The Haunting Landscapes of New Mexico Quiz

Answer: Manmade lake

Abiquiu Lake is the result of building of the Abiquiu Dam on the Chama River, which was a major tributary of the Rio Grande River. This manmade lake offers swimming, boating, fishing and camping facilities to tourists seeking seclusion. Located in the north central part of the state, Abiquiu Lake is known for its beautiful surroundings and pristine conditions.

Answer: Yucca

The yucca is a beautiful plant that has large stalks of white and sometimes purple blossoms. Seen growing wild all over the state, this sturdy plant is an excellent representative of the people of the state. It is hearty, adaptable, and resistant to being crowded. These plants like dry, sunny areas and have a long life.

Answer: Sacramento Mountains

Part of the Lincoln National Forest, the Sacramento Mountains are a 85 mi.(137km) long range, found in the south central area of the state. The mountains have wonderful hiking paths from which you can see many unique plants indigenous only to these mountains. The National Solar Observatory is also located out here because of the wonderful night skies.

Answer: Bats

At dawn and dusk, thousands of bats will swarm into and out of the caves. Huge groups will spiral out in an exit display that can take up to three hours. Local rangers will give talks explaining the behavior that the viewers are watching. There are over 100 different rooms that have been explored in these magnificent caverns, and it is unknown how many more remain unexplored. Located in the southeast corner of the state, Carlsbad Caverns is a must-see if you are visiting New Mexico.

Answer: Navajo

Shiprock is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the state of New Mexico. It is governed by the Navajo nation and is featured in many of their religious beliefs and mythology. At one time rock climbers traveled many miles so that they could attempt a climb.

The Navajo find this practice to be insulting to the rock itself and it has been illegal to climb since 1970. The Navajo name for this beautiful rock is "Tse Bit'a'i" which translates to "winged rock".

Answer: Location of the detonation of the first nuclear device

Located in the Jornada del Muerto desert, the Trinity Site is the location of the first nuclear device detonation on July 16, 1945. Located near the Alamogordo Bombing range, this location was chosen because it is a remote, unpopulated area. It is found in the middle of a flat area that has almost no wind, both of which helped mediate any fallout from the bomb.

Despite these precautions, there was more fallout than expected and the repercussions on the flora and fauna in the area was not carefully studied.

Answer: Roswell

Roswell is the fifth largest city in the state of New Mexico. There are a couple of state parks in the area, and it is the home to New Mexico Military Institute. Roswell's biggest claim to fame is the 1947 UFO incident, which made news all over the world. Aliens and spaceships decorate businesses all over the town.

It is a unique town that caters to the tourist industry and those who are interested in "ufology".

Answer: True

At an elevation over 7,000 ft., Santa Fe, New Mexico is easily the highest of the 50 state capitals. It is also the oldest capital city having been founded in 1610. Its beautiful architecture, picturesque landscapes, clean conditions and dry climate helped draw in artists and retirees looking for a location that helped their health. Santa Fe has a strong southwestern flavor to it with a lot of adobe architecture.

While the city has hot summers, it does occasionally snow in the area, especially in the mountainous regions.

It has the nickname of "The City Different".

Answer: Anasazi

Chaco Canyon was the main social and ceremonial center of the ancient Anasazi peoples. There are numerous buildings and a set of radiating lines that extend from the ruins into the desert for miles. What these lines were for is not known, and the Chaco Canyon ruins are considered one of North America's great mysteries.

The city was abandoned around 1150 and rediscovered by the European population in 1849. Most of what is known about this culture has been learned from the oral tradition of the modern Navajo Indians.

Answer: Gypsum and calcium sulfate

In the middle of the Tularosa Basin is one of New Mexico's natural wonders known as White Sands. Most deserts are made from quartz sand, while the sands of this natural desert are made from gypsum and calcium sulfate. The result is the world's largest gypsum dunefield.

The resultant sands are a brilliant white and a visit to this location requires sunglasses. The winds in the area can cause sand dunes that can reach 50 ft. (15m) high. Very little plant or animal life lives here due to the high alkaline levels and the lack of rainfall.