Explorer’s Guide New Mexico 3E

Santa Rosa, Tucumcari

Getting your kicks is no problem out here. You’ll find plenty of vintage neon and a culture that celebrates the Route 66 era and life on the Mother Road. In addition, Santa Rosa and Conchas Dam have swimming and boating and a way to stay cool. It’s hundreds of miles of nostalgia.

GUIDANCE Santa Rosa Visitor Information Center (575-472-3763), 1085 Blue Hole Road, Santa Rosa, is a sophisticated stop with all the information and contacts you could want to experience the area fully.

Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce (575-461-1694), 404 W. Route 66. Open Mon.–Sat. 9–5; closed Sundays. Tucumcari is a traveler-friendly, professional road stop.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY Dr. Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital (575-461-7000), 301 E. Miel de Luna, Tucumcari.

Guadalupe County Hospital (575-472-3246), 535 Lake Drive, Santa Rosa.

To See

TOWNS Santa Rosa, 114 miles east of Albuquerque on I-40. This railroad-era Fourth Street Business District with its Ilfield Warehouse and many old storefronts has been known as a Route 66 stop since 1926, when the Mother Road first came through. Many landmarks are still visible in Santa Rosa, where part of the film Grapes of Wrath was shot. Plenty of colorful Route 66 establishments are still going strong in Santa Rosa, and it is, unexpectedly, known for its lakes and water sports, in particular, the Blue Hole of scuba diving fame.

Tucumcari, 173 miles east of Albuquerque on I-40. With probably the most and best-preserved vintage Route 66–era neon, including several installations that have recently been refurbished, Tucumcari is the largest town closest to the eastern border of the state. Nostalgia rules when the Blue Swallow Motel lights up at twilight. There is good access here to Conchas Lake State Park, Ute Lake State Park, and the Mesalands Scenic Byway, with plenty of wildlife viewing and excellent birding. Tucumcari has, in addition to marvelous Route 66–era architecture, with a restaurant shaped like a sombrero and a curio shop shaped like a teepee, plus the longest mural devoted to Route 66 in the United States at its convention center. Two museums of note are here—the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum and the Tucumcari Historical Museum. The name of the town is possibly derived from a Comanche term meaning “lookout point” or “signal peak.” Tucumcari Mountain was, in fact, used as a lookout for Comanche war parties. The town’s original name was “Six Shooter Siding.”

MUSEUMS images Mesalands Dinosaur Museum (575-461-3466), 222 E. Laughlin Avenue, Tucumcari. Open Labor Day–February Tues.–Sat. 12–5; March–Labor Day 10–6. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Who doesn’t love a dinosaur? An in-depth collection of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, sculptures, and exhibits are shown at Mesalands College. $6.50 adults, $5.50 seniors age 65+, $4 children and teens, under age 5 free.

Route 66 Auto Museum and Malt Shop (575-472-1966), 2436 Will Rogers Drive, Santa Rosa. Sat.–Sun. 8–5. Winter hours December–February Tues.–Sun. 10–4. If you love vintage autos, this is the place for you. While dedicated to the preservation of Route 66 custom cars and memorabilia, this museum serves darn fine chocolate malts. $5.

Tucumcari Historical Museum (575-461-4201), 416 S. Adams Street, Tucumcari. Tues.–Sat. 9–3. Closed Sundays and Mondays. If you like looking into the way people lived in the past, from their parlors to their kitchens, you will enjoy this sentimental collection of treasures: furniture, farm and ranch exhibits, Indian artifacts, and early town memorabilia. Free.

SCENIC DRIVES Mesalands Scenic Byway, 320 miles total, in Quay and Guadalupe counties. Mesa, meaning “table” in Spanish, is the term used to describe high, flat plateaus. This is the country of high lonesome, a dry, dramatic, and evocative landscape. On the southern edge of this scenic byway is the El Llano Estacado, or the Staked Plains, a 32,000-mile mesa. Estacado refers to the cap rock, a geologic feature throughout this area. The habitat of pronghorn antelope and sandhill cranes, this byway encompasses Santa Rosa in Guadalupe County and Tucumcari in Quay County.

To Do

BOATING See the state parks listed under Green Space.

Santa Rosa Park Lake Historic District (505-988-6701). Will Rogers and Lake Drive. Open for swimming Memorial Day–mid-September. Certified lifeguards are in attendance, and Park Lake is the Southwest’s largest swimming pool featuring a free water slide. Kids and seniors can fish in two stocked ponds. You can rent a pedal boat for $1 each half-hour. No overnight camping. Free.

