New Mexico National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
Explore and learn on this incredible New Mexico National Parks road trip itinerary!
While New Mexico only has 2 of America’s 63 National Parks, it has nearly 20 National Parks Service (NPS) sites scattered throughout the state.
On this road trip, you’ll get to visit them all, learning about the Southwest’s earliest settlers, the creation of the atomic bomb, a 250-million-year old cave, and fascinating geological features along the way.
At each of these NPS sites, you’ll be able to go hiking, take a free ranger tour, and complete the free Junior Ranger program for a badge.
This trip would be an excellent way for your family to experience the best that New Mexico has to offer while also providing unforgettable educational opportunities.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to plan your road trip, including what to see at each site, drive times between them, and where to stay near each site.
A sign in Capulin Volcano National Monument
This post contains affiliate. If you purchase through the links below, I will receive a commission at no extra charge to you.
Map of New Mexico National Parks Road Trip
If you’re like me, and you are a visual learner, a map overview of a road trip is crucial.
Below, you’ll find an interactive Google map that shows the locations of all of the stops on the New Mexico National Parks road trip.
For more details on each stop, see my complete itinerary below.
Things to Consider Before Starting Your Trip
How long will this road trip take?
If you spent a day at each of these sites, you’re looking at a trip that would take 15 days.
If you’re pressed for time, some of them can be combined with just a few hours at each. For example, Bandelier National Monument and the Manhattan Project National Historic Park are quite close, and you could do both of these in a single day if you just wanted the highlights.
Also, consider your specific interests. You might be able to shave off a few more days if you’re okay with seeing fewer sites with a shared focus (many of the sites have petroglyphs, for example).
Of all of the sites on here, I would hesitate to cut out either of National Parks (Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands) as well as Bandelier National Monument and El Maipais National Monument as they’re unique.
However, adjust to your family’s interests and timeline.
Where should I fly in/out of?
I’d recommend using Albuquerque as your starting and ending point as this is where you’ll find the best deals on airfare and rental cars.
Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico, and it is conveniently located on I-40 if you’re traveling into the state from Arizona or Texas to do this road trip.
If you’d prefer to fly into a smaller airport, I’d recommend flying into Roswell Air Center, which puts you starting at stop #11 on the itinerary below.
What’s the difference between a National Park and a National Parks Service site?
All National Parks are NPS sites, but not all NPS sites are National Parks.
While only 63 of the NPS sites are designated as National Parks, the NPS has more than 420 properties across the US.
Confusingly, the NPS often will call the entirety of these 420+ properties “parks” even though their official designations are National Monuments, National Battlefields, National Historic Sites, National Lakeshores, National Seashores, National Parkways, National Scenic Trails, and National Historic Parks (among others).
For example, the Davis Bayou Campground in Mississippi is inside the Gulf Islands National Seashore, which is run by the NPS.
The NPS is the umbrella department within the Department of the Interior, and the National Parks are just one of the many properties underneath that umbrella.
For more details on the US National Parks, check out my guide to the national parks for beginners.
New Mexico National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
Start: Albuquerque
Our suggested starting point for this road trip is Albuquerque, which is conveniently located near the middle of the state.
It’s also located at the intersection of I-40 and I-25, making it one of the most accessible areas on this itinerary.
For the purposes of this itinerary, I’m assuming that you’ve gotten to Albuquerque one way or the other—either by driving in or flying in—and that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
If you have any extra time in the Albuquerque area, I recommend doing a walking tour of Old Town, where you’ll learn about the fascinating Spanish roots of this city.
Stop 1: Petroglyph National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 16 minutes/ 7 miles
Where to camp: Albuquerque KOA Journey
Recommended hotel: Casa de Suenos Old Town Historic Inn
Petroglyph National Monument is located in the northwestern corner of the larger Albuquerque area.
If you’re interested in Native American history and culture, this national monument is a must-visit.
