Wild Western Road Trip from Colorado to New Mexico

Perched at 5250ft with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, the capital of Colorado is a real symbol of the American ‘good life’. This city was born in the Gold Rush, and today is packed full of culture in the form of museums, old neighbourhoods and lively streets. You won’t be short of things to do here, but these are some of our top recommendations: grab lunch at Denver Central Market, a large food hall in RiNo that’s a favourite among locals; go shopping on 16th street, a pedestrianised street covered in art that leads from the Capitol to LoDo; sit down to dinner in Larimer Square, the former beating heart of the city that’s now full of restaurants and shops. Soak up some culture at a museum, whether at the Denver Art Museum with its collection of indigenous art, or the interactive History Colorado Center. Bag a bargain at Castle Rock Outlets, not far from Denver, and take in a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a natural amphitheatre dug into the rock just outside the city.

Today you’ll leave Denver in the dust and head to Aspen, a former mining town that’s become one of North America’s most exclusive ski resorts. The drive takes just over three-and-a-half hours. When you arrive, go for a wander to take in its Victorian architecture, browse chic shops and choose a spot for lunch in one of its many restaurants. Aspen is lively all year round, hosting art, music and food festivals that add another dimension to this popular resort. There’s also a wide range of outdoor activities on offer. You’ll spend tonight in a family-run hotel; perfectly located for enjoying all that Aspen has to offer.

It’s time to get properly acquainted with Colorado’s incredible natural landscape. Around 15.5 miles from Aspen, Roaring Fork River winds between mountains and forests, creating the perfect conditions for kayaking. Suitable for beginners, this route is just over six miles long and guarantees a thrill in the form of class II and III rapids. If you’re feeling nervous, have no fear – you’ll be accompanied by an expert the entire time.

When you’re not soaking up the view from the river (or getting soaked in the rapids), we recommend exploring some of the area’s most beautiful natural sites. The Maroon Bells Scenic Area is well worth the detour, a magnificent place where you can see for yourself why these rocky peaks are the most photographed in Colorado. Further on is the Colorado National Monument, a breathtaking national park where mountains and alpine pastures give way to a glowing canyon panorama. This tranquil spot is a favourite among locals looking to escape the crowds. It remains one of the West’s best-kept secrets.

When you’ve had your fill of picture-perfect views for one day, drive on to Grand Junction, a wine-producing town with a charming city centre. You’ll stay in a comfortable hotel complete with a swimming pool and hot tub, perfect for recovering after a long day of exploring.

Your road trip continues today with a drive to Telluride, which takes just under two and a half hours. Along the way, stop at the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park, which boasts some seriously impressive stats. The canyon is over two million years old, 50 miles long, 980ft wide and in places over 1970 meters deep. Where the rock looks black (hence the name) it’s because these portions receive less than 33 minutes of sunlight per day.

The charming resort of Telluride is less upmarket than Aspen, but no less popular. In summer, this former mining town trades ski slopes for cycle paths, snowshoeing for hiking and evenings around the fire with dinner on the terrace. While you’re here, don’t miss taking the funicular to Mountain Village. This spectacularly scenic 13-minute ride is completely free, and the first and only of its kind in the US. Tonight, you’ll stay just outside of downtown Telluride but still within walking distance. Your cosy hotel promises spacious rooms and friendly staff.

Your next stop is Durango, just a two hour drive away. This typical Old West mountain town is set at an altitude of 6,512ft at the foot of the San Juan mountains. You’ll spend two nights here in a historic hotel that evokes that Western atmosphere.

All aboard! Today you’ll take a trip on an authentic steam train, classified as a historic monument, to reach Silverton in the heart of the San Juan Mountains. This 46-mile journey offers incredible views of the region, including the Animas River which you’ll cross several times. Back in Durango, you can stroll around galleries and antique shops, or try out some white-water canoeing, rafting or canyoning in the Animas River. This evening, listen to live music in one of the city’s saloons as you sample local spirits.

Today you’ll leave Colorado behind, but there’s still time for one last adventure here. If you like, we can arrange for you to take a 4x4 trip to the impressive Great Sand Dunes National Park. Afterwards, you’ll get back behind the wheel and head to the charming town of Taos in New Mexico, about four hours away. The Rio Grande crosses the town and forms a canyon in the centre. Its architecture and red clay (adobe) houses are typical of old Spanish colonial towns. You’ll spend one night here in a small motel with a swimming pool and décor that evokes Mexican craftsmanship.

