Socorro is out of the way and easy to overlook when planning a trip, but it's not without small-town charm -- it's just a different charm than you might expect. The community is simultaneously geared toward scientific hobbyists and outdoor enthusiasts, and neighbor to a large field of satellites famous to astronomers. Surrounded by mountains, Socorro boasts four distinct and even pleasant seasons, a rarity in the American Southwest.
Coronado's Treasure Chest
- The Mineral Museum on the New Mexico Tech campus is full of gold, silver and gems -- the same types of treasure that enticed Spanish conquistadors centuries ago -- and the naturally occurring geologic formations that abound in the Southwest. The original collection won awards at the World’s Fair in 1904 before much of it was lost in a fire 20 years later. Within 10 years, however, collectors were donating items, and the Mineral Museum now has more than 15,000 gems, minerals, fossils and even an ultraviolet mineral exhibit. In the fall the school hosts the annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium and Mining Artifact Collectors Association Symposium. The museum is located in the Workman Addition and is open seven days a week.
The Very Large Array
- The accurately if unimaginatively named Very Large Array, 50 miles west of Socorro near San Augustin, is an astronomical radio observatory comprised of 27 radio-telescope antennas spaced out in a large “Y” pattern. The data from the 82-foot-wide antennas combine to provide the same resolution that would be given by a 22-mile-wide antenna. According to the Socorro Chamber of Commerce, the VLA has played a significant role in more scientific papers than any radio telescope in the world. You can take a self-guided tour of this manmade marvel or attend a guided tour, offered between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month. It also has a year-round visitors center with displays and videos that explain what radio astronomy is and what information the VLA is gathering.
Wildlife Refuges
- The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, about 15 miles south of Socorro, is a temporary home for thousands of waterfowl, including sandhill cranes and geese. In addition to the natural sights, which include a stretch of the Rio Grande and two different mountain ranges, visitors can explore the 11,000-year-old petroglyphs left by ancient peoples who either settled or moved through the area. The visitors center is open daily, and visitors can hike, fish and hunt in addition to bird watching.The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest wildlife refuges in the United States, offers hiking, hunting and wildlife watching as well, although it's more restricted to visitors than Bosque so check where you are able to go. This refuge offers not only a variety of environments, including wetlands, arroyos, rock formations and mountains, but also the chance to sight coyotes, rabbits, deer, elk, waterfowl and more. Be prepared for hot and cold weather when you go. The visitors center is open year-round Monday through Saturday.
Trinity Site
- If you’re in Socorro the first weekend of April, catch a shuttle to the Trinity Site, where the world’s first atomic bomb was exploded on July 16, 1945. The national historic landmark includes Ground Zero, the base camp and the house where scientists assembled the bomb’s plutonium core. Visitors also get a lesson on the science, politics and history that went into the making and use of the first atomic bombs in World War II. The Stallion Gate entrance on Highway 380 is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of April, the only day of the year with public access, and the open house is free with no reservations required. Cameras are allowed at the site, but as it's on an active military base visitors can only take pictures at Ground Zero. You can also drive from Socorro; it’s about a 90-minute trip. The military estimates that a visit to Trinity Site exposes people to a tiny amount of radiation over what they are exposed to in everyday life. However, young children, pregnant women and those with other health risks should consider how any extra exposure could affect them.
Live Theater
- New Mexico Tech's annual performing arts series includes dancing, a variety of musical performances, live comedy, plays and more. Past performances have included TAP: The Show, The Fantasticks, the New Mexico Philharmonic, magician Andy Gross and the Cirque Montage. Special events include a Merry-Achi Christmas in December, SocorroFest in October and a 4th of July Celebration. The Macey Center, home to the school’s performing arts, also houses an art gallery.
