(ABQ) and Farmington, N.M. (FMN) . Durango/Purgatory is located in the Southwest corner of Colorado, near the intersection of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. It's six to seven hours by car from DIA, a 340 mile drive via US-285, and three and a half to four and a half hours and 214 miles from ABQ using NM-44 and US-550.
In addition to its popular use for hangovers, prickly pear remedies have been used traditionally in Mexico for a wide variety of disorders. The heated cactus pads have served as poultices for rheumatism, and the fruit of the plant is consumed as treatment for diarrhea, asthma and gonorrhea.
Prickly pears, are nutrient-rich fruits of cactus plants. The nopal, or prickly pear cactus, is among the plants native to the Sonora Desert, which is in Arizona and parts of California and New Mexico. You can eat cactus pears, or prickly pears, after removing their strong, sharp thorns. Raw cactus pears go well in fruit salads and smoothies, and you can cook these fruits into jams or use them in savory dishes, such as chili. They provide health benefits as part of an overall balanced diet. A cactus pear weighs 103 grams, or 4 ounces, and contains 42 calories. You will gain weight if you eat more calories than you expend, and emphasizing low-calorie foods in your diet can help you limit your calorie intake and control your weight.