Few states can boast six of the seven life zones on earth. Nor are many areas blessed with high-altitude mountains while being one of the most southern states in the continental United States. These combinations provide for recreational opportunities that are as varied as the terrain. Thirteen National Monuments and Parks, 29 State Parks and five National Forests await both the sightseer and the most ardent outdoor adventurer. Hiking and biking can be done in almost any region of the state using trails on mesa tops, desert canyons or high mountain meadows. Numerous lakes and streams beckon anglers fishing for trout, bass, walleye or catfish. Hunting ranges from the mule deer to elk or the exotic oryx and ibex.

Water enthusiasts can windsurf, water ski, Jet Ski, scuba dive or just swim. Land sailors harness the wind to skim dry lakebeds on three-wheeled craft across dry lakebeds west of Lordsburg, site of the Great Overland Land Sail Races. Sand surfing is fantastic on the dunes at White Sands National Monument near Alamogordo, with plastic saucers available at the visitor center. And don't forget twelve ski areas that harvest the snow of the Southern Rockies while basking in the New Mexico sunshine.

Meander through the spicy mix that makes New Mexico so much fun—the local style, the delicious multi-cultural food, the ancient, complex Hispanic culture and the rich southwestern legends. Revel in the drama of the old days. See yourself on the open plains with clouds as your only shelter, warm to a shot of whiskey and a crackling fire in a cabin in the woods, hear the cry of a Mountain Lion and bounce on the backboard of a covered wagon bravely headed west. Get to know the cowboys; buy a hat and become one. Learn about the Indians—their power, their art, their souls and their stories. Read about monuments, museums, and offerings of theatre, opera and dance. New Mexico welcomes you to its past, present and future.

New Mexico Local Style
Despite its bold landscapes, New Mexico is a land of subtleties. Things that appear obvious to the first-time visitor may not be what they seem. For instance, despite the fairly hectic pace of traffic in the two or three larger towns, most native New Mexicans don't honk their horns at each other. There's plenty of time to get to where you're going, and beeping is offensive. New Mexicans, especially in rural areas, enjoy a leisurely concept of time. This concept sometimes is so unsettling to visitors that it's been used to stereotype New Mexicans for more than a century. But time's passage depends, after all, on your point of view. New Mexico wouldn't be the charming place it is if we zipped around at a San Francisco or New York pace. In short, if you're from a hectic environment, don't bring your pace with you. Park it, relax and enjoy the subtleties of this enchanting land.

New Mexican Cuisine
In 1991, salsa sales accounted for $640 million, overthrowing ketchup as the condiment king and elevating the humble chili (and Southwest cuisine!) into nation-wide renown. Although mistakenly referred to as "Mexican food" or "Tex-Mex," the dishes commonly identified with New Mexico reflect a blend of Hispanic and Indian cultures. Virtually all southwestern dishes make use of four main ingredients: the tortilla, pinto bean, cheese and chili. If you're the adventurous sort, ask for "Christmas"—a sample of red and green chili served side-by-side. For breakfast, try a chorizo burrito, a flour tortilla rolled with scrambled eggs, potatoes, scallions, red or green chili, Monterey Jack cheese and chorizo, spicy pork sausage. An alternative fare could be huevos rancheros, a corn tortilla topped with fried eggs, cheese, red or green chili and pinto beans.

If these hearty breakfast dishes don't keep away the hunger pangs, try some fajitas for lunch. Follow it with a small bowl of green chili stew laden with chunks of meat, beans and potatoes, and you'll feel satisfied until supper. For a spicier dish, try the carne adovada, strips of pork marinated in red chili, herbs and spices and then baked until the meat is tender. Of course, a margarita or a tall, cold glass of your favorite beer will go nicely with any of these meals. Tamales are another classic dish. No visit to New Mexico would be complete without sampling genuine Native American cuisine. The Navajo taco is an open-faced taco heaped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, refried beans, guacamole, a dab of sour cream and your choice of red or green chili—all served on a flat, puffy tortilla or a piece of fry bread. Pan dulce is an Indian sweet bread. Piki bread uses corn that's finely ground, cooked in boiling water until it's a mush, and then spread over a hot flat surface.

Museums
From the American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque—housing the world's largest collection of captive-born rattlesnakes—to the glistening International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, you can find a little bit of everything in New Mexico's fine museums. Santa Fe boasts the largest number of galleries of any community in the Southwest, but new artist colonies are sprouting up everywhere from Magdalena to Mountainair. You could try: The Museum of New Mexico, The Palace of the Governors, The Governor's Gallery, The Museum of International Folk Art, The Museum of Indian Arts/ Culture/ and Anthropology, The Museum of Fine Arts, The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, all in Santa Fe. Or go for The Millicent Rogers Museum, in Taos.

With two National Laboratories and Los Alamos boasting the highest number of PhD's per capita of any U.S. city, it is no wonder that New Mexico is host to some great science museums. Here are a few museums to captivate the imagination: The Space Center in Alamogordo, The American International Rattlesnake Museum, The National Atomic Museum, and The Albuquerque Biological Park, all in Albuquerque.

