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Pueblos and Reservations

Traditional Bread BakingNew Mexico is home to 23 tribes including 19 Pueblos, three Apache tribes, and the Navajo Nation. To see what public events are taking place at the pueblos, please visit the events calendar. Please refer to the Cultural Etiquette page before you visit the pueblos, for information on visiting tribal lands.

See Maps: Indian Pueblos and Reservations for location information.

Acoma

(AH-koh-mah)

PO Box 309, Acoma, NM 87034
505-469-1052
800-747-0181 (Visitors Center)
505-552-6604 (Governor)
www.acomaskycity.org
 

Fifty miles west of Albuquerque, Acoma Pueblo is impressively situated atop a 365-foot sandstone mesa. Although most present-day Acomas have residences in nearby villages, several families still occupy the old homes on the mesa (known as "Sky City"). The delicately decorated pottery of Acoma is among the most prized of Indian crafts. Many fine pieces are for sale in the Visitors Center at the base of the mesa, which also houses a museum, a restaurant and the information center where tours of the pueblo are arranged. Visitors may attend several festivals during the year at the pueblo. Guided hikes are available. Tribal operated gaming is available at Sky City Casino. The pueblo also operates the Sky City Hotel and Conference Center.

Hours: Winter hours (November 1-February 29) 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; summer hours (March 1-October 31) 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Walking guided tour times: 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., last full guided tour of the day at 3:30 p.m.
Admission: $23 adults; $15 children/youth; $20 seniors; $58 family (2 adults & 2 children)
Photography: Photography is allowed for a fee; camera permits are $13. Video/audio recordings and binoculars are prohibited.
Groups: Group fees are available for groups of 15 and over. Advance notice is required.

Cochiti

(KOH-chee-tee)

PO Box 70, Cochiti Pueblo, NM 87072
505-465-2244
www.pueblodecochiti.org

Cochiti Pueblo is midway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The Storyteller, a seated adult with a number of children sitting around her, is one of the most popular pieces of Cochiti Pueblo pottery. Many Cochiti artists also work in watercolors, ink and oil paint. Cochiti is well-known for its handcrafted, double-headed drums. (Drums play a significant role in pueblo ceremonials.) Cochiti Lake offers fishing, sailing, swimming and other water sports. Cochiti Lake Golf Course has been ranked among the top 25 courses in the United States.

Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: Free
Photography: No photography or sketching allowed
Groups: Advance notice required

Isleta

(iss-LEH-tah)

PO Box 1270, Isleta Pueblo, NM 87022 
505-869-3111 or 505-869-6333
Fax: 505-869-4236
www.isletapueblo.com


Isleta Pueblo produces red-clay pottery decorated with red and black designs on a white background. The public is invited to several dances during the summer, a September fair and Christmas festivals. Sunrise Lake on the reservation is a popular vacation location. Tribal-operated gaming is available at Isleta Casino and Resort.

Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Photography: Photography limited to church only
Groups: Advance notice required

Jemez

(HAY-mez)

7413 Hwy 4, Jemez Pueblo, NM 87024
505-834-7235 (Visitor Center)
505-834-7359 (Governor)
Fax: 505-834-2221 
www.jemezpueblo.org


Jemez Pueblo's village of Walatowa is 55 miles northwest of Albuquerque (approximately one hour's drive) and has been occupied since the 16th century. Many pueblo buildings date back to the period following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Jemez is the only remaining pueblo to speak the Towa language, an unwritten language. Jemez Pueblo has a closed-village policy, and visitors are welcome into the village only on feast days. The Walatowa Visitor Center provides visitor information about feast days and group tours, and it has a gift shop featuring Jemez pottery. Interpretive exhibits introduce visitors to the history, culture and experience of the Jemez people. The Jemez people are known for their pottery, storytellers, figurines, sculpture, basketry, embroidery, woven cloths, moccasins and jewelry.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Admission: Free (donations appreciated)
Photography: Permitted only at the Jemez Red Rocks
Groups: Group presentations available for groups of 15 or more. Advance notice required.

