Santa Rosa (New Mexico)

Santa Rosa , the "City of Natural Lakes", is a town (pop. about 3000) in northeastern New Mexico. The nickname sounds improbable for a town in the middle of some very dry country, but it's appropriate because of the presence of the Blue Hole and several other lakes based on springs. Santa Rosa is on historic Route 66.

• Santa Rosa Visitors Center, [phone].

Get in

Interstate 40 and US Routes 54 and 84 intersect at Santa Rosa.

Get around

See

• Route 66 Auto Museum, 2766 Route 66, ☎ [phone]. M-S 7:30AM-6PM (April–October) or 8AM-5PM (winter hours); Su 10AM-5PM year-round. Numerous antique automobiles and Route 66 memorabilia. $5. 
• Rock Lake State Fish Hatchery, River Rd, ☎ [phone]. 

Do

• Blue Hole, ☎ [phone]. Year round, 24 hours. This famous scuba diving spot is a crystal clear 80 ft (24.4 m) deep. Over 7,000 divers pull permits here each year. Basic dive shop on site. 
• Janes-Wallace Park & Dam. Stocked for fishing. 
• Park Lake. Family swimming, water park, fishing, tennis, basketball, softball. 
• Park Lake Ponds. Stocked with trout, free fishing for kids and seniors only. 
• Perch Lake (Off Route 91). Diving, swimming. 
• Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club, 121 North Fourth St, ☎ [phone]. 9 holes, par 36. 
• 🌍 Santa Rosa Lake State Park (North of town on NM 91), ☎ [phone]. Camping (some but not all sites developed), fishing, swimming, boating, water skiing and wind surfing on and around a man-made reservoir. Several short hiking trails offer great views. Fee $5/vehicle for day use; additional fees for camping.  

Buy

Eat

• Carl's Junior, Old Highway 66 East Hwy 156, ☎ [phone]. 
• Comet II Drive-In Restaurant, 217 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Golden Dragon Restaurant, Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. Chinese, inexpensive. 
• Mateo's Restaurant, 500 W. Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 6PM-9PM. Mexican-American. 
• Route 66 Restaurant, Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Sun & Sand Restaurant, 1124 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 

Drink

• Bar B Que Cafe at Santa Rosa Campground, Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Joseph's Bar & Grill, 865 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. Historic Route 66 icon. 

Sleep

• American Inn, 924 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Best Western Adobe Inn, 58 Partnership, ☎ [phone]. 
• Best Western Santa Rosa Inn, 3022 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Budget 10 Motel, 120 Highway 54 West, ☎ [phone]. 
• Comfort Inn Santa Rosa, 3343 E Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Days Inn, 1830 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Holiday Inn Express, 3202 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• La Loma Lodge, 761 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• La Mesa Motel, 2415 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• La Quinta Inn, 1701 Will Rogers Dr, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 
• Rancho Motor Lodge, 112 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Sun & Sand Motel, 1120 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Sunset Motel, 929 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 
• Super 8, 1201 Will Rogers Dr, ☎ [phone]. 
• Travelodge, 1819 Will Rogers Dr, ☎ [phone]. 

Camping

• Santa Rosa State Park, ☎ [phone]. 48 developed sites with showers, flush toilets, electrical hook-ups and water. Other tent sites, too. 
• Santa Rosa Campground, 2136 Historic Route 66, ☎ [phone]. 

Go next

• Santa Rosa is the key decision point for travelers following the Route 66 itinerary: follow the standard "historic" route directly to Albuquerque, or the "original" route to Santa Fe? Either continue west on I-40 or jog north on US 84 just west of town, respectively.

Routes through Santa Rosa

Albuquerque ← Moriarty ←	W  E	→ Tucumcari → Amarillo
El Paso ← Alamogordo ←	W  E	→ Merges with → Tucumcari
Santa Fe ← Las Vegas ←	W  E	→ Fort Sumner → Clovis
Albuquerque ← Moriarty ←	W  E	→ Tucumcari → Amarillo