Home to one of the largest collections of petroglyphs (stone drawings) in North America, the Petroglyph National Monument showcases hundreds of drawings on the property’s trails.
There are three areas within the National Monument: Boca Negra Canyon, Rinconada Canyon, and Piedras Marcadas Canyon. Each of these areas has hiking trails that take visitors right past the numerous stone drawings.
Most of these carvings were done by the Puebloan people, who inhabited this area from around 500 CE to the end of the 17th century, but there are a few that have been dated as early as 2000 BCE.
Devote about half a day at Petroglyph National Monument, which should give you plenty of time to do one or two shorter hikes and see dozens of the petroglyphs.
Stop 2: Bandelier National Monument, Manhattan Project National Historic Park, and Valles Caldera National Preserve
Drive time from last stop: 1 hour 57 minutes/ 107 miles
Where to camp: Bandelier National Monument’s Juniper Campground
Recommended hotel: Holiday Inn Express Los Alamos Entrada Park
From Petroglyph National Monument, head northeast through Santa Fe.
(If you have time, add in a half day of exploration in Sante Fe, which is the start of the Old Santa Fe National Historic Trail. While there aren’t specific NPS kiosks or programs here, you can wander the historic area and visit the wonderfully curated New Mexico History Museum.)
I’ve included all three of these NPS sites in the same stop since they are directly next to one another.
Even though they’re conveniently located, I’d recommend 2 days here so you can get a full idea of what each area offers.
A ladder to one of the cliff dwellings at Bandelier National Monument | source
Start at Bandelier National Monument, where you’ll ascend to new heights (literally) to see the cliff dwellings of the Puebloans who once called this place home.
Hike into Frijoles Canyon, shimmy up steep wooden ladders, and take photos of Burnt Mesa.
While the Puebloans left the most obvious marks on this land, dozens of other tribes and peoples have occupied this area at least since 8,000 BCE.
Head 26 miles to the north to visit the Manhattan Project National Historic Park in Los Alamos to discover a secret lab hidden away in rural New Mexico.
Hidden from the world in the early 1940s, the scientific community here worked in a research laboratory to create the first atomic bomb.
Testing of this bomb would later be done near another site on this list, White Sands National Park near Alamogordo.
Walk through the once-secret facilities, visit the Bradbury Science Museum, and take a ranger-led tour of the town.
Finally, head over to the visitors center at the Valles Caldera National Preserve, which is about 25 minute west of Los Alamos.
Created from a violent volcanic explosion, this beautiful area offers up hiking and plenty of wildlife viewing.
We recommend the 0.3 mile hike into Sulphur Springs, which has multiple hydrothermal features like fumeroles and mudpots (just like the ones you might see at on hikes at Yellowstone National Park!).
The 0.5 mile Missing Cabin Trail takes hikers to an old cabin built for a movie set.
Along the way, look out for elk, prairie dogs, and coyotes.
The Missing Cabin Trail, just one of the many beautiful spots in Valles Caldera
Stop 3: Chaco Culture National Historic Park
Drive time from last stop: 3 hours 15 minutes
Where to camp: Chaco Culture National Historic Park’s Gallo Campground
Recommended hotel: Hampton Inn and Suites Farmington
Visiting Chaco Culture National Historic Park provides an excellent contrast to Bandelier National Monument. Both sites were occupied by the Puebloan people between roughly 800 and 1300 CE, but the ways that the residents interacted with the land in each area is vastly different.
You’ll still find archeological sites at Chaco Culture that provide a glimpse into the day to day lives of the Puebloans, but the homes here were built into the shrubby, rocky surface instead of into a cliff face like at Bandelier.
The Kiva at Chaco Culture National Historic Park | source
The ruins here reminded us of the ruins—also by the Puebloans—at Homolovi Ruins State Park in Arizona, one of the must-do stops on our Albuquerque to Las Vegas road trip itinerary.
