Taos Pueblo
- Ancient pueblo belonging to the Taos-speaking (Tiwa) Native American tribe of the Puebloan people
- One of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States
- The reservation is 95,000 acres and about 4,500 people live in the area
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
White Sands National Monument
- 275 square mile field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals
- The gypsum dune field is the largest of its kind on Earth
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
- Has the most sweeping collection of ancient ruins north of Mexico
- Chacoan buildings may have been aligned to capture the solar and lunar cycles, requiring generations of astronomical observations and centuries of skillfully coordinated construction
- Climate change is thought to have led to the emigration of Chacoans and the eventual abandonment of the canyon, beginning with a 50 drought commencing in 1130
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Two-thirds of the park has been set aside as a wilderness area, helping to ensure no future changes will be made to the habitat
- Carlsbad Cavern includes a natural limestone chamber almost 4,000 ft long
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
- Railroad that runs for 64 miles and over 10,015 ft
- The train crosses back and forth between the Colorado and New Mexico border
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument: Canyon Trail
- Layers of volcanic rock and ask deposited from a volcanic explosion that occurred 6-7 million years ago
- Weather and erosion has created canyons and tent rocks
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
- Annual hot air balloon festival
- The fiesta is a 9 day event that has over 500 balloons each year
- Largest hot air balloon festival in the US
Pueblo Bonito
- Largest great house in the park, which was built by Ancestral Puebloans
- Built and occupied from 828-1126
- Center of ancestral Puebloan peoples of the Chacoan world
- 111 jars have been found, as well as 800 rooms
Philmont Scout Ranch
- Large, rugged, mountainous ranch covering 140,177 acres
- Formerly the property of an oil baron, now it’s the Boy Scouts of America National High Adventure Base
- Offers backpacking expeditions and other outdoor activities
- 1,130 seasonal staff maintain the Ranch’s summer program
- The only documented Tyrannosaurus rex track in the world was discovered within the camp’s boundaries in 1993
Costs
all flights $405
food $36/day x 9 days = $390
hotel $46/day x 8 days = $368
tickets (all attractions) $216
TOTAL for whole itinerary $1,379