Christ in the Desert Monastery

The Monastery is situated in a beautiful, quiet canyon in northwestern New Mexico, surrounded by miles of government-protected wilderness. The chief architect of the original monastery was George Nakashima, famous Japanese-American woodworker and architect. The church, meditation garden (next to the church), gift shop, and restrooms located in the lobby are open to the public. Visitors are welcomed.

Address: Forest Service Road 151
Getting there: just north of Mile Post 227 on US 84 is a small sign (Monastery) marking the turn, which is about 1 mile north of the Pedro Lumbre Visitor's Center and 1 mile south of Echo Amphitheater. Continue on Forest Service Road 151 for 13 miles. It is a dirt and gravel road which can be steep and narrow at points, and quite slippery when wet, but is quite safe in dry weather. There are no services on the road, and traffic is light. During the snowy winter, a four-wheel drive vehicle is advisable. Not recommended during inclimate weather. See monastery website for updates on driving conditions.
Hours: 9:15AM-5PM
Price: Free
Website: christdesert.org (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Abiquiu, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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