It’s hard to think of painted deserts and gargantuan valleys and other breathtaking landscapes that feel so unique to the United States and not have your mind automatically think of New Mexico. But there’s more diversity to New Mexico than one might expect. It’s not just deserts and valleys and canyons and caves. The frosty, snow-capped peaks in places like Angelfire provide a stunning contrast to the grand majesty of the massive of the Grand Canyon. The vistas that one can find throughout New Mexico are unlike any to be discovered anywhere else in the world.
The best way to see so many of those vistas is from behind the wheel of your car. There’s nothing quite like the American tradition of hitting the open road and seeing this grand and varied country through your windshield and windows. New Mexicans do plenty of driving throughout their state – an average of about 18,000 miles annually, to be a bit more precise. They drive those 18,000 miles in the 1.6 million registered vehicles found populating the states roads. Of course, if you need something not on the road, there are 649 dealers in New Mexico with cars for sale, many of which contribute toward the $3.1 billion in new car sales, and which help fuel the 16,469 auto industry jobs found throughout the state.
But there’s more than mountains and canyons to see as you drive around New Mexico. There’s the White Sands National Monument. This is technically a desert, but it’s no ordinary desert. This is a desert not of sand, but of gleaming white gypsum crystals. But as you drive, there’s a good chance you won’t be on a paved road. Given how consistently dry the climate is there, only a fourth of the state’s roads are paved since there’s little risk of them washing away.
Just be sure that if you’re a woman, don’t pump your own gasoline. That’s against the law.
