There are a number of interesting sights in this photogenic area, most of them covered in the separate pages for places named in Cities and Other destinations. A few that don't fall conveniently into one of these headings:
native american life
Much of the territory of this region is controlled by one of the several American Indian tribes with ancestral homes in the region. Incidentally, a poll of these tribes a few years ago indicated some preference for the descriptor "American Indian" compared to the neologism "Native American," although either is acceptable usage. Some, but not all, of the pueblos and reservations are open to the public for visits; those listed below in bold face are relatively tourist-friendly. They are listed in geographical order west to east and north to south. Española is a good jumping-off place for visits to most of the pueblos. For more detailed information on each of the pueblos, see New Mexico Pueblos.
Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation on the northwest side of the region, near Dulce on the Continental Divide and extending far to the south; some tourist amenities near Dulce
Taos Pueblo
is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and probably the most famous of the pueblos. Near Taos and described further in the article for the town.Picuris Pueblo
south of TaosZia Pueblo near Jemez Springs; generally not open to the public
Jemez Pueblo near Jemez Springs
Santa Clara Pueblo
between Los Alamos and Española; excellent for American Indian arts and craftsOhkay Owingeh (Formerly San Juan) Pueblo
north of Española; casinoSan Ildefonso Pueblo
south of Española, another excellent folk art centerPojoaque Indian Reservation and Pueblo
near the town of Pojoaque; gaudy casino that overshadows an otherwise minor puebloNambe Pueblo southeast of Española
Tesuque Pueblo north of Santa Fe; casino
Pueblo territory continues into the central part of the state, with Laguna, Santa Ana, Sandia, San Felipe, Acoma and Isleta Indian Reservations.