La Puerta Lodge

What is La Puerta Lodge?

Three single-story buildings make up the motel, all with Pueblo Revival details. The western building is long and narrow, with eight rooms broken up by covered parking bays. Along its full length runs a portal, or covered porch, on wooden columns trimmed with decorative woodwork.

On the corner that looks out on Central Avenue is the carved wooden door that gave the place its name. To the east stands a small building for the office and the manager's home, and another small house sits at the back of the property.

History of La Puerta Lodge

Ralph Smith built the lodge in 1949. At more than 6 miles from the city center, it was among the easternmost motels in Albuquerque, one of the first a westbound Route 66 traveller would pass. In 1997 New Mexico placed it on the state's register of cultural properties; National Register status followed in 1998. By 2024, though, the city of Albuquerque reported it as permanently closed and showing clear signs of decay.

Visiting La Puerta Lodge: tips

The motel is closed, so view it from the street and stay off the property. The carved door and the long portal are the details to photograph, and a few minutes is enough. The Luna Lodge is about 0.3 miles away, and the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History about 0.6 miles, a good indoor stop nearby. The La Mesa Motel site is about 1.4 miles off.