7 Quirky Facts About New Mexico That Sound Made Up, But Are 100% Accurate
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
The Land of Enchantment is an interesting place. And with such an interesting place comes some fascinating facts. If you love trivia and knowing fun facts about New Mexico that sound made up but are actually true, this post is for you!
1. There's a town that hosts a live duck race each year.
Deming, NM 88030, USA
Held annually in the town of Deming are duck races that use live ducks. This tradition has been going on for more than 40 years and is an exciting event for locals. To learn more, visit The Great American Duck Race website.
2. New Mexico is home to the largest hot air balloon festival in the world!
Albuquerque, NM, USA
The annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest hot air balloon festival in the world. Held in early October, it's a bucket list-worthy event that everyone should attend at least once.
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3. Santa Fe is the country's highest state capital.
Santa Fe, NM, USA
Due to its location in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, at nearly 7,200 feet above sea level, Santa Fe is the highest state capital in the U.S. It also happens to be the third oldest city in the country.
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4. Carlsbad Caverns National Park has more than 100 caves.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carlsbad, NM, USA
In fact, there are 119 caves in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. And yes, there are hundreds of thousands of bats in these caves.
5. The atomic bomb was invented in New Mexico.
Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
The atomic bomb was developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1940s by the Manhattan Project. A successful detonation test was done in Alamagordo.
6. A UFO was spotted and crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947.
Roswell, NM, USA
Known as the "Roswell Incident," what was supposedly debris from a military balloon crashed here. However, that's still up for debate with many believing it was actually debris from a UFO. Is the truth still out there?
7. The largest gypsum desert in the world is here in New Mexico.
White Sands, NM 88002, USA
White Sands National Monument has 275 square miles of pure white sand made of gypsum. It's one of the most amazing natural wonders in New Mexico.
Did you know about some of these fun facts about New Mexico? What other unbelievable facts about the state do you know? Let us know in the comments! Feeling proud to hail from the Land of Enchantment? You should! Wear your state pride on your sleeve with this unique apparel from Wear Your Roots.
For more New Mexico beauty, check out this stunning footage of Bisti Badlands:
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