POPULATION: 26,000 – Cibola County 9,200 – Grants
LAND AREA: 4,180 sq. miles
ELEVATIONS: 6,400 ft. – City of Grants 11,301 ft. – Mt. Taylor
CLIMATE: Average High Temperature – 70 degrees Average Low Temperature – 42 degrees Average Annual Precipitation – 9 inches Average Annual Snowfall –11 inches
LODGING & DINING: Restaurants – 42 Hotel and Motel rooms – 800 RV Parks – 4
AREA RECREATION: City Parks – 13 Golf Courses – 2 Public Swimming Pool – 1 Baseball Fields – 9 Bowling Alley – 1 Movie Theater – 1 Winery – 1
AREA CHURCHES: 25+ EMERGENCY: Dial 911 Cibola General Hospital 505-287-4446
PUEBLOS & TRIBES: Acoma Laguna Zuni Navajo
AREA ATTRACTIONS: Acoma Pueblo Sky City Bluewater Lake State Park Chaco Culture National Historical Park Cibola National Forest El Malpais National Monument El Morro National Monument El Malpais National Conservation Area Ice Caves and Bandera Volcano Mount Taylor San Jose de la Laguna Mission Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary
LOCATION & DIRECTIONS: Grants is located on Interstate 40 between Gallup, New Mexico and Albuquerque, New Mexico
MORE INFORMATION Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce 100 North Iron Ave. Grants, NM 87020
About the Cover The wild horses pictured make their home on Mt. Taylor just north of Grants, NM. Direct descendants of the Spanish Conquistadors’ horses that made their way through the area in the mid 1500’s–1600’s, these hardy Spanish mustangs now thrive and roam wild and free on Mt. Taylor. Cover photo courtesy of Dan Elkins.
1-800-748-2142 505-287-4802 www.grants.org Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center 1900 East Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020
505-876-2783 www.nps.gov/elma/ 2 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
The Grants Visitor Guide is produced by the Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce to welcome and inform prospective visitors to Grants, New Mexico. Published by Zia Publishing Corp., 611 North Hudson, Silver City, NM 88061. Special thanks to all contributing writers and photographers, including Lee Marmon, Rick Best, Susan Olin, Tom Nurenberg, Richard Garcia, Christine Quintana, Renee Post, Joe Lister, Eric O'Connell, Joe Burgess, Cibola Beacon, Cibola National Forest, Dr. Larry Crumpler, Ice Caves, Ira Clark, and Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce staff.
GRANTS, NEW MEXICO www.grants.org ATTRACTIONS: Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center. Information, exhibits, maps, books, videos, programs. South of I-40, Exit 85, 1900 E. Santa Fe Ave. 505-876-2783.
MUSEUMS & ART GALLERIES:
Fire & Ice Bike Rally La Fiesta de Colores artwork by Ava Peets
Fire & Ice Bike Rally
Grants 4th of July Parade
New Mexico Mining Museum. Simulated uranium mine, Indian artifacts, geology exhibits.100 N. Iron Ave., 800-748-2142, 505-287-4802. Mon-Sat 9am-4pm. www.grants.org Cibola Arts Council - Double Six Gallery. 1001 W. Santa Fe Ave. 505-287-7311. Representing over 70 different artists. Cibola Art & Artifacts Museum. Tues-Sat 1pm-5pm. 1001 W. Santa Fe Ave. 505-287-7311. Museum dedicated to regional, historical exhibits. New exhibit annually. www.cibolaartscouncil.com Mission Gallery. Contemporary and representational work featuring the art of Michael Lewis. 505-285-3785. michaellewisart.com
NATURAL WONDERS: Bandera Crater/Ice Caves. 800 ft. volcanic cone, hiking trail along rim. System of volcanic trenches, caves, collapses. 25 miles southwest of Grants off scenic N.M. 53. 1-888-ICECAVE. info@icecaves.com www.icecaves.com
OUTDOOR GETAWAYS:
Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon
Steppenwolf
