From Albuquerque to Las Cruces
Experience Sand Dunes, Petroglyphs and Pioneers

A journey to Southern New Mexico rewards travelers with less-trodden natural splendors, undulating dunes of white sands, petroglyphs of past civilizations, and stories of the pioneers of the Wild West. With Bobby as your guide you will learn about the people, places and events that make Southern New Mexico truly enchanting. Stop in San Antonio, the gateway to Bosque del Apache, for some of the best New Mexican food in the state and then journey on to the Valley of Fires where you can see the picturesque and unique landscapes created by the youngest lava flow in the continental US. Then visit the 600 year old petroglyphs of the ancient Jornada Mogollon on your way to the award winning McGinn’s Pistachio Land. The next stop is White Sands National Park where you will feel like you are on another planet as you explore the endless white sand dunes. Finally, travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico where you can experience some of the best, arts, culture and history of Southern New Mexico. This is an opportunity to learn more about the people, history, geology and science that are the fabric of Southern New Mexico.

STARTING POINT: Albuquerque, NM

ENDING POINT: Las Cruces, NM

DURATION:It is highly recommended to take 2 days for this trip. 4 hours 30 minutes one way without making any stops. Plan a full day to experience this road trip. We suggest an overnight in Alamogordo or Las Cruces to break up the road trip and get the most out of the itinerary. Total mileage between Albuquerque and Las Cruces is 276 miles.

DIFFICULTY: Moderate. The lava flows and the terrain at the petroglyph site is very rocky. The sand dunes can be steep in places and the difficulty of walking in the sand is similar to that of a beach.