From 1851 to 1891, Fort Union functioned as an agent of change, desired or not, in the New Mexico Territory and throughout the Southwest.
Photo: Ron Harvey - Fort Union National Monument
Fort Union National Monument
Exposed to the wind, within a sweeping valley of short grass prairie, and along the eroded Santa Fe Trail, lie the adobe walled ruins of the largest 19th century military fort in the region.
- LocationWatrous, NM
- Entrance No fee listed
- HoursDaily, 8:00AM - 4:00PM
-
Weather now57°F Sunny
- Alerts 2 active alerts
Overview
Topics
- Archeology
- Civil War
- Forts
- Hispanic American Heritage
- Hospital
- Indian and Frontier Wars
- Medicine
- Military
4 more topics
- Ruins
- US Army
- Wars and Conflicts
- Westward Expansion
Alerts (2)
InformationThe Park is Closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day each year. Fort Union National Monument is CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day each year. The closure inc… Read more
Fort Union National Monument is CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day each year. The closure includes all park grounds and facilities.
InformationNew Mexico Road Advisories The New Mexico Department of Transportation updates its map of road advisories regularly. Visitors are encouraged to loo… Read more
The New Mexico Department of Transportation updates its map of road advisories regularly. Visitors are encouraged to look for any possible road advisories along their route of travel beforehand.
Things to Do
7 activities. Pick one to find other parks that offer it.
Facilities & Services
Find visitor services available in the park. Check current hours and availability before you go.
Other Visitor Services
-
Fort Union National Monument Visitor Center
Facility
The Visitor Center is currently open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Handicapped parking spaces for standard sized vehicles are available in the Visitor Center parking area. Several…
3115 NM Highway 161, Watrous, NM (505) 425-8025 Directions
Details
The Visitor Center is currently open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Handicapped parking spaces for standard sized vehicles are available in the Visitor Center parking area. Several "oversized" parking spaces in the parking lot can accommodate campers, buses, and large RV's.
Plan Your Visit
Hours
Daily, 8:00AM - 4:00PM · Fort Union National Monument Operating Hours
Hours details
-
Fort Union National Monument Operating HoursDaily, 8:00AM - 4:00PM
The monument grounds and visitor center are generally open 7 days a week, from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. The monument is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day.
Monday 8:00AM - 4:00PM Tuesday 8:00AM - 4:00PM Wednesday 8:00AM - 4:00PM Thursday 8:00AM - 4:00PM Friday 8:00AM - 4:00PM Saturday 8:00AM - 4:00PM Sunday 8:00AM - 4:00PM
Entrance fees
No entrance fees listed.
Address
3115 NM Highway 161Watrous, NM 87753
Contact the park
Weather & conditions
57°F
Sunny · feels like 49°
-
Today
63° 44°
Sunny7% rain
-
Tomorrow
71° 45°
Sunny4% rain
-
Sunday
68° 51°
Sunny3% rain
Updated 34 min ago
What to expect by season
Fort Union is situated at 6,760 feet above sea level. Daytime temperatures between June and September may exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter temperatures often drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures may vary within 50 degrees in a 24-hour period. During the winter, it is not uncommon for the temperatures to drop below 0°F (-18°C.) During the summer, expect high temperatures, intense sunlight and extremely low humidity.
Upcoming Events
10 coming up-
An International Dark Sky Park
About
Experience the night sky as rangers share fun facts, celestial stories and guide you in the observation of deep sky objects through park provided viewers. 60 to 90 minutes.
(Historic area trails closed at 4:00 pm. All grounds and gates will close at 9:30 pm)
-
Lantern Lit Legacies
About
Why preserve these ruins? Discover this site’s legacy as the sun has set and lanterns now shine during this 45-minute tour.
(Historic area only open for this tour’s participants after 4:00 pm on these dates)
Gates will reopen at 6:00 pm.
-
Silent Sentinels
About
Starting at the visitor center, this staff-led program goes ½ mile to both the second and third forts. 45 to 60-minutes.
All programs are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or limited staffing.
-
An International Dark Sky Park
About
Experience the night sky as rangers share fun facts, celestial stories and guide you in the observation of deep sky objects through park provided viewers. 60 to 90 minutes.
(Historic area trails closed at 4:00 pm. All grounds and gates will close at 9:30 pm)
Show 6 more events
-
Lantern Lit Legacies
About
Why preserve these ruins? Discover this site’s legacy as the sun has set and lanterns now shine during this 45-minute tour.
(Historic area only open for this tour’s participants after 4:00 pm on these dates)
Gates will reopen at 5:30 pm.
-
Silent Sentinels
About
Starting at the visitor center, this staff-led program goes ½ mile to both the second and third forts. 45 to 60-minutes.
All programs are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or limited staffing.
-
Silent Sentinels
About
Starting at the visitor center, this staff-led program goes ½ mile to both the second and third forts. 45 to 60-minutes.
All programs are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or limited staffing.
-
Of Smoke & Powder
About
60-minute programs with cannons, small arms and firing demonstrations.
-
Silent Sentinels
About
Starting at the visitor center, this staff-led program goes ½ mile to both the second and third forts. 45 to 60-minutes.
All programs are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or limited staffing.
-
A Ghost Story
About
Good stories don’t have to be true! Join staff for a peculiar Fort Union tale told around a campfire followed by a lantern tour. 90 minutes.
(Historic area only open for this tour’s participants after 4:00 pm on this date)
Gates will reopen at 5:00 pm, and close at 7:30 pm.
Photos
-
Located on the monument grounds is the world's largest collection of Territorial-Style adobe remanants. — Fort Union National Monument -
Getting There
Watrous, NM 87753
Fort Union National Monument is located in the Northeastern portion of the state of New Mexico. 8 miles off of Interstate I-25 on State Highway NM 161. New Mexico: From Albuquerque (156 miles), Santa Fe (94 miles) or Las Vegas, NM (28 miles) take I-25 North, exit 366 at Watrous, 8 miles on NM 161.
Full directions
Colorado: From Denver (313 miles), Colorado Springs (243 miles) or Raton (95 miles) take I-25 South, exit 366 at Watrous, 8 miles on NM 161.
Mailing address: PO Box 127, Watrous, NM 87753
Map loads when you scroll here