El Camino Real

Snow Geese glide over the calm blue water on an overcast day at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

A fence highlights this driveway and the grounds of the home of auto racing.

El Camino Real passes through the quiet downtown of Bernalillo.

Well-placed signs help the traveler to find the right direction at this junction on El Camino Real.

A red truck passes a sign, letting the driver know that this is the El Camino Real Scenic Byway.

El Camino Real meets several different streets as it traverses the New Mexico landscape.

Travelers can see El Camino Real from an intersecting street.

A square, brown sign is placed below other New Mexico signage to direct travelers on the El Camino Real.

El Camino Real runs just north of Albuquerque as a verdant, tree-lined roadway.

Travelers stop to get a closer look at the Socorro Art Project.

Travelers stop to get a closer look at the Socorro Art Project.

Travelers stop to get a closer look at the Socorro Art Project.

Socorro continues the tradition of plaza-centered towns by forming around the Socorro Plaza.

Green grass surrounds the green wheel of the Socorro Art Project.

This elaborate green wheel stands as public art in Socorro, New Mexico.

Art with a mythological feel to it is on this adobe wall.

An image of a racecar graces this gate at the home of auto racing.

Sunset falls over an abandoned ranch and snow on the far away mountain.

A gazebo in the middle of the plaza provides shade from the sun at Old Town Albuquerque.

A glorious sunset provides a spectacular ending to the day for homebound drivers. One can almost feel their relief crossing the Rio Grande on their way home. Many of the residents of the Española Valley can trace their roots back to the time of Oñate and for the Pueblo Indians even further back. Like their ancestors of centuries past, they still travel El Camino Real home.

This church and pavillion show the influence of the Spanish and Mexican cultures in New Mexico.

Visitors search for birds in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge from the Bosque Boardwalk.

Green bushes sprout from eroding sandstone on Bosque Canyon Trail.

Bald Eagles range freely at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

The Bosque Visitor Center offers information on the latest wildlife sightings, the best spots for viewing, and highlights the Bosque Nature Store.

A man points out the right direction for a construction worker in this detail from a group of life-size statues found in Albuquerque.

This startlingly human piece of rock art seems to look back from the past at visitors to Petroglyph National Monument.

A statue of a mother and father chat while holding their child in this detail from a cluster of life-size statues in Albuquerque.

A bird takes flight across a canvass of stone at Petroglyph National Monument.

A Native American woman smiles and holds her daughter's hand in this detail from a group of life-size statues in Albuquerque.

A businesswoman strides purposefully through the crowd in this detail from a cluster of life-size statues in Albuquerque.

Through gated entries, visitors can get a glimpse of Old Town's many hidden courtyards.

This ellliptical design is just one example of the rock art visitors can view at Petroglyph National Monument.

Visitors to Petroglyph National Monument can find respite from the sun at this convenient rest area.

Visitors can see a large variety of rock art around every corner at Petroglyph National Monument.

Bird-like petroglyphs are etched into black rocks at Petroglyph National Monument.

A photo of the strange "starman" petroglyphs at Petroglyph National Monument.

Sandhill cranes search for food in the autumn landscape of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

A large flock of birds fly amidst the rising sun and a sky tinted with orange and red hues.

The restored adobe walls of the Socorro Mission make a stunning contrast between the deep blue of the desert sky.

A brilliant azure sky overlooks the 15th-century Pueblo of Pecos near Glorieta Pass, the site of the "Gettysburg of the West."

A truck drives along the El Camino Real in an upscale rural or ranching area.

A jogger exercises next to El Camino Real in an upscale rural or ranching area, possibly at the Auto Racing Home.

El Camino Real passes through residential areas.

A panoramic view of the Sandia Mountains after a heavy snow storm.

A large mountain outcropping as seen from the Sandia Tram in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Rio Grande River can be seen winding through the valley below the Sandia Crest in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Find out more information about the Bosque Canyon Trail and appreciate Bosque de Apache National Wildlife Refuge's rugged and verdant terrain from this kiosk.