9 Best Things to Do in Abiquiu, New Mexico

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Located near the village of Abiquiú in Rio Arriba County in New Mexico, Ghost Ranch is a 21,000-acre retreat and education center that offers a range of programs and exciting adventures. The Ranch is committed to guests’ spiritual development, peace and justice. It celebrates the environment and family through art, culture and nature. Open year-round, the Ranch is owned by the Presbyterian Church USA and is open to all. The magnificent landscape of vivid colors, towering rocks and enormous skies was made world-famous by painter Georgia O’Keeffe, who lived and worked on the ranch for a while. Today, people come to the Ranch from all over the world come to paint, write poetry, to hike, ride horses, to research the surrounding archaeological and fossil quarries or just to rest and renew their spirits.

280 Private Drive 1708 Highway, US-84, Abiquiu, NM 87510, Phone: 505-685-1000

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Located among the sandstone cliffs of New Mexico, near the village of Abiquiu, in the Carson National Forest, Echo Amphitheater is a fascinating natural amphitheater linked to the legend of blood and murder. In the spring of 1861 a group of settlers from Iowa was farming in northern New Mexico when a band of Navajo took them to the top of the amphitheater and executed them. In retribution, ten Navajo men were killed at the top of the amphitheater when the Navajo were being forced on the "Long Walk" by the U.S. Army three years later. The red vertical stripes that run down the horizontally stratified cliff wall are streaks of mineral varnish, but the legend explains them as the blood that seeped into the rock and is still visible today. The natural amphiteater’s echoing auditory properties are explained as the anguished cries of the dead still echo from the cliff's walls. Since the legend is more interesting than the fact, Echo Amphiteater is a popular tourist destination.

US-84, Abiquiu, NM 87510, Phone: 575-758-6200

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The Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery that belongs to the English Province of the Subiaco Congregation of Benedictine monasteries. The monastery is surrounded by miles of untouched wilderness of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness area accessible by Forest Road 151. The monastery was founded by Aelred Wall, O.S.B., a monk of Mount Savior Monastery in Pine City, New York in 1964. The monastery provides sanctuary to men from many nations. English is the common language of the house. Christ in the Desert has a guesthouse in which men and women can stay and join the monks in the chapel and share the monastic Divine Office and the Mass. The monks also manage a gift shop that sells books and religious items, work on the land, create crafts, do computer work and maintenance of the grounds and facilities. The monastery is powered entirely by solar power and it has one of the largest private solar power systems in the US,

Forest Rd 151, Abiquiu, NM 87510, Phone: 575-613-4233

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Purple Adobe Lavender Farm was established in 2004 in the picturesque Chama River Valley near Abiquiu, New Mexico. Abiquiu is known for the magnificent views, colorful mountain slopes and Chama River. It is the place where the painter, Georgia O'Keeffe lived, painted and made famous through her art. Purple Adobe Lavender Farm has planted 2500 lavender plants in the terrain with its sandy soil, high altitude, and strong sunlight, the perfect location for growing lavender. We harvest, sell and distill the lavender flowers to use in various lavender products. We also offer educational programs and information on growing lavender, provide consultation, and sell lavender bath and body product line at our gift shop and in local stores.

1622, Abiquiu, NM 87510, Phone: 505-685-0082

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Located near Abiquiú, New Mexico, Dar al-Islam is a Muslim educational center and the first planned Islamic community in the US. It was originally co-founded in 1979 by Nuridin Durkee, an American who had converted to Islam, Sahi Kabbani, a Saudi businessman and Abdullah Omar Nasseef, a former secretary-general of the World Muslim League. The non-profit Lama Foundation was formed to create the community and the foundation bought the first 1,000-acre site along the Chama River. At its peak, the community had about 60 students and seven full-time teachers. The community never became a thriving residential community for American Muslims as intended, but it did manage to stay viable as an educational facility. Today, Dar al Islam provides religious instruction, camps and retreats for its residents and visiting Muslims. It also offers teaching workshops on Islam for public and private institutions.

342 Co Rd 155, Abiquiu, NM 87510, Phone: 505-685-4515

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Located in Abiquiu, New Mexico, on a secluded, high, dramatic mesa, In Sync with Horses is the place for anyone who loves horses. They create unique private equine experiences for visitors in the Santa Fe-Abiquiu-Taos area. Their Hands-On Horsemanship teaches riders to move a 1,000-pound horse with just a wave of your hand. The Horseplay! Days are for the kids and kids at heart, One-on-one Tall In The Saddle experience is designed to help experienced riders regain their confidence. Cowboy/Cowgirl Up! Offer true western riding instruction. And if their menu doesn't have exactly what you want, they will create Custom Equine Experiences for you.

PO Box 57Abiquiu, NorthCentral, Phone: 505-470-3531

© Georgia O’Keeffe House Museum

Follow the footsteps of one of Abiquiu’s most famous residents, Georgia O'Keeffe, as you tour her former home. Known for her paintings of nature and New York cityscapes, Georgia O’Keeffe moved to Abiquiu in the 1940s after experiencing a meaningful visit to the region ten years prior. Her first property was a breathtaking summer house with over 10 acres of land just outside of Abiquiu. Her second property, a beautiful example of Native American and Spanish architecture, became her permanent home in 1949 after undergoing a four-year restoration. The home was named an official historical landmark in 1998, with parts of the 5,000-square foot home dating as far back as 1744. While both homes are under the museum’s care, only O’Keeffe’s permanent home and studio are open to the public.

217 Johnson Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, Phone: 505-946-1000

© Bode’s General Merchandise

At first glance, Bode’s General Merchandise store may seem like a regular store in Abiquiu, but in reality, the store is a long-standing landmark in the community. Originally known as Grants Mercantile, the store first opened in 1890 as a general store, post office, coach stop, and jail. Over the years, ownership transferred through different families until it was eventually purchased by Martin Bode in 1919 and became Bode’s General Merchandise. Today, the store still offers an extensive list of products from postcards and books to fishing supplies and livestock feed. The store has also been proudly serving New Mexican cuisine for the past 20 years, offering daily breakfast and lunch menus. If stopping by for breakfast, be sure to check out their famous “red” or “green” breakfast burritos.

21196 US-84, Abiquiu, New Mexico 87510, Phone: 505-685-4422

© Abiquiu Inn

Get a taste of traditional local cuisine while enjoying the charming and casual atmosphere of Café Abiquiu & LaTerraza. Guests may choose between dining indoors amongst thoughtful artworks by local artists or outdoors on the scenic terrace. Either way, the environment will be equally as enjoyable as the menu selection which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, as well as seasonal and holiday offerings. All their menus showcase an array of Northern New Mexico favorites and homemade fare. The café offers a daily breakfast menu that includes huevos rancheros, strawberries and yogurt, Copper Canyon eggs benedict, and polenta cakes. Some of the highlights from their lunch and dinner menu include a local lamb burger, pork carnitas, shrimp & grits, and a green chili ranchero stew.

21120 US-84, Abiquiu, New Mexico 87510, Phone: 505-685-4378