For the best opportunities at seeing the great houses at Chaco Culture, hike along the Wijiji Trail (3.8 mile loop) and the Penasco Blanco Trail (7.5 miles round trip).
Stop 4: Aztec Ruins National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 1 hour 25 minutes
Where to camp: Ruins Road RV Park and Campground
Recommended hotel: Comfort Inn and Suites Aztec
Confusingly, the Aztec Ruins weren’t made by the Aztecs. Early European settlers were confused when they saw the ruins, and incorrectly attributed them to the Aztecs, when, in reality, they were made by the Puebloan people.
If you can’t tell by now, the Puebloans were active in this area—and throughout the Four Corners area—for hundreds of years, so we have some incredibly well preserved ruins from them.
As New Mexico was one of the Puebloans major areas of settlement, the NPS has worked hard to preserve as many of these sites as possible.
If you’ve already been to Bandelier and Chaco Culture National Monuments, you might be thinking of skipping yet another NPS site that focuses on Puebloan ruins.
I’d encourage you to add this into your road trip itinerary, too, as it is larger than Chaco Culture with more complete and intricate ruins.
Just a few of the many ruins at Aztec Ruins | source
In addition to the extensive Puebloan ruins here, you’ll also be able to explore the site’s Heritage Garden, where rangers and volunteers grow a garden filled with native plants that the Puebloans also would’ve grown here.
Another can’t-miss area of the national monument is a section of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail that runs through the park. (If you remember, the start of that trail is in Santa Fe, above, and runs all the way to Los Angeles!)
Stop 5: Rio Grande del Norte National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 2 hour 58 minutes
Where to camp: Questa Lodge & RV Park
Recommended hotel: The Blake at Taos Ski Valley
This national monument is run by the Bureau of Land Management instead of the NPS (which runs most of the other sites on this list). Because of that, Rio Grande del Norte has fewer improvements on the quarter-million acres that make up this site.
There are 2 visitors centers—Wild Rivers and the Rio Grande Gorge—but for the purposes of this road trip, you’ll focus on the area around the former.
You should start your visit at the Wild Rivers visitors center, which is located in Cerro, New Mexico. Since the property is sprawling and often remote, it’s important to chat with rangers about road conditions, trailhead locations, and the like.
You’ll be able to see the remnants of the volcano range that was once active through here, as well as canyons carved by the Rio Grande river.
Stop 6: Capulin Volcano National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 2 hours 40 minutes
Where to camp: Clayton Lake State Park
Recommended hotel: Quality Inn Clayton Road Raton
Another incredible feature about New Mexico is the volcano field that was once active here.
You’ll see evidence across the upper part of the state, most notably at Capulin Volcano National Monument and at El Malpais National Monument.
There are 5 hiking trails at Capulin Volcano NM, which is where I suggest you concentrate your limited time on this road trip.
Walk along the edge of the extinct volcano on the Crater Rim Trail (1 mile loop), and then the 2-mile loop Boca Trail.
The Boca Trail is where you’ll be able to see most of the volcano flow features in the park, and it’s easy enough for most visitors.
The view from the Crater Rim Trail inside Capulin Volcano National Monument
Stop 7: Fort Union National Monument
Old wagons and what remains of Fort Union | source
Drive time from last stop: 2 hours 15 minutes
Where to camp: Las Vegas New Mexico KOA Journey
Recommended hotel: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Las Vegas
Ruins of a different kind than you’ve seen so far on the road trip are found at Fort Union National Monument.
One of the many forts established post-Mexican-American War, the fort served 2 purposes: 1) to create a safe environment for the European settlers moving into the area, and 2) to quell any rebellion or aggression by the local Native American tribes.
There have been 3 forts on this same site starting in 1851, but the ruins of the last one—built around 1890—are what you can see today.
Take a ranger-led or self-guided tour of the ruins to learn more about the day-to-day operations of the fort, and why the US government selected this spot to host the fort. You’ll also learn about the Old Santa Fe Trail, which brought European settlers and supplies to this corner of New Mexico.
