New Mexico and the surrounding western states offer unparalleled scenery, fascinating cultural history and beautiful weather. To find your route, see Maps: Regional Maps. Snowcapped peaks and multicolored bluffs form the backdrop for a tour of the rich cultural and natural history of Northwestern New Mexico. Unique geologic features of the area include La Ventana natural arch, an ice cave and Bandera Crater.
Traveling along the state's western edge, you'll be in the heart of Indian Country, which is why this road is included in New Mexico's Native Heritage Trail system of scenic byways. Zuni Pueblo is famous for its silver and turquoise jewelry; permission is required to visit the ruins at Hawikuh and the Village of the Great Kivas. Gallup, a major trading center for Native American arts, hosts tribal ceremonial events throughout the year.
Driving north through the Navajo Reservation, you'll pass remarkable rock formations culminating with Shiprock Pinnacle. This area on the edge of the Navajo Reservation is an outdoorsman's paradise and history buffs won't be disappointed either. Farmington is known as Totah, or "meeting place of the waters," because the Animas and La Plata Rivers empty into the San Juan River here; they provide some of the best fishing in the state.
The Totah Festival is held here each September. Three marinas at Navajo Lake provide access for boating and fishing. Civilization flourished atop the mesas here for hundreds of years; before that, prehistoric sharks swam in an inland sea. This route connects both eras to the present day. The eerie mushroom-shaped rocks you'll see here were once underwater, and fossils abound.
Just a few miles away is Chaco Canyon; between AD and it was a major political, economic and religious center; the Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves its legacy. On your way back toward Grants, stop in Crownpoint for exquisite Navajo woven rugs. Take time to explore Pueblos and Hispanic farming villages along this winding road.
