Pecos National Historical Park

 

The amount of history that took place in this relatively small corridor of land is fascinating.  Prehistoric hunters and gatherers, early agricultural societies, pre-contact pueblos, the earliest Spanish explorers, the ruins of a Spanish mission dating prior to 1700, the Santa Fe Trail, a Civil War battle, and later the railroad, Route 66, and Interstate 25…

For a small entrance fee the National Park Service offers a visitor center and museum, guided tours, short hiking trails, and educational programs.  The Pecos National Historical Park is a two-hour drive from Raton, an easy day trip.

Official website:  http://www.nps.gov/peco/index.htm