Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

All clear. The managing agency, the National Weather Service and wildfire reporting show no current alerts.

Overview

Tucked away in the middle of New Mexico you’ll find Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Its three distinct sites offer a glimpse into a unique time in history—a time entrenched with cultural borrowing, conflict and struggles. These sites continue to stand as reminders of the Spanish and Pueblo peoples’ early encounters and prompt exploration of today’s interactions among different people.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching
  • Park Film
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Headquarters, Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is open 7 days a week year-round except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Hours for the Mountainair Headquarters Visitor Center and Abó, Quarai and Gran Quivira Units are 9:00AM to 5:00PM daily, year-round. For Visitor Center Hours for Abó, Quarai and Gran Quivira Units, please click the Visitor Centers tab below.

Getting there

Reach the Mountainair Headquarters by taking I-25 south from Albuquerque to Belen, then NM 47 diagonally to US 60, then east 21 miles to Mountainair. To travel the historic highway route (Turquoise Highway) from the north, take I-40 east from Albuquerque to NM 337, drive south 47 miles (76K) to junction with NM State Highway 55. Proceed right (west) on Hwy 55 about 16 miles (26 K). Turn right on Highway 60 and proceed one block to HQ. Information on the ruins & surrounding area is available here.

Visitor centers

Weather

Salinas Pueblo Missions is located at an elevation of 6100-6500 ft (1860-1980 m) in an arid climate. Average annual rainfall is about 15 inches. Winters can be cold and snowy. Summer highs are above 90°F/32°C with cool evenings. The months of June-September often have thunderstorms. Flash flooding may occur in the area. Abó is especially prone to road closures as a result. Spring highs average 75°F/24°C. Fall temperatures are a little cooler. High winds often occur, which may result in trail closures.

Phone: 5058472585

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Stone walls of a roofless building rise into a bright blue sky.
Quarai Mission · NPS Photo
An solar eclipse outlines an old stone structure at Salinas Pueblo Missions.
Annular Eclipse Seen From Gran Quivira · NPS Photo
A paved path winds through the stone foundations of several old kivas.
Kivas At Gran Quivira · NPS Photo
Stone foundations of an old mission structure.
An Overview Of The Abó Mission · NPS Photo
A path through stone walls of an old church.
Inside The Abó Church · NPS Photo

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