Theatre and Opera
When the Spanish arrived in the New World, they brought with them a tradition of fine European theater. Missionaries soon learned that the Native people—whose lives revolved around ceremony—were open to lessons learned in the form of dramas, especially when accompanied with dance and music. Folk dramas evolved and survive to this day in holiday productions of such plays as Los Pastores (the shepherds) Las Posadas (the inns) and Los Tres Reyes Magos (The three kings). Contemporary theater evolves from this rich legacy. About 15 community theaters operate throughout the state.

Music and Dance
It cannot be denied that the variety of music and dance found here reflects a treasured piece of the state. All types of music can be found in New Mexico. Classical music has many loyal fans, and an assortment of choral groups and small-ensemble music can be found here. You'll find country dancers who can slap leather with the best of them, hot salsa in the nightclubs, and finely performed ballet, just to name a few. Dance companies in New Mexico find eager audiences and treat them to every type of dance imaginable, from traditional to modern jazz.

Scenic Beauty and Natural Wonders
New Mexico’s geological makeup features something for everyone. It has high Rocky Mountain ranges in the north, Sonoran Desert in the south, portions of the Great Plains to the east, spectacular canyons to the west and of course the Rio Grande, which runs right through the center of this beautiful state. From hot springs to lava flows to rock formations in various mysterious shapes, the landscape is all-encompassing.

Explore undeveloped caves, walk lava flows, stare in awe at dazzling rock formations. Here are a few natural wonders worth seeing: Las Huertas Canyon, Battleship Rock and McCauley Hot Springs, Soda Dam, Spence Hot Springs, The Tooth of Time, The Blue Hole, Cimarron Canyon State Park, Bandera Center/Ice Caves, Four Corners Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Slaughter Canyon Cave, The Valley of Fires Recreation Area, White Sands National Monument, Kneeling Nun, and The Lady on the Mountain.

Taos Artists
Following a longstanding artistic tradition, the remote artist community of Taos, New Mexico, proliferated in the early part of the twentieth century through the support of corporate, government, and private patronage. Nowhere in America did patronage play a more important role in artists' economic and creative survival. Inspired by the scenery and subjects they found there, The Taos Society of Artists worked to establish, far from America's major art centers back east, an important art colony that endures to this day.

Scenic Byways
New Mexico has 24 state-designated Scenic and Historic Byways committed to preserving and promoting the historic, cultural and natural assets located on or near them. Four of New Mexico's scenic byways have been designated as National Scenic Byways. They are the El Camino Real, Santa Fe Trail, Jemez Mountain Trail and Billy the Kid. This designation honors those highways for their outstanding scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological and/or natural qualities.

Ancient Ruins
Of the many features that set New Mexico apart, surely the numerous ancient and Spanish colonial ruins are prominent among them. These include: Aztec Ruins National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Casamero Pueblo, Coronado State Monument, El Morro National Monument, Fort Selden Monument, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Pecos National Historic Park, Poshouinge Ruins, Salmon Ruins and Heritage Park, Three Rivers Petroglyph National Recreation Site, and Wheeler Peak Wilderness Area.

Area: 121593 sq.mi, Land 121359 sq. mi., Water 234 sq.mi.

Location: 35.67850 N, 105.95414 W.

Border States: Arizona - Colorado - Oklahoma - Texas - Utah.

Agriculture: Cattle, dairy products, hay, nursery stock, chilies.

Industry: Electric equipment, petroleum and coal products, food processing, printing and publishing, stone, glass, and clay products, tourism.

Flag: The yellow field and red symbol colors are the colors of Spain. First brought to New Mexico by Spanish explorers in 1540. On New Mexico's flag we see a red sun with rays stretching out from it. There are four groups of rays with four rays in each group. This is an ancient sun symbol of a Native American people called the Zia. The Zia believed that the giver of all good gave them gifts in groups of four. These gifts are: The four directions - north, east, south and west; The four seasons - spring, summer, fall and winter; The day - sunrise, noon, evening and night; Life itself - childhood, youth, middle years and old age; and All of these are bound by a circle of life and love, without a beginning or end.

State Motto: Crescit eundo "It grows as it goes".

Origin of state's name: Named by the Spanish for lands north of the Rio Grande River.

Population: 1,739,844; 37th, 12/99.

Statehood: January 6, 1912.

Topography: Eastern third, Great Plains; central third, Rocky Mountains; western third, high plateau. 85% of the state is over 4000 feet in elevation.

State Capital: Santa Fe.

Largest Cities: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, and Roswell.

Geographic Center: Torrance, 12 miles south-southwest of Willard.

Highest Point: Wheeler Peak; 13,161 feet, 8th.

Lowest Point: Red Bluff Lake; 2,817 feet, 48th.

State Bird: Roadrunner.

State Flower: Yucca flower - Yucca glauca.

State Nickname: Land of Enchantment.

State Song: O, Fair New Mexico.

State Tree: Pinon - Pinus edulis.