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Just east of Albuquerque lie the East Mountain communities of Tijeras, Cedar Crest, Sandia Park and Madrid on the Turquoise Trail. These mountain towns are perfect for a day trip to watch the fall colors, visit a quirky museum full of miniature townsfolk or see large works of art amongst the trees.
Take a side trip to Tinkertown Museum filled with thousands of folk-artsy hand-carved miniatures and scenes. Plan your trip at tinkertown.com.
However you plan your trip, be sure to make time for lunch in Madrid, the historic mining town where an impromptu goat parade or freak festival has been known to close the one-lane road without notice. It is also worth a visit for the dozen or so art galleries and lunch or a cold one at the Mineshaft Tavern. Keep going a few minutes north to see Origami in the Garden (origamiinthegarden.com), a large-scale exhibition of Japanese Origami art spread across the roadside desert created by Santa Fe artists Jennifer and Kevin Box. Keep driving another 30 minutes to arrive in downtown Santa Fe for a plaza stroll or fancy dinner.
If Route 66 is more your style, take Central Avenue east through Carnuel Canyon to travel the mother road all the way through Tijeras and Zuzax for lunch at Juno Brewery in Edgewood. Make sure to head to Moriarty for a visit to the huge McCall’s Pumpkin Patch (mccallpumpkinpatch.com), including corn mazes, kids rides, a country store and even haunted mazes most weekends during Fiesta.