Laguna

(lah-GOO-nah)

PO Box 194, Laguna Pueblo, NM 87026 
505-552-6654
Fax: 505-552-6941 
www.lagunapueblo-nsn.gov


Laguna Pueblo actually comprises six major villages, with tribal offices in Old Laguna. The pueblo has existed at this site, about 45 miles west of Albuquerque off I-40, since as early as 1450. Traditional pottery-making was revived in the 1970s, and today's Laguna painters and jewelers work with innovative designs and techniques. Laguna's many festivals draw large crowds — including other tribes — to enjoy sporting events and to trade in arts and crafts, produce and other goods. At Casa Blanca Village, a shopping center just off I-40, visitors can purchase pueblo arts and crafts. Gaming, a full-service restaurant and a snack bar are available at Dancing Eagle Casino and Travel Center at Exit 108.

Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Admission: Free
Photography: Photography limited to certain areas
Groups: Advance notice required

Nambe

(nahm-BAY)

Route 1 Box 117-BB, Santa Fe, NM 87501
505-455-2036
Fax: 505-455-2038 
nambepueblo.org


Nambe Pueblo (Nambe — mound of earth, land in a circle) is tucked away at the base of the breathtaking Sangre de Cristo Mountains just 23 miles north of Santa Fe. Take Hwy 84-285 north to Pojoaque, turn right on 503 East Nambe Exit and proceed 3 miles. Turn right at the Nambe Waterfalls Hwy (NP101). Local artists continue to make traditional micaceous pottery, which is a recently revived technique. These artists and many others also weave and make jewelry, stone sculptures and black or red pottery. Nambe Pueblo celebrates its annual feast day on October 4, in honor of the birthday of St. Frances de Assisi. A lake and natural waterfall are located 2 miles east of the pueblo; facilities include a picnic area, fishing, camping, hiking and motorless boating on the lake. Visitors can view majestic buffalo grazing in their natural habitat.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Admission: No admission to view the pueblo. Permits required for photography
Lake/recreation costs: Fishing $10, admission is $5 and up
Groups: Reservations are required for guided tours of the buffalo; contact Ben Yates at 505-455-2036.
Waterfalls/recreation area: Call 505-455-2304 (seasonal March to September)

Ohkay Owingeh

(OH-kay oh-WEEN-geh)

PO Box 1099, San Juan Pueblo, NM 87566
505-852-4400 (Visitors Center)
505-852-4210 (Governor)
Fax: 505-852-4820 
www.newmexico.org/ohkay-owingeh-pueblo


Previously known as San Juan Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh is located five miles north of Española off US-285. In 2005, the San Juan Pueblo changed its name back to its original name, Ohkay Owingeh, which means "place of the strong people." The pueblo is the headquarters of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Council, which promotes cooperative efforts among the northern pueblos. The pueblo has a well-known art center, the Ohkay Owingeh Arts & Crafts Cooperative. Traditional arts here include woodcarving and pottery. Buffalo, Basket and Cloud Dances with beautifully dressed dancers are presented several times a year. Tribal-operated gaming is available at Ohkay Casino and Resort.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Photography: Current Tribal Council prohibits cameras of any sort
Groups: Advance notice required

Picuris

(peec-kuhr-REES)

PO Box 127, Peñasco, NM 87553
505-587-2957 (Visitor Center)
 505-587-2519 (Governor)
Fax: 505-587-1071 
www.picurispueblo.org


Picuris Pueblo, often referred to as "Hidden Valley," is located 25 miles southeast of Taos, near the town of Peñasco on NM-75. It is one of the smallest pueblos. Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in the early 1540s, its population was estimated between 2,000 to 3,000. Since the mid-1960s, there has been a revival of traditional religious activities. Picuris celebrates the San Lorenzo Feast Day in August of each year. Picuris potters are known for their unornamented pottery, which has an interesting texture and a subtle glitter from small chips of mica in the pottery clay. A museum houses artifacts and offers arts and crafts for purchase. Visitor attractions include a trout-stocked fishing lake, a picnic area, an overnight campground and archaeological excavations.

