What to see and do in and around Mountainair

Deer Canyon Preserve is located in an ideal location of New Mexico from which to explore the Land of Enchantment and will keep you occupied for some time to come. There are many sites devoted to the Land of Enchantment (see the Links - New Mexico section for websites) so this page will focus on spotlighting different areas each month. Where possible I will try to include links from personal websites as these sites tend to provide a little more color and personal touch to what can be found in the area. So tune in for more !!

Exploring the Jemez Mountain Trail

This picturesque trail takes travelers from Albuquerque to Santa Fe via Bernalillo, a variety of Spanish and Indian ruins, the Cornado and Jemez State Monuments, Los Alamos, and the Bandelier National Monument.  The trail can be easily accessed by taking Interstate 25 from Albuquerque to Bernalillo. At exit 242, take Highway 44 west to San Ysidro where the trail begins. Take Highway 4 to Jemez Springs, or Highway 44 to Cuba.

This is a beautiful scenic drive which will take you past amazing geological formations, ancient Indian ruins and an Indian pueblo. The area is rich in logging, mining and ranching heritage, as well. Points of interest include Jemez State Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Soda Dam, Cabezon, Battleship Rock and the Spence and Jemez Mountain hot springs.

For those of you interested in spending more time exploring the area there is plenty of camping, fishing, hiking and cycling. Please click on the links below to find out more.

Jemez Mountain Trail Pictures (click picture to view slideshow)

Jemez Mountain Trail

NM State Site for the Jemez Mountain Trail

Jemez Valley Business Association

The Heart of New Mexico

National Scenic Byways Program

Jemez Pueblo

Cycling the Jemez Mountain Trail

Bandolier National Park

Informative Article