GOLFING Tucumcari Municipal Golf Course (575-461-1849), 4465 Route 66. Five miles west of Tucumcari. Closed Mondays. This pleasant, tree-lined nine-hole golf course with the greens located between high mesas will satisfy your need to putt while in town. Greens fees for nine holes $9–16.

Green Space

MOUNTAINS Sugarite Canyon State Park (575-445-5607), northeast of Raton on NM 72 for 11 miles. 211 NM 526, Raton. Although the area endured the Track Fire the summer of 2011, the area is still popular for camping, fishing, and hiking. During the height of summer, this is a busy place, with coal camp tours, kids’ programs, and occasional evening talks by local historians and naturalists. From the wild iris of late May to wild rose, bluebell, larkspur, scarlet penstemon, blue flax, and sunflowers and aster, Sugarite is unbeatable for wildflowers. Butterflies love it here, too.

There is year-round trout fishing on Lake Maloya, one of three alpine jewel lakes surrounded by an extended cliff of basaltic rock. Hikers and mountain bikers have access to more than 12 miles of trails. Motorless boats are OK. Kayaking is becoming more popular. This is the only place in New Mexico where you can explore the ruins of a coal mining camp. The former camp post office is the colorful visitor center, with vintage photo displays. The first mine in the canyon opened in 1901, with full-scale mining beginning in 1912 with the building of the Sugarite Coal Camp. In its prime, 500 people lived, worked, shopped, worshipped, and went to school here. It was a melting pot of Italians, Slavs, Japanese, Mexican, and British. The coal camp ended in 1941, when oil replaced coal. $5 day use per vehicle; $14–18 overnight camping.

Villanueva State Park (575-421-2957), Villanueva. Take I-25 exit 323, go south 23 miles, then 15 miles south on NM 3. Nestled between 400-foot-high red and gold sandstone bluffs along the Pecos River near the Spanish colonial village of Villanueva is a picturesque, remote campground shaded by giant cottonwoods along the Pecos River. This park is a nature-dominated haven with fishing, hiking trails within views of old ranching ruins, and one trail that leads to a prehistoric Indian ruin. The 2.5-mile Canyon Trail loops from the river to the top of the canyon and back. Kayaking and canoeing are enjoyed when the water level is high enough, from early May–mid-June, usually. $5 day use; $14–18 overnight camping.

RIVERS AND LAKES Cimarron Canyon State Park (575-377-6271), 3 miles east of Eagle Nest on US 64, 28869 NM 64, eagle Nest. Open year-round. The clear Cimarron River runs through the 8 miles of forested land on both sides of US 64, with abundant elk, deer, turkey, grouse, and bear for the sighting. Two billion years of complex geology are visible here, notably, the 400-foot-high crenellated granite Palisades. But the Cimarron is best known for its excellent fly-fishing for German brown and rainbow in a variety of waters: gravel pits, beaver ponds, and running streams. For peace, wildflower viewing, and getting away from it all, whether for a day or a longer stay, the Cimarron can’t be beat. Many campers make long stays; make reservations early. The ninety-six sites in several campgrounds—Maverick and Tolby are favorites—offer good river access. The 2018 Ute Park Fire burned 37,000 acres in the area and has impacted the canyon and accommodations. $5 day use; $8–18 overnight camping.

UNIQUE ADVENTURES

Dinosaur Trackway (575-374-8808), Clayton Lake State Park. (See Clayton Lake State Park under Green Space.) More than 100 million years ago, this area was an inland sea extending from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. The creatures that roamed here left their footprints, and at least eight different species have been identified among the 500 dinosaur tracks that have been preserved, including some of the winged pterodactyl. The tracks are located on the dam spillway, at the end of a gentle 0.25-mile trail. The best times to view the tracks, when they are most clearly visible, are in morning and late-afternoon light. images images

NRA Whittington Center (575-445-3615), 10 miles southwest of Raton on US 64. Shooting ranges and lessons in all sorts of weaponry are offered. Lodging, camping, and RV hookups are available, too. Many of the world’s top competitions are played here. A variety of ranges available—skeet, sporting clays, black powder pistol, and more.

Santa Rosa Blue Hole (575-472-3763), Will Rogers Highway, Santa Rosa. A unique geological phenomenon—a natural bell-shaped artesian pool 82 feet deep with a constant water temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit year-round and visibility of 80 feet, making it ideal for training. Winter is most popular time. It is in the high desert at 4,600 feet above sea level, making the bottom equivalent to over 100 feet of ocean depth. Winter is actually the busiest season. The Santa Rosa Dive Center is open weekends to rent gear and fill tanks, and midweek by appointment. Go to the visitor center to purchase permits, 8–5 Mon.–Fri. Permits $50 weekly or $20 per day. To dive in the Blue Hole, you must have PADI or NAUI or other certification papers.

