Day Trippin' › New Mexico › From Albuquerque › Best mountains and viewpoints
Our picks for the best mountains and viewpoints within 3 hours of Albuquerque: 22 places, 2 under an hour away, 11 between 1 and 2 hours and 9 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 87102.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Petroglyph National Monument, 43 min northwest of Albuquerque.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
#1 · National monument · 43 min northwest
Thousands of images pecked into dark volcanic boulders on Albuquerque's West Mesa, reached by several short canyon trails plus a volcano day-use area.
Heads-up: Boca Negra Canyon open 8:30-4:30 (last entry 4:00); Rinconada and Piedras Marcadas open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs allowed on Rinconada, Piedras Marcadas and Volcanoes trails but not at Boca…
Photo: VitaleBaby at English Wikipedia, Public domain
#2 · National monument · 1 hr 3 min north
Cone-shaped tent rocks of volcanic ash on Cochiti Pueblo land, with a slot canyon trail that climbs to a mesa-top view.
Heads-up: Reservation only on Recreation.gov, no day-of tickets; every person needs a ticket and passes do not cover the tribal fee. Entry 8 am to 1 pm, out by 4 pm, check in at the Cochiti Visitor Center. No…
Photo: Unknown, Public domain
#3 · National monument · 1 hr 47 min north
A canyon of cliff dwellings and village ruins carved into soft volcanic tuff, with ladders up to alcove rooms along the Pueblo Loop Trail in Frijoles Canyon.
Heads-up: Dogs only in the main parking lot, picnic area and campground, not on trails or the shuttle. The Pueblo Loop is not ADA accessible (steep grades, ladders). A free shuttle from White Rock runs on some…
Photo: User Brian0918 on en.wikipedia, Public domain
#4 · National park · 1 hr 48 min north
A huge volcanic caldera of open grass valleys ringed by forested domes, where elk herds graze and trails head out from the Cabin District.
Heads-up: Vehicle gate usually 9 am to 5 pm (8 to 6 in summer), closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. No cash. Leashed dogs only on Cabin District, Cerro La Jara, Rabbit Mountain and South Valle Grande trails.…
Photo: Joel Mills, CC BY-SA 3.0
#5 · National monument · 1 hr 52 min west
A sandstone bluff where travelers carved names and messages for centuries, with a longer trail over the top.
Heads-up: Open 9 to 5, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Start the Inscription Loop by 4 pm and the Headland Trail by 2:30 pm. Ice can close the Headland in winter. Dogs on 6 ft leash, not in the visitor center.
Photo: Jeffhollett, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · National park · 2 hr 58 min west
Fallen logs turned to rainbow stone, Painted Desert views and old petroglyphs along a 28-mile park road.
Heads-up: Taking any petrified wood is illegal. Leashed pets are welcome on trails and paved roads, but not in buildings.
Photo: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0
#7 · National park · 2 hr 59 min northwest
Massive stone great houses of the Ancestral Puebloans in a remote desert canyon, seen from a loop drive and short trails.
Heads-up: Long rough dirt road; the north road (CR 7950) is closed, so use the south route via Hwy 57 and call 505-786-7014 first. No gas or food. Dogs only on backcountry trails and in the campground, never…
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY-SA 2.5
#8 · Scenic drive · 1 hr 14 min northeast
A 105-mile mountain route between Santa Fe and Taos through Spanish land-grant villages like Chimayo, Truchas and Las Trampas.
Heads-up: About two hours without stops. Ends at San Francisco de Asis church in Ranchos de Taos. Picuris Pueblo is on the route; follow pueblo rules.
Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0
#9 · Viewpoint · 2 hr 28 min northeast
A tall steel bridge on US 64 northwest of Taos with dizzying views straight down into the Rio Grande Gorge.
Heads-up: About 12 miles northwest of Taos. Watch traffic when crossing.
Photo: Mosamiazaz at English Wikipedia, Public domain
#10 · National park · 1 hr 19 min northeast
Ruins of a great pueblo and a Spanish mission church in the Pecos River valley, along a loop trail with mountain views.
Heads-up: Leashed pets on two of three trails. The 1.25-mile Ancestral Sites Trail is only partly wheelchair friendly; a flat section starts at the church lot.
Photo: Unknown, Public domain
#11 · National monument · 1 hr 51 min southeast
Three sites, Abo, Quarai and Gran Quivira, preserve the stone ruins of Spanish mission churches beside ancestral Pueblo villages.
Heads-up: Headquarters visitor center is in Mountainair. Sites open 9-5 in summer, 9-4 in winter. Leashed pets on trails and picnic areas but not in visitor centers. The sites are spread out, so plan driving…
Photo: en:User:Nationalparks (Talk), CC BY-SA 2.5
#12 · National monument · 2 hr 11 min northeast
Adobe ruins of a frontier Army fort on the Santa Fe Trail, walked on a trail through the old post.
Heads-up: Open 8 am to 4 pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Accessible trails. Windy and exposed, so bring a hat.
Photo: John Fowler, CC BY 2.0
#13 · Viewpoint · 2 hr 37 min northwest
A rim-top overlook of colorful badlands below a tall sandstone peak, with a short interpretive rim trail.
Heads-up: Turn off US 550 about 15 miles south of Bloomfield. Gravel road can be impassable when wet. Free campground. Dogs on leash.
Photo: Rationalobserver, CC BY-SA 4.0
#14 · National monument · 2 hr 53 min northwest
A large Ancestral Puebloan great house with original roofed rooms and a rebuilt Great Kiva you can walk into.
Heads-up: Self-guided trail about half a mile. Pets allowed only in the parking lot, picnic area and Old Spanish Trail, not on the ruins trail.
Photo: NMMIMAJ, CC BY-SA 3.0
#15 · Waterfall · 1 hr 38 min north
The tallest waterfall in the Jemez Mountains, reached by a quarter-mile walk from the trailhead to an overlook above the East Fork Jemez River.
Heads-up: Dogs on leash. Day use only, vault toilet, no drinking water. Stay behind the overlook rail.
Sky Railway (54 min), Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway (1 hr 10 min), El Malpais National Monument (1 hr 52 min), Pyramid Rock Trail (1 hr 56 min), Abiquiu Lake (2 hr 2 min), Echo Amphitheater (2 hr 12 min), Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway (2 hr 58 min)
Our top picks are Petroglyph National Monument (43 min), Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument (1 hr 3 min), Bandelier National Monument (1 hr 47 min), Valles Caldera National Preserve (1 hr 48 min) and El Morro National Monument (1 hr 52 min). The page lists 22 places in all.
22: 2 under an hour away, 11 between 1 and 2 hours and 9 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 87102.
Petroglyph National Monument, about 43 min northwest of Albuquerque.
13 need no pass or fee, including El Malpais National Monument, Petroglyph National Monument and Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Fees change, so check each place.
20 of the 22 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.