Chapter 8: Taos

New Mexico’s favorite arts town sits in a masterpiece setting. It’s wedged between the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains and the plunging chasm of the Rio Grande Gorge.

Located about 70 miles north of Santa Fe, this town of 5,000 residents combines 1960s hippiedom (thanks to communes set up in the hills back then) with the ancient culture of Taos Pueblo (some people still live without electricity and running water, as their ancestors did 1,000 years ago). It can be an odd place, where some completely eschew materialism and live “off the grid” in half-underground houses called earth ships. But there are plenty of more mainstream attractions as well—Taos boasts some of the best restaurants in the state, a hot and funky arts scene, and incredible outdoors action, including world-class skiing.

Its history is rich. Throughout the Taos valley, ruins and artifacts attest to a Native American presence dating back 5,000 years. The Spanish first visited this area in 1540, colonizing it in 1598. In the last 2 decades of the 17th century, they put down three rebellions at Taos Pueblo. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Taos was an important trade center: New Mexico’s annual caravan to Chihuahua, Mexico, couldn’t leave until after the annual midsummer Taos Fair. French trappers began attending the fair in 1739. Even though the Plains tribes often attacked the pueblos at other times, they would attend the market festival under a temporary annual truce. By the early 1800s, Taos had become a meeting place for American mountain men, the most famous of whom, Kit Carson, made his home in Taos from 1826 to 1868.

Taos remained loyal to Mexico during the U.S.-Mexican War of 1846. The town rebelled against its new U.S. landlord in 1847, even killing newly appointed Governor Charles Bent in his Taos home. Nevertheless, the town was eventually incorporated into the Territory of New Mexico in 1850. During the Civil War, Taos fell into Confederate hands for 6 weeks; afterward, Carson and two other men raised the Union flag over Taos Plaza and guarded it day and night. Since then, Taos has had the honor of flying the flag 24 hours a day.

Taos’s population declined when the railroad bypassed it in favor of Santa Fe. In 1898, two East Coast artists—Ernest Blumenschein and Bert Phillips—discovered the dramatic, varied effects of sunlight on the natural environment of the Taos valley and depicted them on canvas. By 1912, thanks to the growing influence of the Taos Society of Artists, the town had gained a worldwide reputation as a cultural center. Today, it is estimated that more than 15% of the population are painters, sculptors, writers, or musicians, or in some other way earn their income from artistic pursuits.

The town of Taos is merely the focal point of rugged 2,200-square-mile Taos County. Two features dominate this sparsely populated region: the high desert mesa, split in two by the 650-foot-deep chasm of the Rio Grande; and the Sangre de Cristo range, which tops out at 13,161-foot Wheeler Peak, New Mexico’s highest mountain. From the forested uplands to the sage-carpeted mesa, the county is home to a large variety of wildlife. The human element includes Native Americans who are still living in ancient pueblos and Hispanic farmers who continue to irrigate their farmlands using centuries-old methods.

Taos is also inhabited by many people who have chosen to retreat from, or altogether drop out of, mainstream society. There’s a laid-back attitude here, even more pronounced than the general mañana attitude for which New Mexico is known. Most Taoseños live here to play here—and that means outdoors. Many work at the ski area all winter (skiing whenever they can) and work for raft companies in the summer (to get on the river as much as they can). Others are into rock climbing, mountain biking, and backpacking. That’s not to say that Taos is just a resort town. With the Hispanic and Native American populations’ histories in the area, there’s a richness and depth here that most resort towns lack.

Taos’s biggest task these days is to try to stem the tide of overdevelopment that is flooding northern New Mexico. In “New Mexico Today”, I address the city’s success in battling back airport expansion and some housing developments. A grass-roots community program has been implemented that gives neighborhoods a say in how their area is developed.

Orientation

Arriving

BY PLANE The Taos Regional Airport ( 575/758-4995) is about 8 miles northwest of town on US 64. Most people opt to fly into Albuquerque International Sunport, rent a car, and drive up to Taos from there. The drive takes approximately 2 1/2 hours. If you’d rather be picked up at Albuquerque International Sunport, call Faust’s Transportation, Inc. ( 575/758-3410), which offers daily service, as well as taxi service between Taos and Taos Ski Valley.

BY BUS/TRAIN Besides Faust’s Transportation (above) the only way to arrive in Taos by bus is via Rail Runner. The New Mexico Rail Runner Express train service connects Santa Fe to Taos via the Taos Express Shuttle Service on Fridays through Sundays. Contact 866/799-7245 or www.nmrailrunner.com/bus_santafe_depot.asp. For more information on this and other bus services to and from Albuquerque and Santa Fe, see “Getting There & Around,” in chapter 3.

BY CAR Most visitors arrive in Taos via either NM 68 or US 64. Northbound travelers should exit I-25 at Santa Fe, follow US 285 as far as Española, and then continue on the divided highway when it becomes NM 68. Taos is about 79 miles from the I-25 junction. Southbound travelers from Denver on I-25 should exit about 6 miles south of Raton at US 64 and then follow it about 95 miles to Taos. Another major route is US 64 from the west (214 miles from Farmington).