LOCAL EVENTS & FESTIVALS CALL 800-748-2142 FOR INFORMATION Cibola Arts Council Member Shows: January, April, July, October Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon: Saturday of President’s Day weekend Cibola Arts Council Mt. Taylor Exhibit: March Easter Egg Hunt: Saturday of Easter weekend La Fiesta de Colores Hispanic Art Show: First weekend in May Annual July 4th Parade: July 4th Grants Rodeo Association Wild West Days: 4th of July Fire & Ice Bike Rally: Third weekend in July Bi-County Fair: Labor Day Weekend Cibola Arts Council Ceramic Show (largest in Western NM): September Village of Milan Fall Festival: September Ancient Way Fall Festival: First two weekends in October Junior Quadrathlon: Second Saturday in October Holiday Arts Market: Weekend before Thanksgiving Roberta’s Place Festival of Wreaths: First Friday in December Holiday Lights Parade: First Saturday in December Grants Recreation Arts & Crafts Fair: First weekend in December
Bluewater State Park. Trout fishing, camping, boating, wildlife viewing. The reservoir is located in a valley carved in shale and limestone. Located 28 miles west of Grants via I-40 and N.M. 412. 505-876-2391. www.nmparks.com Cibola National Forest. Mt. Taylor Ranger District, 1800 Lobo Canyon Rd., Grants. 505-287-8833. www.fs.fed.us/r3/cibola El Malpais National Monument & National Conservation Area. Preserves 114,000 acres of volcanic terrain, different-aged lava flows, cinder cones, pressure ridges, lava tube systems, other volcanic features. La Ventana Arch on the BLM’s National Conservation Area is one of the largest natural sandstone arches in NM. Wilderness camping, hiking, spelunking, mountain biking (bring your own equipment). South of Grants via I-40 and either N.M. 117 or N.M. 53. Information Center 505-783-4774, BLM Ranger Station 505-280-2918. Call for weather conditions. www.nps.gov/elma El Morro National Monument. A prominent sandstone ridge preserves thousands of inscriptions ranging from ancient petroglyphs to text left by Spanish conquistadores, emigrants, military expeditions, railroad survey parties, and others. Visitor center, camping, hiking, birdwatching. Located 45 miles southwest of Grants via N.M. 53. 505-783-4226. www.nps.gov/elmo www.grants.org – 3
DISCOVER
mGRANTS
And The Land of Cibola
Photography by Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center and Cibola Beacon
WELCOME TO GRANTS AND CIBOLA COUNTY! THE INTRIGUING HISTORY, FASCINATING GEOLOGY, AND colorful cultures of our region are a synopsis of what makes New Mexico enchanting. Grants and Cibola County are located in a landscape of mountains, mesas, and malpais that bears witness to the complex geological processes that have shaped the earth itself. Classic southwest scenery dominates the region, with red and tan sandstone cliffs and high desert vegetation giving way to pine forests and aspen groves on the slopes of Mount Taylor and the Zuni Mountains. The pueblo people have lived in this area “since the beginning of time” in their reckoning. The abundant legacy of their ancestors is evident in the archaeology of the region. Nearby Acoma, sitting on a high mesa southeast of Grants, is perhaps the oldest continuously inhabited city in the United States. The new Sky City Cultural Center showcases the heritage of the Acoma people for all to enjoy. The Pueblo of Laguna also welcomes visitors and is home to the 300-year-old mission church of San Jose de la Laguna. The Spanish influence arrived to stay in the land of Cibola in 1605, when Don Juan de top: Hikers entering Big Skylight Cave in El Malpais National Monument. above left: La Fiesta de Colores Aztec Dancer. middle right: The entrance to Four Windows Cave. bottom right: Carved Indians at Kachina Country USA. opposite: Coyote del Malpais Golf Course in Grants.
