There are many places to see and do in Mountainair. This small town offers unique shops, art galleries, and restaurants, as well as a well-stocked grocery store and a historic hotel. There are also several motels, luxury bed and breakfasts, and RV parks. The town also boasts the Dr. Robert J. Saul Recreation Center, which was built with the help of Works Progress Administration funds during the 1930s. It’s the perfect location to attend a local event or two.
Manzano State Park
If you love hiking and camping, you might enjoy the Manzano Mountains State Park, located 16 miles north of Mountainair. It is a popular spot for hiking, bird-watching, and photography. The park features a campground and other amenities that make it ideal for family fun. It also offers beautiful views of the surrounding area. This state park has something for everyone, whether you want to go fishing, bird-watching, or hiking.
The park features a visitor center and a group picnic shelter. There are also 37 developed campsites, with eight of them offering electric hookups. Restrooms and an RV dump station are also located on site. The park is open from 7 am to 9 pm daily. The park’s entry gate is located 16 miles northwest of Mountainair.
The Manzano Mountains State Park is a 160-acre property in the eastern foothills of the Manzano Mountains. The western Manzano Mountains are rugged, while the eastern flanks are more treed. The state park offers excellent hiking and biking trails, as well as horseback riding opportunities.
Cibola National Forest
Located just outside Albuquerque, New Mexico, Cibola National Forest is home to more than 1.6 million acres of public land. Located in the Sandia Mountains, Cibola offers a unique combination of scenery and recreational opportunities. The area is also known for its excellent hunting.
Cibola National Forest is composed of four ranger districts. The Mountainair Ranger District is responsible for managing the land in central New Mexico. It includes the Manzano Mountains, which were designated as Wilderness by Congress in 1978. In addition to these four ranger districts, Mount Taylor manages the land in western New Mexico. This vast national forest contains diverse biomes, including short grass prairie and Chihuahuan desert. It is also home to sub-alpine spruce and pinon-juniper forests.
In addition to its lush and scenic ecosystem, the Cibola National Forest is home to a variety of raptor species. Among them are golden eagles and American kestrels. Other bird species include merlins and turkey vultures.
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
Salinas Pueblo Missions National monument is a complex of three Spanish missions located near Mountainair, New Mexico. The three missions were built over 15 years in a region that was once home to Tompiro and Tiwa pueblo people. Today, you can explore this historical site and learn about Native American history. The monument is open daily and features a visitor center.
Mountainair is home to the Salinas Pueblo Missions National monument, which includes the San Gregorio de Abo Mission. This monument also includes the Quarai and Gran Quivera missions. If you visit the monument’s Gran Quivira Ruins, about 25 miles south of Mountainair, you’ll find a 0.5 mile-long hiking trail through pueblo ruins and an unfinished mission church.
Visitors will discover a diverse range of Salinas Pueblo Indian ruins. Some of the ruins date back to 300 years. These ancient communities are evidence of an agricultural society that lived in complexes of rooms that resembled apartment buildings. Their inhabitants practiced a combination of hunting, farming, and gathering. During this time, the Salinas Pueblos were influenced by the Ancestral Puebloans and Mogollon.
Salinas Pueblo Missions are an interesting collection of ruins that tell the history of the Puebloan people. The Salinas Valley was once a vast oasis for Native Americans. It was a major trading center and the most populous area of the Puebloan culture. The people of the region traded salt and other goods for food. They also served as middlemen between other tribes, especially the Rio Grande Pueblos and the Plains tribes to the east.
Dr. Robert J. Saul Recreation Center
The Dr. Robert J. Saul Recreation Center in Mountainair, New Mexico, is a community center with many amenities. It’s located on North Roosevelt Avenue, next to the Mountainair Police Department and the Mountainair Community Resource Center. Mountainair is a small town in central New Mexico, and it’s home to the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Using public funds from the Works Progress Administration, the Dr. Robert J. Saul Recreation Center was built in the 1930s and offers a variety of programs and activities.
Before coming to Mountainair, Dr. Saul studied medicine in Pennsylvania and briefly practiced in Missouri. Since then, he has maintained a practice in Mountainair. In this interview, he talks about his professional and personal background, the nature of small town/rural practice, and his connection with osteopathic medicine and folk medicine. In addition, he talks about the importance of continuing medical education in medical practice.
Art galleries
One of the best things to do when traveling through Mountainair is to visit one of the many art galleries. You’ll find a large variety of fine art pieces by local artists. You can purchase works by local artists or take them home to display. You’ll be able to purchase original paintings from local artists or buy a Giclee print and hang it in your home.
Cibola Arts Gallery is located at 217 Broadway in Mountainair and features a variety of artwork by local artists. The gallery is owned by 11 artists who collaborate to display their works. Gene Darnell, who creates stained glass panels and colorful fused glass suncatchers, is among the gallery’s featured artists.
Restaurants
The city of Mountainair, New Mexico, offers many different restaurants. From quick and casual dining to fine dining, Mountainair offers something for everyone. Many of the restaurants are located in the village, which boasts iconic mountain views. Many of the restaurants also offer seasonal, locally-sourced dishes. They draw inspiration from the community garden and source ingredients from local suppliers. These restaurants are also known for serving good value. However, you shouldn’t expect a five-star dining experience.
Cafe
The Mountainair Cafe is a casual restaurant that offers southwestern cuisine. It also has a salad bar. It has excellent food at a reasonable price. The cafe has received positive reviews from its patrons. You can visit it for lunch or dinner. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In March, COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and the cafe reopened for business. It was closed for several years but is now an important tourist attraction. The ceiling was repaired with care. The hotel’s original ceiling was in bad shape. However, Gayle Van Horn took it upon herself to restore it to its original glory. She did so with such precision that most visitors don’t even know it was once damaged. She also kept an art studio at the Mountainair area from 1999 to 2003 and helped launch the Manzano Mountain Art Council.
