Thoreau
Native American culture and history thrive in this town of just under 2,000 residents. Thoreau (pronounced "thuh-ROO," like "threw" or "through," not like the name of transcendentalist American author Henry David Thoreau) is home to a chapter house of the Navajo Nation, and many residents speak their native language. The town is a local trading center for artisans who display their rugs, sand paintings, silver and turquoise jewelry, and pottery.
About 105 miles west of Albuquerque, Thoreau lies along Interstate 40, but historic Route 66 was the first paved road to pass through Thoreau. Nearby Bluewater Lake State Park has rolling hills and piñon pines, and juniper trees surround a lake stocked with catfish and trout. The lake is popular for boating and year-round fishing, including ice-fishing in the winter months.
About 30 miles north of Thoreau, ruins of ancient Anasazi architecture are preserved in Chaco Culture National Historic Park, where visitors still marvel at the brilliant design of Pueblo Bonito, a stone and adobe "apartment house" built onto a cliffside, and other Anasazi creations.