La Cueva CDP (Sandoval County), NM

La Cueva is a quiet mountain settlement tucked in the Jemez Mountains where Highway 4 meets State Road 126. Sitting well above seven thousand feet, the area is surrounded by the tall pines of the Santa Fe National Forest and the dramatic volcanic terrain of the Jemez Valley. Most travelers know it as the scenic fork in the road where you turn west toward Fenton Lake or continue north into the high country toward Cuba.

Living here offers starry night skies, cooler summer temperatures, and miles of trailheads right down the road. You are only a short drive from fishing at Fenton Lake, hiking the wide-open meadows of the Valles Caldera, or heading down to Jemez Springs for local dining and hot springs. Everyday errands require a drive down the canyon or over to Los Alamos, so residents embrace a self-reliant, peaceful routine. It is an appealing spot for anyone looking for a rustic cabin or a year-round home base in the high country.