New Mexico Road Trip Itinerary: the History and Culture of the Native Americans

There is the common misperception that there are not many historical attractions in the United States. On the one hand, this may be true, but on the other hand, such statements derive from a rather poor knowledge of the wonders that this immense country provides for travelers.

Here is a 1-week New Mexico road trip itinerary (with Albuquerque as the departure and return destination) dedicated to the history and culture of the Native Americans. This New Mexico vacation itinerary will allow you to see and explore historical evidence dating back to the 12th century.

This interactive map shows you all the stops on the itinerary. Below you will find an overview of the individual days of this road trip in New Mexico and, at the end of the article, there will be a series of useful links to plan the itinerary (hotel reservation in the area and car rental). Are you ready to go?

Day 1: From Albuquerque to Chaco Culture National Historical Park

From Albuquerque, travel north on US 550 to the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Get ready for a long, bumpy 16-mile drive on a dirt road (after County Road 7900/7950). Chaco Canyon was once home to the Ancestral Puebloans and has been recognized as a World Heritage Site.

Thirteen large ruins now dominate the bottom of the canyon, and many of them are ancient kivas, places used by the tribe for religious services or assembly gatherings. The intricate surrounding road network was a feat of highly sophisticated engineering that amazes even the most renowned archaeologists.

Apparently, recent discoveries have generated a new scientific field of research called archeoastronomy, and the entire Chaco Culture National Park complex has earned the nickname of Stonehenge of the American Southwest (and it’s just one of several in the US. Take a look at Nebraska’s Stonehenge).

There are neither services nor facilities in the area, so pack water, food, and everything you may need with you before you leave.

After visiting Chaco Culture, continue north on US 550 and then west on US 64. When you reach Farmington, the city that the Navajo call Totah, “land amidst water”, book a room in a motel, and spend the night in this quiet city in New Mexico that baseball fans will certainly have heard about.

Day 2: Farmington and Aztec Ruins National Monument

Travel eastbound on US 516 (14 miles) to visit Aztec Ruins National Monument, where you can admire Puebloan ruins that are over 900 years old. Two particularly interesting structures are the Great Kiva, the only one that is completely rebuilt in all of the Southwest, and the Great Pueblo House, which contained more than 400 masonry rooms.

A half-day will be more than enough to visit the Aztec Ruins National Monument. So after visiting the national monument in the morning, you can return to Farmington, and spend the afternoon strolling and shopping in local shops, which offer a wide assortment of Native American handicrafts.

Later in the day, you can enjoy a relaxing evening at the Outdoor Summer Theater, a natural sandstone amphitheater. Concerts and performances of various kinds are held from mid-June until the first weekend in August, Thursday through Sunday. You can also choose to dine there before the show. For more information, call 800-448-1240.

Days 3-4: Gallup and Attractions in the Area

Now drive 130 miles south on US 491 and you will arrive in Gallup, known as the “Heart of Indian Country”, both because it is in the middle of many Native American reservations and because it is home to many tribes.

The city, crossed by the legendary Route 66, is frequented by members of the Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo tribes. There are many initiatives aimed at preserving Native American cultures, such as the inter-tribal ceremonies in Red Rock State Park, Native American dances from the end of May to the first week of September, and the Navajo Code Talkers Museum.

In the surrounding area, you’ll find some truly fascinating attractions, such as Zuni Pueblo, one of the pueblos of New Mexico where the Zuni Indians still live, the El Morro National Monument, made famous by the large sandstone promontory with a pool of water at its base, the ancient Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, and the Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

The ideal place to stay overnight is El Rancho Hotel & Motel, which has hosted many stars, especially between the 40s and 50s, when the city was a popular location to film westerns.

Days 5-6: Attractions near Grants

Grants, 70 miles east of Gallup on I-40, is a great base for many interesting attractions:

• New Mexico Mining Museum, where you can take a virtual trip to a uranium mine and relive the experience of being a miner.
• El Malpais National Monument, where you can admire the impact of ancient volcanic eruptions.
• Ice Caves and Bandera Crater, renamed the “land of fire and ice” for the unusual presence of frozen caves and a volcanic crater.
• Acoma Pueblo (Sky City), a charming and ancient village perched on an isolated plateau over 3,600 ft above the ground.
• Ventana Arch, a spectacular natural arch in New Mexico.

Day 7: Return to Albuquerque

This New Mexico itinerary dedicated to discovering the history and cultures of Native American tribes in New Mexico ends in Albuquerque, 65 miles east of Grants. Albuquerque is also on I-40.

Planning a Road Trip in New Mexico: Useful Resources

For this road trip, you will need a car (or rental car) and hotel accommodations in the various areas/city you’ll pass through. So here are two resources that I suggest you take a look at:

1. Our guide for renting a car (with recommended resources to compare prices and to book directly)
2. A great resource for browsing hotels in New Mexico cities (Albuquerque, Grants, Gallup, Farmington, etc…)

To also discover all the other natural wonders of the state, we recommend you to read our article on attractions in New Mexico