A practical 9-day loop through Northern New Mexico: Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos and the Enchanted Circle, with the High Road, Ghost Ranch and a steam railroad along the way.
Northern New Mexico is one of the great cultural road trips in the American Southwest: a compact circle of high-desert mesas, 13,000 ft mountains, ancient pueblos and the red-rock country that Georgia O'Keeffe made famous. This Northern New Mexico road trip itinerary runs as a relaxed nine-day loop from Albuquerque, stringing together the region's finest scenic byways with short driving days and plenty of time to stop.
The loop starts and ends in Albuquerque, the main airport hub. From there it climbs to Santa Fe, takes the scenic High Road to Taos, swings north to the steam railroad at Chama, drops through Georgia O'Keeffe's Abiquiú, and returns through the volcanic Jemez Mountains. Driving legs are short, rarely more than two and a half hours, so the focus stays on the places rather than the road.
This is a culture-and-scenery drive rather than a hard adventure. It suits travellers who enjoy art, history, food and big landscapes, with optional hikes and a famous mountain railway. Any vehicle copes from late spring to autumn. The altitude, not the driving, is the main physical challenge: much of the route sits well above 5,000 ft.
Nine days gives you two nights each in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos and a single night in the smaller stops. With less time, base in Santa Fe and day-trip to Taos and the Jemez. With more, add nights for the Enchanted Circle or White Sands further south.
Start in New Mexico's largest city. Ride the Sandia Peak Tramway for a 10,000 ft overlook, explore Old Town's adobe plaza, and see centuries-old rock carvings at Petroglyph National Monument. Two nights let you settle into the altitude.
Drive up via the Turquoise Trail to the oldest state capital in the country. Walk the Plaza, browse the galleries of Canyon Road, and visit the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Santa Fe is also the best place on the route to eat, from green-chile classics to fine dining.
Take the High Road, the winding mountain route through Chimayó and old Spanish villages, rather than the faster valley road. Base in Taos for two nights: visit Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage site lived in for over a thousand years, walk out onto the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, and set aside a day for the 84-mile Enchanted Circle around Wheeler Peak.
Eight days through the finest UNESCO towns of Bohemia and Moravia: Prague's Astronomical Clock, the bone church of Kutná Hora, Telč's Renaissance square, the fairy-tale castle bend of Český Krumlov and Pilsner Urquell in Plzeň.
Head west and north to the little railroad town of Chama. The highlight is the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a coal-fired steam train that climbs over the 10,015 ft Cumbres Pass on the highest narrow-gauge line in the United States. Book ahead; it runs from late May to October only.
Drive south on US-84 into Georgia O'Keeffe's country. The banded cliffs and mesas at Ghost Ranch inspired her work for decades; hike Chimney Rock or join a landscape tour, then enjoy a quiet night by the Chama River.
Return on the Jemez Mountain Trail. Stop at the Soda Dam, look out over the Valles Caldera (a collapsed supervolcano) and detour to the cliff dwellings of Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos before the easy run back to Albuquerque.
Late May to October is the sweet spot, with open mountain passes and warm days. The most beautiful window is late September to mid-October, when the aspen turn gold on the Enchanted Circle and the High Road. July and August bring afternoon monsoon thunderstorms, and winter can close higher passes with snow.
This is a self-drive loop and any car will do in the warmer months. Fill up in larger towns, as fuel thins out around Chama, Abiquiú and the Jemez. The High Road, the Enchanted Circle and the Jemez Mountain Trail are slow, winding and worth every minute, so plan for lower average speeds than the map suggests.
Altitude is the thing to respect here. Drink more water than usual, take hikes gently for the first couple of days, and pack layers for cool mountain nights. Carry snacks and a full tank on the quieter byways, and check seasonal opening for Taos Pueblo, Ghost Ranch tours, Bandelier shuttles and the Cumbres & Toltec railroad before you set out.
Ready to plan it in detail? Use our full Northern New Mexico route below to see every stop, driving leg and overnight on the map.
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The full route — stops, maps, and driving times — is on Routebook by Kington.
A 9-day loop through Northern New Mexico from Albuquerque: the High Road to Taos, ancient pueblos, the Enchanted Circle, a steam railroad at Chama, Georgia O'Keeffe's red-rock country and the volcanic Jemez Mountains.
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