Visitor Information

The Taos County Chamber of Commerce, at 108 Kit Carson Rd., Taos, NM 87571 ( 575/751-8800; www.taoschamber.com), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm in summer and 1 to 5pm in winter. It’s closed on major holidays.

City Layout

The plaza is a short block west of Taos’s major intersection—where US 64 (Kit Carson Rd.) from the east joins NM 68, Paseo del Pueblo Sur. US 64 proceeds north from the intersection as Paseo del Pueblo Norte. Camino de la Placita (Placita Rd.) circles the west side of downtown, passing within a block of the other side of the plaza. Many of the streets that join these thoroughfares are winding lanes lined by traditional adobe homes, many of them over 100 years old.

Most of the art galleries are located on or near the plaza, which was paved over with bricks several years ago, and along neighboring streets. Others are in the Ranchos de Taos area, a few miles south of the plaza.

MAPS To find your way around town, pick up a free Taos map from the Town of Taos Visitor Center, 1139 Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 800/732-8267 or 575/758-3873). Good, detailed city maps can be found at area bookstores as well. Carson National Forest information and maps are available in the same building.

Getting Around

By Car

With offices at the Taos airport, Enterprise ( 575/751-7490) is reliable and efficient. Other car-rental agencies are available out of Albuquerque. See “Getting Around,” in chapter 6, for details.

PARKING Parking can be difficult during the summer rush, when the stream of tourists’ cars moving north and south through town never ceases. If you can’t find parking on the street or in the plaza, check out some of the nearby roads (Kit Carson Rd., for instance); there are plenty of metered and unmetered lots in Taos.

Warning for Drivers

En route to many recreation sites, reliable paved roads often give way to poorer forest roads, where gas stations and cafes are scarce. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended on snow and much of the unpaved terrain of the region. If you’re doing some off-road adventuring, it’s wise to go with a full gas tank, extra food and water, and warm clothing—just in case. At the higher-than-10,000-foot elevations of northern New Mexico, sudden summer snowstorms can occur.

ROAD CONDITIONS Information on highway conditions throughout the state can be obtained from the State Highway Department ( 800/432-4269).

By Bus & Taxi

If you’re in Taos without a car, you’re in luck because there’s local bus service, provided by Chile Line Town of Taos Transit ( 575/751-4459; www.taosgov.com). It operates on the half-hour Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm in summer, 7am to 6pm in winter, and on the hour Sunday 8am to 5pm. Two simultaneous routes run southbound from Taos Pueblo and northbound from the Ranchos de Taos Post Office. Each route makes stops at the casino and various hotels in town, as well as at Taos RV Park. Bus fares are 50¢ one-way, $1 round-trip, $5 for a 7-day pass, and $20 for a 31-day pass.

In addition, Faust’s Transportation ( 575/758-3410) has a taxi service linking town hotels and Taos Ski Valley. Faust’s Transportation also offers shuttle service and on-call taxi service daily from 8am to 5pm (special arrangements made for after hours; Sun by appointment only), with fares of about $10 anywhere within the city limits for up to two people. Bus service to and from the mountain is 50¢ one-way, exact change only.

By Bicycle

Bicycle rentals are available from Gearing Up Bicycle Shop, 129 Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 575/751-0365; www.gearingupbikes.com); daily rentals run $35 for a full day and $25 for a half-day for a mountain bike with front suspension. From April to October, Native Sons Adventures, 1334 Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 800/753-7559 or 575/758-9342; www.nativesonsadventures.com), also rents front-suspension bikes for $35 for a full day and $25 for a half-day. It also rents car racks for $5. Each shop supplies helmets and water bottles with rentals.

Taos

Airport See “Orientation,” above.

Area Code The telephone area code for Taos is 575.

ATMs You can find ATMs all over town, at supermarkets, banks, and drive-throughs.

Business Hours Most businesses are open at least Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, though some may open an hour earlier and close an hour later. Many tourist-oriented shops are also open on Saturday morning, and some art galleries are open all day Saturday and Sunday, especially during peak tourist seasons. Banks are generally open Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and often for longer hours on Friday. Some may be open Saturday morning. Most branches have cash machines available 24 hours. Call establishments for specific hours.

Car Rentals See “Getting Around,” in chapter 3, or “Getting Around,” above.

Climate Taos’s climate is similar to that of Santa Fe. Summer days are dry and sunny, except for frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winter days are often bracing, with snowfalls common but rarely lasting too long. Average summer temperatures range from 50° to 87°F (10°–31°C). Winter temperatures vary between 9° and 40°F (–13° to 4°C). Annual rainfall is 12 inches; annual snowfall is 35 inches in town and as much as 300 inches at Taos Ski Valley, where the elevation is 9,207 feet. (A foot of snow is equal to an inch of rain.)

