Situated in central New Mexico, starting to the South in Tijeras and the Cibola National Forest and ending in the San Marcos/Lone Butte Area, the Turquoise Trail is a scenic and historic area which covers roughly 15,000 square miles, and connects Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The name is derived from the blue-green turquoise precious stone first mined by the early Pueblo people, who lived along the Rio Grande River as far back as 900 A.D. Mining and gold rush, Native American spirituality and customs, pioneering, and exploration are all themes that have shaped and helped to define the Turquoise Trail.
The scenic landscape of the Turquoise Trail features plateaus, hills and mountains ascending to heights of 10,600 feet in the Sandia Mountains.
The scenic landscape of the Turquoise Trail features plateaus, hills and mountains ascending to heights of 10,600 feet in the Sandia Mountains.