From Wikitravel

Los Alamos [1] is a small town in northern New Mexico, about an hour northwest of Santa Fe. Its claim to fame is the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where Oppenheimer and other physicists created the world's first atomic bomb during World War II. Many of Los Alamos's 11,000 residents work at the laboratory. White Rock, an outlying town of about 7,000, is formally a part of Los Alamos, but is separated from the main town by LANL, which is closed to the public apart from the Bradbury Science Museum (see below) and, under limited conditions, the lab's library and cafeteria.

Contents 1 Get in 2 Get around 3 See 4 Do 5 Eat 5.1 New Mexican 5.1.1 Budget 5.1.2 Mid-range 5.2 Other 5.2.1 Budget 5.2.2 Mid-range 5.2.3 Splurge 6 Drink 7 Sleep 7.1 Lodging 7.2 Camping 8 Stay safe 9 Get out 10 References

Get in

From Santa Fe, take US 285 north to State 502 west, which leads directly to the town. This is a highly scenic drive, with photo opportunities from the Clinton P. Anderson Scenic Overlook just east of the Los Alamos airport. A side road, State 4, leads to White Rock and Bandelier National Monument.

Get around

The downtown area is compact, and the museums and most restaurants are within easy walking distance of the main hotels and many of the B&Bs. There is no public transportation except that connecting the town to Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Many Los Alamos residents bicycle to work and around town. Cycling is feasible for visitors as well, but be aware that the town is at an elevation of about 7100 feet (2200 meters) and quite hilly. Puffing up the hills before you've acclimated to the altitude can be a surprisingly exhausting experience. White Rock is nearly a thousand feet lower and about 10 miles (16 km) away by road; riding to it on a bike can be a thrill, but oh, that hill coming back!

See

• The downtown area contains a number of artifacts of the early days of the "Manhattan Project" to build the bomb, and the even earlier days "when Los Alamos was a ranch school" (the title, incidentally, of an interesting little booklet on the history of the town that is available in local bookstores). Start at pretty Fuller Lodge, one of the old ranch-school buildings and a local landmark, and work your way out.

• Bradbury Science Museum, 15th St. and Central Ave, Los Alamos, 87545, (505) 667-4444 [2]. Sa-M 1PM-5PM, Tu-F 9AM-5PM. Explains the principles behind atomic energy and its uses in peace and war. Also presents the historical and social issues surrounding atomic energy. Adjacent bookstore (Otowi Station, good selection of regional and technical books) and gift shop. Free admission.

• The Los Alamos Historical Society [3] maintains a small museum on the history of the area, with associated bookstore containing a number of books written by Historical Society members on local culture, history, recreational opportunities, etc., including the one listed below under "References." 1921 Juniper (next to Fuller Lodge), (505) 662-6272 (24-hour information line).

Ashley Pond, or is it Ashley Pond Pond? One of the downtown landmarks dating to ranch-school days is a little puddle, fed by runoff from the mountains, called Ashley Pond. The visitor might surmise that this lakelet was named for someone significant in the ranch school named Ashley, but would be only half right: the founder of Los Alamos Ranch School was named Ashley Pond. Punning students attached Pond's name in toto to the body of water, which should perhaps be called "Ashley Pond Pond" or "Pond Pond," but history and wit trump accuracy. Whatever you call it, Ashley Pond has undergone a transformation from its muddy stock-tank origins to a pleasant and well-kept little park just south of Fuller Lodge that's a nice place for picnics in the warmer part of the year. Tend small children carefully, as the pond has no constructed barriers to keep them from getting into the water.

• Overlook Park in White Rock contains athletic fields and a wheelchair-accessible scenic overlook of White Rock Canyon, the Rio Grande, and the mountainous country to the east, with a moderately rugged trail leading into the canyon. Pleasant for picnics, particularly in the fall; White Rock's lower elevation compared to Los Alamos proper means that it can be hot in the summer.

• The Black Hole, a surplus/salvage/junk lot at 4015 Arkansas (and more formally known as "Los Alamos Sales Company," although absolutely nobody among the locals, even its proprietor, uses the name), is known locally as the best place to see genuine LANL artifacts and get a real feel for the contrary nature of the town. Drop by and buy some oddity, but do it soon; the proprietor, one of the most notable eccentrics in a town well endowed with the breed, is well along in years.

