New Mexico Nomad

06/02/2026

Three prospectors found placer gold while stopping for a drink at Bear Creek on May 18, 1860. As word of the discovery spread, hundreds of miners flocked to the area. Placer gold was initially plentiful, but as the output waned, miners shifted to mining the stone to extract veins of gold, silver, and copper.

06/01/2026

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is one of the few locations in New Mexico set aside solely based on Jornada Mogollon rock art. The number and density of petroglyphs make it one of the largest and most interesting petroglyphs sites in the Southwest.

The basalt ridge, extending across the valley, features over 21,000 petroglyphs, including masks, sunbursts, wildlife, handprints, and geometric designs. A 1/2-mile trail begins at the visitor shelter and links many of the most interesting petroglyphs.

For the curious, the trail continues for several miles, with petroglyphs lining the route. Another short trail (Village Trail) begins on the east side of the picnic area, leading to a partially excavated prehistoric village.

05/30/2026

The Zuni Mountains have big, open meadows and forested slopes with peaks up to 9,256 feet. Loads of trails, lots of camping, and, typically, there aren't many people. The scenery is vastly different than the red sandstone visible from I-40...when there is rain, it is unexpectedly green. 😍

05/29/2026

So many beautiful places to explore in New Mexico... 😍

05/28/2026

El Morro National Monument is on NM-53 between Grants and Zuni. The towering mesa provided refuge for the Zuni in the late 1200s, with multiple structures on top of the cliffs.

Runoff pools at the base. The rare, reliable source of water has attracted humans for thousands of years, with petroglyphs and etchings marking the passing of many groups of people across the centuries.

05/27/2026

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉

We’ve been named the #1 Best Scenic Train Ride in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

THANK YOU to everyone who voted, shared, and supported us throughout the campaign. This recognition belongs to our passengers, staff, volunteers, supporters, and the communities that help keep our historic railroad moving forward.

From the towering peaks of the San Juan Mountains to 64 miles of unforgettable steam railroading history, we’re honored to share this experience with visitors from around the world.

Congratulations to the outstanding railroads recognized in this year’s Top 10 rankings:

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-scenic-train-ride/

05/27/2026

Navajo Tours USA 😁

You don't need two weeks. You need one unforgettable day. 🌅

Professional-grade desert immersion. Small group, expert guide, golden hour included. Your schedule, our logistics.

05/27/2026

🐶🐈🐱🐕🐕‍🦺

🚨 Our dog kennels and puppy pens are full. Completely, heartbreakingly full. And they just keep coming.

We need help right now, despite our most agile and creative team utilizing every resource, program, and square inch of space. Piles of puppies haven’t been with us long enough to transfer to Colorado yet — state law requires two DAPP vaccines before they can go — so they are here available for adoption while space keeps disappearing. We have wonderful adult dogs of every breed and size and temperament scanning every face that walks by, hoping this is finally their person.

We are also in a foster crisis moment, and even our staff members’ own homes are overflowing with foster babies. If you can’t locate our foster team, just stop and listen for the office space that mews, because each of them travels with boxes of bottle babies. Litters of underage self-feeding kittens are in kennels waiting for foster and they do not need much — just a small corner of your home, a warm place to sleep, food in tiny bowls, and a few weeks to grow big enough for adoption. We have dogs in our prison foster program and dogs in paid boarding waiting for someone to choose them. And this morning, we arrived to take in six two-week-old puppies after being cruelly abandoned in a box and a tiny, tiny kitten somehow left alone in a parking lot.

Adopt. Foster. Share. Say yes to one animal. Tell a friend. Open a spare room, a bathroom, a laundry room, a quiet corner in a kennel. Right now there are too many paws, too many hopeful eyes, and not enough space.

‼️PS: we offer FREE spay and neuter surgeries to the entire state of New Mexico. Call 505-753-8662 ext 2 to schedule. Surgery appointment also includes free microchip and free vaccines!

🐾 To foster: apply on our website and email [email protected]

🐾 To adopt: we are open to walk-in adopters Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm. For pets offsite in foster care, prison programs, our Puppy Patch at Ojo Santa Fe, or in boarding, please submit an application on our website to schedule a meet up. We also have cats available at the Santa Fe Cat Cafe, no appointment needed!

05/27/2026

Santa Fe is the highest state capital in the United States, sitting at an elevation of approximately 6,998 to 7,199 feet above sea level. The air is thin at that altitude. Alcohol enters your bloodstream faster, making margaritas seem far more potent.

Founded in 1610, Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the United States. It is also the oldest European settlement west of the Mississippi River. The winding maze of streets and narrow alleys was created for burros and donkeys pulling carts, not cars.

In terms of the adobe aesthetic, commercial and residential buildings are designed based on the Historical Style Ordinance, which requires adobe-style structures, with flat roofs, rounded corners, and earth-toned walls.