Your next stop is Santa Fe, New Mexico’s vibrant capital. It’s just one hour and twenty minutes away from Taos, giving you plenty of time to explore the region along the way. We recommend a trip to the Earthships, a group of houses built using natural materials that were designed to be totally self-sufficient through the use of solar energy and rainwater collection. With an unusual aesthetic, they evoke the work of architects like Gaudí. A little further afield, you can also stop in the small town of Ranchos to admire one of New Mexico’s most significant buildings: the San Francisco de Asis Church, built in the region’s emblematic style with adobe walls. This historically significant church has been an inspiration to a number of artists including photographer Ansel Adams and painter Georgia O'Keeffe. Further west are two more of O’Keeffe’s inspirations: the Cerro Pedernal and Ghost Ranch. If you’re interested in taking in more of the region’s natural sites, there are plenty of hiking trails leading to unusual rock formations and spectacular canyons that are millions of years old. Just before you arrive in Santa Fe, take a slight detour to the Bandelier National Monument, the preserved troglodyte dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans. Here, you’ll find rock carvings that tell the fascinating stories of those who once inhabited the region.

When you reach Santa Fe, you’ll spend two nights in a beautiful adobe hotel just outside the city centre that has been welcoming Route 66’s travellers since 1936. If you need to beat the heat, cool off in the swimming pool or head to the bar for a cocktail.

Perched at an altitude of nearly 7,000ft in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe is something special. Clay buildings, bright green vegetation and stunning light create a near-unique aesthetic that has attracted artists from all over the world. As a result, the city is home to an incredible number of galleries, some of which you’ll explore today. We’ll arrange for you to visit Meow Wolf, an immersive experience created by a collective of artists. This playful setting is full of imaginative multimedia exhibits and installations that evoke an Alice in Wonderland-esque world where you can easily lose all sense of reality. You’ll also visit the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, where you can learn more about this artist who is inseparable from American modernism. This small space, made up of three rooms, houses the artist’s largest collection of paintings, watercolours and sculptures. O’Keeffe paid tribute to New Mexico through her work, where she lived from 1949 until her death. If you find yourself wanting more after this visit, we can also arrange a visit to her house and workshops in Abiquiú.

We also recommend a visit to the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, a natural site known for its tent rocks formed by the erosion of volcanic ash. Other rock formations and caves line the trails, which offer stunning views across the valley and mountains. If you like, we can also arrange for you to experience an open-air opera in the Santa Fe desert.

Today you’ll drive on to Alamogordo, just over three and a half hours away. Along the way, don’t miss the Valley of Fires, a 5,000-year-old black lava plain. You’ll spend the next two nights in the city of Alamogordo. When you arrive, all that’s left to do is choose between your hotel’s hot tub and swimming pool.

Alamogordo is located just 15 minutes from White Sands National Park, the largest gypsum desert in the world. Explore this lunar landscape via the Alkali Flat Trail, a challenging yet rewarding five-mile hike in the dry bed of an ancient lake. Back in Alamogordo, pay a visit to the New Mexico Museum of Space History, home to a projection dome, a planetarium and an impressive collection of rockets and missiles including the Little Joe II, which was used as part of NASA's Apollo programmes.

You’ll head to Truth or Consequences today, but we recommend spicing up your journey with a stop at Hatch, the local chilli capital. Here, green chilli fields stretch as far as the eye can see, transforming the landscape that surrounds the city. Every year, it hosts Hatch Chile Festival, which celebrates the harvest and showcases local culture, cuisine, music and crafts. The rest of the year, the restaurants in this friendly town serve up local dishes – all with a hefty dose of spice, of course! When you arrive in Truth or Consequences – renamed in 1950 after the Truth or Consequences radio show – you’ll spend one night in a kitschy hotel where the bathtubs are fed by natural hot water springs. Take a trip to the spa this afternoon, or enjoy a drink on the terrace as you soak up your surroundings.

After breakfast or brunch on the terrace this morning, you’ll begin your journey to Albuquerque. Along the way, don’t miss a stop at the Petroglyph National Monument. Located west of the Rio Grande, this large desert park stretches 17 miles along the West Mesa, an elevated basalt landmass. The park is home to over 20,000 ancient rock carvings created by the Ancestral Puebloans. Around an hour’s drive west of here, you’ll find the village of Pueblo Acoma, also known as ‘Sky City’. This is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in North America, whose adobe buildings seem to blend seamlessly into their environment. As the day draws to a close, don’t forget to sample some local beer in one of Albuquerque's many microbreweries. We know the perfect spot for enjoying award-winning craft beers on rooftops. You’ll spend your last night in the US in a historic hotel known as one of the region’s most beautiful. Toast to your adventure with a cocktail in the rooftop bar as you soak up the mountain views.