New Mexico Parks and Recreation Areas - Page 2

There was money to be made in transporting New Mexico serapes and other woolen goods to Los Angeles, and in wrangling California-bred horses and mules back to Santa Fe. But a viable overland route across the remote deserts and mountains of Mexicos far northern frontier had to be found. read more...

Phone: (505) 988-6888   Price Range: N/A   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Santa Fe   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Historic Trail   Activities: Biking / Bicycling   Details Provided By: Old Spanish National Historic Trail

Fort Union was established in 1851 by Lieutenant Colonel Edwin V. Sumner as a guardian and protector of the Santa Fe Trail. During it's forty-year history, three different forts were constructed close together. The third and final Fort Union was the largest in the American Southwest, and functioned as a military garrison, territorial arsenal, and military supply depot for the southwest. Today, visitors use a self-guided tour path to visit the second fort and the large, impressive ruins of the third Fort Union. The largest visible network of Santa Fe Trail ruts can be seen here. read more...

Phone: (505) 425-8025   Price Range: $0 - $3   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Watrous   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Monument   Activities: Hiking, Interpretive Programs   Details Provided By: Fort Union

Established to preserve Carlsbad Cavern and numerous other caves within a Permian-age fossil reef, the park contains more than 100 known caves, including Lechuguilla Cave the nation's deepest limestone cave at 1,567 feet (478m) and fourth longest. read more...

Phone: (505) 785-2232   Price Range: $0 - $6   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Carlsbad   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park   Activities:   Details Provided By: Carlsbad Cavern

Between 1821 and 1880, the Santa Fe Trail was primarily a commercial highway connecting Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico. From 1821 until 1846, it was an international commercial highway used by Mexican and American traders. In 1846, the Mexican-American War began. The Army of the West followed the Santa Fe Trail to invade New Mexico. When the Treaty of Guadalupe ended the war in 1848, the Santa Fe Trail became a national road connecting the United States to the new southwest territories. Commercial freighting along the trail continued, including considerable military freight hauling to supply the southwestern forts. The trail was also used by stagecoach lines, thousands of gold seekers heading to the California and Colorado gold fields, adventurers, fur trappers, and emigrants. In 1880 the railroad reached Santa Fe and the trail faded into history. read more...

Phone: (505) 988-6888   Price Range: N/A   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Santa Fe   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Historic Trail   Activities: Hiking, Auto Touring, Interpretive Programs   Details Provided By: Santa Fe National Historic Trail

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro is recognized throughout the United States of America and Los Estados Unidos de Mexico as a timeless route of trade and cultural exchange and interaction among Spaniards and other Europeans, American Indians, Mexicans, and Americans, which shaped individual lives and communities and affected settlement and development in the greater Southwest. Recognition of this route as an international historic trail will commemorate a shared cultural heritage and contribute in a meaningful way to eliminating cultural barriers and enriching the lives of people along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. read more...

Phone: 505-988-6888   Price Range: N/A   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Santa Fe   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Historic Trail   Activities: Auto Touring, Interpretive Programs   Details Provided By: El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro

Mammoths, giant bison, and short-faced bears were witness to the first tremblings of the earth and firework-like explosions of molten rock thousands of feet into the air. Approximately 60,000 years ago, the rain of cooling cinders and four lava flows formed Capulin Volcano, a nearly perfectly-shaped cinder cone, rising more than 1000 feet above the surrounding landscape. Although long extinct, Capulin Volcano is dramatic evidence of the volcanic processes that shaped northeastern New Mexico. read more...

Phone: (505) 278-2201   Price Range: $3 - $5   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Capulin   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Monument   Activities: Birding, Hiking, Wildlife Watching, Auto Touring, Interpretive Programs   Details Provided By: Capulin Volcano