4 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
Oñate carved his inscription on the cliff at El Morro. The establishment of the New Mexico colony brought settlers and ranchers to the region. This legacy endures in the inscriptions at El Morro National Monument, the various local fiestas, and Spanish colonial settlements like San Rafael, Cebolleta, and Cubero. Established as a railroad camp in the 1880s by three Canadian brothers contracted to build the railroad through the area, Grants has a compelling past. From railroad camp to lumber town, Grants rode the glory days of steam railroading and logging, serving as a coaling station and section point for the Atlantic and Pacific and as the terminus for short lines like the Zuni Mountain Railroad. After logging ended in the 1940s, Grants turned to agriculture, once boasting of itself as the “carrot capital of the world.” Its location on Route 66 brought travelers and the roadside enterprises that served them. The discovery of uranium by Navajo sheepherder Paddy Martinez sparked a mining boom that lasted for over three decades. Today Grants and Cibola County are the multicultural epitome of the southwest, where the distinct cultures of the Pueblo Nations, the Navajo people, the Hispanics, and the Anglo-Europeans strive to create a community that works for all.
VISITOR CENTER The Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center provides a gateway to exploring the recreational and cultural opportunities which abound in this part of the state. This multi-agency center provides area information, exhibits, maps, books, videos, and programs. Open Daily 8-5 MST 9-6 MDT
505.876.2783 1900 East Santa Fe Avenue Grants, New Mexico 87020
The best 7,000 yards you can play in the Land of Enchantment.
The Coyote in Grants! www.coyotedelmalpaisgolfcourse.com 2001 George Hanosh Blvd., Grants, New Mexico 87020 (505) 285-5544 www.grants.org – 5
TRAVELING NEW MEXICO’S HISTORIC
tROUTE 66
Written by Rick Best Photography by Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center, Cibola Beacon and Lee Marmon
ROUTE 66: THE NAME ITSELF CAPTURES THE MAGIC OF ROAD-TRIP AMERICA. IT WAS THE NATION’S FIRST MAJOR ALL-WEATHER HIGHWAY connecting the Midwest with California, the golden state. Traveling west from the shores of the Great Lakes through the rolling hills and high plains of the Midwest, Route 66 lured travelers onward with promises of the mythic American West. Once the highway crossed into New Mexico, it began delivering on those promises as it rolled through dramatic badlands, high desert country, past mountains and mesas, and through the Pueblo Nations of the Southwest. Here in Cibola County, a long segment of the “mother road” still winds along through classic western scenery. The road can be followed easily in any car, although the journey is perhaps more enjoyable in a tail-finned Cadillac or Bel Air, or on the seat of a V-twin Harley. Travelers can still “get their kicks” on old Route 66. Santa Fe Avenue is Route 66 through Grants and Milan. Several vintage diners,
a theater, and some classic motels still switch on the neon in the evening. Check out the Grants Café, the Sands Motel, the West Theater, the Southwest Motor Lodge, the Uranium Café and others. Old trading posts like Kachina Country USA still do business in the arts and crafts trade as well. Beyond Grants to the west, Route 66 parallels the railroad tracks as New Mexico State Highway 122, passing Bluewater Village and traveling up to the Continental Divide. From this section of road, good views of the Mount Sedgwick area of the Zuni Mountains can be enjoyed. Travelers will also see the west slopes of Mount Taylor, the shield volcano known as El Tintero, and Haystack Mountain, site of the uranium strike that started the mining boom of the 1950s. For those traveling east, Route 66 leaves Grants by turning left at the railroad overpass at the east side of town, and opposite, top right: Neon marquee of the West Theater. middle left: Marty Bielecki cruises Route 66 in his 57 Bel-Air. bottom left: Waxing up a beautiful classic car. bottom middle: Road sign in Budville. above, top: Restored neon sign in Grants. above: Bud Rice and his tow truck.
