Los Alamos, NM Road Trips

The downtown area contains a number of artifacts of the early days of the "Manhattan Project" to build the bomb, and the even earlier days "when Los Alamos was a ranch school" (the title, incidentally, of an interesting little booklet on the history of the town that is available in local bookstores). Start at pretty Fuller Lodge, one of the old ranch-school buildings and a local landmark, and work your way out. 1 Bradbury Science Museum, 15th St. and Central Ave, ☏ +1 505 667-4444. Su-M 1PM-5PM, Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. Explains the principles behind atomic energy and its uses in peace and war. Also presents the historical and social issues surrounding atomic energy. Free. (updated Jan 2016) 2 Los Alamos Historical Society, 1050 Bathtub Row (next to Fuller Lodge), ☏ +1 505 662-6272. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 10AM-4PM. A small museum on the history of the area, with associated bookstore containing a number of books written by Historical Society members on local culture, history, recreational opportunities, etc., including the one listed below under "References." $5. (updated Apr 2019) 3 Fuller Lodge Art Center, ☏ +1 505 662-1635. M-Sa 10AM-4PM. An art gallery with regularly changing exhibits, held in an old timber-framed lodge that was once the main building for the Los Alamos Ranch School, before becoming a gathering place for scientists during the Manhattan Project. The art center promotes the development of local and regional artists, and provides art classes and hosts arts & crafts fairs in August on the weekend of the Los Alamos Rodeo, and another in late October.

1 Bandelier National Monument. Contains many Pueblo dwelling ruins to visit and other hiking opportunities. Don't forget to visit the separate Tsankawi unit of Bandelier, which is equally fascinating, but less visited. The latest hike to be opened at Bandelier is the Cerro Grande hike that rises up to the rim of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The hike climbs 900 feet through beautiful forest and meadow and provides spectacular views of the surrounding area for miles around. (updated Nov 2016) 2 Valles Caldera National Preserve. A unit of the national park system in the Jemez Mountains. Recreational opportunities at the Preserve are still being developed; inquire locally. When driving up to the Jemez Mountains from Los Alamos on HWY 501/W. Jemez Rd., you will encounter what is locally known as "Bodman's Blocked Colon," a kink in the road with a "toll booth" like structure that provides security for the Los Alamos National Laboratory . Do not fear proceeding through the security entrance as it is open to the public unless security warning levels rise to most extreme levels. You will be able to continue on 501 unhindered; no stop is required under normal security conditions. How many places can you go and drive through a high security National Nuclear Research Laboratory site? (updated Nov 2016) 3 Pajarito Mountain. A very good and surprisingly challenging downhill ski area.

As with many communities in New Mexico, it makes sense to categorize restaurants as "New Mexican" (specializing in enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, etc., with the usual "red or green?" choice of chile—red is usually hotter, green more flavorful, but inquire) or otherwise. Most restaurants cater to the community more than to the tourist, and consequently, many are closed on Sunday and some even on Saturday. Check on open days and hours before deciding where to eat. 1 Chile Works, 1743 Trinity Dr, ☏ +1 505 662-7591. A take-out joint that looks like (indeed, used to be) an old used-car lot. Open for breakfast and lunch only, closed on Sunday and Monday. Lunches respectable, and the breakfast burritos are excellent; you'll have to wait in line with commuters and students heading for high school who flock here to start their days. Although it's mainly take-out, a few outside tables are available. 2 Viola's (across Trinity from Chili Works (the local phone book's Yellow Pages entry for its address is incorrect)), ☏ +1 505 662-5617. Standard New Mexican fare in a busy diner-like setting, run by a long-standing Los Alamos restaurateur family. Very good service with very fast turnaround. Excellent breakfast, good enchiladas and sopapillas. Open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Saturday. 3 Ruby-K's Bagel Cafe, 1789 Central Ave, ☏ +1 505 662-9866. Bagels, bagel sandwiches, soups, salads, breakfast bagels, coffee, smoothies and other goodies. Indoor/outdoor seating. Very tasty! Open early serving breakfast and lunch till mid afternoon.

