Cheap travel in New Mexico?

July 27, 2016 12:02 PM

How can I save money while travelling around Santa Fe and parts of northern New Mexico? Creative answers welcome!

I am planning a ~7 to 9 day trip to New Mexico in the next few months, and would love to keep expenses down. I've visited before but we stayed mainly in AirBNBs and the hostel in Albuquerque.

Possibly important details:

- I will be flying into either Santa Fe or Albuquerque from Pittsburgh, PA
- I will be renting a car at the airport
- I am a 30 year old lady travelling by myself
- I have couchsurfed before, but only in very densely populated cities
- I have not been camping in years, and hate bugs
- I am planning this trip for either late August or early October
- I am not sightseeing in major tourist areas but instead going hiking and exploring wilderness

I know there can be a huge temperature difference between the lower areas and the mountains, so is there an elevation that camping starts becoming less of an option? What should I bring with me, and what should I buy once I'm there?

The geography and population density is so different from Pittsburgh that I'm having trouble foreseeing what conditions are like at various times of the year.

Thanks for any advice! Very much looking forward to my trip.

posted by amicamentis to Travel & Transportation around New Mexico (17 answers total)

Bring a refillable water bottle, lots of sunscreen, a hat, lightweight long-sleeved shirts, and sunglasses. The elevation and usual lack of clouds means there's more sun up here, even in the forest, and noobs frequently get burnt to a crisp and dehydrated. I can't tell you how many foreign film crews I've schlepped around who come unprepared and get sick from the elevation, the dryness, and the sun. Places like Bisti and Chaco can be quite harsh.

Temperatures can vary 40 degrees plus throughout the day/night, so bring layers you can add/remove when needed.

New Mexico is remote in a way I never expected when I moved here from Chicago. In some New Mexico areas, you will have no cell service. You will drive for hours without seeing another car, and without seeing any services like gas stations/rest areas. Be sure you fill up when you can, and think about a survival kit.

Check in when you are going to established camping spaces or remote sites, and give someone a copy of your itinerary. Check in with that person who holds your itinerary. Here, there are so few people, someone won't always know you are missing until it's too late.

Most of all...be situationally aware at all times, and be cautious when out in the remote spaces. There is 1 trauma center in the entire state, and it's in Albuquerque. If you're injured to the point where you need major anything, you'll be on a helicopter back to Albuquerque.
posted by answergrape at 12:20 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Answergrape has fantastic suggestions. To them, I'd add - be careful of spiders, particularly the brown recluse variety. They're no joke. I'd also suggest bringing a large Camelbak, and make sure you drink plenty of water. Chlorophyll can help you with the elevation; you can find it at any health food store. Weather-wise, Santa Fe is at 7,000 feet and gets pretty cold at night. To gauge the temperature, you can obtain historical weather data from Weather Underground; make sure you look at a topographical map to get data for various elevations. I also agree with wearing layers. Get some lightweight long-sleeve shirts to wear during the day and a wide brimmed hat. Your skin might get dry - REALLY dry - may want to consider bringing either a hydrating high-SPF sunscreen or lotion. A survival kit is a great idea. Are there any blogs you can check out where people have done something similar to you in NM? Might be worth checking out.

Also something to be aware of - NM has lots of land dedicated to Native American reservations, and their laws are different. Be aware of how fast you're driving and be aware of where you are. GPS batteries can run out; I'd strongly suggest bringing paper maps in addition to your smartphone/charger.

Best of luck, and have a great time. NM is a beautiful, amazing place. Drive the Enchanted Loop if you get the chance, and stop at the fruitstand. It's great to see and talk to people after a long (enchanting) drive.
posted by onecircleaday at 12:52 PM on July 27, 2016

If you go in August and you're camping (it's unclear to me if you want to camp: will you be bringing gear with you? renting it in ABQ? Elevation isn't really the concern as long as you have the right gear), read up on monsoons.
posted by rtha at 12:59 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I am happy to camp but have very little experience. I won't be bringing any gear with me and would need to either rent or buy it on arrival.
posted by amicamentis at 2:02 PM on July 27, 2016

Albuquerque "Sunport" (ABQ) vs Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF):
ABQ is a decent-sized regional airport. The usual airlines fly there. You'll be able to better shop for airfares. Car rental will be easy — shuttles run from the airport to the separate rental center about every 5 minutes. It's all mod cons, security is usually a breeze, and very easy to get to/in/out. Down side, you're at least a hour south of Santa Fe. The drive is fairly scenic though (for an interstate), once you're north of Albuquerque.