6 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
Authentic New Mexico Cuisine Monday - Friday 7 am to 9 pm Saturday 7 am to 8 pm
285-6229 • 820 E. Santa Fe Ave.
heading east along with the railroad. Near Exit 89, the road turns left and runs along I-40 for a short distance before ducking under it and reemerging on the south side of the interstate. Now numbered as New Mexico State Highway 124, it follows the mesas and cliffs of Acoma lands, crosses the Interstate again at Exit 96, and runs through the communities of San Fidel, Villa de Cubero, and Budville on the way to Old Laguna Village. Abandoned motels and other relics of past glory can be seen, including the Whiting Brothers gas station and motel ruins near McCartys. Beyond Laguna, the road drops down along the cliffs through Dead Man’s Curve to the pueblo village of Mesita, where travelers can rejoin the interstate at Exit 117. A rough section continues to Exit 126.
The La Ventana Steakhouse in Grants New Mexico serves up delicious and unique dishes at prices you can afford. Call today for your reservation or just stop by and see all the great food, and desserts that are available. Along with your meal, enjoy our wide selection of beer and wine in our full bar. For Reservations/Questions please call
505.287.9393 www.thelaventana.com 110 1⁄2 GE I S ST R E ET • G R A N TS , N E W M E X I C O 87020
1300 Motel Dr. • PO Box 2388 • Milan, NM 87021 Exit 79 Across from Petro • Open: Tuesday – Sunday 6 AM to Midnight
www.grants.org – 7
THE HERITAGE OF
cCIBOLA COUNTY
Photography by Lee Marmon, Joe Lister, Cibola National Forest, Grants Cibola Chamber of Commerce and Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center
Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center
The Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center is a stunning Pueblo Revival structure that faces a wide expanse of rugged lava flow rimmed with mesas. The center serves as the gateway to the region’s public lands. Learn about area national parks, national forests and Bureau of Land Management areas. Open daily 8am–5pm MST, or 9am–6 pm DST.
Altar Screen, St. Joseph Mission at Laguna
FROM ANCIENT PUEBLOS TO THE ATOMIC AGE, CIBOLA County has been a part of the story of the greater southwest. This heritage forms the basis of ongoing traditions. Ceremonies still occur at Acoma and Laguna, marking the changing seasons in ways that have endured for centuries. Fiestas and festivals evoke the days of the Spanish Empire, and the centuries that the region spent under Spanish and Mexican rule. The recent past is recalled by the ghost railroads of the Zuni Mountains, the relics of Route 66, and the remnants of the uranium boom. Explore this heritage at the following sites.
Double Six Gallery and Cibola Art & Artifacts Museum.
Explore the many stories of Cibola County’s past at this new facility. Located on historic Route 66, the museum serves as a repository for artifacts and relics of the past. The Cibola Arts Council also exhibits locally created works of art. Open Tues.-Sat., 1pm–5pm.
New Mexico Mining Museum
Explore the uranium boom in the southwest at the New Mexico Mining Museum in Grants. Access a complete mine tunnel complex by riding down in an elevator. Learn about the minerals and resources found in the rocks of the region. Open Mon.-Sat., 9am-4pm.
Zuni Mountain Auto Tour
Reminisce about the glory days of steam railroading in the Zuni Mountains by following the Zuni Mountain Historic Auto Tour. This route uses existing Forest Service dirt roads to trace the history of logging and railroading in the Cibola National Forest. Old railroad grades, trestle remnants, town sites, and other reminders of the past can be seen. Pick up an auto tour guide and get more information at the Mining Museum or the Visitor Center. 8 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
ACE PAWN
ANTIQUES Office – IT –Industrial – Manufacturing Construction Trades – Drivers – Janitorial Temp & Temp-to-Hire Placements Serving Cibola and McKinley Counties
Welcome to the wonderful City of Grants located in Cibola County, New Mexico.
Cibola County has a population of over 26,000 and is located on the I-40 Corridor, 70 miles northwest of Albuquerque where the nearest commerical airport is located. Interstate 40 is one of the most commercially traveled interstates in the nation, and therefore excellently maintained and accessible year round. Additionally, Cibola has a railway system and an airport, which accommodates small to medium aircraft, with a runway that has been expanded to increase commercial aircraft use for shipping and delivery. We are home to the Grants campus of New Mexico State University where two and four year programs are offered. Grants has a full service hospital, a public school system which offers school-to-work programs plus a range of housing, including sale and rental, as well as available land.
