About this city
Also known as: The Scuba Diving Capital of the Southwest, The City of Natural Lakes
Santa Rosa is an historic, water-rich desert city located in Guadalupe County along the Pecos River in east-central New Mexico, sitting directly on historic Route 66 and Interstate 40. Known globally as 'The Scuba Diving Capital of the Southwest,' this unique town features an astonishing cluster of natural, artesian-fed limestone sinkholes that create pristine, crystal-clear blue pools right in the middle of a parched desert landscape. During the mid-20th century, Santa Rosa flourished as a vital, neon-lit overnight stop for cross-country travelers on Mother Road, a nostalgic era beautifully immortalized in John Steinbeck's literary classic 'The Grapes of Wrath.' Today, the city seamlessly balances its rich Route 66 retro Americana car culture with top-tier freshwater aquatic adventures.
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Practical Tourism Metadata
Suggested stay: 1 day
Dive into the crystal-clear, 61-degree waters of the legendary Blue Hole, swim at the multi-tiered rock basins of Park Lake, view immaculate vintage American muscle cars at the Route 66 Auto Museum, and fish for catfish at Santa Rosa Lake State Park.
