8 New Mexico Towns With A Slower Pace Of Life

In the US Southwest, New Mexico combines American and Mexican influences. Once part of Mexico, and a US state (only) since 1912, this region, also called the Land of Enchantment, is anything but ordinary. The region used to be a Native American cultural hub before becoming a colony under Spanish rule. Beyond larger cities like Albuquerque and its capital, Santa Fe, some of New Mexico's best places have a slower pace of living, and some of the state's finest cultural, spiritual, and historical attractions. Towns like the ones below give a feeling of what makes the Land of Enchantment so unique.

Aztec

Aztec sits in New Mexico's northwest, not far from neighboring Colorado. The town's Aztec Ruins National Monument, once a hub of civilization for the Pueblo Native American tribe, now welcomes visitors by the thousands each year. For outdoors enthusiasts, the Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a site where petrified trees have turned into surreal shapes of stone, making for a great photo opportunity and stories to bring home. The Navajo Lake State Park near town offers ample boating, fishing, and swimming, and is ideal for families needing a day out. The San Juan River is considered a top-flight fly-fishing location.

Chimayo

In tiny, north-central Chimayo, the influences of Spanish, Catholic, and other spiritual elements come together. Chimayo is sometimes called the "Lourdes of America," a reference to the French town and Catholic pilgrimage center. Chimayo's petite downtown has Spanish-style plazas, or placitas, such as El Portrero de Chimayo and the Plaza del Cerro. El Portrero is home to El Santuario de Chimayo, a chapel that, according to legend, offers healing to ailing pilgrims.

Outdoors options here include a camping site at Overlook Campground or, alternatively, North Lake Campground. Each one is ideal for families, while the latter allows for fishing and boating.

Mesilla

Though small like Chimayo, Mesilla stands as one of the state's most historically important places. After years of border disputes between the United States and Mexico, the town in 1853 became a US territory. In town, the Mesilla Plaza is a famous placita, listed as a National Historic Landmark since 1961. Mesilla's otherwise quiet surroundings spring to life in its annual Cinco de Mayo festivities. The holiday marks the day of Mexico's independence from colonial Spain in 1821.

Mesilla's green and natural spaces should not be missed. La Llorona Park, located downtown, attracts families out for a stroll, while Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park includes part of the Rio Grande River, which helps form the US-Mexico border. East of town, White Sands National Park is a perennial favorite among travelers and US national park fans.

Raton

In New Mexico's northeast, near Colorado, the town of Raton is another quiet and beautiful, tourism destination. The town's surrounding environment has drawn travelers and passersby for centuries, from Native American tribes to the Spanish colonial explorers moving through Raton Pass. Part of the historic Santa Fe Trail also winds its way through Raton.

The town is a popular choice among nature enthusiasts. Its list of parks includes Romero Park downtown, as well as Roundhouse Memorial Park. Higher-intensity choices, like Lake Maloya and Alice Lake, provide great options for fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking. Natural rock formations, like Johnson Mesa and Bartlett Mesa, are for many tourists among New Mexico's prettiest places.

Ruidoso

High-altitude Ruidoso has attracted travelers, especially outdoor adventurers, for years. The town itself sits within the boundaries of the Lincoln National Forest. Sierra Blanca Peak, also called White Peak, is a nearly 12,000-foot mountain west of town and holds out options for skiiers, hikers, and other visitors. The town takes its name from the Rio Ruidoso. Translating from Spanish as "noisy river," the Ruidoso is in fact a (very quiet) stream running through the town.

For some fun indoors after a long day outside, the Inn of the Mountain Gods is a combination hotel, casino, and arcade, and is operated by the Mescalero Apache tribe. Fans of boating and water activities should head to the popular Grindstone Lake south of town.

Silver City

In New Mexico's southwest, Silver City takes its name from the minerals boom that attracted scores of settlers and dreamers to the state, beginning in the 1870s. The town's Silco Theater, built in 1923, recently finished a refurbishment and has been a movie theater since 2016. Silver City's downtown also includes the Silver City Museum, focused on the town's boom times and later histories, as well as the Grant County Art Guild Gallery, a venue focused on local artists. Long a center of Native American presence and activities, Silver City today serves as a center of culture for the Apache and other tribes.

If nature beckons, travelers can use Silver City as a base to see Gila National Forest, a large preserve with scenic overlooks, waterfalls, and hiking. Hikers come to Silver City for the Market Street Trailhead and the Boston Hills Open Space, each outside the town proper. For golf fans, the Scott Park Golf Links — the home course for Western New Mexico University — might be reason enough to come to Silver City.

Taos

The north-central hamlet of Taos boasts a rare contribution to the creative history of the state and the country. Art fans will love the Taos Art Museum at Fechim House, as well as the Harwood Museum of Art. The American painter Georgia O'Keeffe, who some critics call the "Mother of American Modernism," made repeated trips and long stays at Taos, helping support a robust artist community here. Nearly two dozen of Taos' buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For hiking and great views, head to the Sangre de Cristo mountains to Taos' east, or Carson National Forest, northeast of town.

Perhaps the largest attraction in Taos is the Taos Pueblo. As a Native American architectural complex built from adobe materials, this site has been an official UNESCO World Heritage Site for more than 30 years.

Tucumcari

In northeastern Tucumcari, local history comes alive. The town's Main Street has century-old buildings still standing and even in use, including the Tucumcari Railroad Museum, installed in a former rail station constructed in 1926. The Odeon Theatre, also still operating, opened in 1937. Today, Tucumcari functions as a cattle-raising hub with a pair of major ranches. The T4 Cattle Company is based in town, while the Bell Ranch marked 200 years of operations last year. The ranches count among the largest in the United States.

Outside town, Tucumcari Mountain has long been an attraction for active travellers. Families appreciate the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum, which thrills and wows younger children. And, for the wanderer in each of us, the town's Route 66 Monument is a tribute to what locals call the "Mother Road" of the American West.

New Mexico's Slower Towns Rank Among Its Best

As these towns show, a slower pace of life in New Mexico's smaller towns does not mean that there is nothing to see or do. On the contrary, some of the state's best and most interesting places count among the towns like the ones above. Aztec and Tucumcari offer a look at one-of-a-kind architecture, while Chimayo and Mesilla reflect the Spanish, Catholic, and spiritual cultures of the past and present-day American Southwest. Art hubs like Silver City and Taos share the inspiration that creative types found on their visits to these and other local sites many years ago. For a touch of the creative and beautiful parts of the Land of Enchantment, small-town New Mexico makes for an ideal place for a visit soon.