Turquoise Trail
We stayed for 2 nights at Hidden Valley RV Park, in Tijeras, New Mexico, and it was recommended to go to Santa Fe and also take the Turquoise Trail, so we decided to do both.
The Turquoise Trail was a nice 50+ mile ride to Santa Fe. The trail was named for the ancient turquoise mines dotting the adjoining hills. It runs from Tijeras to Santa Fe, on Highway 14. There are several places to stop, a small town with unique stores with art, crafts, museums, and restaurants, along the way. We left a little early on a Monday, and most were not open yet. The trail has beautiful views from atop Sandia Crest.
Santa Fe
In Santa Fe, we visited the Palace of the Governors, the Plaza, and Historic Downtown Santa Fe.
Palace of the Governors had the Native American artists out front with their local jewelry. Of course, I needed a souvenir, so purchased some locally made turquoise and sterling silver earrings 🙂 The Palace of the Governors is an adobe structure located on Palace Avenue on the Plaza of Santa Fe. It is within the Santa Fe Historic District and it served as the seat of government for the state of New Mexico for centuries. Fun fact – the building was erected in 1610 by order of the Spanish Crown, the Palace of the Governors is the oldest public building in continuous use constructed by European settlers in the continental United States.
Santa Fe Plaza and Downtown had a large variety of unique shops and restaurants. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is located here also – a beautiful old church building.