Our Specialty – New Mexico’s Past Guns, Pottery, Jewelry, Cowboy and Western Artifacts, Minerals, Turquoise.
505-287-3872 215 North 1st Street • Grants, NM
Flexible Employment Solutions
505-287-8911 1003 N. First Street • Grants, NM www.ccstemps.com
Cibola Arts Council Double Six Gallery
COMPANY
1001 W. Santa Fe Avenue Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7311 www.cibolaartscouncil.com
505.287.4456 Fax 505.287.9289 P.O. Box 98 Highway 605 • Grants, NM 87020
MINING
top: Guadalupe Vineyards wine awards. right: Sunset at Mt. Taylor Mine in San Mateo.
www.grants.org – 9
THE ANCIENT WAY
dSCENIC ROUTE 53
Written by Rick Best Photography by Dr. Larry Crumpler, Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center, Joe Burgess and Ice Caves
STATE HIGHWAY 53 TAKES TRAVELERS ON A WANDERING JOURNEY THROUGH CLASSIC SOUTHWESTERN LANDSCAPES. ALSO KNOWN AS as the “ancient way” due to its paralleling the ancient trade route between Acoma and Zuni pueblos, this drive begins at exit 81 on I-40. Immediately south of Grants, a marked turnoff to the west is the beginning of the Zuni Canyon Road, Forest Road 49. It provides access to the Zuni Mountains region of the Cibola National Forest. Highway 53 then passes San Rafael. A detour from the main highway takes one into an old colonial village, centered around the church and plaza, where houses crowd in close to the narrow main street. Sixteen miles south of I-40, the road reaches the west trailhead of the Zuni-Acoma trail, a centuries old route connecting Acoma Pueblo and Zuni Pueblo. About 5 miles beyond the Zuni—Acoma trailhead, a short gravel road leads south to the El Calderon trailhead. Here, a 3-mile loop trail takes hikers past the Junction Cave lava tube and out to El Calderon Volcano, active 100 to 200 thousand years ago. The nearby El Malpais Information Center features a bookstore and exhibits, and on-duty staff can help visitors and backcountry enthusiasts with questions about the area. Day hikers can also access sections of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail from the center. After crossing the continental divide, County Road 42, the Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway provides access to the Big Tubes Area of El Malpais National Monument, where rugged hiking leads to fantastic and huge lava tube caves. It passes the Chain of Craters, a series of ancient cinder cones formed from centuries of volcanic eruptions, and connects with Highway 117 near Point of the Malpais. Highway 53 continues on to the village of Ramah and the pueblo of Zuni. top: The yawning crater of Bandera Volcano is easily accessed by a short hike. middle right: Mountain biking in the Zuni Mountains region of the Cibola National Forest. bottom right: Ramah Lake is just north of Ramah. opposite top: Howling wolf at Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Candy Kitchen. opposite bottom: Light snow at El Morro National Monument. 10 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
El Morro National Monument The reliable water at the base of the cliff has drawn people for centuries, from the ancient Indians to the colonists and emigrants. All left their inscriptions as they paused.
El Malpais National Monument Over 100,000 acres of twisted lava flows, yawning lava tube caves, sandstone cliffs and numerous volcanic cinder cones await the adventurous explorer in this rugged park.
Bandera Volcano and Ice Cave The geology of the Ice Cave allows a permanent layer of ice to grace the bottom of the cave. The sharply defined Bandera Volcano provides a dramatic example of volcanism.
