New Mexico is a truly beautiful state. After all, it’s nicknamed the Land of Enchantment for a reason. Here are 11 of the most beautiful places in New Mexico that belong on your bucket list. From caverns to a blue hole, there is a lot to see and explore around the state. Check them out and you’ll be glad you did!

1. Carlsbad Caverns (Carlsbad)
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carlsbad, NM, USA
Mathieu Lebreton/Flickr
Carlsbad Caverns has nearly 120 caves hidden underground. The largest—the "Big Room" or the "Hall of Giants"—attracts the most attention with its stunning rock formations, stalagmites, and stalactites. This 4,000-foot-long, 625-foot-wide, and 255-foot-high chamber is the fifth largest in North America and the 28th largest in the world. Visit the National Park Service website to learn more about Carlsbad Caverns.
2. Ghost Ranch (Abiquiu)
Ghost Ranch, 280 Private Drive 1708 Highway, US-84, Abiquiu, NM 87510, USA
Larry Lamsa/Flickr
Also known as O’Keeffe Country—after famed artist Georgia O’Keeffe who was a long-time resident here—Ghost Ranch is a gorgeous cornucopia of brilliant red and yellow cliffs, towering rock walls, and vast skies. For some, it may be the prettiest place in New Mexico. Visit the Ghost Ranch website to learn more.
3. Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness (San Juan County)
Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area, County Road 7297, Bloomfield, NM 87413, USA
John Fowler/Flickr
Also known as the Bisti Badlands, this desolate area was once a delta of the Western Interior Seaway, an ancient sea that covered most of New Mexico 70 million years ago. These undulating and eroded rocks are tucked away on 60 square miles of earth in the Four Corners area of New Mexico. As fascinating as it is, the Bisti Badlands is one of the most scenic places in New Mexico. Head to the BLM website to discover more about Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness.
4. Taos Gorge (Taos)
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, New Mexico 87529, USA
moonjazz/Flickr
The Taos Gorge Bridge spans the Rio Grande and is the seventh-highest bridge in the US at 650 feet above the water below. This bridge, constructed between 1963 and 1965, was awarded the "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge—Long Span" by the American Institute of Steel Construction in 1966. The views of the Rio Grande from the bridge are truly awe-inspiring. Visit the Taos website to learn more about Taos Gorge.
5. White Sands National Park (Dona Ana/Otero County)
White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA
Dustin Gaffke/Flickr
Located near Alamogordo, this beautiful monument features 275 square miles of waves of almost pure white gypsum crystals and is the largest gypsum dune field in the entire world. Pictures do not do this amazing natural attraction the justice it deserves. It's truly one of the most beautiful places in New Mexico if not the world. Visit the NPS website to learn more about White Sands National Park.

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6. Blue Hole (Santa Rosa)
Blue Hole, Santa Rosa, NM 88435, USA
Stephen Harshman/Flickr
This 80-foot deep, natural bell-shaped pool has a constant temperature of 61 degrees and is amazingly clear and cerulean blue. Blue Hole attracts scuba divers from across the US. Read more about this natural wonder on the Blue Hole website.
7. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (Socorro County)
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 1001 NM-1, San Antonio, NM 87832, USA
Howard Ignatius/Flickr
Meaning "woods of the Apache" in Spanish, this refuge is home to tens of thousands of sandhill cranes, snow geese, and other birds. In fact, more than 358 different species have been recorded here. Late November through late February is the best time to witness large numbers of these migratory birds taking flight en masse. Learn more about the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge on the FWS website.
8. Valles Caldera (Sandoval County)
Valles Caldera, New Mexico 87025, USA
docbadger1/Flickr
Even driving along its rim, you can glimpse a bit of what the Valle Caldera has to offer – green meadows (snow-covered in winter) and meandering streams. Grass valleys are also prevalent, and several large elk herds call this area home, further adding to its beauty. It truly is one of the most scenic places in New Mexico. Visit the NPS website to learn more about Valles Caldera.
9. Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument (Sandoval County)
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, 0 NM-22, Cochiti Pueblo, NM 87072, USA
James Torrence/Google Reviews
(Editor's Note: Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is temporarily closed. Check out the BLM website link below to learn more.)

Located 40 miles southwest of Santa Fe, near Cochiti, this national monument is renowned for its layers of rock deposited by a long-ago volcanic eruption in nearby Jemez Volcanic Field. Erosion and weathering shaped these rocks into tent shapes ranging from a couple of feet to more than 90 feet high. Visit the BLM website to learn more about Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument.
10. Brazos Cliffs (Rio Arriba County)
Brazos Cliffs, New Mexico 87520, USA
rwslaughter/Flickr
Located just south of the Colorado border, these cliffs are comprised of some of the oldest rock in the state—dating as far back as 1.8 billion years. This geological wonder was created by volcanoes and rises over 2,000 feet above the Chama River. The cliffs are especially stunning during sunset and really seem to be among the most beautiful places in New Mexico.
11. Bandelier National Monument (Los Alamos)
Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, USA
Tony Fernandez/Flickr
This nearly 34,000-acre monument preserves the ancestral Puebloans’ territory and homes. Many of the pueblos here date from between 1150 and 1600 A.D. The rugged beauty of the mountains and valleys add to its splendor. Visit the NPS website for more on Bandelier National Monument, one of the most scenic places in New Mexico.

How many of these gorgeous places have you seen? Where are some other of the most beautiful places in New Mexico you can think of? Go ahead and nominate your favorites! We know that there are many more natural attractions that can be added to this list.

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More to Explore

Most Beautiful Places In New Mexico

Leah | December 04, 2020

What is the most scenic town in New Mexico?

Experience some of the most picturesque places in New Mexico all from its scenic towns that are surrounded by beautiful places. Cloudcroft, New Mexico isn't a very big town, but people love to visit it to explore the pretty scenery around it and check out its history. Chama, New Mexico is one of the prettiest spots in the state and it's one of the points on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. That railroad is considered one of the best, most beautiful train rides you can take in the United States.

What are some of the best state parks in New Mexico?

Here are some of the best state parks in New Mexico:

  • Elephant Butte State Park is the largest in the state, and it's a summer destination people enjoy visiting year after year.
  • The City of Rocks State Park is certainly unique and makes people think they are on an entirely different planet.
  • The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, located near Carlsbad, has a wide variety of plants and animals on display that are native to the area.

 

Does New Mexico have any natural wonders?

The most scenic spots in New Mexico are often considered natural wonders. Spots like the aforementioned White Sands National Park are truly marvels of nature. The White Sands is the largest desert of its kind in the entire world, for instance. Another natural wonder is the stark white cliffs of Plaza Blanca in Abiquiú, New Mexico. They are part of the Georgia O'Keeffe Country that inspired the famous artist.

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