Welcome to Cuba!
In 1769, Spanish Governor Pedro Fermin de Mendinueta made the San Joaquin del Nacimiento land grant to 35 pioneering families who had settled the headwaters of the Rio Puerco in 1766. The community was later abandoned, owing to raids by frontier Indian tribes, but was resettled in the late 1870s. Originally known as Nacimiento, or La Laguna, it was renamed Cuba when the post office was established in 1887.
Nestled against the Sierra Nacimiento on the western border of the Santa Fe National Forest, Cuba, New Mexico sits atop the Continental Divide at 6,900 feet and is home to nearly 750 residents in this diverse gateway community. A hidden gem tucked between notable cultural hubs and recreational hot spots of the enchanted high desert and Four Corners region, this humble little village is just 1.5 hours away from Albuquerque's Sun Port, and 2 hours from Santa Fe and Durango, CO. A well-anticipated stopover on the broad and well-maintained US Highway 550 thoroughfare, Cuba offers full-service amenities and a wealth of opportunity for adventure-seekers and Southwest enthusiasts alike. See more about what makes Cuba, New Mexico "naturally wonderful"... 4x4, camping, food, hiking, horses, motocross, photography, pow-wow, running, scenic drives.
Na’azísí Bito’ (Gophers’ Water) is the Navajo place name for Cuba. Since the 11th century, this wilderness area of the Upper Puerco was used by subsistence cultures — the Apache, Navajo, and Pueblo people. This region is located within the Navajo Four Sacred mountains, and many landforms are representative of characters in rich lore for our cultures. Today, we continue weaving our ancestors’ cultural fabrics of language and traditions into our daily lives.