Seniors Visit Sandoval County, New Mexico

Sandoval County New Mexico has a visitor’s guide that reads…”See Sandoval County and see all the reasons you came to New Mexico.”  The county is not large…131,561 residents as of the 2010 Census. Sandoval County offers senior travelers four scenic byways so beautiful and historic, they’ve attained state and national recognition.

And lots of Indian reservations

Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of any county in the United States (after San Diego County, California, which has 18 reservations). I always thought that Arizona had a large number of Indian tribes with the state being home to 21 federally recognized tribes. Reservations and tribal communities comprise over a quarter of Arizona’s lands. (rabbit trail #1)   Reservations are everywhere in our country. (rabbit trail #2)  Oklahoma has the Cherokee Indians with over 877,000. The Cherokee people today are mostly in Oklahoma and North Carolina.  Looks like a rabbit trail day for me!

Less than an hour from Albuquerque’s international airport and the allure of Santa Fe beats the heart of New Mexico… can you hear it? Cool mountain forests. Hot springs. Lush riverbanks. High desert vistas… can you see it? Spicy chile and exquisite wine… can you taste it? Sandoval County is a land of contrast steeped in history. From pueblo Indians to Spanish explorers to Mexican traders, these diverse cultures continue to enrich this land and all its senior visitors… can you feel it?

From bustling Rio Rancho and Bernalillo to the serenity of Jemez Springs and wide-open wilderness, Sandoval County has plenty to offer. You will find an abundance of Native American culture and a plethora of historical attractions. Rio Rancho has “no downtown” and is the fastest-growing city in New Mexico.

The Kasha-Katuwe Ten Rocks National Monument

Kasha-Katuwe (White Cliffs) is a remarkable outdoor laboratory in Sandoval County, offering an opportunity to observe, study, and experience the geologic processes that shape natural landscapes. The national monument, on the Pajarito Plateau in north-central New Mexico, includes a national recreation trail and ranges from 5,570 feet to 6,760 feet above sea level. It’s a pretty cool site and the cone-shaped tent rock formations are the products of volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago and left pumice, ash and tuff deposits over 1,000 feet thick.

Attention Senior History Fans

Seniors will want to visit the Sandoval County Historical Society located in Bernalillo. To fill in your itinerary these useful links will keep senior historians busy. More quick facts are interesting as well if you are into statistics.  Seniors travelers will find plenty to see and do in the area.  I am a great believer in visiting worthy historic sites and there are national landmarks and historic places in Sandoval County that you will find worth checking out. It will be a memorable visit. jeb