Currency Exchange Foreign currency can be exchanged at the Centinel Bank of Taos, 512 Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 575/758-6700), for a $35 fee.

Dentists If you need dental work, try Dr. Walter Jakiela, 1392 Weimer Rd. ( 575/758-8654); Dr. Michael Rivera, 107 Plaza Garcia, Suite E ( 575/758-0531); or Dr. Tom Simms, 1392 Weimer Rd. ( 575/758-8303).

Doctors Members of the Taos Medical Group, on Weimer Road ( 575/758-2224), are highly respected. Also recommended are Family Practice Associates of Taos, 630 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Ste. 150 ( 575/758-3005).

Emergencies Dial 911 for police, fire, and ambulance.

Hospital Holy Cross Hospital, 1397 Weimer Rd., off Paseo del Canyon ( 575/758-8883), has 24-hour emergency service. Serious cases are transferred to Santa Fe or Albuquerque.

Hot Lines The crisis hot line ( 575/758-9888) is available for emergency counseling.

Information See “Visitor Information,” above.

Internet Access You can retrieve your e-mail via Wi-Fi or the cafe’s computers at Sustaining Cultures, 114 Doña Luz ( 575/613-3490; www.sustainingcultures.org). It’s located 1 block west of the plaza. And the Taos County Chamber of Commerce, 108 Kit Carson Rd., Ste. F ( 575/751-8800; www.taoschamber.com), just off the plaza, offers free access. As well, the Taos Public Library offers free access.

Library The Taos Public Library, 402 Camino de la Placita ( 575/758-3063 or 575/737-2590; www.taoslibrary.org), has a general collection for Taos residents, a children’s library, and special collections on the Southwest and Taos art.

Lost Property Check with the Taos police at 575/758-2216.

Newspapers & Magazines The Taos News ( 575/758-2241; www.taosnews.com) and the Sangre de Cristo Chronicle ( 575/377-2358; www.sangrechronicle.com) are published every Thursday. Taos Magazine is also a good source of local information. The Albuquerque Journal (www.abqjournal.com) and Santa Fe’s New Mexican (www.santafenewmexican.com) are easily obtained at book and convenience stores.

Pharmacies There are several full-service pharmacies in Taos. Sav-on Drug ( 575/758-1203), Smith’s Pharmacy ( 575/758-4824), and Wal-Mart Pharmacy ( 575/758-2743) are all on Pueblo Sur and are easily seen from the road.

Police In case of emergency, dial 911. All other inquiries should be directed to the Taos police, Civic Plaza Drive ( 575/758-2216). The Taos County Sheriff, with jurisdiction outside the city limits, is in the county courthouse on Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 575/758-3361).

Post Offices The main Taos post office is at 318 Paseo del Pueblo Norte ( 575/758-2081), a few blocks north of the plaza traffic light; it’s open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm. There are smaller offices in Ranchos de Taos ( 575/758-3944; Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 9am–noon) and at El Prado ( 575/758-4810; Mon–Fri 8am–4:30pm, Sat 8:30–11:30am). The zip code for Taos is 87571.

Radio A local station is KTAOS-FM (101.9), which broadcasts an entertainment calendar daily ( 575/758-5826); National Public Radio can be found on KUNM-FM (98.5) from Albuquerque.

Road Conditions For emergency road service in the Taos area, call the state police at 575/758-8878; for road conditions dial 800/432-4269 (within New Mexico) for the state highway department.

Taxes Gross receipts tax for the city of Taos is 8.06%, and for Taos County it’s 7%. There is an additional lodgers’ tax of 5% in both the city of Taos and in Taos County.

Taxis See “Getting Around,” above.

Television Channel 2, the local access station, is available in most hotels. For a few hours a day it shows local programming. Cable networks carry Santa Fe and Albuquerque stations.

Time As is true throughout New Mexico, Taos is on Mountain Standard Time. It’s 2 hours earlier than New York, 1 hour earlier than Chicago, and 1 hour later than Los Angeles. Clocks change the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.

Weather Taos has no number to call for weather forecasts, but you can log on to www.taosnews.com/weather.

Where to Stay

Where to Stay in the Taos Area

A tiny town with a big tourist market, Taos has thousands of rooms in hotels, motels, condominiums, and bed-and-breakfasts. In the slower seasons—January through early February and April through early May—when competition for travelers is steep, you may even want to try bargaining your room rate down. Most of the hotels and motels are on Paseo del Pueblo Sur and Norte, with a few located just east of the town center, along Kit Carson Road. The condos and bed-and-breakfasts are generally scattered throughout Taos’s back streets.

During peak seasons, visitors without reservations may have difficulty finding vacant rooms. Taos Chamber of Commerce, 108 S. Kit Carson Rd. ( 575/751-8800), might be able to help.