Clayton Lake State Park (575-374-8808; reservations 877-664-7787), 141 Clayton Lake Road, Clayton. Twelve miles northwest of Clayton on NM 370. Fishing and boating March–October; hiking, camping, Dinosaur Trackway. One-hundred-seventy-acre lake, a blue jewel in the desert. Boats are restricted to trolling speeds (no whitewater). During winter, the lake is a migration point for waterfowl. It’s an excellent place to spot bald eagles. The Dinosaur Trackway and boardwalk along the gentle half-mile trail provide extensive information. Among rolling grasslands near Santa Fe Trail, the lake is a waterfowl resting area in winter. $5 day; $8–18 overnight camping.

Conchas Lake State Park (575-868-2270), 501 Bell Ranch Road, Conchas Dam. New Mexico State Park and Recreation Division, Conchas Dam. Thirty-two miles northeast of Tucumcari on NM 104. This is an outstanding getaway and prime recreation spot for fishing, boating, waterskiing, wind surfing, and swimming, with 60 miles of shoreline and plenty of coves, canyons, and sandy beaches to explore. Both north and south recreation areas have well-developed marinas, stores, cafés, camping, and picnic areas. South Conchas Lodge (505-868-2988) has cozy rooms as well, plus 110 RV units. Completed in 1939 by the Army Corps of Engineers, Conchas Dam rises 200 feet above the Canadian River. The lake covers about 15 square miles, extending 4 miles up the Canadian River and 11 miles up the Conchas River. Open year-round for fishing. Abundant walleye, catfish, and largemouth bass swim the waters. Have fun! $5 day use; $8–18 overnight camping.

Coyote Creek State Park (575-387-2328), NM 434, 17 miles north of Mora on NM 434. At 7,700 feet in the eastern foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, find in this off-the-beaten-path park mountain trout fishing in the most densely stocked fishing area of the state, lovely solitude, camping, picnicking, and a 1.5-mile, easy trail through ponderosa pine. $5 day use; $8–18 overnight camping.

Santa Rosa Lake State Park (575-472-3110), Santa Rosa. The lake is actually a high plains Pecos River reservoir 7 miles from Santa Rosa on NM 91, with waterskiing, wind surfing, and excellent fishing. Canoeing, too! Stay a while with seventy-six developed camping sites and twenty-five electric sites, restrooms, showers, and a visitor center. The easy to moderate hiking trails offer wildlife viewing through 500 acres of parkland. Here also is one of the state’s few designated equestrian trails and all necessary accommodations for horses. There are two short paved wheelchair-accessible trails as well. $5 day use; $8-18 overnight camping.

Storrie Lake State Park (575-425-7278), north of Las Vegas on NM 518. Wind surfing, fishing, boating, waterskiing, picnicking. Camping and RVs. The park is open to all boating, with no horsepower restrictions, so it is geared for wind surfers and water-skiers. Kayaks and canoes are also popular here. There is year-round trout fishing as well. $5 day use; $8–18 overnight camping.

Ute Lake State Park (575-487-2284), 30 miles northeast of Tucumcari via US 54, then 3 miles west of Logan via NM 540; 1800 540 Loop, Logan. This 13-mile-long, narrow lake, producer of many state record fish, is a happy local camping destination with boating, welcome swimming in the summer heat, hiking, wildlife viewing, and fishing for walleye, bass, and catfish. $5 day use; $8–18 overnight camping.

WILDER PLACES Canadian River Canyon runs 13 miles through the Kiowa National Grasslands, approximately 10 miles northwest of Roy. The 800-foot canyon is a natural wildlife refuge in the prairie for mountain lion, wild turkey, eagles, and waterfowl. Mills Canyon Campground, offering primitive overnight camping, is located at the bottom of the gorge. A remnant herd of Barbary sheep roams through this stark, remote, and unforgettable place.

Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands (575-374-9652), 15 miles south of Clayton via NM 402 or east via US 87. Rita Blanca is 17 miles east of Clayton via US 64/56. For those who want to put their feet on the trail, here are 2 miles of Santa Fe Trail ruts, plus grasslands. In their entirety, these grasslands stretch through New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. The New Mexico section of the Kiowa National Grassland covers 136,562 acres near Roy and Clayton, with plenty of habitat for wildlife. This land was purchased by the federal government during the Great Depression following the Dust Bowl, removed from farm cultivation, planted, and maintained as grasslands.

WILDLIFE REFUGES AND AREAS Colin Neblett Wildlife Area (www.stateparks.com/colin_neblett_state_wildlife_area_in_new_mexico.html). These 36,000 acres between Eagle Nest and Cimarron along US 64 include Cimarron Canyon State Park, making it the largest state-run wildlife area for deer, elk, and other forest critters. The Cimarron River, a great German brown fishery, runs through it. Bring binoculars and cameras, and try your luck with a Rio Grande King.

Elliott S. Barker Wildlife Area (505-476-8000), 14 miles northwest of Cimarron. Here, in the heart of the northeast, find over 5,000 acres of hiking, hunting, wildlife viewing, and, should you choose, horseback riding. High-clearance vehicles are strongly recommended, as the roads can be rocky and the streams can swell in this pristine and primitive area. There’s a good chance you’ll spot bear up here. I have.

Valle Vidal (575-758-6200), 27 miles north of Cimarron off US 64. The name of this unit of the Carson National Forest means “valley of life.” If you’ve ever longed to see herds of magnificent, noble elk in their natural setting, this is your best bet, particularly at twilight. The Valle Vidal is 100,000 acres of specially managed prime elk habitat, home to a herd of 1,700 elk, in the Carson National Forest. Also, in season, find fishing and backcountry camping. A word of warning: be sure your spare tire is in good working order. Perhaps it is our karma, perhaps it is the loose rocks in the road, but we get a flat every time we come up here. If you drive the entirety, from north of Cimarron across to Costilla, you’ll put 64 miles on your vehicle.

Lodging

BED & BREAKFASTS, INNS, AND MOTELS Blue Swallow Motel (575-461-9849), 815 E. Route 66, Tucumcari. Owned and operated by Lillian Redman, a former Harvey Girl, for over 40 years; current owners keep the tradition of this Route 66 beacon alive. With its classic Route 66 neon, the 1939 humble stucco motel, with eight rooms, preserves its comfy, vintage character. $75–129.

CABINS AND CAMPING Santa Rosa Campground (888-898-1999 or 575-472-3126), 2136 Route 66, Santa Rosa. Open year-round. With the extra added attractions of the Western Bar-B-Q (served each evening 5–8), homemade peach cobbler (in the restaurant with an outdoor patio), beer and wine, plus free Wi-Fi, you can enjoy all manner of camping. There are seventy pull-through RV sites, tent sites, and a cabin where you can get out of the camper and stretch out for a while. There’s a gift shop, playground, heated swimming pool, laundry facilities and 50-amp services, groceries, and supplies here as well. $30.

Where to Eat

EATING OUT images Del’s Restaurant & Gift Shop (575-461-1740), 1202 E. Route 66, Tucumcari. L, D. Closed Sundays. If you are actually eating a meal in Tucumcari, Del’s is your best bet. This place, a standard roadside family diner that retains its original 1956 flavor (courtesy of the owners, sisters Yvonne and Yvette), serves reliably good homemade American cooking, the kind you long to find on a cross-country drive, as popular with locals as with travelers. The burgers are juicy, and the chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes and cream gravy is a triumph, as good as the best on the road. Even liver is on the menu! Yummy beef taquitas, too. The salad bar is more than respectable, and two homemade soups are included. Inexpensive–Moderate.

Joseph’s Bar & Grill (505-472-1234), 865 Will Rogers Drive, Santa Rosa. I usually eat here when I’m in town, and by now I can’t tell if it’s for the food or the nostalgia. This establishment is the offspring of the original Joseph’s, and it does lean a bit on its reputation. You won’t go wrong with the enchiladas, and don’t pass up the gift shop. Expect a good helping of local friendliness. Inexpensive–Moderate.

La Cita (575-461-7866), 812 S. 1st Street, Tucumcari. L, D. You’ll want to have your picture taken here, for sure, so you can show the world you actually dined in a sombrero. The Mexican food isn’t the greatest, and some think the portions are too small for the price, but it’s not bad, either, and you’ll have so much fun you probably won’t notice. The neon was part of the Route 66 sign restoration project. Inexpensive.

Pow Wow Restaurant & Lizard Lounge (575-461-2587), 801 Route 66, Tucumcari. L, D. This place is dark and would be smoky, if smoking were allowed. It is, and always has been, the premier town hangout, the place where visiting politicians rub elbows with the locals, the cowboys, the Indian traders, and the Route 66 tourists from Germany. It is also a good place to order a steak. Lunch buffet daily, more than decent New Mexico food. Mother Road art. Moderate.

