4 Day Road trip From Dallas, Texas to Santa Fe, New Mexico & Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Flying down to Dallas to be with my family is a much looked forward time of the year for me. It turned into a trip within a trip this summer to the delight of this 'nomadic aunt' as my nephew calls me! My brother and his teenage son chalked up a four day plan, a road trip from Dallas, Texas to Pagosa Springs, Colorado via Santa Fe, New Mexico. We went through the logistical issues of mapping, booking, budgeting etc., got approval from my sister in law, yes she is the boss;) and hit the road!

The drive from Dallas to Santa Fe is about ten hours plus breaks. Most of the time we were on HWY US-287 North. Driving through lengthy stretches of dry shrub land in 100 degrees plus Fahrenheit was a new experience that I actually enjoyed coming from Canada! A good place to take the first break was Wichita Falls, about two hours from Dallas. If you have time, check out the water falls in Lucy Park while here. Pecan Shed, a large and lovely store by the highway with its tasteful decor is full of mouth watering treats and Texan souvenirs, a perfect stop to stretch and grab munchies which is what we did!

Next stop was Amarillo, about three and a half hours from Wichita Falls. It was fun to watch the rows of wind turbines on the way, turning their arms in a synchronized dance like choreography. Palo Duro Canyon and Cadillac Ranch are attractions to explore in Amarillo, trip plan permitting! Our trip allowed us to stretch legs, fill up gas, take a washroom break, snack and be off on the road again.

The landscape started changing from flat lands and rolling hills to these fascinating flat topped mountains called Mesas as we got close to the Texas- New Mexico border.

In another two and half hours, we reached Santa Rosa, New Mexico, as the sun got ready to hang its hat. We stopped for dinner at the landmark Silver Moon Cafe on Historic Route 66 which has been around since 1959.

Another hour and forty five minutes drive and we reached our hotel in Santa Fe to hang our hats too!

Well rested and well fed we headed out in the morning to explore Santa Fe. This city, with its distinct characteristics sits in high altitude, surrounded by the southern Rockies showcasing its unique Pueblo architectural style. The inspiration of this style comes from the Pueblo Indians who built their homes with adobe bricks made of mud, wood and stone, flat roofs and logs. My brother, who seemed to know a lot about it (and many other things!) was our commentator as he drove us around Santa Fe.

We got down to explore and buy souvenirs at a large local craft store that felt like a museum itself.

The morning was spent walking around the Santa Fe Plaza, known as the heart of the city, which dots museums, art galleries, and a variety of arts and crafts boutiques in adobe buildings. Overlooking the Plaza is the historic Cathedral Basilica of St.Francis of Assisi with a statue of Saint Kateri, the first indigenous American saint.

Driving around the Museum Hill and the city center we took in the scenic views of the city and its architecture before driving towards our next stop Pagosa Springs, Colorado, almost three hours drive from Santa Fe. Be sure to visit Georgia O’Keefe’s museum if you are a fan of this famous American modernist artist!

The drive to Pagosa Springs from Santa Fe is mostly on US-84, through hills and mountains, initially in the distance but getting closer as we near Colorado. We made a short stop at Abiquiu Lake about 50 miles from Santa Fe to take in the beautiful view of the vastness of the waterbody on the foot of the mountains. We also drove past Ghost Ranch, a favourite of O’Keefe.

We were awed by the red, yellow, terracotta, sandy layers of the mountains that changed into mountains with green pines as we neared Pagosa Springs, our final destination.

There is a lot to do and explore in Pagosa Springs, an important one being to pause and take in the beauty of the place! It is a small town hugged by the rugged San Juan Mountains, the San Juan river flowing through it.

Fishing, bird watching, tubing, hiking, exploring waterfalls, soaking in Pagosa’s famous geothermal hot springs, and tasting the local cuisine are the most popular things to do in this tranquil little town.

While we did almost all of them, my favourite was to wake up to the symphony of birds, bugs and the rushing waters of San Juan river that slowly faded away as I watched the rising sun from behind the majestic mountains.

This huge basin of nature is a place where hummingbirds are aplenty, reminding me of the virtues of resilience and freedom, of finding beauty and happiness in small things and enjoying life's simple pleasures!

We drove back from Pagosa Springs to Dallas in about 12 hours on our way back, stopping only to take breaks and to refuel the car and us. Though there was a lot of driving in four days, the changing landscapes from Texas, to New Mexico to Colorado kept me intrigued. There were more places we wished we could have visited and more things we could have done, but we were grateful to have explored to our heart’s content and body’s ability a four day trip would allow. Last but not the least, the time spent with family was priceless!