Rocky Mountain Tours ( 800/233-2300, ext. 3442; www.rockymountaintours.com) will help you find accommodations ranging from bed-and-breakfasts to home rentals, hotels, and cabins throughout Taos, Taos Ski Valley, and the rest of northern New Mexico. It’ll also help you arrange package trips for outdoor activities such as skiing, horseback riding, hot-air ballooning, and snowmobiling.

There are two high seasons in Taos: winter (the Christmas-to-Easter ski season, except for Jan, which is notoriously slow) and June through September. Spring and fall are shoulder seasons, often with lower rates. The period between Easter and Memorial Day is also slow in the tourist industry here, and many proprietors of restaurants and other businesses take their annual vacations at this time. Book well ahead for ski holiday periods (especially Christmas) and for the annual arts festivals (late May to mid-June and late Sept to early Oct).

Taos

Hotels/Motels

Expensive

El Monte Sagrado ★★★ New to Taos in 2003, this resort near the center of town offers a feast for the senses. Water running over falls, lush landscaping, and delicious food and drink lull guests into a state of relaxation. Rooms range in theme from the Caribbean casita, a medium-size room that evokes the feel of an African jungle, to the Argentina global suite, a huge two-bedroom decorated in cowboy-contemporary style with wood floors, leather furniture, and two large bathrooms featuring mosaic-decorated shower and tub. In 2007, the inn nearly doubled in size with a series of more reasonably priced rooms. All rooms are serene, with patios or balconies and views. In line with the resort’s commitment to responsible development, the resort recycles its water, using it to irrigate the cottonwood-shaded Sacred Circle, at the resort’s center. The intimate spa offers a full range of treatments and free classes such as yoga and tai chi. The Anaconda Bar and De La Tierra restaurant combine a contemporary feel with elegant Asian touches.

317 Kit Carson Rd., Taos, NM 87571. 800/828-8267 or 575/758-3502. www.elmontesagrado.com. 84 units. $169–$229 1-bedroom casita; $199–$519 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $12. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge; health club; Jacuzzi; indoor pool; spa. In room: A/C, TV, CD player, hair dryer, minibar (stocked on request), Wi-Fi.

The Historic Taos Inn ★ Here, you’ll be surrounded by 21st-century luxury without ever forgetting that you’re within the thick walls of 19th-century homes. It’s listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The lobby doubles as the popular Adobe Bar, which surrounds a wishing well that was once the old town well. A number of rooms open onto a balcony that overlooks this area. I don’t recommend these rooms, as they can be noisy. All the other rooms sit among a number of “houses” separated by walkways and grass. Some have modest style, with lower ceilings and Spanish Colonial furnishings, while others are more chic. My favorites are no. 204 in the Sandoval House, decorated with antiques, and any room in the recently built Helen House ★★. These rooms, with Saltillo tile floors and kiva fireplaces, will appeal to travelers who don’t appreciate the whims of an older building, but still enjoy character. Doc Martin’s is a good bet for any meal.

125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571. 800/826-7466 or 575/758-2233. Fax 575/758-5776. www.taosinn.com. 44 units. $75–$120 double; $195–$275 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; lounge; Jacuzzi; room service; Wi-Fi in lobby. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer.

Hotel La Fonda de Taos ★ Taos now has a recommendable hotel on the plaza. A $3-million renovation to this historic property built in 1880 has turned it into a comfortable, fun spot with a stellar location. The charismatic Taos figure Saki Kavaras put this hotel on the society map in the 1930s when, most notably, British author D. H. Lawrence frequented it. His legacy is preserved in a unique museum, where some of his risqué paintings hang—a must-see even if you don’t stay here (free for guests; $3 for nonguests). Rooms are set off broad hallways, each styled in earth tones, Southwestern furnishings, and tile bathrooms. Standards are small, each with a queen-size bed. Your better bet is to reserve a plaza or deluxe plaza room, or a suite. These are larger, with king beds. My favorite rooms are nos. 201 and 301, which overlook the plaza. Groups can rent the whole top floor (or the whole hotel), which includes a full kitchen suite.

108 South Plaza, Taos, NM 87571. 800/833-2211 or 575/758-2211. Fax 575/758-8508. www.lafondataos.com. 25 units. $119–$179 standard double; $129–$249 plaza and deluxe plaza double; $179–$229 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; coffee shop; lounge. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, high-speed Internet.

Inger Jirby’s Guest Houses ★★ Two blocks from the plaza, between the R. C. Gorman Gallery and the Ernest L. Blumenschein Museum, this inn provides a stay in an artistic ancient adobe. Painter Inger Jirby has chosen this for her gallery space as well as a home for travelers. From the remains of a 400-year-old adobe, she’s carved and added these lively dwellings and adorned them with her unique style. Full of rich Mexican and Balinese art, and then accented by her own vivid landscapes of the Southwest and beyond, the casitas are artsy as well as comfortable. Both have a full kitchen, flagstone floors, large windows, and sleeping lofts. (Very large or elderly people might have trouble maneuvering the spiral staircases in these.) They also have fold-out couches, so they’re a great option for families. Both are equipped with stereos and robes. More than anywhere else in town, these casitas provide a real home away from home. The attached Inger Jirby Gallery provides Internet access for guests.