As you may have gathered from the name. Santa Fe only has a municipal airstrip. There are only 2 airlines that fly there — American Airlines and United. United to/from Denver and American to/from Dallas-Fort Worth (the AA LAX-SAF flights are long gone, despite what the website says). They can only fly in those small Embraer jets (two seats on one side of the aisle, one on the other). The airport terminal building is tiny — there is ONE. GATE. Last time I flew in/out of SAF (March 2016), they were getting ready to begin construction on improvements on things like having bathrooms and food available after you go thru security. Yes, really. I think the rental car situation is pretty limited — I've never gotten a rental there. On the other hand, the terminal building is adorable (originally built in the '50s), although the construction barriers kill a lot of the charm. Also it's a 20 minute drive MAX to pretty much anywhere in Santa Fe.

Cheap lodging:
October will likely be cheaper than August — most of the touristy stuff goes quiet between September and Christmas. Places I've stayed, or friends have stayed: El Rey Inn, cute restored Route 66-era motel. Location is OK, but you'll need a car— Cerrillos Road is not very walkable. Santa Fe Sage Inn, updated motor court. Closer in to the center of town, easy to walk to the Plaza or the Railyard. I've not stayed at: Santa Fe International Hostel, which is a little further north up Cerrillos from El Rey. There are also chain motels like Quality Inn, Motel 6, Super 8, Holiday Inn, and Econo Lodge further south on Cerrillos.

Climate:
Good advice above. I'll pile on with SUNSCREEN, HATS, WATER. All the time, everyday. Drink lots of water. It's sometimes hard to tell, but you are getting dehydrated, and that's going to take a toll on you. You should pretty much have a bottle of water in your hands at all times. Seriously. It's not an exaggeration. The sun really is stronger here. If you're spending even part of the day outside, wear a hat!

Altitude:
You're coming from sea level-ish (Pittsburgh elevation is listed as 1365 feet), remember that even Albuquerque will be high altitude (about 5500 feet above sea level). Santa Fe is 7000 feet above sea level. Everything is going to hit you harder. Exertion. Alcohol. Drinking lots of water will help, but take it easy.

Hiking:
I'd suggest picking up a copy of Day Hikes in the Santa Fe Area from the local Sierra Club. You didn't really specify your hiking ability level, but I'd keep to the ones marked easy or medium form that book — the altitude can really take it out of you. Also, nthing the advice above for true "wilderness" areas. Be prepared for bad roads (rent a high-clearance vehicle), little-to-no cell coverage, and no water. Always let someone know where you are planning to go and when you should be back.

Late August/early October:
You'll want to avoid the weekend of Indian Market (this year it's August 20-21). The town is packed, and it's hard to get rooms or restaurant reservations. We may still be in the tail-end of monsoon season by the end of August — sometimes-violent afternoon thunderstorms in the higher elevations. Keep that in mind if you plan on doing any mountain hikes. September is my favorite, but October is beautiful too. It will pretty warm in the sun/cool in the shade, and possibly 30 degrees cooler at night. So, yeah, layers, layers, layers.

All that said, I'm originally from the east coast, but the desert southwest is my home. New Mexico is a very special, unique, weird, frustrating, truly beautiful place. I feel so lucky everyday to live here. Feel free to Memail me if you have specific questions.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 2:02 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

On preview, re: gear, there are REI stores in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 2:06 PM on July 27, 2016

The Santa Fe International Hostel gets free expired food from local natural foods stores. When I was there, the shared food was very well-stocked.
posted by aniola at 2:10 PM on July 27, 2016

I'm sure you know this, but never camp in dry creeks.
posted by aniola at 2:11 PM on July 27, 2016

Former Santa Fe resident who lives in AZ here. Always make sure you have plenty of water wherever you go. It's not really a good idea to hike alone. If you would have Internet access when you visit, you can find hiking buddies through the Rio Grande Sierra Club or Meetup.

