Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument consists of three separate mission sites—Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira—spread across the desert in central New Mexico. Each location displays stone churches, residential buildings, and pueblo structures built centuries ago.

Spanish missionaries founded these mission centers starting in the 1620s to convert local Pueblo communities to Christianity. The three sites were gradually abandoned in the 1670s as conditions became difficult for continued settlement.

Spanish colonial architecture stands alongside Pueblo building techniques in the stone churches and dwellings visible at each site. The structures reveal how two distinct peoples shared and shaped these spaces over generations.

A visitor center in Mountainair serves as the main stopping point and offers information about all three sites. Plan for outdoor walking among ancient structures, and bring water and sun protection since the desert landscape offers little shade.

The monument holds International Dark Sky Park status, meaning the night sky here remains largely free from light pollution. Visitors can observe the stars as clearly as the missionaries and pueblo inhabitants did centuries ago.

Location: New Mexico

Inception: November 1, 1909

Operator: National Park Service

Website: http://nps.gov/sapu

GPS coordinates: 34.25972,-106.09028

Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:03