Have you ever wished your RV could double as a time machine? If you’re craving a road trip that transports you through centuries of history, quirky towns, and jaw-dropping vistas, look no further than New Mexico’s Turquoise Trail. This 65-mile National Scenic Byway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe is a hidden gem that’s packed with ancient ruins, mining lore, and artist enclaves-without the crowds of more famous routes.
Here, you’ll pass through landscapes where Puebloan miners once chiseled turquoise, where Spanish conquistadors rode in search of riches, and where ghost towns have been reborn as creative havens. Buckle up: this is one trip where your GPS might as well be set to “the past.”
1. Start at Tijeras: Gateway to Ancient Pueblo History
Kick off your journey in Tijeras, the southern gateway to the Turquoise Trail and home to the Cibola National Forest Visitor Center. This area was first inhabited by Pueblo Indians, and the Tijeras Pueblo Archaeological Site dates back to between 1313 and 1425.
The main structure here once boasted 200 rooms in a U-shape, and though the buildings remain buried out of respect for Pueblo wishes, interpretive trails and signage reveal their stories.
Two canyons converge here, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by pinon and juniper forests-plus, there’s a stretch of Route 333 where the rumble strips actually play “America the Beautiful”.
If your RV ever needed a theme song, this is it. Just don’t blame the ancestors if you start humming along out of tune.
2. Golden: Where the Gold Rush Beat California
Next up is Golden, a tiny town founded in 1825 during the first gold rush west of the Mississippi-decades before California’s more famous strike.
Golden’s placer gold deposits drew fortune-seekers and outlaws alike. Today, you can visit the historic San Francisco Catholic Church, built in 1839, and imagine the bustling mining camp that once stood here.
The area’s population may now be dwarfed by its wildflowers, but the stories are larger than life. If you don’t find gold, at least you’ll strike it rich in Instagram likes-just don’t try panning for Wi-Fi.
3. Madrid: From Coal Dust to Creative Boomtown
Madrid is your next stop, and it’s a town with more lives than a cat in a tumbleweed. Once a booming coal-mining company town with a population that may have topped 4,000, Madrid was famous for its Christmas light displays and the first lighted baseball stadium in the West.
After the coal industry collapsed, Madrid became a ghost town until artists revived it in the 1970s. Today, it’s a vibrant artist colony with galleries, shops, restaurants, and live music. The town’s quirky spirit is contagious, and you might just leave with a painting, a new friend, or a suspiciously glittery souvenir. Warning: you may also leave with a sudden urge to join a drum circle.
4. Cerrillos: Turquoise, Ghosts, and Hollywood Glam
Cerrillos is a living museum of mining history, where turquoise mined here once adorned Spain’s crown jewels. In the 1880s, the town boasted 21 saloons and four hotels, all fueled by gold, silver, and lead mining. Today, Cerrillos’ dirt streets are lined with historic adobe buildings that have starred in numerous Western films. You can visit the Cerrillos Turquoise Mining Museum or take a horseback ride through the hills.
If you listen closely, you might hear the whispers of old prospectors-or maybe just your stomach grumbling for the town’s famous green chile stew. Either way, Cerrillos proves you don’t need a DeLorean to find yourself in the Old West. Just don’t challenge a local ghost to a poker game; they’ve had centuries to practice their poker faces.
5. Sandia Crest: Panoramic Views and High-Altitude Awe
End your journey with a detour up NM 536 to Sandia Crest, which towers at 10,678 feet above sea level.
Here, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of Albuquerque, the Rio Grande Valley, and the endless New Mexico sky. The high desert ecosystem is home to ponderosa pines, white firs, and a host of wildlife-from hummingbirds to mountain lions.
On a clear day, you can see for a hundred miles, making it easy to imagine the centuries of travelers who have gazed out from this same spot. Pro tip: the air is thin up here, so take it slow-unless you want to blame your dizziness on the altitude instead of your excitement. If you shout, “I’m king of the world!” just remember the only witnesses might be a passing hawk and your slightly embarrassed co-pilot.