Restaurant: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Seats 100. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. in the winter, with extended hours in the summer (may be closed for renovations; call ahead) 
Admission: $3 per person for self-guided tour
Photography: Camera, camcorder and sketching fee
Groups: Reservation required. Group rates available. Groups welcome, but guided tours are unavailable.

Pojoaque

(po-HWAH-keh)

Route 11 Box 21-GS, Santa Fe, NM 87501
505-455-3334 ext. 5056
505-455-3460 (Tourist Center)
505-455-3901 (Governor)
Fax: 505-455-7128
pojoaque.org


Pojoaque Pueblo is located 15 scenic miles north of Santa Fe on Highway 84-285. The Pojoaque Valley is situated amid the spectacular landscape of northern New Mexico's juniper and piñon tree hilltops, mesas and mountains. The name Pojoaque is a Spanish version of Po Suwae Geh, which means "water drinking place." The people of Pojoaque have returned from near extinction and have generated a multiplex of tribally owned and operated enterprises, all while maintaining a traditional cultural base. The Pueblo of Pojoaque's Tribal Council established the Poeh Museum and Cultural Center in 1988 as a permanent tribally owned and operated means of cultural preservation and revitalization within the pueblo communities of the northern Rio Grande Valley. The center emphasizes the arts and cultures of all pueblo people, with a focus on the Tewa-speaking pueblos of Nambe, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Ohkay Owingeh, Santa Clara and Tesuque, and the Tiwa-speaking pueblos of Picuris and Taos. Additional funds generated via the tribally owned Cities of Gold Casino, with Las Vegas-style gaming, and Cities of Gold Hotel (505-455-3313) have been used to create the Pojoaque Wellness Center, which houses a gym, pool, library, CHR program, senior citizens center and boys and girls club for tribal and non-tribal members. The Pojoaque Pueblo Tourist Center (505-455-3460) displays and sells locally produced Native art and other souvenirs. Also available are gas stations and convenience stores, the Towa Golf Course, True Value Hardware, the Sports Bar and Casino, and numerous restaurants. The pueblo's feast days are December 11 and 12, and January 6.

If you have any questions, please contact dmoya@poehcenter.com, or call 505-455-3334 ext. 5056.

Sandia

(sahn-DEE-ah)

PO Box 6008, Bernalillo, NM 87004
505-867-3317
Fax: 505-867-9235
www.sandiapueblo.nsn.us


Sandia Pueblo, located 14 miles north of Albuquerque, is visible from I-25 but must be accessed off NM-313. Sandia has been in existence at its present site since as early as 1300 A.D., and was one of the campsites of Coronado in 1541. Pueblo land elevations range from 5,000 feet in the Rio Grande Valley to 8,200 feet in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. Visitors are welcome to Sandia Pueblo's annual feast day on June 13. The Pueblo owns and operates three enterprises: 1) Sandia Lakes Recreation Area (505-897-3971), located 15 minutes from downtown Albuquerque, with fishing, picnicking, nature trails and a bait and tackle shop. 2) Bien Mur Indian Market Center (800-365-5400), with the highest quality of Indian arts and crafts. 3) Sandia Resort & Casino (800-526-9366, www.sandiacasino.com), located immediately north of Albuquerque and deemed one of the most beautiful and spacious gaming facilities in the Southwest. Las Vegas-style gaming, a gift shop, buffet/fine dining, a deli/coffee shop, a lounge, an amphitheater and extraordinary views of the Sandia Mountains all add to the fun and excitement of Sandia Casino.

