Santa Fe to Bandelier and then to Valles Caldera with activities at each and then back to Santa Fe will be a pretty full day, and you haven’t had dinner yet. No mention of lunch. Maybe Bandelier has lunch. I haven’t been there in several years. Valles Caldera probably doesn’t have food and there is nothing directly in between. Pack a picnic. Either place is beautiful for an outdoor meal.
Coming back from Valles Caldera you could turn left from NM 4 onto NM 501 and go in to downtown Los Alamos and visit the Bradbury Science Museum. It’s pretty good and on the way back to Santa Fe. A half hour to an hour would be a good visit.
On the way down the hill be prepared to stop at the Los Alamos National Laboratory guard portal and present an ID like a driver’s license. It looks a little intimidating but the public may pass through with ID. (Except on Pajarito Road between White Rock and Los Alamos, but that’s not really a relevant route for your trip.)
Laboratory traffic is heavy during drive time and almost non-existent between. Nearly 20,000 people work there now and 60% will be commuting up the hill while you’re trying to get to Bandelier and back with you as you’re trying to get to Santa Fe. Some of the commuters are crazy behind the wheel.
Coming back from Valles Caldera you could turn left from NM 4 onto NM 501 and go in to downtown Los Alamos and visit the Bradbury Science Museum. It’s pretty good and on the way back to Santa Fe. A half hour to an hour would be a good visit.
On the way down the hill be prepared to stop at the Los Alamos National Laboratory guard portal and present an ID like a driver’s license. It looks a little intimidating but the public may pass through with ID. (Except on Pajarito Road between White Rock and Los Alamos, but that’s not really a relevant route for your trip.)
Laboratory traffic is heavy during drive time and almost non-existent between. Nearly 20,000 people work there now and 60% will be commuting up the hill while you’re trying to get to Bandelier and back with you as you’re trying to get to Santa Fe. Some of the commuters are crazy behind the wheel.
Statistics: Posted by Diluted Waters — Sat Apr 13, 2024 1:34 am — Replies 3 — Views 268