New Mexico State Road 126
Encyclopedia
New Mexico State Road 126 is a state highway
in New Mexico
, United States of America. Its total length is approximately 40 miles (64.4 km). New Mexico Route 126's northern terminus is in the small town of Cuba
, at U.S. Route 550
. The route passes through the Nacimiento Mountains
and Jemez Mountains
, then descends past Fenton Lake
to the small, unincorporated community of La Cueva (east of Jemez Springs
), where it ends at New Mexico State Road 4
.
The highway is a part of the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway
. It is paved
near Cuba and La Cueva, but is a graded dirt road
for much of its middle section. This section is usually closed during the winter months, and may be impassable for a few days at other times because of muddy conditions resulting from rainstorms.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States of America. Its total length is approximately 40 miles (64.4 km). New Mexico Route 126's northern terminus is in the small town of Cuba
Cuba, New Mexico
Cuba is a village in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 590. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, at U.S. Route 550
U.S. Route 550
U.S. Route 550 is a spur of U.S. Highway 50 that runs from Bernalillo, New Mexico to Montrose, Colorado in the western United States. The section from Silverton to Ouray is frequently called the Million Dollar Highway.- New Mexico :...
. The route passes through the Nacimiento Mountains
Nacimiento Mountains
The Sierra Nacimiento , or Nacimiento Mountains, are a mountain range in the northwestern part of the US state of New Mexico. They are just west of the more prominent Jemez Mountains near the town of Cuba, and are separated from them by the Río Guadalupe and the Río de Las Vacas...
and Jemez Mountains
Jemez Mountains
The Jemez Mountains are a volcanic group of mountains in New Mexico, United States. The highest point in the range is Chicoma Mountain at an elevation of 11,561 feet . The town of Los Alamos and Los Alamos National Laboratory adjoin the eastern side of the range while the town of Jemez Springs...
, then descends past Fenton Lake
Jemez Mountains
The Jemez Mountains are a volcanic group of mountains in New Mexico, United States. The highest point in the range is Chicoma Mountain at an elevation of 11,561 feet . The town of Los Alamos and Los Alamos National Laboratory adjoin the eastern side of the range while the town of Jemez Springs...
to the small, unincorporated community of La Cueva (east of Jemez Springs
Jemez Springs, New Mexico
Jemez Springs is a village in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 375 at the 2000 census. Named for the nearby Pueblo of Jemez, the village is the site of Jemez State Monument and the headquarters of the Jemez Ranger District...
), where it ends at New Mexico State Road 4
New Mexico State Road 4
New Mexico State Road 4 is a state highway in New Mexico, United States of America. It is significant as the main access route connecting the remote town of Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Bandelier National Monument to other, more major highways in New Mexico...
.
The highway is a part of the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
. It is paved
Pavement (material)
Road surface or pavement is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past cobblestones and granite setts were extensively used, but these surfaces have mostly been replaced by asphalt or concrete. Such...
near Cuba and La Cueva, but is a graded dirt road
Dirt road
Dirt road is a common term for an unpaved road made from the native material of the land surface through which it passes, known to highway engineers as subgrade material. Dirt roads are suitable for vehicles; a narrower path for pedestrians, animals, and possibly small vehicles would be called a...
for much of its middle section. This section is usually closed during the winter months, and may be impassable for a few days at other times because of muddy conditions resulting from rainstorms.