Shhhh….it’s a Secret….
Not that Los Alamos is still a secret city; that ended in 1957. The secret is that we live in a paradise.
Los Alamos has a laidback, small mountain town atmosphere. Located on the Pajarito Plateau in the north-central mountains of New Mexico, Los Alamos County has a population of approximately 18,000 between the town of Los Alamos (12,000) and the bedroom community of White Rock (6,000).
Quality of Life
People often move to Los Alamos for employment at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), but they stay for the amazing quality of life. If you love the outdoors, Los Alamos is the place for you!
In town, Los Alamos features ~60 miles of hiking trails, a great 18-hole golf course, challenging mountain biking, outdoor ice skating, and an olympic-sized swimming pool. Just minutes away is Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, with terrain suitable for everyone, from beginners to the most advanced skiers.
Los Alamos lies on the western slope of the Jemez Mountains, which are the home of the Valles Caldera, a 13.7 mile wide volcanic caldera. Once a private ranch, today it is a public resource managed by the National Park Service as the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The preserve is home to NM’s largest elk herd and miles of trout streams (shhhh). You might recognize it as the movie set of the Netflix series “Longmire.”
Red or Green?
Northern NM has some of the most unique food in America. Often confused with Mexican food, it’s actually a fusion of Native American cuisine (corn and beans) with the chile imported by Spanish settlers. Nearby Santa Fe not only has amazing New Mexican food, but a wide variety of eclectic restaurants making it a “foodie” hot spot. By the way, if someone asks you “red or green,” they are talking about chile and a great response is “Christmas” which will get you some of each.
History
The Pajarito Plateau has a rich history. Before what is now the Los Alamos National Laboratory came into existence, it was the home of the Los Alamos Boys Ranch school. The school provided the initial infrastructure for the Lab during the Manhattan Project. Learn more about this history at the Los Alamos History Museum.
Before the Boy’s Ranch School, the Pajarito Plateau was home to the Anasazi People. There are many opportunities in Northern NM to explore the culture of the Anasazi and their descendants. A favorite place to explore is the museum and ruins at Bandelier National Monument. The Bandelier Visitor Center is located in Frijoles Canyon and provides the opportunity to walk through ruins, climb ladders to caves and enjoy amazing views
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