New Mexico Mini Guide
Parts of New Mexico remain as they were when America was first discovered and the south western state is home to Indian tribes. Much of Northwest New Mexico is taken up by the Navajo Nation Indian reservation which covers over 27,000 square miles. Unsurprisingly there is also a large Hispanic population in New Mexico and many of the place names are in Spanish such as the Rio Grande (Big River) which can be found in southwest New Mexico.
One of America’s most popular roads went through the Northeast region of New Mexico, the iconic Route 66. Although Route 66 no longer exists, the road once symbolised the American dream of freedom and heading west. The Santa Fe Trail blazed by traders also went through northeast New Mexico.
The two main cities of New Mexico were built at elevation and you may wish to take precautions against altitude sickness. Car rental
Albuquerque is the best way to see New Mexico’s biggest, sprawling city which began life in the 1880s when a railroad was built nearby. Situated at more than 4,000 feet above sea level, Albuquerque nevertheless gets blisteringly hot during the summer. The main airport there is Albuquerque International.
New Mexico’s capital is
Santa Fe which is the highest state capital in the United States at around 7,000 feet. It is also reckoned to be the oldest city in America dating back to the 17th century and so a must see in terms of its historical and cultural heritage. Known as the ‘city different’ Santa Fe is full of contrasts and there is a wide gap between the rich and the poor here. However, the city still welcomes thousands of tourists every year. Conspiracy theorists might also be attracted to the town of Roswell which is where an alien craft is thought to have crashed in 1947.