(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 pear cactus contains fiber and pectin, which can lower blood glucose by decreasing the absorption of sugar in the stomach and intestine. Some researchers think that it might also decrease cholesterol levels, and kill viruses in the body.