The area around Santa Fe is some of the most scenic in the country.
By Judy Hennessey Special to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
... And so I have returned, like so many writers, artists, archeologists and architects in the past. For more than two decades I return several times a year; each time I discover something new. Each time I dig deeper. The more I dig the more I understand what makes Santa Fe and New Mexico so unique. For starters, Santa Fe is steeped in history. It is the oldest state capital in the country, dating to 1610. If you only have time for one museum, visit the New Mexico History Museum with something for everyone. It tells the story of the earliest indigenous people, the Spanish conquistadors, the cultures and conflicts from the past and the more recent history of the building of the atomic bomb in Los Alamos.
It encompasses the Palace of the Governors, built by order of the Spanish crown in 1610, the oldest public building in continuous use in the United States. Not far away is the Barrio de Analco, a national historic district and location of San Miguel Chapel (circa 1610), the oldest church in the continental United States. Museum Hill has an even larger campus with four museums crisscrossing art, history and culture.
A few short road trips will reveal more jaw-dropping scenery. Sanctuario de Chimayo, a National Historic Landmark, is a 25-minute drive and a place of miracles. It’s considered the most important Catholic pilgrimage site in the U.S. Pecos National Historical Park offers a chance to walk the walk, literally, via an interactive trail through the crossroads of cultures and amazing, preserved dwellings. If Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project is of interest, it’s a day trip (35 miles). Bandelier National Monument, near Los Alamos is definitely worth the stop with cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and evidence of human presence going back 11,000 years. You could spend weeks exploring. Local companies offer tours which help narrow down to the highlights.
Artists from all over the world have flocked to Santa Fe for the light, landscapes, skyscapes and melding of cultures that allows freedom of expression. Many of their works are in the New Mexico Museum of Art. For an O’Keeffe fan, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is a tribute to the artist and woman who found inspiration and serenity in New Mexico. Ghost Ranch and O’Keeffe’s home in Abiquiu is another short winding road trip through the stunning terracotta badlands that captured her heart and art for most of her life.
Galleries galore are scattered throughout the city. Head to Meow Wolf immersive exhibit or to the Railyard District or the new Vladem Contemporary for more contemporary works. The infamous Canyon Road has it all —sculpture, pottery, textiles, paintings and anything else you can think of —making gallery hopping an art in itself.
Mother Nature blesses New Mexico with living art year-round and a plethora of outdoor activities. Ski Santa Fe is the place for skiing, snow-shoeing and other winter activities. April can be, let’s say windy. And muddy from the snow melt. But come May, you can fish, ride a river, saddle up a horse or a bike with one of the local outfitters. Or take a hike; there’s no shortage of hiking trails. Hyde Park Road has easy access to trailheads suitable for novice to expert, through ponderosa pines and quaking aspens and showcasing spectacular views.
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