Turquoise Trail (NM-14)

About this drive

New Mexico's Turquoise Trail is a 62-mile National Scenic Byway running along the eastern flank of the Sandia and Ortiz Mountains between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The route passes through a string of authentic Old West mining towns including Madrid and Cerrillos, once booming with coal and turquoise mining. Adobe galleries, quirky roadside art installations, and sweeping high desert vistas make this a culturally rich alternative to the interstate. The soft ochre and sage landscape glows golden at sunset under enormous New Mexico skies.