Do

• Bandelier National Monument, (505) 672-3861, [4], is nearby and contains many Pueblo dwelling ruins to visit and other hiking opportunities. Adjacent to Bandelier is Valles Caldera National Preserve, a brand-new unit of the national park system in the Jemez Mountains. Recreational opportunities at the Preserve are still being developed; inquire locally. Hiking and mountain-biking trails around the town itself have been impacted severely by a catastrophic forest fire in 2000, but pleasant (at least until summer heat sets in) trails lead into White Rock Canyon from several points around White Rock. Beware of rattlesnakes in White Rock Canyon.

• Santa Fe National Forest lies west of the town and offers many recreation opportunities such as hiking and exploring four-wheel drive roads. The reference book below is usually available at Otowi Station and the Historical Society and gives more details.

• A surprisingly good (and surprisingly challenging) downhill ski area is located on Pajarito Mountain [5] just outside town. Snow conditions can be marginal (indeed, during the drought years at the end of the 20th century, there were seasons when the area didn't open for months, or even at all; winter 2005-6 is such a time, alas), but when the snow is good, it's excellent value for dollar, with very small crowds. Rentals are available and a good lunch can be had. Cross-country ski trails are accessible from the same parking lot as services the downhill area; however, snow conditions are more likely to be marginal or unskiable than on the higher downhill runs. The area often runs its lifts during the summer to allow hikers, mountain bikers, etc., access to the top of the mountain. Camp May is a county park just beyond the ski area that is nice for picnics during the height of early summer heat, but skip it if you're prone to respiratory problems, as it's at very high altitude.

• For a small town, Los Alamos attracts some very good musical groups, particularly in the classical genre. The Los Alamos Concert Association [6] runs a subscription series of concerts by internationally-known classical performers. The professional Santa Fe Desert Chorale and non-professional but very good Sangre de Cristo Chorale and Coro de Camara perform choral music. Popular concerts occur frequently in the main community shopping center, and there are "coffeehouses" on several Friday nights a year at Fuller Lodge; inquire locally for details.

Eat

Los Alamos used to have a well-deserved reputation as a culinary wasteland, but things have improved considerably in recent years. As with many communities in New Mexico, it makes sense to categorize restaurants as "New Mexican" (specializing in enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, etc., with the usual "red or green?" choice of chile -- red is usually hotter, green more flavorful, but inquire) or otherwise. Area code for all restaurants is 505. One thing to note: most of the restaurants cater to the community more than to the tourist, and consequently, many are closed on Sunday and some even on Saturday(!). Check on open days and hours before deciding where to eat.

New Mexican

Budget

• Chili Works, 1743 Trinity Drive, 662-7591. A take-out joint that looks like (indeed, used to be) an old used-car lot. Open for breakfast and lunch only, closed on Sunday. Lunches are nothing special, but the breakfast burritos are excellent; you'll have to wait in line with commuters and students heading for high school who flock here to start their days. Although it's mainly take-out, a few outside tables are available.

• Viola's, across Trinity from Chili Works (the local phone book's Yellow Pages entry for its address is incorrect), 662-5617. Standard New Mexican fare in a busy diner-like setting, run by a long-standing Los Alamos restauranteur family. Good enchiladas. Open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Saturday.

• Salsas y Son, 11 Sherwood Blvd (White Rock), 672-4074. More "Mexican" (as opposed to "New Mexican") than the others, a relative newcomer that is still working some of the bugs out but has a wider variety than most of the New Mexican places. Formerly "Las Salsas." Lunch M-F, dinner M-S.

Mid-range

• De Colores, 2470 East Road (on highway 502 east of town), 662-6285: Standard New Mexican fare done quite well, if a bit heavy, with pleasant service and a nice setting. The stuffed sopaipillas with green chile are particularly good. Its location on the road into town makes it somewhat remote from the hotels/B&Bs, but there is a striking view to the east as compensation. Open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday only; expect to wait a while on Fridays.