www.grants.org – 11
LAND OF CIBOLA
g NATIONS & CULTURES Photography by Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center and Joe Burgess
THE HUMAN STORY OF CIBOLA COUNTY EXTENDS DEEP INTO ANTIQUITY. THE REGION’S PAST PEOPLES LEFT BEHIND A COMPLEX TAPESTRY OF ARCHAEOLOGY, EVIDENCED BY THE NUMEROUS PETROGLYPHS, pictographs, potsherds and wall remnants that repose in the backcountry. The long tenure of the Pueblo People of the southwest can be explored at the two pueblos in Cibola County. Acoma Pueblo is possibly the oldest continuously inhabited city in the United States. Perched on its 375-foot-high mesa, Acoma has been witness to many centuries. Tours are available from the new cultural center at the base of the mesa, where the heritage of the Acoma people is exhibited for all to enjoy. Nearby Laguna Pueblo occupies a hilltop location near Route 66. The church of San Jose is over 300 years old. The Hispanic experience in the southwest dates back to the Coronado expedition of 1540 and the colonial period beginning in 1598. Don Juan de Oñate, the leader of the expedition to colonize the region, left his inscription on the cliff wall at El Morro in 1605. Established as a national monument in 1906, El Morro chronicles many of the Spanish expeditions and groups that passed through the region. Many of the smaller villages in the region have ties to the colonial period. The village of Cubero was mentioned in journals in the late 1600s, while San Mateo and Cebolleta resulted from land grants in the 1800s. San Rafael served as the site of the original Fort Wingate, used in the Navajo War of 1864. In these villages, ancient adobe houses and small mission churches preserve the memory of the time when New Mexico was part of the vast Spanish Empire. top left: Enchanted Mesa near Acoma. top right: San Esteban Mission at Acoma. center: Zuni Olla Maidens. bottom left: Saint Joseph Mission at Laguna. bottom right: Houses of Acoma Pueblo. 12 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
Chaco Culture World Heritage Site
Chaco Culture preserves some of the most dramatic and impressive remnants of ancient pueblo culture in the southwest. Massive “great houses” with wall remnants up to four stories tall rise out of a dry desert wash. The complexity of such structures located in such a desolate and inhospitable location still perplexes and amazes visitors today. The builders of Chaco were people possessed of a great body of knowledge. Numerous astronomical alignments have been determined from examining the various villages, while the walls themselves reveal advanced knowledge of masonry construction techniques and physics. The maze of Chaco roads shows the extent of the world occupied by these ancient pueblo people. A loop drive takes visitors to sights and trailheads for in-depth exploration of the Chaco phenomenon.
top: Massive walls still stand at Pueblo Pintado. middlet: Kin Kletso as viewed from the Pueblo Alto trail.
15 0 0 W i l l o w d r i v e
1-40 e xit 79
• chacotr ading@hotmail.com •
m i l a n , n m 8 7 0 21
(505) 287-2858
www.grants.org – 13
SACRED MOUNTAINS &
fNATURAL WONDERS Written by Susan Olin Photography by Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center and Joe Burgess
FROM THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN THE REGION TO A SOARING SANDSTONE ARCH, CIBOLA COUNTY OFFERS MANY NATURAL WONDERS FOR THE TRAVELER SEEKING THE GREAT OUTDOORS. THE USDA Forest Service Mount Taylor Ranger District covers thousands of acres of rugged country on Mount Taylor and the Zuni Mountains, while the Bureau of Land Management’s El Malpais National Conservation Area features two designated wilderness areas. The 11,301-foot peak just north of Grants dominates the landscape for miles around. Visible from as far away as Albuquerque, the Continental Divide, and Chaco Culture, Mount Taylor is many things to many people. For many Native Americans, Mount Taylor is an ancient sacred site, known to some as Turquoise Mountain. Its slopes support piñon pine, the source of the protein-rich pine nuts collected by local people past and present. Deer, elk, black bear, and mountain lions attest to the mountain’s wildness. Gravel and dirt roads provide vehicle access. In the summer, Continental Divide Trail hikers explore its varied terrain on their way from Mexico to Canada; day-hikers on the Gooseberry Springs Trail enjoy huge views from the summit. Brilliant stands of golden cottonwoods draw visitors in the fall, just as the snowy peak attracts wintertime backcountry skiers and snowshoers. The summit is the high point of the Mount Taylor Quadrathlon, the annual bike-run-ski-snowshoe race up-and-back from town. At every time of year, Mount Taylor’s presence defines the region. La Ventana Natural Arch is another of Cibola County’s distinctive landmarks. “La Ventana” means “the window” in top: Mt. Taylor. middle left: The Spud Patch spires on the north slope of Mount Taylor in the Cibola National Forest. middle right: Wild iris on Mt. Taylor. opposite: La Ventana Arch in El Malpais National Conservation Area. opposite, top: Cane Cholla in bloom.