Stop 8: Pecos National Historic Park
Drive time from last stop: 1 hour
Where to camp: Santa Fe KOA Journey
Recommended hotel: El Sendero Hotel
This national historic park is located in the Upper Pecos Valley, where is has been an important site for people for thousands of years.
Native American settlements—including that of the Puebloans starting in roughly 800 CE—have been here since at least 11,500 BCE. It’s also served as a location for Spanish missionaries and explorers and, later, pioneers on the Santa Fe Trail.
This layered history means you’ll learn about thousands of years of history while you’re here!
Go for a hike on one of the park’s many trails to see beautiful vistas of the Glorieta Mesa and Pass. You’ll also be able to see the Spanish Mission Church and Puebloan ruins on the Ancestral Sites Trail.
Throughout the year, living history events occur to help visitors better imagine what a specific section of this land’s history looked like.
There are annual events, including the Civil War encampment in March, a Spanish-Catholic Feast Day celebration in August, and a Las Posadas and Farolito walk near Christmas.
Native American pottery found at Pecos National Historic Park and now on display in the museum
Stop 9: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 1 hour 45 minutes
Where to camp: Manzano Mountains State Park
Recommended hotel: Baymont by Wyndham Belen
The intertwining of the Puebloan Native Americans and Spanish missionaries can also be seen at Salinas Pueblos Missions National Monument.
Start at the visitors center in Mountainair, New Mexico, and learn more about the 3 different sites within the National Monument. There’s Quarai to the northwest, Abo to the southwest, and Gran Quiviera (the largest) to the south.
In all three sites, visitors can see how the history of the Puebloan people was overlaid with that of the Spanish missionaries, who often built directly on—and incorporated into the church designs—the ruins of the kiva and other Puebloan buildings.
Ruins at Salinas Pueblos Missions National Monument | source
Stop 10: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Drive time from last stop: 4 hours 15 minutes
Where to camp: Lake Brantley State Park, Limehouse Campground
We stayed here while exploring this corner of New Mexico and loved it. The nightly rate was incredibly cheap, the campground was small and quiet, and it had gorgeous views of the lake and surrounding land. It made my list of best New Mexico campgrounds for all of these reasons!
Recommended hotel: Comfort Suites Carlsbad
The Camping Kiddos on the self-guided tour near the Natural Entrance
Created by an inland sea 250 million years ago, Carlsbad Caverns is one of the most intricate cave systems in North America.
This natural wonder is located in the southwestern corner of New Mexico, just a few miles from the Texas border (add in a trip to nearby Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas if you have time).
Allot time for both surface and cave exploration as there’s plenty of do here.
The hike down into the caverns via the Natural Entrance is a must-do, as is the nightly bat flight program during the late spring and summer.
Check out our 2 day Carlsbad Caverns itinerary to see how to organize your time. The 2 self-guided tours come with your admission to the national parks, and both of those could easily full up an entire day.
I’d highly suggest the additional King’s Palace Tour at Carlsbad, which takes you to a section of caverns that isn’t seen by the average guest.
Stop 11: White Sands National Park
The Camping Kiddos searching for the perfect sledding spot in White Sands
Drive time from last stop: 3 hours 15 minutes
Where to camp: Alamogordo KOA Journey. You’ll find a pool, playground, go-kart rentals, a huge game room, and free sand sled rentals!
Recommended hotel: Hampton Inn Alamogordo
This otherworldly gypsum field is one of the highlights on the New Mexico national parks road trip itinerary!
White Sands is a newer addition to the U.S. National Parks, having been upgraded from a National Monument to a National Park in 2020.
Here, the highlight is the sprawling, brilliantly white dune field, which is perfect for sand sledding, picnicking, and hiking.
With just 1 day in White Sands, you’ll be able to experience the best of this incredible NPS site
For more information on the parks’ best activity, check out my White Sands sledding tips and tricks here.