Other

Budget

• Hill Diner, 1315 Trinity Drive, 662-9745: Standard American fare, well-prepared if a bit long on fried foods. The only place in town serving Tex-Mex-style "chili" (note spelling) that's edible. Open daily for lunch and dinner; may be open for breakfast, but not always, so inquire.

Mid-range

• Trinity Beverage Company, 2201 Trinity Drive (behind the Quality Inn), 662-3800: The newest upper-end restaurant in town is very popular, in no small part because it's one of the few with a satisfactory bar. Also, the excellent atmosphere is a pleasant surprise in Los Alamos. The design is sophisticated, yet comfortable. The chef cannot be ignored either: try the fresh turkey wrap, the sliced beef sandwich, great salads, or any of the pizzas. Open 6 days for lunch and dinner.

• China Moon, 121 Central Park Square (shopping center in the middle of town), 662-2883: One of several surprisingly good Chinese restaurants in town. This one is subpar for dinner, but the lunch buffet (open M-F) is very good value for dollar. Come here for lunch, but for dinner, instead try

• China Palace, 759 Central Avenue, 662-4433: The best Chinese dinners in town, with pleasant service. The various clay-pot dishes are excellent. Take-out is available. So-so for lunch (M-F), but strongly recommended for dinner (7 days).

• Chin Shan, 124 Longview Drive (White Rock), 672-1433: Weaker than the other recommended Chinese restaurants, but its location in White Rock, en route to Bandelier, is convenient for the traveler who's just passing through, and the fare is passable. Take-out is available. Open for lunch M-F, dinner M-S; the owners often take a long vacation in summer and close up shop.

• Central Avenue Grill, 1789 Central Avenue, 662-2005: A recent menu change to offering "1980s comfort food" headed by new Chef Phil Kephart has seen considerable improvement in what was once a distinctly average menu. Now has separate lunch and evening menus. Server recommendations included a the "Loco Hot Brown", an interesting open-faced sandwich (lunch) and the "Epic Chicken Fried Steak" (dinner), a truly enormous and fairly well prepared take on this meal. One of the few places in town with satisfactory banquet facilities. Lunch M-F, dinner 7 days.

• Hot Rocks Java Cafe, 4200 W. Jemez Road, 663-5282: The only eating place on the "Laboratory," as opposed to "town," side of the bridge separating LANL from the community (other than the lab's own cafeteria, where the public is only grudgingly accepted), and hence convenient if you're driving into the mountains, although parking is a headache. A reasonable mixed bag of lunches, again with edible quiche, but usually very busy as it serves the LANL workforce. Breakfast and lunch M-F only.

Splurge

• Blue Window Bistro, 813 Central Avenue, 662-6305: American-meets-Continental fare with some creativity. Lunch M-F, dinner M(T?)-S. Experienced a severe fire in November 2005, but reopened in July of 2006.

• Katherine's, 121 Longview Drive (White Rock), 672-9661: Continental cuisine well prepared, with far-above-average service and a good wine list; arguably the best restaurant in Los Alamos. The Caesar salad for two is a meritorious appetizer, but save room for the main course; the balsamic shrimp is recommended, as are the beef medallions. Lunch T-F, dinner T-S. Reservations advised.

Drink

Los Alamos contains more churches than bars, which is a probably sufficient commentary on the night life. Some of the restaurants occasionally offer live entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Trinity Beverage (see above) is the town's stand-out drinking establishment. The range of micro-brew beers is even big-city impressive. They sell more New Belgium Brews (like Fat Tire) than any other establishment in all of New Mexico.

Improbably enough, Los Alamos contains a winery that's operated by a retiree from the nuclear weapons program at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Il Santo Vineyard (also called Balagna Winery on signs leading into town) is a low-volume operation and doesn't advertise or distribute widely, but their irreverently named "Bomba Grande" sometimes appears in local outlets. It's a reasonably potable table wine, and the whimsical label makes the bottles an amusing memento of the town.

Sleep

A caution: accommodations can be hard to find during the second week of October, when Albuquerque, 90 miles away, hosts the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. If you're visiting at that time and planning to stay in a hotel or B&B, reserve well in advance.

Lodging

There are curiously few hotels/motels in town, given the number of travelers (mainly professional) who pass through the area. The following list is complete as of December 2005, and is presented without recommendations; all are adequate, none outstanding. There are also several bed and breakfasts in Los Alamos and one or two in White Rock. All phone numbers are area code 505.

