Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Pink flowers and green foliage frame the roofless remains of a stone mission.

Quarai Mission in Spring

Stone walls of a roofless building rise into a bright blue sky.

An overview of the Quarai Mission, seen from the west.

An solar eclipse outlines an old stone structure at Salinas Pueblo Missions.

An annular eclipse was visible from Gran Quivira in 2012. A special program allowed visitors to experience this amazing celestial event.

A paved path winds through the stone foundations of several old kivas.

An overview of kivas at Gran Quivira

Stone foundations of an old mission structure.

An overview of the Abó Mission with the convento in the foreground.

A path through stone walls of an old church.

A view inside the Abó Church looking north. A nice carpet of grass is usually present during summer months.

Photos: National Park Service

About Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Tucked away in the middle of New Mexico you’ll find Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Its three distinct sites offer a glimpse into a unique time in history—a time entrenched with cultural borrowing, conflict and struggles. These sites continue to stand as reminders of the Spanish and Pueblo peoples’ early encounters and prompt exploration of today’s interactions among different people.

Plan a Visit

NPS DesignationNational Monument

Park State / Territory MembershipNew Mexico

Current Alerts0

Visitor Centers4

Campgrounds0

Things To Do6

Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.

Weather & Conditions

Salinas Pueblo Missions is located at an elevation of 6100-6500 ft (1860-1980 m) in an arid climate. Average annual rainfall is about 15 inches. Winters can be cold and snowy. Summer highs are above 90°F/32°C with cool evenings. The months of June-September often have thunderstorms. Flash flooding may occur in…

NPS Reference Location

Park state / territory membership: New Mexico. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.

Operating Hours

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is open 7 days a week year-round except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Summer hours (April 1st - October 31st) for the Mountainair Headquarters Visitor Center and Abó, Quarai and Gran Quivira units are 9:00AM to 5:00PM daily. Winter hours (November 1st - March 31st) are 9:00AM to 4:00PM daily. For Visitor Center Hours for Abó, Quarai and Gran Quivira, please click the Visitor Centers tab below.

Friday9:00AM - 5:00PM

Monday9:00AM - 5:00PM

Saturday9:00AM - 5:00PM

Sunday9:00AM - 5:00PM

Thursday9:00AM - 5:00PM

Tuesday9:00AM - 5:00PM

Wednesday9:00AM - 5:00PM

Activities

AstronomyStargazingFoodPicnickingGuided ToursSelf-Guided Tours - WalkingHikingFront-Country HikingJunior Ranger ProgramWildlife WatchingBirdwatchingPark FilmMuseum ExhibitsShoppingBookstore and Park Store

Getting There

Reach the Mountainair Headquarters by taking I-25 south from Albuquerque to Belen, then NM 47 diagonally to US 60, then east 21 miles to Mountainair. To travel the historic highway route (Turquoise Highway) from the north, take I-40 east from Albuquerque to NM 337, drive south 47 miles (76K) to junction with NM State Highway 55. Proceed right (west) on Hwy 55 about 16 miles (26 K). Turn right on Highway 60 and proceed one block to HQ. Information on the ruins & surrounding area is available here.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.

NPS-Listed AddressSalinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, 105 South Ripley Avenue, Mountainair, NM, 87036-0517

Phone5058472585

Emailsapu_interp@nps.gov

Topics & Themes

Architecture and BuildingArcheologyRuinsArtsPaintingPhotographyColonization and SettlementCommerceTradeFarming and AgricultureHispanic American HeritageLatino American HeritageMigrationsMilitaryCavalryNative American Heritage

Things To Do

Quarai Ranger-Led Hikes

Visit Quarai

Visit Gran Quivira

Visit Abó

Abó Ranger-Led Hikes

Abó Ranger-Led Hike

Visit Headquarters

Visitor Centers

Abó Visitor Center

The Abo visitor center features restrooms, a bookstore, and a few exhibit panels. An oversized vehicle parking lot is around the corner to the north…

Gran Quivira Visitor Center

The Gran Quivira visitor center features restrooms, a bookstore, and a museum featuring artifacts recovered from the site.

Headquarters Visitor Center

For the best experience, kick off your visit at the Headquarters visitor center in Mountainair, NM. At this location, you can grab all four passport…

Quarai Visitor Center

The Quarai Visitor Center features restrooms, a bookstore, and a museum. An oversized vehicle parking lot is available prior t