A Day Along the Turquoise Trail

New Mexico Highway 14 is also known as the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway. Linking Albuquerque and Santa Fe, this scenic drive is flanked by rolling, juniper-covered hills, big blue skies and a few small towns that celebrate the mining history of the area and the many artists who now call the area home.

I am awestruck by the gorgeous skies in New Mexico.
Even through the truck window, it truly lives up to its slogan "the Land of Enchantment".

Our first destination was to visit Glen Neff, a friend of Hans from many years ago in San Diego. Glen is an amazing multi-media artist who also built the beautiful straw bale home he and his partner, Eliane, live in.

From there, we traveled a couple miles North to the tiny hamlet of Cerrillos, gateway to Cerrillos Hills State Park. Trails in the park wind among the low hills and old mine sites from the late 1800's, the heyday of mining in the region.

It's the colors and views that captivate me in New Mexico.

After walking a few miles in the state park we headed South to the town of Madrid for a late lunch. Madrid went from a bustling coal mining town in the 1800's to a ghost town in the mid 1900's. In the 1970's artists started arriving and today Madrid is a fun stop for art and jewelry and food and music on the Turquoise Trail.

We ate a late lunch at The Hollar.
Excellent fried green tomato BLT and fried okra!

They are pet friendly too!