207 Ledoux St., Taos, NM 87571. 575/758-7333. www.jirby.com. 2 units. $175–$225 double (up to $275 during holidays). Additional person $25–$35. In room: TV/DVD, hair dryer, kitchen.

Moderate

Taos Hampton Inn ★ The most reliable moderately priced hotel in town, the Hampton is about 5 minutes (by car) from the plaza. Rooms are medium size with either two queens or one king bed, a few with Jacuzzis and mountain views. All have nice pine furnishings, quality bedding, and a hint of Southwestern decor, some with desks, others with a table and chair. The beds are comfortable and the medium-size bathrooms very clean and functional. The medium-size indoor pool keeps kids entertained year-round.

1515 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM 87571. 800/426-7866 or 575/737-5700. Fax 575/737-5701. www.hampton.com. 71 units. $109–$149 double. Rates include full hot breakfast and afternoon snack. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Exercise room; Jacuzzi; indoor pool. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi.

Inexpensive

Best Western Kachina Lodge & Meeting Center Built in the early 1960s, this lodge on the north end of town, within walking distance of the plaza, has a lot of charm despite the fact that it’s a motor hotel. Unfortunately, it needs a major remodel. It does receive periodic minor ones, such as new linens and painted trim. If you don’t mind crumbling sidewalks and frayed carpeting, the place will suit you fine. Some of the Southwestern-style rooms have couches and most have Taos-style trasteros (armoires) that hold the TVs. Rooms sit around a grassy courtyard studded with huge blue spruce trees, allowing kids room to run. In the center is a stage where a family from Taos Pueblo builds a bonfire and dances nightly in the summer and explains the significance of the dances—a real treat for anyone intrigued by the Pueblo rituals.

413 Paseo del Pueblo Norte (P.O. Box NM), Taos, NM 87571. 800/522-4462 or 575/758-2275. Fax 575/758-9207. www.kachinalodge.com. 118 units. $69–$149 double. Rates includes half-price breakfast and half-price cocktail. Additional person $15. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; lounge; outdoor pool (summer only). In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi.

Bed & Breakfasts

Expensive

Adobe & Pines Inn ★★ This inn occupies a 180-year-old adobe directly off NM 68, less than half a mile south of St. Francis Plaza (about a 10-min. drive from Taos Plaza). The inn is set around a courtyard marked by an 80-foot-long grand portal and surrounded by pine and fruit trees. Each room has a private entrance and fireplace (three rooms have a fireplace in their bathroom!), and each is uniquely decorated. Colors are richly displayed on the walls and in the furnishings. Puerta Azul, a good value, is cozy with blue accents and thick adobe walls, and Puerto Roja has bold maroon walls, a comfortable couch, and kitchenette. Many rooms have Jacuzzi tubs, including three with private outdoor hot tubs. Because this inn is near the highway, at times cars can be heard on the grounds, but the rooms themselves are quiet. Morning brings a delicious full gourmet breakfast in the atrium. Guests also enjoy a labyrinth and Zen garden.

NM 68, Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557. 800/723-8267 or 575/751-0947. Fax 575/758-8423. www.adobepines.com. 8 units. $98–$225 double; $215–$225 suite. Additional person $25. Rates include full gourmet breakfast. MC, V. Pets accepted with prior arrangement, one-time $25 fee. In room: A/C, TV, kitchenette (in some), no phone, Wi-Fi (in some).

Adobe and Stars Bed and Breakfast Inn ★★ This inn sitting on the mesa between Taos town and Taos Ski Valley offers chic Southwestern-style rooms with a focus on fine detail in a quiet country setting. The breakfast area and common room are sunny, with large windows facing the mountains. A few rooms are upstairs, such as La Luna, my favorite, with views in every direction and a heart-shaped Jacuzzi tub for two. All rooms have kiva fireplaces and private decks or patios. Most of the downstairs rooms open onto a portal. All are decorated with hand-crafted Southwestern-style furniture, and many have Jacuzzi tubs. As well, guests enjoy an outdoor hot tub under the stars, reserved by the half-hour. The full breakfast may vary from New Mexican dishes such as breakfast burritos with green chile to gingerbread waffles with whipped cream. In the afternoons, a glass of New Mexico wine is served with a snack. A courtesy computer with Internet is available for guest use.

At the corner of State Hwy. 150 and Valdez Rim Rd. (P.O. Box 2285), Taos, NM 87571. 800/211-7076 or 575/776-2776. Fax 575/776-2872. www.taosadobe.com. 8 units. $95–$180 double. Rates include full breakfast and refreshments. AE, MC, V. Pets accepted with $15 per-pet fee and $50 damage deposit. Amenities: Jacuzzi. In room: A/C, TV, CD player, hair dryer, Wi-Fi.

