White Rock is a quiet community with a link to modern American history
White Rock is a secluded suburban area south of Los Alamos, built up primarily in the 1960s when it became clear that the National Laboratory would remain a major area employer. “It was developed as additional housing for the scientists and engineers who work at the laboratory and was considered a bedroom community for a long time. We just got our own zip code a few years ago,” says Realtor Becca Jones of Exit Realty Advantage NM, who has lived in the area for 40 years. “It was named the happiest town in the United States last year, and that has to do with the lifestyle. It’s very quiet, the people are generally kind and there’s a lot of outdoor recreation. We have parks with great views, and we have world-class rock climbing in the canyons. I think when people hear New Mexico, they think desert – scorpions and sand and things like that. But we’re around 6,600 feet above sea level, so it’s a more temperate climate. We get snow in the winter, and we’re close to a great ski hill. You could say we have it all.”
Cozy suburbs and multi-acre rural lots, all with mountain views
Homes on the north side of White Rock are clustered close together on winding suburban streets. Tall leafy trees provide shade for the small patches of green or xeriscaped lawns that adorn the lots. Single-story ranch-style homes are common, although some have the flat roofs and stucco siding characteristic of Pueblo architecture. Larger homes on multi-acre lots can be found on the south side of the area. “The only places where you can have large lots and horses or goats on your land are in White Rock, which is why there are multi-acre lots on the south side,” Jones says. “Every home has to back up to a horse trail in that subdivision.” Depending on square footage, lot size, number of bedrooms and build year, prices can range from $275,000 to $925,000. Some of the largest houses with the best views, mostly on the south side, can cost up to $1.35 million.
Local high school offers senior internships at the national laboratory
Children on the northeast side of White Rock are zoned to attend Chamisa Elementary School, which earns an A from Niche. Pinion Elementary serves the southern end of the community and receives an A. For middle and high school, students are bused to Los Alamos. Los Alamos Middle and High Schools are both rated A. Los Alamos High offers a selection of over 50 extracurricular clubs and activities. The school also partners with the Los Alamos National Laboratory, established by Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, to provide internship placement for seniors.
Outdoor lifestyle is encouraged by White Rock's natural landscape
Overlook Park on the northeast side of White Rock has multiple baseball diamonds, an athletic field, a dog park and a remote-controlled car raceway. Other pocket parks throughout the subdivisions include Rover Park, home to a playground and a pair of tennis courts, and Pinion Park, which hosts the White Rock Skate Park. All White Rock looks out over Pajarito Canyon. Hikers can pick up the canyon’s trails from the Blue Dot Trailhead in the north or the Red Dot Trailhead in the south. Other popular hiking areas include the Diablo Canyon Recreation Area just southeast of the community. Residents can also explore the ancient history of America just down the road. “Right across the highway is the White Rock Visitor Center, which is the gateway to Bandelier National Monument,” Jones explains. “The original inhabitants of this area lived in caves that have been preserved, and to get to them, you have to come through White Rock.”
A small commercial footprint around state Highway 4
There is a Smith’s supermarket directly in White Rock, and residents can also travel north to Los Alamos Cooperative Market for groceries and fresh produce. The closest big-box retailers are Walmart and Target in Santa Fe. The town’s commercial footprint is entirely concentrated in the shopping center at Bonnie View Drive, where residents can grab coffee at Pig and Fig Café, enjoy a breakfast burrito from JR’s BB+ or have dinner at El Rigoberto’s Tacos.
New Mexico state Road 4 is the only way in and out of White Rock
New Mexico state Road 4 is a two-lane desert highway that White Rock Residents must take to get to any other town in New Mexico. “Locals refer to Highway 4 as a back gate entrance to Los Alamos National Laboratory,” Jones says. “I would say most people who live here work at the lab, so Highway 4 is very well-used.” This road connects north to state Road 502, heading west to Los Alamos and east to Santa Fe.