Los Alamos contains more churches than bars, which is a probably sufficient commentary on the night life. Some of the restaurants occasionally offer live entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings. Bathtub Row Brewing, 163 Central Park Sq, ☏ +1 505 500-8381. (updated Feb 2023)

Accommodations can be hard to find during the second week of October, when Albuquerque, 90 miles away, hosts the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. If you're visiting at that time and planning to stay in a hotel or B&B, reserve well in advance. There are curiously few hotels and motels in town, given the number of travelers (mainly professional) who pass through the area. There are also several bed and breakfasts in Los Alamos and one or two in White Rock. 1 Hampton Inn, 124 State Rd (White Rock), ☏ +1 505 672-3838. 2 Comfort Inn and Suites, 2455 Trinity Dr, ☏ +1 505 661-1110. 3 North Road Inn (B&B), 2127 North Rd, ☏ +1 505 662-3678. 4 Santa Fe National Forest, ☏ +1 505 667-5120. The national forest has primitive camping. The forest is big, the people are few, and the campsites are great. Explore back on the dirt roads until you find a fire ring. Seasonal closures due to fire hazard are common (see under "Stay safe"). Call for information on current closures/restrictions. Horses are welcome. (updated Nov 2016) Camp May (Above the Pajarito Ski Area.). An undeveloped campground. Horses are welcome here and at the transient pens at the County Rodeo Ground on North Mesa. At both locations, permits are required for any overnight use. Closed in winter. (updated Nov 2016) Bandelier National Monument. There are two campgrounds: Juniper Campground, catering to families and small groups, and Ponderosa Campground, which serves large groups (by reservation).

From US 285 north of Santa Fe, take NM 502 west, which leads directly to the town. This is a very scenic drive, with photo opportunities from the Clinton P. Anderson Scenic Overlook outside of town. From NM 502 a side road, NM 4, leads to White Rock and Bandelier National Monument. You can rent a car or passenger van from Hertz elsewhere and return it in Los Alamos, or rent it in Los Alamos and return it elsewhere, without paying a drop-off fee (if you rent by calling the Los Alamos office, +1 505 662-8907). Residents and visitors alike find this convenient and inexpensive for getting to and from airports. The Los Alamos office is inside the tiny main building at the Los Alamos County airport on NM 502 just east of town. Crossing LANL property (e.g. when entering town from the west) requires passing a security checkpoint; but under most conditions require no more than slowing down or a brief stop. Los Alamos is served by public commuter bus and commercial shuttle from several other cities in northern New Mexico. New Mexico Park & Ride has direct bus service to Los Alamos from both Espanola and Santa Fe. This is popular with commuters and occasional travelers alike. The Los Alamos terminus is a bus shelter on Central Avenue between 19th St and 20th St. It is in front of Mesa Public Library and a skate park and tot lot, in sight of the Reel Deal movie theater, and one block from the Aquatic Center. The nearest public toilets are in the library lobby.

The downtown area is compact, and the museums and most restaurants are within easy walking distance of the main hotels and many of the B&Bs. Public transportation by Atomic City Transit is free and includes both fixed routes and an on-demand service. Many Los Alamos residents bicycle to work and around town. Cycling is feasible for visitors as well, but be aware that the town is at an elevation of about 7320 feet (2231 meters) and quite hilly. Puffing up the hills before you've acclimated to the altitude can be a surprisingly exhausting experience. Road cycling is popular here, and some competitive road bicycle racers come here to train. Popular routes include NM 502 between Los Alamos and Pojoaque, and Camp May Road up to Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. White Rock is nearly a thousand feet lower and about 10 miles (16 km) away by road; riding to it on a bike can be a thrill, but oh, that hill coming back! From White Rock you can take a bus back to townsite: Atomic City Transit buses are equipped with bike racks. Los Alamos County has an extensive trails network that is open to mountain bikes. The network is especially well developed around townsite, and connects to trails in Santa Fe National Forest and Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. In summer and fall the ski area offers lift-served mountain biking: ride the lift up and bike down easy sideslope trails or bomb down very challenging trails designed specifically for mountain biking. The ski area also has a mountain biking terrain park.

Violent crime is almost unknown in Los Alamos. The biggest lawbreaking threat to life and limb is drunk drivers. Northern New Mexico has an unfortunate and well-deserved reputation for DUI problems. Be alert when driving on the arterial roads after 10PM, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights. Another driving hazard is wildlife. Mule deer can be seen around town all year long, day and night. Herds of elk come down from the Jemez Mountains during the winter and often congregate around the roads. If your car hits an elk at highway speed, the elk may lose, but you will most assuredly not win. Be careful driving after sundown during the winter months. Believe it or not, one of the most important types of fatal accident sustained by townspeople is falling off a cliff—sometimes a cliff literally in the victim's back yard. The sheer canyon walls that give the area much of its natural beauty also pose traps for the unwary recreational hiker. If you're out enjoying the many hiking trails around town, stay on the trail when around a cliff unless you're doing roped climbing. In most other regards, Los Alamos is an almost absurdly safe place. When pursuing outdoors activities, take the usual precautions, with maybe a little extra attention to fire safety; several of the disastrous forest fires the area experienced over the last 30 years resulted from poorly constructed campfires that were not well put out and thus smoldered, eventually starting up again and igniting tinder.