Madrid
Historic town · Madrid · New Mexico
Madrid stretches along a half-mile of the Turquoise Trail highway, its old miners' cabins turned into galleries and shops after the coal company that built the town shut down in the late 1940s. Fall traffic on Highway 14 between Santa Fe and Albuquerque picks up as day-trippers stop for the Mine Shaft Tavern and the Old Coal Mine Museum.
Don’t miss
Color nearby peaks: October 14–October 18
Color builds from October 6 · mostly bare by November 8
Sampled at Madrid’s own coordinates and elevation (1839 m) rather than a regional average.
New Mexico is sampled at 51 weather points, then moved 5 days earlier so the model agrees with 2 published peak dates from krqe.com. New Mexico is running 3 days earlier than its own average this year. How the forecast works
When to go to Madrid
Good color holds through about October 25, giving you roughly 19 days from the first turn to past peak. That runs roughly 5 days earlier than the rest of New Mexico. The elevation is 6,033 ft, which pulls the turn earlier.
Figure about 36 mi from Albuquerque.
Madrid on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of New Mexico, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Farms & harvest
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does Madrid peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 14–October 18 (best estimate October 16). Color starts around October 6 and is mostly bare by November 8.
- How do I get to Madrid?
- Madrid is in Madrid. The closest city is Albuquerque, about 36 mi away. It's part of New Mexico's fall lineup.
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