Jemez Mountain Trail

Description:

Just north of Albuquerque is one of New Mexico's most spectacular scenic drives. It is a journey through time. It takes you past amazing geologic formations, ancient Indian ruins, an Indian Pueblo, and the area's logging, mining and ranching heritage.

Directions:

The Jemez Mountain Trail Scenic and Historic Byway can be easily accessed by taking I-25 from Albuquerque to Bernalillo. At Exit 242, take US 550 (the old NM 44) west to San Ysidro where the Byway begins. Take Highway 4 to Jemez Springs, or Highway 44 to Cuba.

The Byway can also be accessed from Los Alamos by taking Highway 4 through White Rock. The Byway begins in San Ysidro and follows NM 44 to Cuba. In Cuba, get on NM 126 and go to La Cueva, whereupon you enter NM 4 and follow it to San Ysidro and on to Sandoval City Line/Los Alamos.

It can also be accessed from Santa Fe by driving north on NM 84 to the exit at Poguaque Pueblo and then up the hill toward Los Alamos on NM 502/3.

One can access the Byway from Espanola by driving south on NM 30 to 502/3 and thence to NM 4 at White Rock.

The Byway is accessible from the north at Cuba. US 550 comes down from Bloomfield (and the Farmington area) to Cuba where, in good weather one can drive across SR 126, or drive south on US 550 along the Nacimiento Rift and the Rio Puerco corridor across the Colorado Plauteau.

At San Ysidro, one can drive north through the Jemez Valley to the 15 mile wide caldera of an ancient volcano which is now the Valles Caldera National Preserve. And then, on to White Rock and up to Los Alamos, or south to Santa Fe and Albuquerque, or north to Espanola and Taos.

Address:

P.O. Box 40

243 Camino del Pueblo

Bernalillo NM 87004

Phone:

505-867-8687

Email:

sc-tour@swcp.com

Organization:

DOT - Department of Transportation