El Camino Real
Visitor Services

There are four roadway rest stops along the byway. They are located near La Cienega, La Joya, Fort Craig, and Fort Seldon. These rest stops offer public telephones, restrooms, and vending machines.

There is a roadside picnic area just south of Rincon, where the byway intersects the El Camino Real/Chihuahua International Trail. There is also a picnic area located just north of Caballo, overlooking the Caballo Reservoir.

In Pojoaque Pueblo, the Poeh Cultural Center features Pueblo art and exhibits, and hosts traditional Indian dances on weekends. It also houses an information center and the largest Indian arts and crafts shop in northern New Mexico. At Santa Clara Pueblo, both guided and self-guided tours are available throughout the pueblo. Nambe Pueblo offers guided tours to view the pueblo's buffalo herd through Buffalo Tours, and young Buffalo Dancers will perform upon advance request. Docents at the Misión and Bond House Museums in Española are eager to accommodate tour groups.

Service	Description	Service	Description
	Fees Special attraction and area use fees exist along the byway, but there are no fees for driving the byway itself.		Accessibility Visitor services in Pojoaque, and Española; all have disabled travelers accommodations to include, parking ramps and accessible restrooms. In addition, all commercial buildings are built to...
	Bicycle/Pedestrian Facilities El Camino Real parallels Interstate 25. This allows access for pedestrians and bicycles in most places on the frontage roads, which is the actual byway.		Camping Camping is also available along the byway. Most towns offer RV parks and tent sites, as do state parks.
	Food There are places to buy food along this byway.		Gasoline Gasoline is available.
	Information Each major city (Bernalillo, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Truth or Consequences, or Española) provides travelers with information about their respective areas. The Española Valley...		Lodging There is overnight lodging along this byway.
	Phone Public phones are available along this byway.		Restrooms There are toilet facilities along this byway.
	Retail There are places to shop along this byway.

NOTE: The America's Byways® website is federally funded and cannot promote commercial businesses. This data may not be complete or up to date. The National Scenic Byways Program is not responsible for the quality of your travel experience. See the right column on the Byway Overview page for local contact information.

Special Considerations

As of June 1, 2009, all travelers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens) are required to present a passport or other accepted form of documentation. For more information, visit the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol website.

The weather in the Santa Fe area is warm in the summer but cold in the winter due to higher elevations. During the winter, there are frequent snowstorms. An especially dangerous area during a snowstorm is La Bajada, located south of Santa Fe en route to Albuquerque.

Potential winter travelers should check the weather forecast for the state prior to making final plans. Snowstorms usually occur from November through February, and mild winters are very infrequent. As you travel further south and the elevation decreases, the temperature increases on a year-round trend. With the exception of possible bad weather conditions, the roads are open and in good condition all year.

Seasons

Best Time to Drive

During the Christmas season, villages and pueblos along El Camino come alive with traditional ceremonies and decorations found nowhere else in the U.S.

High Season

Travelers may encounter heavy traffic during June and July which is the time of several Pueblo feast days, Española Fiesta and 8 Northern Pueblos Art Show.

Road Conditions

To find up to date information about the road conditions along El Camino Real, please visit the FHWA listing of web sites for more information.

New Mexico