By 1880 the stopover 7 miles south of the summit of Raton (ra-TONE) Pass had evolved into a full-fledged community. Surviving Victorian-style buildings along First Street are a reminder of Raton's late 19th-century mining and railroad heyday; one example is the 1890s-era Palace Hotel is at First and Cook streets.
Sugarite Canyon State Park, 10 miles northeast via SR 72, offers lakes and picnic sites.
Visitor Centers
Raton Chamber of Commerce 100 Clayton Rd. Raton, NM 87740. Phone:(575)445-3689
Self-guiding Tours
Brochures detailing tours of the city's historic district are available from the chamber and economic development council.