La Bajada, NM

Tucked beneath the volcanic cliffs of the Caja del Rio plateau, La Bajada is a tiny, historic village southwest of Santa Fe. With only a couple dozen residents, the community is peaceful, rural, and steeped in Northern New Mexico history. The village grew along an ancient travel corridor that once carried Spanish caravans on El Camino Real and later challenged early drivers on the steep switchbacks of Route 66. Framed by the Santa Fe River and the dramatic mesa rising above it, La Bajada feels quiet, timeless, and completely off the beaten path.