• Best Western Hilltop House, 400 Trinity Drive, 662-2441
• Hampton Inn, 124 State Road 4 (White Rock), 672-3838
• Holiday Inn Express, 2455 Trinity Drive, 661-1110
• Los Alamos Lodge (formerly Quality Inn and Suites), 2201 Trinity Drive, 662-7211
• North Road Inn, 2127 North Road, 1-866-696-6922, northroadinn.com

Camping

• Campgrounds are available at Bandelier National Monument. Juniper Campground caters to families/small parties while Ponderosa Campground is reserved for large groups (by reservation). See the Bandelier WikiTravel page for more information.

• Camping in the nearby Santa Fe National Forest is convenient. The forest is big, the people are few, and the campsites are great. Explore back on the dirt roads until you find a fire ring. Seasonal closures due to fire hazard are common (see under "Stay safe"). Call (505) 667-5120 for information on current closures/restrictions.

Stay safe

Violent crime is almost unknown in Los Alamos; it is one of the safest communities you'll ever visit. The biggest lawbreaking threat to life and limb is drunk drivers. Northern New Mexico has an unfortunate and well-deserved reputation for DUI problems. Until recently Los Alamos was an exception to this, but not any more. Be alert when driving on the arterial roads after 10 p.m. or so, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights. Another driving hazard is wildlife. Herds of elk come down from the Jemez Mountains during the winter and often congregate around the roads. If your car hits an elk at highway speed, the elk may lose, but you will most assuredly not win. Again, be careful driving after sundown during the winter months.

Believe it or not, one of the most important types of fatal accident sustained by townspeople is falling off a cliff -- sometimes a cliff literally in the victim's back yard. The sheer canyon walls that give the area much of its natural beauty also pose traps for the unwary recreational hiker. If you're out enjoying the many hiking trails around town, stay on the trail when around a cliff unless you're doing roped climbing.

In most other regards Los Alamos itself is an almost absurdly safe place. When in the forest camping, hiking, etc., take the usual precautions, with maybe a little extra attention to fire safety; several of the disastrous forest fires the area experienced over the last 30 years resulted from poorly constructed campfires that were not well put out and thus smoldered, eventually starting up again and igniting tinder. If the national forest is closed to camping owing to fire hazard (as often happens in early summer) or forbids open fires (which can happen almost any time from May until August), please comply and seek your accommodations somewhere else. One final note: bubonic plague is endemic to northern New Mexico, and plague-bearing fleas and rodents have been trapped from within the city limits. As cautioned in the article on Bandelier National Monument, if you see a distressed or dead rodent or other small animal, leave it alone; buzzards are immune to plague, you are not.

Get out

• Santa Fe is one of the world's great travel destinations and is only about 35 miles (55 km) away by road. It would be silly to make a vacation stop to see Los Alamos and not see Santa Fe.

• Taos, another fine travel destination, is a little over an hour away. Retrace your path down 502, but before reaching Pojoaque, turn off on state road 30 to Española by way of Santa Clara Pueblo. State 30 leads you to state road 68 and eventually Taos via a beautiful drive along the Rio Grande.

• If traveling to Albuquerque on the way home from Los Alamos, consider forsaking the direct route (back to Santa Fe, then south on bleak Interstate 25) in favor of the "back road" through the Jemez Mountains. Take SR 501 west out of Los Alamos (turn right immediately after the prominent bridge over Los Alamos Canyon; appears as SR 502 on some maps) and proceed past the Camp May road to a T intersection with state road 4. Left leads back to Bandelier; instead turn right, climbing steeply and spectacularly into the mountains and through Valles Caldera. On emerging on the west side of the mountains, 4 connects with state road 44 (US highway 550) which leads back to the interstate close to Albuquerque. This takes up to half an hour longer than the direct route but is worth it for the mountain scenery. Be wary of radar traps, and skip it in winter after a snowstorm, as the road through the mountains may be impassable.

References

• Roland A. Pettitt (rev. Dorothy Hoard); Exploring the Jemez Country; Los Alamos Historical Society; ISBN 0941232107 (1990)

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