A really cool place to visit in northern New Mexico is Valles Caldera National Park. Absolutely stunning! And not super crowded.

I just remembered that I will be in Santa Fe for a week during the first week of October, which incidentally, is just about the best time to schedule a getaway there because, well, can you say ASPENS!
posted by strelitzia at 2:12 PM on July 27, 2016

Just a heads up: the ABQ International Balloon Fiesta is October 1st - 9th. Rates for hotels in both ABQ and Santa Fe tend to go up (if you can find rooms). On the plus side, HOT AIR BALLOONS.
posted by inviolable at 2:20 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

For buying gear once you get to NM, Santa Fe also has a Big 5 and Walmart and Kmart which are cheaper than REI.

You could sleep in your car at campgrounds rather than tent camp if your rental car is comfortable enough. There are several camping spots near Santa Fe (some off of Hyde Park Road and some off of Caja del Rio Rd both U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, $10/day). If you want free tent camping there are areas that are National Forest where you can do "dispersed camping" for free. If you camp and want to take showers, there are 3 community centers in Santa Fe: Fort Marcy, Salvador Perez, and Genoveva Chavez that have pools and shower facilities the first two cost $5 to enter and the last one is $7. The showers at the Salvador Perez are open with no stalls.

I am not familiar with the couch surfing scene here, but an acquaintance (male) ended up using it and staying with a couple in Pojoaque, NM (north of Santa Fe) and had a really great time with them.

Agree with other's here that having water on hand and drinking it is important in the high desert. Dress in layers. Be aware - when hiking bring a poncho and a set of dry clothes, it's easy to get caught in the mountains if you're not aware of the weather around you and it happens really suddenly.
posted by BooneTheCowboyToy at 3:09 PM on July 27, 2016 [2 favorites]

Oh yeah, Balloon Fiesta. Forgot about that one — good catch inviolable! Not as bad in Santa Fe as Indian Market, but yeah, it gets surprisingly touristy.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 3:12 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

If you want to camp, you can always spend a little more on your rental car and get something large enough to put down the back seats and lie down. You'll save on buying or renting camping gear. You can plan for cold food and avoid needing a stove, so all you would need is bedding and plenty of water.

I usually bring 2 gallons per person per day for car camping in NM. Even to developed campgrounds -- it's rare for them to have water.

Hating bugs -- as long as you keep your tent zipped shut and car closed no bugs will crawl in. Pick windy spots away from water -- there's plenty to pick from -- and you'll avoid flying insects.

is there an elevation that camping starts becoming less of an option

Well, it depends how cold you are willing to get.

In August it should be relatively warm everywhere -- and in the mountains this means you'd better bring warm bedding, jacket, gloves, warm hat. It's often warm during middle of the day and cold at night. In late October you'll start to see snow in some places. However, that's not an absolute no to camping, some people do snow camping even in midwinter.


I will be flying into either Santa Fe or Albuquerque

Check the car rental rates from each of those airports, and if you would save money at the other you can take the Railrunner to the other city. Also, some rental agencies have a non-airport location in Albuquerque that will save you a few dollars a day.

going hiking and exploring wilderness

It sounds like you don't have much outdoors experience, and I would strongly advise you to avoid going off into actual wilderness all by yourself. Stick to marked trails in established areas, there are lots of really cool places you can go.
posted by yohko at 6:46 PM on July 27, 2016

Here's some climate data for different towns in NM. Keep in mind that the temperatures outside of towns will be different. I've seen it go from a sunny 70 F day to snowing in a 30 minute drive.

I know there can be a huge temperature difference between the lower areas and the mountains, so is there an elevation that camping starts becoming less of an option?

Thinking about this part of your question, it seems like you are under the misconception that temperatures will change with elevation -- while they do, that's only one factor, and temperatures can be vastly different depending on the surrounding terrain, weather patterns, storms, etc. "Northern New Mexico" is a large area and there isn't really enough information in your question to say what it will be like camping in October -- and even if there was, it's far to early to know what the weather will be like in October this year.

However, if your main concern about camping is that there will be bugs, if you are up for winter camping there are not many bugs then.
posted by yohko at 6:58 PM on July 27, 2016

Car camping and hostels are my go-tos for inexpensive travel when I don't have couches to stay on.

