Gallup

A Native American trading hub on Route 66, lined with silver jewelry and turquoise shops and neon-lit old streets. Near Red Rock Park, you can visit Zuni Pueblo, El Morro and Window Rock.

Gallup is in McKinley County in northwestern New Mexico. Interstate 40 and historic Route 66 both run through the city, which is only about 30 km from the Arizona state line. Surrounded by the Navajo and Zuni reservations, it is known as the 'Native American Capital of the United States.' The old Route 66 street is the center of town, with neon signs, murals and dozens of trading posts, where you can shop for Navajo and Zuni silver jewelry, turquoise and handwoven rugs. The El Rancho Hotel, where Hollywood stars once stayed, and the cultural center in the old railway station are within walking distance. Red Rock Park on the eastern edge of town has red sandstone cliffs suited to hiking. Intertribal ceremonies are held here in August, and a hot air balloon festival takes place in autumn.

There are three classic day-trip routes. About 40 km northwest is Window Rock, Arizona, the capital of the Navajo Nation, where you can see the famous window-shaped rock and the tribal museum. About 60 km south is Zuni Pueblo, where you can take a guided tour of the ancient central village and the mission church with murals. Then head east on NM-53 to El Morro National Monument to see Inscription Rock. On the way, stop at the Bandera Volcano Ice Caves, which together form a one-day 'ancient trail' loop.

Gallup sits at about 2,000 m. Summer days are hot and nights are cool, with afternoon thunderstorms in July and August. Winters are cold but often sunny. The best season is May to October.

Getting there: the Amtrak Southwest Chief stops daily. Driving from Albuquerque along I-40 takes about 2 hours. Plan 2-3 days.

Notes: most of the reservation land is alcohol-free. Obtain permission before photographing Native people or ceremonies. The Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time, while the rest of Arizona does not, so pay attention to the time when planning cross-state itineraries.

Top sights

• Red Rock Park – A red sandstone cliff park just east of Gallup. Pyramid Rock, the Church Rock trail and the arena are the city's signature sights.
• Historic Route 66 Downtown Gallup – The old town along Route 66, where neon signs, murals, Native American jewelry shops and historic theaters cluster in a few blocks.
• Zuni Pueblo – A Zuni community about 60 kilometers south of Gallup, preserving the ancient Middle Village, a 17th-century mission church and the distinct…
• El Morro National Monument – A natural water pool at the foot of a towering sandstone bluff, with ancestral Puebloan rock art and more than 2,000 inscriptions left by v…
• Window Rock Navajo Tribal Park & Veterans Memorial – The emblem of the Navajo capital: a huge round hole in a sandstone cliff, with the Navajo Code Talkers memorial below.
• Church Rock Trail – A loop trail in Red Rock Park that winds through red sandstone to Church Rock, a pillar shaped like a church spire.
• El Rancho Hotel & Motel – A legendary Route 66 hotel that opened in 1937 and once hosted Hollywood Western stars. Its lobby is lined with signed photos.
• Gallup Cultural Center – A cultural centre housed in the 1923 Santa Fe railway station, showing Indigenous art, with Indigenous dance performances in the evenings i…
• Richardson's Trading Company – A long-established Indigenous trading post founded in 1913, its century-old shop stacked with silver jewellery, turquoise, Navajo rugs and…
• Gallup History Museum (Rex Hotel) – A small local history museum in the former Rex Hotel from the early 1900s, telling the story of Gallup's coal mines, railways and immigrant…
• High Desert Trail System – A network of mountain-bike and hiking trails on the northwest edge of Gallup, with dozens of kilometres of singletrack crossing sandstone m…
• Old Zuni Mission (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) – A 17th-century adobe mission church beside Zuni Pueblo, its interior walls painted by Zuni artists with the seasons and spirit beings.
• A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center – A tribal museum run by the Zuni themselves, presenting history, pottery, and traditional farming from a Zuni perspective.
• Bandera Volcano & Ice Cave – A privately run volcano attraction where you can hike up a crater that last erupted about 10,000 years ago, then descend into a lava tube w…
• Navajo Nation Museum – The official Navajo Nation museum in Window Rock, showcasing Navajo history, weaving, silverwork, and records of the 'Long Walk.'
• Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park – The only zoo in the United States run by an Indigenous tribe, showcasing local animals that hold meaning in Navajo culture.
• Bluewater Lake State Park – A reservoir lake on the northern foothills of the Zuni Mountains, known for tiger muskie fishing, boating, and camping.

Where to eat

• Jerry's Cafe – A small restaurant on Coal Avenue downtown, known for its stuffed sopaipilla with red and green chile sauce. It ranks n…
• Earl's Family Restaurant – A Route 66 restaurant that has been open since 1947, known for its Navajo tacos. Diners can buy jewellery directly from…
• El Rancho Hotel Restaurant – A restaurant in a historic hotel where Hollywood stars once stayed. Its dishes are named after classic film actors, and…
• Oasis Mediterranean Restaurant – A Middle Eastern restaurant run by a Palestinian family, with everything made in-house and a near-perfect Yelp rating…