Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
293
James, painter Frederic Remington and novelist Zane Grey, all passed through and stayed
in Cimarron—most of them at the St. James Hotel, 17th Street and Collinson ( & 866/
472-5019 or 505/376-2664). Even if you're not planning an overnight stay, it's a fun
place to visit for an hour or two. The Old Mill Museum ( & 575/376-2417 ), a grand,
three-story stone structure that's well worth visiting, houses an interesting collection of
early photos, as well as memorabilia including a saddle that belonged to Kit Carson. It's
open in May and September, Saturday from 10am to noon and 1 to 5pm, and Sunday
from 1 to 5pm; Memorial Day to Labor Day, Friday through Wednesday from 10am to
noon and 1 to 5pm. It's closed October through April. Admission is by donation. Ask
for a historic walking-tour map at the Old Mill Museum.
The Cimarron Chamber of Commerce, 104 N. Lincoln Ave. ( & 575/376-2417;
www.cimarronnm.com), has complete information on the region. It is open June to
August daily 9am to 5pm, and November to April Monday through Saturday 10am to
3pm; the rest of the year 10am to 4pm.
RATON
Raton was founded in 1879 at the site of Willow Springs, a watering stop on the Santa
Fe Trail. Mountain man “Uncle Dick” Wooton, a closet entrepreneur, had blasted a pass
through the Rocky Mountains just north of the spring, and he began charging tolls.
When the railroad bought Wooton's road, Raton developed as the railroad, mining, and
ranching center for this part of the New Mexico Territory. Today it has a well-preserved
historic district. The tourist information center is at the Raton Chamber and Economic
Development Council, 100 Clayton Rd., at the corner of 2nd Street (P.O. Box 1211),
Raton, NM 87740 ( & 800/638-6161 or 575/445-3689; www.raton.info). Memorial
Day to Labor Day, the center is open daily from 8am to 6pm; hours are 8am to 5pm
during the rest of the year.
East of Raton is Capulin Mountain, home to Capulin Volcano National Monu-
ment , which offers visitors the rare opportunity to walk inside a volcanic crater. A
2-mile road spirals up from the visitor center more than 600 feet to the crater of the
8,182-foot peak. Two self-guided trails leave from the parking area: an energetic and
spectacular 1-mile hike around the crater rim, and a 100-foot descent into the crater to
the ancient volcanic vent. One of the most interesting features here is the symmetry of
the main cinder cone. The volcano was last active about 60,000 years ago. The monu-
ment is 30 miles east of Raton; take US 64/87 and go north 3 miles on NM 325. The
visitor center, at the base of the western side of the volcano, is open daily Memorial Day
to Labor Day from 7:30am to 6:30pm, the rest of the year daily from 8am to 4pm. An
audiovisual program discusses volcanism, and park personnel will answer questions.
Admission is $5 per car. For more information, contact Capulin Volcano National
Monument ( & 575/278-2201; www.nps.gov/cavo).
10
9 THE I 40 CORRIDOR
The 216 freeway miles on I-40 from Albuquerque to the Texas border cross featureless
prairie and very few towns. But the valleys of the Pecos River (site of Santa Rosa ) and
the Canadian River ( Tucumcari is on its banks) have several attractions, including natu-
ral lakes. There's not a lot to explore here unless you're a bird-watcher or a fisher, but both
towns can make a day's stopover worthwhile.
 
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