Turquoise Trail

State: New Mexico
National Forest: Cibola National Forest, Santa Fe National Forest
Length: 62.0 mi / 99.8 km
Time to Allow: Take two hours, including backtracking, to drive the byway.

Believed to be an ancient path, Turquoise Trail travels between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The natural geological formations found here are like nowhere else on Earth. See nature up-close in the Cibola National Forest and Sandia Mountain Wilderness Area. Appreciate the distinctive, artistic communities of Madrid and Los Cerrillos.

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  Ride the Sandia Crest Challenge on the Turquoise Trail!

  Updated Apr 1, 2013 in Get Outdoors! And Go Biking and What's Happening on America's Byways

  Although you can enjoy the Turquoise Trail from the comfort of an air-conditioned car, nothing compares to the thrill of seeing this byway from the seat of a bicycle. No part of the byway is more popular to bikers than the Sandia Crest, 13 miles of mountain forest shade and clear desert vistas.

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  Drive through Colorful Country on the Turquoise Trail

  Updated Jan 21, 2013 in Getaways: Byways on a Budget and Goodyear’s Top 50 Scenic, Comfortable Drives

  Drive the Turquoise Trail, a "back road" to glorious scenery and great discovery. See central New Mexico laid out before you from your bird's-eye view atop Sandia Crest, the magnificent summit of the Sandia Mountains. Drive back into history or revel in modern-day artistry in the old mining towns of Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos.

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• 1-Day Trip: Must See Tour of the Turquoise Trail
  (New Mexico)

  Travel the Turquoise Trail for an up-close view of New Mexico's diverse landscapes and Southwestern cultures. On your way, stop at the following...