Pojoaque is a crossroads for culture and New Mexico travel
Pojoaque rests about 15 miles north of Santa Fe, at the confluence of several waterways and travel routes. The community is a patchwork of Pueblo of Pojoaque tribal land and off-reservation trust land, and it is home to the pueblo’s government and a Tewa Pueblo cultural center. Residents have access to a few services and amenities within Pojoaque, but proximity to Santa Fe attractions, Northern New Mexico recreation and Los Alamos National Laboratory’s employment opportunities is a major draw.
Ranch-style homes and Pueblo Revivals in Pojoaque
Tall cottonwood trees line many roads and waterways. Coyote fences and adobe walls provide privacy for homeowners and protection for livestock. Stucco-sided ranch-style houses with metal roofs and Pueblo Revival-style designs with thick, adobe walls are prevalent, and lots typically range between half an acre and 2 acres. The majority of homes sell from around $400,000 to $930,000, but large estates sometimes run from $1 million to $2.6 million.
Water is a carefully protected resource in New Mexico
Pojoaque residents rely on private wells and septic systems for their homes, and some properties have access to surface water from acequias — historic irrigation ditches. Water is a limited resource in New Mexico, so water rights are carefully protected. When homes and properties are sold, the water rights may be eligible for transfer to the next owners. Well owners are allotted a certain amount of water per year. “It all depends on when the well was drilled and when it was adjudicated,” says Mark Rochester, a qualifying broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Santa Fe who has lived in neighboring Nambe his entire life. A regional water system is in the works, but there is no official timeline for when it will be up and running.
Nearby public schools include the B-rated Pablo Roybal Elementary
Children can attend Pablo Roybal Elementary School from prekindergarten through third grade. Pablo Roybal receives a B rating from Niche. Pojoaque Intermediate School serves fourth and fifth graders, and it gets a C rating. Sixth Grade Academy earns a C-plus. Pojoaque Middle School and Pojoaque Valley High School both get B-minus ratings. The high school offers clubs and extracurricular sports, including football, soccer and bowling.
Pojoaque is a gateway to the nearby badlands and national forest
There are a few recreation areas within the community, such as the Pojoaque Wellness Center, which has a weight room and an indoor basketball court. Strike Gold Lanes is a bowling alley beside the Cities of Gold Casino & Hotel, and the Towa Golf Club is a couple of miles south.
Pojoaque also serves as a gateway to outdoor adventures. While much of the area within the pueblos is protected for tribal use, just beyond the borders are vast expanses of public land. The Nambé Badlands stretches to the northeast, with multiuse trails through canyons and around Santa Cruz Lake. Rochester says that the lake itself is a popular spot for fishing and paddleboarding. The nearby Santa Fe National Forest spans more than 1 million acres in total, covering sections of both the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Locals can also visit ancient cliff dwellings in Bandelier National Monument, about 30 miles west.
Groceries and dining in the community, plus more in Santa Fe
Most businesses are clustered near the U.S. Route 285 corridor. Pojoaque Supermarket is the community’s grocery store, and from May to October, there’s a weekly farmers market at the Poeh Cultural Center. Sopaipilla Factory serves Southwestern food. “It’s not high-end, but it’s good,” Rochester says.
With Santa Fe to the south, residents have access to some of the region’s most renowned retail and dining. Surrounding the iconic Santa Fe Plaza is a historic shopping district packed with jewelry boutiques and renowned eateries. Rochester says that it’s nearly impossible to choose a favorite Santa Fe restaurant, but a couple that he enjoys are Horno Restaurant and MarketSteer Steakhouse.
Celebrating and honoring Tewa Pueblo culture
The Pojoaque Pueblo and the neighboring pueblos are part of the larger Tewa Pueblo language group. Residents who wish to learn more about Tewa Pueblo’s history and art can visit the Poeh Cultural Center in Pojoaque. The Pueblo of Pojoaque also holds an annual feast day on December 12th, and the public is invited to attend, but visitors are asked to respect the sacred nature of the celebration.
Bus routes and highways connect Pojoaque to nearby cities
There is a park-and-ride lot behind the Cities of Gold Casino & Hotel, and North Central Regional Transit District buses offer weekday service to Santa Fe and Los Alamos. State Route 502 and U.S. Route 285 both run through the community, connecting drivers to Santa Fe, about 15 miles south, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, roughly 20 miles west. The High Road to Taos also begins in Pojoaque. Emergency care is available at the Presbyterian Española Hospital, around 10 miles north, and the Santa Fe Regional Airport is approximately 25 miles away.
