7 Quirky Little Towns In New Mexico
New Mexico abounds with rare gems, many of which are found in the smallest communities. As you probably realized, "gems" in New Mexico are both literal and metaphoric. Hunt for metaphoric gems in the forms of chile peppers in Hatch, pies in Pie Town, Indigenous relics in Taos, hot springs in Truth or Consequences, and oases in Santa Rosa, and combine them with real gems from Magdalena shops and Silver City museums, for a quirky survey of small-town New Mexico. Behold seven of the quirkiest small settlements in New Mexico.
Hatch
A village along the Rio Grande in New Mexico's high desert, Hatch is hot. Yet its hotness has less to do with climate than it does with cuisine. The surrounding Hatch Valley grows so many pecks of chile peppers that Hatch is called the "Chile Capital of the World" and annually hosts the Hatch Chile Festival. Coinciding with harvest time, the festival, which runs on Labor Day Weekend, brings thousands of people and peppers together. Activities include the Chile Festival 5k Run, Hatch Chile Festival Parade, Chile Queen Coronation, and Chile Eating Contest. There are also eating contests for chile neutralizers like watermelon and ice cream. Outside of harvest time and the festival, you can sample chiles at Hatch's numerous chile-specific stores such as the Hatch Chile Market and the Chile Fanatic.
Pie Town
If needing a reprieve from Pepper Town, look no further than Pie Town. Except Pie Town is not a nickname. That is the official name of a census-designated place famous for (you guessed it) pie. Thanks to a Depression-era baker, this blip in remote NM became an oasis for famished travelers relieved that the pies they saw were not mirages. Today, bakeries like The Gatherin Place II and the Pie Town Pie Co. continue that tradition, baiting 21st-century travelers with 21st-century pies ranging from apple to cherry to blueberry to peach to strawberry rhubarb to coconut buttermilk. As with Hatch, Pie Town celebrates its signature food with a yearly festival. The Pie Town Pie Festival, held each September, features a PiK run, a pie-eating contest, a pie-baking contest, and (you did not guess it) a horned toad race.
Magdalena
Located about 50 miles east of Pie Town, Magdalena is another remote retreat replete with treats—but for the eyes. The whole region shimmers with ornate gems, which can be bought inside Magdalena at Bill's Gem and Mineral Shop and Otero's Rock and Saw Shop, or found along the outskirts at the Kelly Ghost Town. In addition to azurite, pyrite, smithsonite, and other dazzling minerals, the ghost town preserves mining equipment from its time as a booming metropolis. Though Kelly's relics are grand, they are dwarfed by the Very Large Array. Situated between Magdalena and Pie Town, this outdoor observatory contains 27 radio telescopes, each spanning 82 feet and weighing 230 tons. Tours can be guided or self-guided.
Taos
Taos's population is about the same as its elevation. Roughly 6,500 people live in this Sangre de Cristos Mountains town close to 7,000 feet above sea level. Residents, though already high, get stratospheric off far-out attractions. Some are static, such as the Taos Art Museum at Fechin House, while others are recurring, like October's Taos Mountain Balloon Rally. But Taos's highest-rated attraction is a static marvel with recurring events. Called Taos Pueblo, this UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark has been continuously occupied by Indigenous people for over 1,000 years. Besides touring the pueblo, visitors can attend Feast Days in May and June before climaxing at the Taos Pueblo Pow Wow on the second weekend of July.
Truth or Consequences
In name alone, Truth or Consequences is one of the quirkiest communities in New Mexico. The truth is that this city, then named Hot Springs, entered a radio show contest in 1950. The consequences for this decision were that Hot Springs changed its name to that of the show, Truth or Consequences, and has not changed it back. In turn, Truth or Consequences aired its 10th anniversary special from Truth or Consequences, which earned the city a wealth of publicity that pays dividends to this day.
But T-or-C's quirkiness goes deeper than its name. It goes dozens of feet underground to extract heated, mineral-rich water for an eclectic collection of hot springs resorts. They range from Riverbend Hot Springs, whose open-air baths dot the bank of the Rio Grande, to Blackstone Hotsprings, whose rooms revolve around classic TV shows like Adventures of Superman and I Dream of Jeannie.
Santa Rosa
A true oasis in semi-arid New Mexico, Santa Rosa boasts the Blue Hole, which, as its name suggests, strikes blue against its beige surroundings. This 81-foot-deep wonder is filled with crystal-clear, 61-degree water that renews itself every six hours as a natural artesian well. Swimmers, snorkelers, scuba divers, and cliff jumpers are welcomed in the Blue Hole, while anglers are ushered to the nearby Blue Hole Fishing Pond. Landlubbers can stay dry at Santa Rosa's other sites, especially the Route 66 Auto Museum. Yes, this eccentric city sits on eccentric Route 66, whose namesake auto museum displays vintage cars and Route 66 memorabilia.
Silver City
Though its titular mineral was depleted, Silver City is not without gems. They include the Silver City Museum, which details the boom and bust of this ex-silver mining town through various artifacts housed in a 19th-century edifice built by a successful prospector, and the Western New Mexico University Museum, which contains myriad materials from the prehistoric Mimbres culture. More unique Indigenous gems can be found just north of town in the Gila National Forest. The most striking among them is the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, where Ancestral Puebloans lived several hundred years ago. Tour it on your own or take a ranger-led tour as staffing allows.
New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment for a reason. Virtually everything in this state is enchanting, from the snow-capped peaks of its northern mountains to the white-sand dunes of its southern desert to the jewel-encrusted soil of its western highlands to the scattered oases of its eastern plains. Dotting such fantastical, far-flung regions are these little towns that, despite their size, are true hubs of quirkiness.