Silver Moon Cafe (575-472-3162), 3501 Will Rogers Drive, Santa Rosa. Open daily. B, L, D. Serving travelers since 1959, with that cool Route 66 neon lighting up the night and home-cooked meals lighting up smiles. Spiffy gift shop. Tasty Mexican and American food served here.

Entertainment

Aside from occasional live performance events at the Shuler Theater in Raton, the best we are likely to come up with in the way of nightlife is a drink at the bar of the historic hotel or the chance to catch a movie at a vintage theater, such as the El Raton. The Shuler, too, has recently installed state-of-the art digital screening equipment, and is once again a movie palace. Mostly, folks go to bed early here, so it’s a good place to catch up on your reading or do some stargazing. You can catch a first run, independent, or classic film at the Indigo Theater (505-434-4444); 146 Bridge Street, Las Vegas, a boutique theater that is an experience in itself.

Selective Shopping

Tee Pee Curios (575-461-3773), 924 E. Route 66, Tucumcari. Not only is this a classic Route 66 photo op, with the front of the shop a white concrete teepee painted in bright turquoise lettering, but inside you can find every T-shirt, shot glass, key chain, and travel souvenir of your road trip that you could ever imagine. A highly amusing must-do. Its neon was one of the nine restored Route 66 signs.

Special Events

January: Ice Fishing Tournament and Chile Dinner (575-377-2420), Eagle Nest. Look for this event midmonth, all you frozen fish lovers.

February: Moonlight Ski Tours and Headlamp Snowshoe Tours (575-754-2374), Enchanted Forest XC Ski and Snowshoe Area, Red River.

May: Guided ruins tours and cultural demonstrations, Pecos National Historical Park (505-757-7241), weekends, Memorial Day–Labor Day.

June: Mule Days (888-376-2417), Maverick Rodeo Grounds, Cimarron. Raton Rodeo (580-795-5703), York Canyon Rodeo Grounds, Raton. Las Vegas Celebrates the Arts (505-425-1085), Las Vegas, tours of artist studios. Fort Union Days (505-425-8025), Fort Union National Monument, Watrous. Santa Fe Trail Rendezvous (575-445-3615), Raton, mountain man gathering, NRA Whittington Center.

July: Maverick Club Parade and Rodeo (888-376-2417), Fourth of July, Maverick Arena, NM 64, Cimarron. Longest running open rodeo in the West. Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks (575-377-2420), Eagle Nest. Route 66 Celebration (877-795-2200), Convention Center, 1500 W. Route 66, Tucumcari.

August: Las Vegas Places with a Past: Historic Home and Buildings Tour (505-425-8803; www.lasvegasnm.org), Las Vegas, first Sat. Colfax County Fair (575-445-8071), Springer Armory, Springer. Cakewalk, parade, pie contest, barbecue dinner; second weekend. Music From Angel Fire (888-377-3300; www.musicfromangelfire.org). Outstanding classical music performances throughout northern New Mexico in Raton, Las Vegas, Angel Fire, late August–early September.

September: Cimarron Days Festival (888-376-2417), Village Park, NM 64, Cimarron, Labor Day weekend. Raspberry Roundup, (575-387-2900) Salman Ranch, Labor Day weekend into September, generally the first three weeks of the month. Fresh raspberries and raspberry treats abound in country store at La Cueva Historic District. Cleveland Roller Mill Festival (575-387-2645), Cleveland, Labor Day weekend. This is the only weekend of the year when the creaky old mill operates, and it is a true festival of northern New Mexico dance, food, and crafts. Wagon Mound Bean Days (www.beanday100.com/), Wagon Mound, celebrates the days when Wagon Mound was the bean capital of the world, with barbecue worth waiting in line for, crafts, parade, and politicians aboard floats. Nara Visa Cowboy Poetry Gathering (505-633-2272) Nara Visa, third weekend. As much local color, with music and rhyme, as you can find anywhere. Annual Route 66 Festival (visitsantarosanm.com). Come on out and get your kicks here in Santa Rosa. Shortgrass Music Festival, (575-376-2417) Cimarron.

October: Clayton Arts Festival (575-374-9253), Clayton, first weekend. A long-established, much-anticipated, profuse display of western art. Artesanos del Valle Tour, Las Vegas area, first weekend. Diverse and wonderful artists’ studio tour.

November–December: City of Bethlehem (575-445-3689), Raton. Thanksgiving weekend through Christmas holidays, enjoy a nostalgic tour of life-size cartoon characters that guide the way up into Climax Canyon, where the Christmas story is presented high in the rocky hills, accompanied by seasonal music. This free event is an annual family favorite. Christmas on the Chicorica—1,500 luminarias (575-445-5607).