New Mexico Destination

New Mexico Top 10 Destination
By Greg Rondelli

Carlsbad Caverns Amid enormous rock formations, crystalclear pools and gigantic subterranean chambers lies southeastern New Mexico’s top attraction, Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Geologists believe that the caverns began forming about 250 million years ago, when a vast shallow sea covered part of the state. Today, the park contains more than 97 known caves, including Lechuguilla Cave, the nation’s deepest limestone cave at 1,567 feet. Carlsbad Caverns is highly accessible, with a variety of tours offered year-round. The geologic treasure has been a national park since 1930.

Into the abyss: Carlsbad Caverns, right, contains gigantic subterranean chambers and formations that are home to some 300,000 Mexican free-tail bats.
Santa Fe Santa Fe’s remarkable history, art and cultural heritage make it among the nation’s top tourist destinations. Starting with the Santa Fe plaza, the city’s 1.7 million annual visitors can fan out to see more than 300 galleries or visit several top-flight museums, including the Palace of the Governors, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of International Folk Art and Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Santa Fe’s tourists add about $26.2 million to the local economy. Other attractions are St. Francis Cathedral, and the Loretto Chapel and its legendary Miraculous Staircase, which spirals upward without a center pole for support.

Stepping up: Above, the Loretto Chapel’s “Miraculous Staircase,” was built sometime between 1877 and 1881. Both its builder and its engineering remain subjects of Santa Fe mystery.
Taos Ski Valley One of New Mexico’s most celebrated ski resorts, Taos Ski Valley is a year-round alpine playground, famed for its slopes in winter and hiking, biking and horseback riding in summer. It remains one of the few familyowned and operated ski resorts in North America. In addition to snow adventures, there’s the nearby Kit Carson Home & Museum, as well as the five-story adobe Taos Pueblo, which is the largest multistory pueblo in existence. Downhill run: Taos Ski Valley’s first lift, a Bridger-Boseman J-Bar, was installed by Ernie Blake, 16 men from Taos Pueblo and a mule named Lightning in fall 1956.
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad One of northern New Mexico’s most nostalgic attractions is the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a historic train that runs on a limited schedule between Chama and Antonito, Colo.