Hours: Bien Mur Market Center: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday

San Felipe

(sahn fey-LEE-peh)

PO Box 4339, San Felipe Pueblo, NM 87001
505-867-3381
Fax: 505-867-3383 
www.newmexico.org/san-felipe


San Felipe Pueblo is situated 30 miles northwest of Albuquerque off 1-25 and about 10 miles north of Bernalillo. The present pueblo was founded during the early 18th century and today still retains its traditional customs. Outsiders are generally not encouraged to visit, but the pueblo does welcome visitors to the Annual Feast Day on May 1. Innovative pottery and some jewelry forms are produced by pueblo members. Tribal-operated gaming is available at San Felipe Casino Hollywood.

Other: Visitors discouraged; contact Pueblo Office

San Ildefonso

(sahn eel-deh-FOHN-soh)

Route 5 Box 315-A; Santa Fe, NM 87506
505-455-3549 (Visitor Center)
505-455-2273 (Governor)
Fax: 505-455-7351
www.sanipueblo.org


San Ildefonso has been located at its present site, 20 miles northwest of Santa Fe off NM-502, the road to Los Alamos, since the late 1500s. Beautifully situated on the eastern bank of the Rio Grande, San Ildefonso is very well known for its black-on-black pottery which commands the respect of fine art collectors worldwide. Some dances are open to the public throughout the year; of particular importance is the Buffalo-Deer Dance, which takes place on San Ildefonso's feast day. A museum displays local arts and crafts. The Visitors Center can provide additional information and direct people to craft shops in the pueblo. Fishing is available at the lake.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (Visitor Center hours)
Admission: $3 carload
Photo Fee: Photos are allowed, for a fee, in the village only. Certain areas of the pueblo are off limits. 
Groups: Advance notice required
For dance and other information, please contact the Visitor Center prior to arrival.

Santa Ana

(SAHN-tah AN-nah) 

2 Dove Road, Santa Ana, NM 87004
505-867-3301
Fax: 505-867-3395 
www.santaana-nsn.gov


The Pueblo of Santa Ana is located on NM-550, about 8 miles northwest of Bernalillo, just west of the confluence of the Rio Jemez and Rio Grande. Santa Ana is a small pueblo with a rich history dating back over 1,000 years. The people of Santa Ana take pride in being one of the more progressive economically. The pueblo has become a multi-faceted corporation, with enterprises such as the Tamaya Cooperative (selling traditional items including pottery and textiles), a garden center, Blue Corn Enterprises, fine dining restaurants and 45 holes of championship golf. To showcase their tradition of hospitality, the pueblo has created the Santa Ana Star Casino and the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa. The Starlight Lanes Bowling Alley is part of the Santa Ana Star Casino. At Santa Ana, culture and land are one.

Photography: No photography allowed
Admission: Free

Santa Clara

(SAHN-tah KLAH-rah)

PO Box 580, Española, NM 87532 
505-753-7326 (Tourism Office)
505-753-7330 (Governor)
Fax: 505-753-8988 
www.newmexico.org/santa-clara-pueblo


Santa Clara lies 22 miles northwest of Santa Fe and is easily reached via US 84/285 and NM-30. The pueblo's Tourist Information Office provides information on the pueblo and directions to various arts and crafts shops. Santa Clara is known for its highly polished black and red pottery and its outstanding painters and sculptors. Several dances and festivals, such as the Buffalo and Corn Dance, are open to the public. Additionally, the pueblo offers fishing and camping in the Canyon Recreational Area. The beauty of the pueblo's archaeological sites and the splendor of its scenery are famous in the Southwest. Tribal operated gaming is available at Big Rock Casino Bowl.

Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Admission: No general access fees, but fees must be paid to visit the Puye Cliffs and for artistic pursuits.
Photo Fee: Photo fee. Certain areas of the pueblo are restricted.
Group: Puye Cliffs and Canyon closed; call governor's office for information

Santo Domingo

(SAHN-to doh-MEEN-go)

PO Box 99, Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM 87052
505-465-2214
Fax: 505-465-2688 

santodomingotribe.org

Life in Santo Domingo has altered little since the arrival of the Europeans. Great emphasis is placed on the pueblo's religious organization, which is the core of its social structure, and on the passing on of its native language (Keres), customs, dances and songs. Santo Domingo can be reached by paved road off I-25, about halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The pueblo is known for its fine heishi and turquoise, other stones and silver, and strictly traditional pottery. The pueblo is open to visitors for its annual feast day in August.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Contact tribal office for weekend arrangements.
Photography: Cameras, camcorder and sketching are not permitted.
Groups: Call governor's office

Taos

(TAH-os) 

PO Box 1846, Taos, NM 87571
505-758-1028 (Tourism Office)
505-758-9593 (Governor)
Fax: 505-758-4604 
taospueblo.com


Taos Pueblo is one of New Mexico's most authentic examples of pueblo architecture and tradition. The pueblo's renowned multi-story apartment houses and famous church can be reached via NM-68 north from Española, through the town of Taos. Taos Pueblo, with Mount Wheeler — the highest mountain of New Mexico — as its backdrop, is known for its prime scenery, farmland and hunting. Taos is also known for the drum-making and leather work of its artisans, and its fine dancers, who are admired widely. Visitors are welcome. Tribal-operated gaming is available at Taos Mountain Casino.

Hours: Summer 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily, winter 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily
Admission: $10 per person (adult), $8 per person (group of 3 adults or more), $5 per person (students)
Photo Fee: Still camera $5 per camera, video camera $5 per camera. No photography allowed on feast days. Commercial photographers and/or artists must obtain approval before photographing or using the image of Taos Pueblo.
Groups: Advance notice required. Storyteller guides available.

Tesuque

(te-SOO-keh)

RR 42, Santa Fe, NM 87506
800-483-1040 or 505-983-2667
Fax: 505-982-2331
www.newmexico.org/tesuque-pueblo


Tesuque Pueblo, about 10 miles north of the city of Santa Fe off US 84/285, is thought to have been established prior to 1200 A.D. Pueblo artists specialize in brightly colored pottery based on traditional designs, and modeled figurines decorated with lively designs, which are widely collected by pueblo art aficionados. The most popular Tesuque dances, the Harvest, Deer and Buffalo, are held in winter. Gaming is available at Camel Rock Casino.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Admission: Free
Photography: Not allowed
Group: Advance notice required

Zia

(ZEE-ah)

135 Capital Square Dr.
Zia Pueblo, NM 87053-6013
505-867-3304  
Fax: 505-867-3308
zia.com/home/zia_info.html


Zia Pueblo blends into the landscape atop its rocky knoll, 18 miles northwest of Bernalillo on NM-550, where it has been located — almost invisibly — since 1300 A.D. The Zia sun symbol is familiar, as it has been adopted by New Mexico as the official state insignia and appears on the state flag. The pueblo is small, but it has produced beautiful, traditional works of art. The Zia have long been known as the creators of excellent, well-fired pottery with artistic decorations in brown or black (often utilizing a bird motif). Some Zia painters have achieved recognition for their fine watercolors.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Admission: Free
Photography: No photography, camcorders, sketching or recordings permitted
Groups: Advance notice required

Zuni

(ZOO-nee)

PO Box 339, Zuni, NM 87327
505-782-4481 ext. 401 (Visitors Center)
505-782-4481 (Governor)
Fax: 505-782-2700
www.ashiwi.org


Zuni Pueblo, the largest of the 19 New Mexico pueblos, can be reached on NM-602, about 32 miles southwest of Gallup in the west-central part of New Mexico. Zuni jewelry is widely acclaimed. Fashioned of turquoise, shell and jet stone, it is set in silver in intricate patterns known as "needlepoint," or in fine inlay patterns. The Zuni people also are known for their fine beadwork and exquisite animal fetishes carved from translucent shell or stone.

Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Admission: Free
Photo Fee: Photos, camcorders and sketching fee. Pictures are not allowed at any ceremonies. 
Groups: Advance notice required

Jicarilla Apache

(hee-cah-REE-ah)

PO Box 507, Dulce, NM 87528
505-759-3242
Fax: 505-759-3005 
www.newmexico.org/jicarilla-apache-nation


The Jicarilla Reservation is located 5 miles from the Colorado border. It comprises more than 742,000 acres, with headquarters in Dulce, 28 miles west of Chama on US-64. The reservation encompasses beautiful mountain ranges, sagebrush flats and deep mesa canyons. The Jicarilla Apache Reservation is highly accessible, and group lodging is available. The reservation has an arts and crafts museum featuring basket-making demonstrations, and a cultural center. Annual celebrations include the Little Beaver Rodeo and Pow Wow, which takes place the third week in July, and a two-day traditional ceremony that features dances and relay races in September. Hunting for mule deer, elk, turkey and waterfowl is available. Several lakes offer trout fishing, and campgrounds are available around the lakes.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: Free
Photography: Not allowed, permission needed
Other: A hunting permit is required from the Jicarilla Game and Fire Department.
Groups: Advance notice required

Mescalero Apache

(mess-kah-LEH-row)

PO Box 227, Mescalero, NM 88340
505-464-4494 (Tribal Office); 
Fax: 505-464-9191
 mescaleroapachetribe.com


The Mescalero Apaches live on a 460,000-acre reservation in southeastern New Mexico, between Ruidoso and Tularosa, with tribal offices at Mescalero on US-70. The Mescalero have been leaders in recreational and sporting enterprises, utilizing their scenic mountains, valleys and streams well. The Inn of the Mountain Gods, located by Lake Mescalero, has luxurious accommodations, fine dining, a beautiful golf course and excellent shops, as well as fishing, horseback riding and other recreation. Big game hunts for bear and elk in the fall, along with turkey hunts in the spring, are popular events. Several campsites are available. Mescalero-owned Ski Apache is only 40 minutes away in Lincoln National Forest. An annual four-day ceremonial is held in early July and includes a rodeo and various events. Tribal-operated gaming is available at Casino Apache.

Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Photography: Not allowed
Groups: Allowed

Navajo Nation

(NA-vah-hoe)

PO Box 663, Window Rock, AZ 86515
928-810-8501
www.discovernavajo.com

New Mexico Tribes:
Alamo Chapter 505-854-2686
Tohajiilee Chapter 505-836-4221
Ramah Chapter 505-775-3310


The Navajos simply call themselves "Diné" — The People. They represent the largest Native American group in the country. The reservation covers over 27,000 square miles of colorful, diverse topography, expanding into the states of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Window Rock on the Arizona/New Mexico border, off US-666 northwest of Gallup, is the Navajo capital. The Navajos are known for their beautiful silver and turquoise jewelry, sand paintings and skillfully crafted woven rugs. Most New Mexican Navajos reside in the northwest section of the state. Other groups include Navajos at Tohajiilee, west of Albuquerque; the Alamo Navajos and Magdalena Navajos, west of Socorro; and the Ramah Navajos in western New Mexico. New Mexico Navajos are justly proud of the Navajo Rug Auctions, the Eastern Navajo Fair at Crownpoint and the Shiprock Navajo Fair.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

2401 12th St NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
505-843-7270 
www.indianpueblo.org
 

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is an excellent way to acquaint yourself with the distinctive art, history and culture of New Mexico's 19 pueblos. The main museum is of special interest, presenting displays that trace the development of pueblo culture. Every weekend, traditional Native American dance performances grace the central plaza at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; art demonstrations are held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The center also hosts special events year-round. The gift shop offers a selection of fine pottery, paintings, sculpture, rugs, sand paintings, kachinas, traditional and contemporary jewelry, drums, and books. Inside the center, the Pueblo Harvest Café offers a vast menu of New Native American cuisine, made with a number ingredients sourced from several of the local pueblos.