14 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
Spanish, and this magnificent 165-footwide natural arch is a window on the sky, a highlight of the classic southwestern scenery to be enjoyed on the El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA). The NCA includes about 262,000 acres of lava flows, craters, sandstone cliffs, and grasslands, which can be explored from Highway 117 on the east and the Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway (County Road 42) on the west. The BLM Ranger Station serves as a gateway to the Sandstone Bluffs and open country down 117. Historic homesteads, petroglyphs, and archaeological sites provide intriguing destinations. Hiking trails—some long, some short—provide access to remote areas far off the beaten path. Four-wheeldrive and high clearance will open up dirt and gravel roads down the Chain of Craters and along the Continental Divide. The cinder cones that make up the Chain of Craters are the origin of the lava fields south of Grants. Now tree-covered, gentle hills, the tops of many of the cinder cones are an easy scramble, with the reward of great 360degree views. The Continental Divide Trail wanders among them as it passes through New Mexico on its way from Canada to the southern border of the United States.
GRANTS
eBUSINESSES, LODGING, DINING & RECREATION CASINOS & TRAVEL CENTERS Acoma Sky City Casino and Travel Center I-40, Exit 102 Acoma, NM 888-SKY-CITY Chaco Canyon Travel Center I-40, Exit 79 Milan, NM 505-287-3335 Dancing Eagle Casino and Travel Center I-40, Exit 108 Casa Blanca, NM 505-552-7777 877-440-9969 Love's Travel Stop I-40, Exit 79 Milan, NM 505-287-2981 Petro Stopping Center I-40, Exit 79 Milan, NM 505-285-6619 DINING Ancient Way Café El Morro, NM 505-783-4612 Asian Super Buffet 1508 E, Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-5505 Best Western New Mexico Steak House 1501 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7901 Best Western Rookies Sport Bar 1501 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7901 Bibo Bar & Grille N.M. 279 Seboyeta, NM 505-552-9428 Blake’s Lotaburger 1021 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8438 Blake’s Lotaburger 101 E. Lincoln Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-2584 Blake’s Lotaburger 629 W. US Hwy 66 Milan, NM 87021 505-287-4023 Cafe 108 Grill & Music Lounge at Dancing Eagle Casino I-40 exit 108 Casa Blanca, NM 505-552-7777 Café Coyote at Coyote del Malpais Golf Course 2001 George Hanosh Blvd. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-5544 Canton Café 1212 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8314
16 – GRANTS VISITOR GUIDE
Casa Caliente 314 W. Hwy. 66 Milan, NM 87021 505-287-3409 Dairy Queen Brazier 1305 W. Hwy 66 Milan, NM 87021 505-287-2070 Dancing Eagle Casino Restaurant I-40, Exit 108 Casa Blanca, NM 505-552-7711 Denny’s 1700 Sidney Dr. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-4610 Domino’s Pizza 615 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-876-2323 El Cafécito 820 E. Santa Fe Ave. 505-285-6229 El Ranchero Café 619 W. US Hwy. 66 Milan, NM 87021 505-876-1032 First Street Café 1600 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7111 Grants Café 932 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-6474 Huwaka Restaurant Sky City Casino Hotel I-40 Exit 102 Acoma, NM 505-552-7852 Iron Skillet Restaurant at Petro Stopping Center I-40 at Horizon Blvd. Milan, NM 87021 505-285-6621 Johnny’s Kitchen 711 First St. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-3509 Kentucky Fried Chicken 1800 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8223 Kiva Café 1500 Willow Dr. Milan, NM 87021 505-287-5040 La Ventana Steak House 1 110 ⁄2 Geis St. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-9393 McDonald’s 1700 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-3584 Nana’s Cafe 519 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-3446 Pizza Hut 108 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-4442