Stop 12: Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 50 minutes
Where to camp: Las Cruces KOA Journey
Recommended hotel: Holiday Inn Express Las Cruces North
While you’re in the Alamogordo area, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument is one of the best places to visit near White Sands.
The multiple hiking trails take you up into the mountains, which are less than 45 minutes from the national park’s visitors center.
This national monument is run by the Bureau of Land Management, so expect fewer amenities—but also fewer crowds!
Indian Hollow Trail is one of our recommended hikes in this area, but bring plenty of water.
There’s so much history and geology to learn about here from prehistoric fossils, ancient volcanic activity, the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem and more.
Stop 13: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 3 hours 20 minutes
Where to camp: Silver City KOA
Recommended hotel: Lulu Silver City
If you were interested in the cliff dwellings at Bandelier National Monument, the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is another must-do.
While you’ll find the ruins of a civilization perched in the Mogollan mountain range, the people who built this place weren’t Puebloans (who were responsible for the work at Bandelier and many of the other sites on this list).
Instead, the people who built and occupied the Gila Cliff Dwellings are known as the Tularosa Mogollans, who lived here around 1200 CE. It’s hard to know exactly why and when they moved to this location because they didn’t leave behind any written records.
Complete the 1 mile loop of the Monument Trail to get the best views of the cliff dwellings.
NOTE: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located in the middle of Gila National Forest and is quite remote. You’ll need to drive into this area from Silver City, which is the closest area with amenities, hotels, and the like. Silver City is about an hour from the national monument.
Stop 14: El Malpais National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 5 hours 41 minutes (cuts through the Apache National Forest)
Where to camp: Grants KOA Journey
Recommended hotel: SureStay Hotel by Best Western Grants
Love volcanos? Don’t miss this national monument in the western part of New Mexico!
There are few other places in this region where you can see the lasting effects of the volcanos which were once active here. The long-hardened lava flows created incredible landscapes that look as if they’d be more at home on the moon than in New Mexico.
To get the most out of the national monument, you’ll need to park your car and hike. Unlike other national parks and national monuments where you have a clearly defined scenic drive—Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, for example—El Malpais’ lava stone landscape prevents the easy addition of roads.
The 1-mile loop Lava Falls Trail carries hikers across the McCartys Lava Flow, where you’ll see examples of different lava formations.
On the other side of the park, El Calderon Trail offers up glimpses of the lava tubes, a seasonal bat flight, and views from the top of the now-extinct volcano.
Hiking in El Malpais is unlike anywhere else in New Mexico!
Stop 15: El Morro National Monument
Drive time from last stop: 45 minutes
Where to camp: Grants KOA Journey
Recommended hotel: SureStay Hotel by Best Western Grants
Situated around a desert water source—the El Morro oasis—this area has been a refuge for the Puebloans, then later on, the Spanish.
At this national monument, you’ll see ruins of the Puebloans, though these are more similar to the ones found at Aztec Ruins than the ones at Bandelier or Gila Cliff Dwellings.
You’ll want to take the Inscription Rock Trail, a 0.75 mile loop, to see the oasis and petroglyphs. The 2 mile Headlands Trail is harder with steeper sections, but has a payoff in the form of multiple Puebloan ruins atop a scenic overlook.
NOTE: I’d recommend staying at the same hotel or campground as you did for El Malpais NM, as the two are within 45 minutes of one another, and there are few amenities near El Morro.
Stop 10 on the Inscription Rock Trail at El Morro | source
Final Stop: Head back to Albuquerque
Congrats! You’ve now visited all of the NPS sites in the Land of Enchantment!
From Grants, New Mexico, Albuquerque is just over 1.5 hours by car, making this an easy transition to whatever adventures await you next.
From here, you can hop back on a plane to head home.
However, if you’re still looking for more adventure, you’re in a great location to set off to see more of the Southwest.
Here are some of our favorite things to do from Albuquerque:
