Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

There is not a cave or cavern in the entire United States which evokes such astonishment and awe from visitors as does Carlsbad Caverns. This is not the largest cave system in the country, that distinction goes to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, but Carlsbad has more fantastic formations, contains the largest rooms and the largest population of bats.

The first time I visited Carlsbad Caverns was with my Dad when I was about 9-years-old. I returned as a middle-aged adult and was amazed at how much of it I remembered from the first visit. This amazing subterranean world had made a memmorable impression on my young mind that will last a lifetime.

Fort Union National Monument, New Mexico

Fort Union was built by Lt. Col. Edwin V. Sumner and his men in 1851 as a protector of the Santa Fe Trail. It was the third fort to be built in this remote part of New Mexico, and the largest ever built in the American southwest. The fort is in ruins today but has been stabilized and there is a very nice visitor center with museum exhibits that tell the story of the fort and the Santa Fe Trail.

The Santa Fe Trail was essentially an international commercial wagon road leading from Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was in use from 1821 until 1880, when the railroad reached Santa Fe and the trail and fort were abandoned.

A 1.6 mile self-guided interpretative trail with numerous exhibits, takes visitors through the ruins of the old fort and grounds. When I was at Fort Union with my son, Chris, we especially enjoyed walking across the arid prairie in the actual wagon ruts of the old trail which remain to this day.

New Mexico State Capitol, Santa Fe

The architecture of the New Mexico statehouse is unique among state capitol buildings. New Mexicans call it The Roundhouse because it is, well, round - with four protruding entrances. It is built to resemble the Zia Sun Symbol when viewed from above. The building contains 232,346 square and was dedicated on Dec. 8, 1966.

Inside, the center Rotunda measures 44 feet in diameter and is 60 feet high. It is finished with Travertine marble native to New Mexico and inlaid with a turquoise and brass mosaic of the Great Seal of New Mexico. The ceiling skylight, with blue and pale pink stained glass represents the sky and earth. It is designed to resemble an Indian basket weave.

On the third floor balcony the flags of New Mexico’s 33 counties are on display.On the first floor (below ground level) are the semicircular State House and Senate chambers. Visitors galleries for viewing the House and Senate are on the second story, which is at ground level. The third floor contains offices for legislative committee offices, and on the fourth (top) floor are offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and legislative Council Service.

The capitol grounds cover 6.5 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. More than 100 varieties of plants may be seen here, including roses, plums, almonds, nectarines, Russian olive trees, and sequoias. Interspersed with the plantings statuary of native Pueblo peoples carrying pottery and hunting. Visitors to the capitol may take self-guided tours Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guided tours are also available by appointment.

Pecos National Historical Park, New Mexico

The ruins of the 15th-century Pueblo of Pecos is preserved in this park, along with the remains of two Spanish colonial missions built in the 17th and 18th centuries. Visitors may also see sections of the Santa Fe trail, the site of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass, and what remains of a pioneer cattle ranch. Pecos National Monument was authorized in 1965, and redesignated a National Historical Park in 1990. It consists of the Pecos and Glorieta units.

I visited here on a beautiful morning in mid-May with my son, Christopher. Our hike around the 1.25-mile self-guided trail took us past the ruins, and was also rewarded with several bird and wildlife sightings, including a huge (but harmless) bull snake which slithered across our path. We also enjoyed the visitor center with interpretive exhibits and orientation film.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico

Gila (HEE-la) Cliff Dwellings National Monument in southwestern New Mexico provides an intriguing glimpse into the homes and lives of native Americans of the Mogollon culture who lived in this rugged canyon in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The surroundings in the Gila Wilderness probably look today very much as they did when the cliff dwellers lived here, 200 years before Christopher Columbus set sail across the Atlantic.

From the visitor center, a one-mile loop trail leads to and through the cliff dwellings and takes about one hour. The trail begins by crossing the Gila River on a footbridge. The trail is steep in places, and there are drop-offs. The unpaved trail is rugged, and on our trip, Dec. 29, there were several patches of very slick ice. Mud can be a problem in warmer weather. The trail climbs 180 feet, including several sets of stairs, and there are no rails. The views of the canyon along the way and from the cliff dwellings are very rewarding.

About half way up the trail you will make a sharp turn and from there if you look up you will catch your first glimpse of the Gila Cliff Dwellings. Most Mogollon communities built on open, flat terrraces near their fields. Archeologists do not know why this band of 30 to 40 people chose to live in caves. It is speculated that they may have gotten the idea from the Anasazi in the north, who were experienced cliff dwellers and influenced the Mogollon in many ways during this period.

The cliff dwellers used rustic wooden ladders to climb up to or down from their homes. On the loop trail, the ascent is made by way of a set of stairs, and the descent by ladder. Those who do not want to climb down the ladder may retrace their steps and go back down the stairs. From here the trail loops a different return route to the beginning. However, on the day we were there in late December, the return trail was closed due to ice, so we went back the way we had come - which was still quite icy.