Rocky's on Route 66 Catering 505-287-3941 Sonic Drive-In 915 N. 1st St. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8738 Subway of Grants 1497 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-9498 Subway at Skyway Travel Center I-40 @ exit 89 Grants, NM 87020 505-285-4335 Surf Shack 318 E. Stephens Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8876 Taco Bell 1518 E. Santa Fe Ave., Grants, NM 87020 505-285-3501 Taco Village 700 E. Roosevelt Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-6811 Tasty Kitchen 907 N. First St. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-9012 Uranium Café See Nana’s Café WOW Diner 1300 Motel Dr. Milan, NM 87021 505-287-3801 Yaak’a Café Acoma Sky City Cultural Center I-40 Exit 102 Acoma, NM 505-552-7871
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites 1512 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-9252 Inn at Halona Zuni Reservation Bed & Breakfast 23 Pia Mesa Rd. Zuni, NM 87327 505-782-4547 Leisure Lodge 1204 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-2991 Motel 6 1505 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-4607 Quality Inn 1496 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-285-4676 Sands Motel 112 McArthur St. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-2996 714-584-4454 Sky City Hotel & Conference Center I-40 at Exit 102 Acoma, NM 87034 505-552-6017 Southwest Motel 1000 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-2935 Super 8 Motel 1604 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8811 Travelodge 1608 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7800
LODGING Best Western Inn & Suites 1501 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7901 Cimarron Rose a Zuni Mountain Bed & Breakfast Hwy. 53, 689 Oso Ridge Rt. Grants, NM 87020 505-783-4770 800-856-5776 Comfort Inn 1551 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8700 Crossroads Motel 1601 W. Hwy. 66 Milan, NM 87021 505-287-9264 Days Inn 1504 E. Santa Fe Grants, NM 87020 505-287-8883 Historic Route 66 Motel 1150 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-2843
MUSEUMS A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center 02E Ojo Caliente Road Zuni, NM 87327 505-782-4403 Cibola Art & Artifacts Musuem 1001 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7311 New Mexico Mining Museum 100 N. Iron Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-4802 Sky City Cultural Center Haak'u Museum I-40 exit 102 Acoma, NM 87034 800-747-0181
RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS Bar S RV Park I-40, Exit 79 Milan, NM 87021 505-876-6002
Blue Spruce RV Park I-40, Exit 81 Grants, NM 87020 505-287-2560 Cibola Sands KOA RV Park I-40, Exit 81 Grants, NM 87020 505-287-4376 El Morro Café, Cabins & RV Park Hwy 53 El Morro, NM 505-783-4612 Lavaland RV Park I-40, Exit 85 Grants, NM 505-287-8665 SHOPS & ART GALLERIES Ace Pawn & Antiques 215 N. First St. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-3872 Double 6 Gallery/ Cibola Arts Council 1001 W. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7311 Chaco Canyon Trading I-40, Exit 79 Milan, NM 87021 505-287-2858 Kachina Country/ Traveling Traders (by appt.) 707 Old Route 66 Milan, NM 87021 505-285-4473 Loeffler's Guns, Etc. 825 W. Santa Fe Grants, NM 87020 505-287-4003 866-722-1589 Mission Gallery 422 W. Santa Fe Grants, NM 87020 505-285-3785 Old School Gallery El Morro, NM 505-783-4710 Something Different Coffee Bar & Gifts 741 E. Roosevelt Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-7555 VISITOR CENTERS Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce 100 N. Iron Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-287-4802 www.grants.org Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center 1900 E. Santa Fe Ave. Grants, NM 87020 505-876-2783 Zuni Arts & Tourist Center 1239 State Hwy. 53 Zuni, NM 87327 505-782-7238 WINERY Guadalupe Vineyards 188 San Jose Loop San Fidel, NM 87049 505-552-0082