) to its west, is part of the same "basin and range" geography as comprises much of Arizona and Nevada, with a little Utah canyon country thrown in toward the northwest corner.
Taste of New Mexico...
A distinctive regional cuisine has developed in New Mexico. Do not call New Mexican food Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, or Mexican! Some New Mexicans can get offended by those names, since their cuisine is a strong sense of identity, and it is better to be safe than sorry. Often considered a subset of "Mexican" food, "New Mexican" cooking is characterized by: These components merge into a cuisine that ranges from utterly basic, everyday-lunch fare (served almost everywhere in the state) to incredibly elaborate "Southwestern" meals with any number of exotic variations and add-ons. Santa Fe is justly famous for its rich assortment of New Mexican and Southwestern restaurants, but don't eat New Mexican food just there; there are a number of subtle variations in New Mexican cooking in the different regions of the state (for example, topping enchiladas with a fried egg is characteristic of southern New Mexican food but rare in the north), and you'll be well advised to experiment locally. Unfortunately, for those visitors that fall in love with the cuisine, finding it outside of New Mexico is a Herculean task, since most searches for "New Mexican restaurants" will end up resulting in recently-opened Mexican restaurants. Almost the entirety of New Mexico is at high elevation (>4000 ft above sea level), and altitude-related issues are the most common health issues travelers will face while in the state.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped New Mexico into what it is today.
Archaeological evidence has shown that humans have existed in New Mexico for at least 13,000 years now, as shown by the existence of "Clovis points" - arrowheads first found near the town of Clovis. For the next several millennium, a long line of Native American cultures lived, prospered, and perished here, the most well-known being the Ancestral Puebloans (also known as the "Anasazi", though that term has fallen out of favor) who emerged around AD 700 and by AD 1100 has established impressive settlements in what is now the northwestern region of the state and were part of a far-flung trade network that reached south to what is now Mexico. However, in the 12th and 13th centuries they abandoned their settlements for reasons not entirely clear; drought, environmental degradation, pressure from other groups, and religious or cultural change are all considered possibilities. It is commonly believed today that the inhabitants of today's Pueblos of New Mexico are the descendants of the Ancestral Puebloans. Of course, Puebloans were not the only Native American group to establish themselves here; despite changing climates, war, and European and later American aggression, many Navajos, Apaches, Comanches, and Utes also make the state their home today. The first Europeans to arrive in New Mexico were the Spanish....
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe state's only major (commercial) airport is in Albuquerque, in nearly the exact center of the state. Santa Fe has limited connector service, and a few of the state's minor cities, such as Farmington, Roswell, Taos and Hobbs have commuter air service. A lot of smaller towns (often resort towns) like Angel Fire have single-strip airfields that can handle private or charter planes; for air travel to these, it's best to contact the relevant town's air services to schedule flights. For travel to the southern part of the state, particularly the southwestern region, consider flying into El Paso in the extreme west of Texas. As an example, Las Cruces, the state's third-largest city, is only 45 miles from El Paso compared to 226 miles from Albuquerque. Interstate 10 and Interstate 40 cross the state east/west, the former entering between El Paso and Las Cruces and paralleling the southern border, and the latter following the route of historic Route 66 through the middle of the state....
Regions
Explore AreasUnderstanding New Mexico starts with grasping the overpowering importance of two of its geological features: the Rio Grande, which bisects the state north to south, and the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mou…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The larger cities (Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe) have some degree of public transportation, but this is still a state where you'll have to drive most of the time. Roads in New Mexico are generally well maintained and driving itself can be a pleasurable experience. Although only a few roads are designated scenic drives, most rural highways in the western two thirds of the state provide splendid vistas. However, if you are behind the wheel, please remain attentive to the road and the local driving habits. New Mexico has road conditions and situations that may be different than your own; use caution and drive defensively at all times. Speed limits on interstates are normally 75 miles per hour, except in urban and mountainous areas areas where the speed limit typically drops to 65. Multilane US and state highways have rural speed limits ranging from 45 to 75 miles per hour. Two-lane rural highways have speed limits in the range of 45-65 miles per hour.
Language & Talk
New Mexico is very much like the rest of the U.S. in that English is almost universally spoken. However, uniquely among U.S. states, in New Mexico, both English and Spanish are official languages. Spanish place names and personal names are best pronounced in Spanish. Anglicizing the pronunciation can be considered rude here. In the North Central and Northwest regions, you'll have a good chance of running into people for whom English is a second, or even third, language, behind Spanish or a Native American language. The largest Native American language (in terms of both frequency of use and number of speakers) in New Mexico is Navajo, and you might hear it spoken while in the state, especially in towns on or close to the Navajo Nation (like Grants or Gallup).
Safety Information
Safety Overview
New Mexicans share the same cultural norms as the rest of the United States, although there are some state-specific things to look out for. If you're planning on crossing into Mexico, the crossings at Juarez (reached via El Paso or Santa Teresa) are far busier than the one near Columbus, with all that entails -- longer lines on the US side, but more to do once you're over the border. The mercado is busy, schlocky, and colorful. One warning: the drinking age in Juarez is 18, and on weekends, many younger students at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, and at colleges in El Paso, make the pilgrimage to indulge. Traffic back into Las Cruces can be frightening at such times. Be cautious. Due to the drug war in Mexico, the security situation in Juarez may be bad. For more on that topic see the article on Juarez.