Western New Mexico

Visitor Information

Please read all the following information carefully before making your reservation.

The 2013 visiting season is July 1 through October 31. The Lightning Field is closed May 1 through June 30 for preventive maintenance. The reservations office will remain open.

Advance reservations for an overnight stay at The Lightning Field are required, and are accepted beginning March 1 for the current year's visiting season only. Visits by parties of up to six people (one night only) are available from May 1 through October 31, seven days a week. Day visits and visitors without reservations cannot be accommodated. Please click Reservations tab above for more information.

Accommodations

A cabin adjacent to The Lightning Field provides shelter and simple meals during your stay. It has three bedrooms (one with a double bed and two with twin beds), two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a common room. Linens are provided. We do not reserve specific bedrooms.

Please note that you may be sharing the cabin with other visitors. We therefore ask that you let us know if you are planning to bring young children and refrain from bringing electronic devices or anything that may disturb other visitors. No more than six visitors per night can be accommodated. Camping is not permitted. Pets are not allowed.

A simple supper is prepared and left for you in the refrigerator and a selection of breakfast items are provided for you to prepare the next morning. If you have any special dietary requirements please plan to bring supplemental food or beverages of your own.

Arrival and Departure

Dia provides transportation to The Lightning Field from Quemado, New Mexico, which is about a 2½- to 3-hour drive from Albuquerque. Please arrange to arrive in Quemado no later than 2:00 pm. on the day of your visit and check in at Dia's office in the white two-story building on the north side of the town's main street. It is a 45-minute drive in our vehicle from Quemado to The Lightning Field; you may not take your own vehicle. You will be returned to Quemado at approximately noon the following day.

It is important to arrange your travel plans to meet this schedule since other visitors may have reservations the same day and unscheduled trips cannot be accommodated. If you will be arriving from Arizona, please note that New Mexico time is one hour later than Arizona during the summer months.

To reach Quemado from the Albuquerque airport, take I-25 North to I-40 West and drive approximately 70 miles to Exit 89. Take Rte. 117 South and follow the signs to Quemado (approximately 78 miles). There is no public transportation available between Albuquerque and Quemado.

Climate and Conditions

Located in the high desert at an elevation of 7200 feet, The Lightning Field is situated on a flat plain. Mornings and evenings can be cold; days are usually not warmer than 85 degrees. Rainstorms can cause the ground to be very muddy but in general, the terrain is flat and good for walking. Bring at least one pair of sturdy walking shoes or boots, sunglasses, a sun hat, warm clothing, and a raincoat or windbreaker.

Although lightning storms typically occur in this area from mid-July through August, and may also occur at other times during the visiting season, the probability of lightning during your visit cannot be predicted.

Photography Restrictions

The Lightning Field is protected by copyright. Photography of the sculpture and the cabin is not permitted.Sets of seven postcards of commissioned, copyrighted images of The Lightning Field and other works by Walter De Maria are available. To purchase a set of postcards send a check for $10 to our Corrales office in New Mexico or contact the bookshop at Dia:Beacon or www.diabooks.org.

If you need images for educational use, please contact Dia’s Rights and Reproductions Coordinator at rights @ diaart.org. Please note that all photographic images of The Lightning Field are for personal or educational use only and their publication is prohibited without written consent from Dia Art Foundation.