Casa de las Chimeneas ★★★ This 82-year-old adobe home set on spacious grounds has, since its opening as a luxury inn in 1988, been a model of Southwestern elegance. Adding to its appeal is a spa with a small fitness room and sauna, as well as complete massage and facial treatments for an additional charge. I recommend the Sombraje Room; with old-world elegance, it has high ceilings, a gas fireplace, and two queen beds. The Rio Grande has tile floors, handcrafted furniture, and a large jetted tub. Each room in the inn is decorated with original works of art and has elegant bedding, a private entrance, and robes. All rooms have kiva fireplaces, and most look out on flower and herb gardens. Breakfasts are delicious. Specialties include an artichoke-heart and mushroom omelet or ricotta cream-cheese blintz. In the evenings the inn offers a full dinner, which may include corn-crusted tilapia or roasted chicken served with vegetables from a local organic farm. End the day at the large hot tub in the courtyard.

405 Cordoba Rd., at Los Pandos Rd. (5303 NDCBU), Taos, NM 87571. 877/758-4777 or 575/758-4777. Fax 575/758-3976. www.visittaos.com. 8 units. $195–$290 double; $325 suite. Rates include breakfast and light evening supper. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Concierge; small exercise room; Jacuzzi; sauna; spa. In room: TV/VCR/DVD, hair dryer, free stocked nonalcoholic minibar, MP3 docking station, Wi-Fi.

Hacienda del Sol ★★ This inn offers spectacular views of Taos Mountain and elegant comfort in both modern and historic rooms. The 1 1/4-acre property borders Taos Pueblo, providing a rural feel. The inn was once owned by arts patron Mabel Dodge Luhan, and Frank Waters wrote The People of the Valley here. You’ll find bold splashes of color from the gardens—where in summer tulips, pansies, and flax bloom—to the rooms themselves—where woven bedspreads and original art lend a Mexican feel. The main house is 204 years old, so it has the wonderful curves of adobe as well as thick vigas. My favorite is the Mabel’s Salon, with wood floors and a kiva fireplace. Other guestrooms are newer and yet also atmospheric. The Cowgirl and Cowboy suites have adjoining rooms, perfect for children. Most rooms have fireplaces, three have private Jacuzzis, and four have private steam showers. A delicious breakfast, with favorites such as a mushroom frittata with bacon and toast, is served in the Spanish-hacienda-style dining area. The outdoor hot tub has a mountain view.

109 Mabel Dodge Lane (P.O. Box 177), Taos, NM 87571. 866/333-4459 or 575/758-0287. Fax 575/758-5895. www.taoshaciendadelsol.com. 11 units. $135–$325 double; $190–$305 suite. Additional person $25. Rates include full breakfast and evening sweets. AE, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Concierge; privileges at nearby health club; Jacuzzi. In room: CD player, fridge (in some), hair dryer, Wi-Fi.

Inn on La Loma Plaza ★★ Named by American Historic Inns as one of the 10 most romantic inns in America, this inn is on a historic neighborhood plaza, complete with dirt streets and a tiny central park. A 10-minute walk from Taos Plaza, the inn is in a 200-year-old home, complete with aged vigas and maple floors, decorated tastefully with comfortable furniture and Middle Eastern rugs. Three new rooms offer Southwest style and modern convenience. These are spacious, with viga ceilings and elaborate bathrooms. Each room is unique, most with sponge-painted walls and Talavera tile in the bathrooms to provide an eclectic ambience. All have robes, slippers, lighted makeup mirrors, bottled water, and fireplaces, and most have balconies or terraces and views. The Happy Trails Room features knotty pine paneling, a brass bed, old chaps, and decorative hanging spurs. Guests dine on such delights as breakfast burritos or green-chile casserole in a plant-filled sunroom or on the patio.

315 Ranchitos Rd., Taos, NM 87571. 800/530-3040 or 575/758-1717. Fax 575/751-0155. www.vacationtaos.com. 10 units. $155–$240 double; $275–$325 artist’s studio; $425–$590 suite. Additional person $25. Children 12 and under stay free in parent’s room. Discounts available. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Concierge; Internet; Jacuzzi; pool and spa privileges at nearby Taos Spa. In room: TV/VCR/DVD, hair dryer, kitchenette (in some), Wi-Fi.

Little Tree Bed & Breakfast ★★ Little Tree is one of my favorite Taos bed-and-breakfasts. It’s in a beautiful, secluded setting, and constructed with real adobe that’s been left in its raw state, lending the place an authentic hacienda feel. Two miles down a country road, about midway between Taos and the ski area, it’s surrounded by sage and piñon. The charming rooms have radiant heat under the floors, queen-size beds (one with a king-size), and access to the portal and courtyard garden, at the center of which is the little tree for which the inn is named. The Piñon (my favorite) and Juniper rooms are equipped with fireplaces and private entrances. The Piñon and Aspen rooms offer sunset views. The Spruce Room has a private patio and outdoor hot tub. In the main building, the living room has tierra blanca adobe (adobe that’s naturally white; if you look closely at it, you can see little pieces of mica and straw). Visiting hummingbirds enchant guests as they enjoy a scrumptious breakfast on the portal during warmer months.

