United States · 9 days · 1,500 km · Loop

New Mexico — Land of Enchantment

New Mexico triangle with three spectacular extremes — White Sands National Park (gypsum dunes), Carlsbad Caverns (giant underground cave) and Santa Fe / Taos (art, adobe and mountains). Bandelier for ancestral pueblo and Bosque del Apache if in crane season (Oct-Feb).

Start: Albuquerque · End: Albuquerque · March to May and September to November. Summer is brutal at low desert elevations. · Difficulty: easy

Highlights

  • White Sands National Park (gypsum dunes)
  • Carlsbad Caverns NP
  • Santa Fe Plaza, Cathedral and Canyon Road
  • Taos Pueblo (UNESCO)
  • Bandelier National Monument
  • Sandia Peak Tramway from Albuquerque

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Albuquerque → Santa Fe

    Albuquerque → Santa Fe · 95 km

    • · Pickup motorhome ABQ
    • · Plaza, Cathedral, Canyon Road

    Overnight: Santa Fe Skies RV Park

  2. Day 2

    Santa Fe → Taos

    Santa Fe → Taos · 115 km

    • · High Road via Chimayó
    • · Taos Pueblo (UNESCO)
    • · Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

    Overnight: Taos Valley RV Park

  3. Day 3

    Taos → Bandelier → Santa Fe

    Taos → Santa Fe · 165 km

    • · Bandelier National Monument
    • · Ancestral cliff dwellings

    Overnight: Santa Fe Skies RV Park

  4. Day 4

    Santa Fe → Roswell → Carlsbad

    Santa Fe → Carlsbad · 480 km

    • · Roswell UFO Museum (stop)
    • · Pecos River

    Overnight: Carlsbad RV Park

  5. Day 5

    Carlsbad Caverns NP

    Carlsbad · 50 km

    • · Big Room Trail
    • · Bat Flight (May-October)

    Overnight: Carlsbad RV Park

  6. Day 6

    Carlsbad → White Sands → Las Cruces

    Carlsbad → Las Cruces · 350 km

    • · Sunset at White Sands NP
    • · Trinity Site (if open house dates)

    Overnight: RV Las Cruces

  7. Day 7

    Las Cruces → Truth or Consequences → Socorro

    Las Cruces → Socorro · 230 km

    • · Truth or Consequences hot springs
    • · Bosque del Apache NWR (Oct-Feb cranes)

    Overnight: Socorro RV

  8. Day 8

    Socorro → Acoma Pueblo → Albuquerque

    Socorro → Albuquerque · 175 km

    • · Acoma Sky City (oldest inhabited pueblo)
    • · Petroglyph National Monument

    Overnight: Enchanted Trails RV Park

  9. Day 9

    Sandia Peak → Albuquerque drop-off

    Albuquerque · 60 km

    • · Sandia Peak Tramway (sunset)
    • · Old Town Albuquerque
    • · Drop-off

Recommended brands for this route

Selection based on road type and trip length. Tighter budgets — we can also quote Mighty.

Get a quote

Tell us your road trip and we send you a personalised quote within 24 hours.

We will only use your data to reply to your request.

WhatsApp