ROUTE
SANTA ROSA TO TIJERAS
• Roughly 117 miles •
Moriarty, Edgewood, Tijeras
STAY. Strike up a conversation with owner Mike Pogue at the Sunset Motel in Moriarty to learn about its history, midcentury style, and welcoming spirit (you might just get invited to dinner). RV travelers head to the Route 66 RV Park in Edgewood, which also offers glamping cabins with firepits.
Try the quiche from Roots Farm Cafe, in Tijeras.
EAT. Grab a breakfast burrito or a burger at one of the family-run Chili Hills, in Moriarty and Edgewood. Leave room for a slice of homemade cherry pie. A short detour on NM 337 leads to the Roots Farm Cafe in Tijeras, an organic cafe in a rustic setting. Order a chicken pesto panini and relax on the spacious patio.
SHOP. Browse jewelry, pottery, home decor, and more at the Church Street Market in Edgewood, with 20 unique boutiques on a vintage-style Main Street.
Find the Roto-Sphere above Country Friends Antiques, 1005 Historic Route 66, in Moriarty.
Photograph by Kate Nelson.
DO. Meet the elk, spotted owls, and other animals at the Wildlife West Nature Park, a wildlife refuge and rescue zoo in Edgewood. Check out the vacant eight-seat Valentine Diner, one of 2,000 moveable diners built in a variety of shapes and models by the Valentine Manufacturing Co. from 1947 to 1975.