County Rd. B-143 (P.O. Box 509), Arroyo Hondo, NM 87513. 800/334-8467 or 575/776-8467. www.littletreebandb.com. 4 units. $135–$175 double. Rates include breakfast and afternoon snack. MC, V. In room: TV/VCR, Wi-Fi.

Moderate

Old Taos Guesthouse ★ This 190-year-old adobe hacienda has been extensively restored but maintains its country charm: Mexican tile in the bathrooms, vigas on the ceilings, and kiva-style fireplaces in most of the rooms. Each room has an entrance from the outside, some off the broad portal that shades the front of the hacienda, some from a grassy lawn in the back, with a view toward the mountains. Some rooms are more utilitarian, some quainter, so make a request depending on your needs. One of my favorites is the Taos Suite, with a king-size bed, a big picture window, and a full kitchen. Less than 2 miles from the plaza, this inn sits on 7 1/2 acres and provides a cozy northern New Mexico rural experience, complete with birds galore and a healthy breakfast. Kids enjoy the inn’s dogs and plenty of space to run free.

1028 Witt Rd., Taos, NM 87571. 800/758-5448 or 575/758-5448. www.oldtaos.com. 10 units. $90–$185 double. Rates include a full breakfast. Ask about seasonal rates. DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in some rooms with one-time $25 fee. Amenities: Babysitting; concierge; Jacuzzi, Wi-Fi (in some). In room: TV (in some rooms), hair dryer, kitchen (in some).

RV Parks & Campgrounds

Carson National Forest There are nine national forest camping areas within 20 miles of Taos; these developed areas are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They range from woodsy, streamside sites on the road to Taos Ski Valley to open lowlands with lots of sage. Call the Forest Service to discuss the best location for your needs.

208 Cruz Alta Rd., Taos, NM 87571. 575/758-6200. www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson. $7–$15 per night. No credit cards.

Taos Valley RV Park and Campground ★ Just 2 1/2 miles south of the plaza, this lovely, well-maintained campground is surrounded by sage and offers views of the surrounding mountains. Each site has a picnic table and grill. The place has a small store, a laundry room, a playground, and tent shelters, as well as a dump station and very clean restrooms. Pets are welcome. Wireless Internet access is available throughout the park.

120 Este Rd., off NM 68 (7204 NDCBU), Taos, NM 87571. 800/999-7571 or 575/758-4469. Fax 575/758-4469. www.taosrv.com. 91 spaces. $22 without RV hookup; $30–$39 with RV hookup. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Taos Ski Valley

For information on the skiing and the facilities offered at Taos Ski Valley, see “Skiing,” later in this chapter.

Lodges

Expensive

Powderhorn Suites and Condominiums ★ A homelike feel and Euro-Southwestern ambience make this condo-inn one of the best buys in Taos Ski Valley, just a 2-minute walk from the lift. You’ll find consistency and quality here, with clean medium-size rooms, mountain views, vaulted ceilings, well-planned bathrooms, and comfortable beds. The larger suites have stoves, balconies, and fireplaces. Adjoining rooms are good for families. As with almost all of the accommodations in Taos Ski Valley, this one has been condo-ized so each suite has a distinct owner; thus the service isn’t what you would find at a full-service hotel, though it is still conscientious. There’s no elevator, so if stairs are a problem for you, make sure to ask for a room on the ground floor.

5 Ernie Blake Rd. (P.O. Box 69), Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. 800/776-2346 or 575/776-2341. Fax 575/776-2341. www.taospowderhorn.com. 16 units. Ski season $199–$245 double, $259–$290 suite, $309–$370 condo; summer $89–$169 all room options. 2- to 6-person occupancy. MC, V. Valet parking. Amenities: 2 Jacuzzis. In room: TV, kitchenette (in some), Wi-Fi.

Moderate

Alpine Village Suites ★★ Alpine Village is a small village within Taos Ski Valley, a few steps from the lift. The complex also houses a ski shop and bar/restaurant. The owners began with seven rooms, still nice rentals, above their ski shop. Each has a sleeping loft for the agile who care to climb a ladder, as well as sunny windows. The newer section has elegantly decorated rooms, with attractive touches such as Mexican furniture and inventive tile work. Like most other accommodations at Taos Ski Valley, the rooms are not especially soundproof. Fortunately, most skiers go to bed early. In the newer building, rooms have fireplaces and private balconies. Request a south-facing room for a view of the slopes. The Jacuzzi sits below a lovely mural, and has a fireplace and a view of the slopes.

