Salt Mission Trail

This past weekend the forecast called for rain (and snow in the higher elevations) across much of New Mexico.  My wife and I discussed whether or not to head out for a day trip, but we decided to go for it with the thought being that we could always head back home if things got a little too soggy.  As a photographer I wanted to head out because overcast, cloudy, stormy days don't come often to New Mexico, and moody clouds often make for interesting photo opportunities.

We left the house early, heading south of Santa Fe towards Tejaras, where we would then drive a section of the Salt Missions Trail Scenic Byway.  This road slowly winds through a serious of small towns, farms, and ranch land.  The sky was overcast but there wasn't any rain falling.  At one point we pulled over so I take a few shots of the landscape, as the patch of sunlight illuminating the mountains in the distance had caught my eye.

The road lead to the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, which actually consists of three pueblos, each with a Spanish Mission that was constructed in the early seventeenth century.  The sites span a distance (by car) of about 45 miles, each of which is worth visiting due to its own unique character.  Our first stop was the pueblo that is the site of the Quarai Mission Church (Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion de Cuarac).  The church, the walls of which still stand, was built in the early 1600s under the direction of Spanish missionaries.  

On the way to our next destination we drove through the small town of Mountainair.  Mountainair is a small town where I've stopped and taken photos before, of the older buildings located near the main intersection...

Our last stop was the site of the pueblo at Gran Quivira, where the ruins of the San Buenaventura Mission are located.  We took the short trail up the hill to the site of the ruins and walked the site.  This kiva, partially filled with tumbleweeds, with the pueblo walls and sweeping clouds in the background, made for an interesting composition...

After Gran Quivira we headed back towards Santa Fe, having beat the rain and enjoyed a change in the weather...

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 18-55 DX

You can purchase prints here