Historic Sights

Explore the Astounding El Morro National Monument

Explore El Morro Inspiration Rock When you’ve had your fill of negotiating the boot-eating lava fields of nearby El Malpais National Monument, there’s an easier trail you can hike — one that’s just as interesting. It takes you around Inspiration Rock at El Morro National Monument where you can explore hundreds of petroglyphs left by […]

El Malpais Offers a Wonderland for Visitors

The Spaniards called the massive lava flows El Malpais (pronounced ehl MAHL-pie-EES), which translates to “the badlands.” The site is located south of the New Mexico town of Grants and a 90-minute drive from Albuquerque. Despite their name, these lavas flows that are part of El Malpais National Monument are, in fact, a wonderland and […]

Astonishing Ancients at Petroglyph National Monument

If you’d like to take a “cool” walk this winter, you might consider Albuquerque’s Petroglyph National Monument. Temperatures will be much lower than in July and, for certain, the kids or grandkids will think the park is extra chill. Petroglyph National Monument consists of a 17-mile-long stretch of volcanic basalt escarpment comprising Albuquerque’s West Mesa. […]

Exploring the Salinas Pueblo Missions

The Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is just more than an hour from Albuquerque and provides an opportunity to study the history of both the Indigenous people who first settled there and the Spaniards who came to establish missions. Visiting these three sites makes a great day trip from Albuquerque. New Mexico’s history stretches far […]

Exploring the Historic Buildings of Albuquerque’s Nob Hill

History of Nob Hill The popular Nob Hill area of Albuquerque, with its Route 66 connections, historic homes and businesses, and bright neon lights, was first developed in the mid-1920s. The commercial strip began to develop in the 1930s at Central and Carlisle. In 1937, Central was designated as U.S. Route 66. In addition to eclectic […]

Fort Union: Amazing New Mexico Battles

In March 1862 Confederate General Henry Sibley marched his 2,500-man Texas contingent toward Albuquerque intent on capturing the Union depot and resupplying his troops. Little did he know, he would soon flee New Mexico for good. For not quite a year, Yankees and Rebels back east had fought the Civil War. In July 1861, John […]