National parks (of which there are several in northern NM) have campgrounds that generally have pit toilets but no showers, individual sites have picnic tables and small grills for small fires if they get enough rain that burn restrictions are lifted by the time you visit, and generally potable water is available at a central location. Other campers will have tents or small trailers, but these campgrounds don't fit large rvs. Generally they are quiet and pleasant. You will need cash for the self-registration envelopes.

State parks vary by state and I haven't stayed in any NM ones. Here's a link for more information though.

Here are the two main hostel booking sites.

I've seen minivans that have been turned into rental campers across the southwest, too. Not sure where to rent those, but seems like a good option: vehicle and hotel in one; secure against the elements, the wildlife, and the peoples.

As others noted, you can also camp for free on BLM lands so long as you practice good leave no trace routines; and stock up on water and sunscreen when you arrive. I haven't been south of Albuquerque, but northern New Mexico is beautiful, and learning about the current and historical Native American cultures in the area is quite interesting and worthwhile.
posted by eviemath at 7:01 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

inviolable: Just a heads up: the ABQ International Balloon Fiesta is October 1st - 9th. Rates for hotels in both ABQ and Santa Fe tend to go up (if you can find rooms). On the plus side, HOT AIR BALLOONS.

Fun fact: there are hot air balloons up over Albuquerque much of the year, particularly in the early morning. Not "OH GODS SO MANY BALLOONS" like there is during Balloon Fiesta, but if you're anywhere near Albuquerque and look towards the city between 6 and 8 AM, you will probably see a few that are up and about.

Also, ABQ is bonkers during Balloon Fiesta. I've seen it described as a major sporting event that last for a full week, drawing about 800,000 visitors, with prices increasing across Albuquerque during Balloon Fiesta.

I know you'll have a car, but if you want a different view of the Albuquerque-Santa Fe corridor, the Rail Runner is a fun excursion for the day, but can be about $10 for a round trip ticket if you buy it online. I've seen discounts through Groupon and such, so you could get a round trip for about half that. But if you do take the train, plan your excursions accordingly. It's pretty much a commuter rail, and the arrival and departure times reflect that. Still, it's a different view of that area, and as a rail commuter, I really enjoy it.

Also, if you have a Rail runner ticket, you can use it to get a free ride on some of the connecting buses, which is handy if you want to get into ABQ or SF from the train.

Speaking of discounts and such, Visit Albuquerque has a long list of coupons and discounts. And regarding alternative ways to see the region, the ABQ Trolley is pretty good, though tickets range from $15-25 without discounts. It's a good tour of Albuquerque, and it's not just tourist attractions.

Here's NM's "Find a (State) Park" webpage with a map and list of State Parks throughout the state. For another way to browse camping options in the state, Explore NM has a Camping page with the option to sort by camping site name, elevation, controlling agency, fee, and other details.

If you want to go to the northern, more forested (and cooler) part of the state, Enchanted Circle has a website that includes pages on hiking and camping in the region. And if you're up in the Angel Fire area in late August, there are some free events related to their annual Music from Angel Fire festival. When I've driven up that way, it looks like there are plenty of road-side camping spots. For example, there's La Sombra Campground, a USFS campsite.

You can also memail me for more direct questions. I live in the state, and haven't done nearly enough exploring to be honest, but I have traveled and studied the state a good deal, and some of my co-workers have hiked and camped extensively, so I look for more specific information.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:07 PM on July 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

If you want a few "indoor attractions" in your short stay, Tinkertown is a world of miniature carved-wood characters and old toys plus some animatronic, coin-driven features. It's $3.50 for adults, and they give you a quarter for one of the coin-operated machines, but you'll want to bring a few more quarters.

Santa Fe has a bunch of great museums, as does Albuquerque, including the boldly named American International Rattlesnake Museum (which is more of an extensive snake exhibit that you would find at a zoo, crossed with a roadside attraction). Really, there are neat museums throughout the state, and there are usually a few free days at each museum, if you time your trip just right.

Speaking of timing, as rtha mentioned upthread, August is (typically) monsoon season, which can lead to flash floods in the afternoons. You may want to pack up your gear and put it in your car every day, just in case, because the weather in the morning is no indication of what will happen in the afternoon.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:57 PM on July 28, 2016