Northeast Region

This land that was once known as the Wild, Wild West holds the historic trade route of Las Vegas, New Mexico which was the state’s largest city in the 1800’s.  Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and other gun slinging outlaws traveled through and even made their homes here for a while. If you look close enough, you can find ruts of the Santa Fe Trail trade route that originated in St. Louis and stretched to Santa Fe. This town was also headquarters for Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. Be sure to visit Fort Union National Monument to see what was the largest military installation in the Southwest in the 1860’s and 70’s.

 

Other sights worth seeing in this region include Capulin Volcano which last erupted 60,000 years ago and can now be seen while standing inside the crater. Also, Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands are a natural wonder full of beauty. The Cimarron cut-off of the Santa Fe Trail was site of many bloody battles between Indians and Anglo settlers who were traveling west. Clayton State Park is home of dinosaur tracks from eight species of the creatures that once roamed this land. The lake also offers fishing, swimming, boating, hiking and camping.