100 Thunderbird Rd. (P.O. Box 98), Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. 800/576-2666 or 575/776-8540. Fax 575/776-8542. www.alpine-suites.com. 31 units. Ski season $150–$215 suite for 2, $216–$347 suite for 4, $216–$391 suite for up to 6; summer $90 suite for 2, $102–$132 suite for 4, $120–$270 suite for up to 6. Continental breakfast only in summer. AE, DISC, MC, V. Covered valet parking $15 per night. Amenities: Jacuzzi; massage; sauna. In room: TV, DVD and VCR (in some), kitchenette, Wi-Fi (in most).

Condominiums

Expensive

Edelweiss Lodge & Spa ★★ Opened in 2005, this lodge at the base of the mountain took the place of a 1960s classic chalet. Now, it’s a brand-new condo-hotel. The condominiums are upscale, each with a flagstone fireplace and full kitchen with marble countertops, stainless-steel appliances, and many with nice views of the slopes. All have luxury furnishings decorated in earth tones. For those looking for an upscale stay, this is your choice. Hotel rooms follow with the same luxury as the condos. Rooms are medium size with comfortable beds and medium-size bathrooms. Underground parking, a full spa, an excellent restaurant, and valet service for your skis add to the appeal.

106 Sutton Place, Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. 800/458-8754 or 575/737-6900. Fax 575/737-6995. www.edelweisslodgeandspa.com. 31 units. Winter $220–$440 double, $275–$1,156 condo; summer $100 double, $160–$335 condo. AE, DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge; health club and full spa; Jacuzzi; sauna. In room: TV/DVD, CD player, hair dryer, kitchen, Wi-Fi.

Sierra del Sol Condominiums ★ I have wonderful memories of these condominiums, which are just a 2-minute walk from the lift; family friends used to invite me to stay with them when I was young. I’m happy to say that the units, built in the 1960s, with additions through the years, have been well maintained. Though they’re privately owned, and therefore decorated at the whim of the owners, management does inspect them every year and make suggestions. They’re smartly built and come in a few sizes: studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom. The one- and two-bedroom units have big living rooms with fireplaces and porches that look out on the ski runs. The bedrooms are spacious, and some have sleeping lofts. Two-bedroom units sleep up to six. Grills and picnic tables on the grounds sit near a mountain river.

13 Thunderbird Rd. (P.O. Box 84), Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. 800/523-3954 or 575/776-2981. Fax 575/776-2347. www.sierrataos.com. 32 units. From $79 for studio in summer to $471 for 2-bedroom condo in high season. DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Babysitting; 2 Jacuzzis; 2 saunas. In room: TV/DVD, hair dryer (upon request), kitchen, Wi-Fi.

Snakedance Condominiums and Spa ★★ The original structure that stood on this site was known as the Hondo Lodge. Before there was a Taos Ski Valley, Hondo Lodge served as a refuge for fishermen, hunters, and artists. A $3.5-million renovation has transformed the rooms of this once-time hotel into elegant condominiums. Skiers appreciate the inn’s location, just steps from the lift, as well as amenities such as ski storage and boot dryers. The Snakedance Condominiums today are privately owned units, so each may differ some, though they are consistent in quality. All are bright, comfortable spaces with balconies with French doors, and kitchens with granite counters and a range, fridge, dishwasher, and microwave. All have gas fireplaces. The hotel also offers shuttle service to and from nearby shops and restaurants, and, at certain times, to Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

110 Sutton Place (P.O. Box 89), Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. 800/322-9815 or 575/776-2277. Fax 575/776-1410. www.snakedancecondos.com. 33 units. Winter $272–$450 1-bedroom condo, $380–$700 2-bedroom condo for 4 people, $460–$800 2-bedroom loft condo for 6 people; summer $95 1-bedroom condo, $120 2-bedroom condo, $150 2-bedroom loft condo. Extra person $30 in winter, $10 in summer. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Free parking at Taos Ski Valley parking lot. Closed mid-Apr to Memorial Day and mid-Oct to mid-Nov. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; free airport transfers; exercise room; Jacuzzi; sauna; spa. In room: TV/DVD, hair dryer, kitchen, Wi-Fi.

Moderate

Taos Mountain Lodge These loft suites (which can each accommodate up to six) provide airy, comfortable lodging for a good price. Built in 1990, about a mile west of Taos Ski Valley on the road from Taos, the place has undergone some renovation over the years. Don’t expect a lot of privacy in these condominiums, but they’re good for a romping ski vacation. The beds are comfortable and the bathrooms are small but functional. Each unit has a small bedroom downstairs and a loft bedroom upstairs, as well as a foldout or futon couch in the living room. Regular rooms have kitchenettes, with minifridges and stoves, and deluxe rooms have full kitchens, with full refrigerators, stoves, and ovens.

Taos Ski Valley Rd. (P.O. Box 202), Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. 866/320-8267 or 575/776-2229. Fax 575/776-3982. www.taosmountainlodge.net. 10 units. Ski season $120–$275 suite; May–Oct $85–$100 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. In room: TV, hair dryer, kitchen or kitchenette.

Where to Dine

Where to Dine in the Taos Area

Taos has some of the region’s most inventive and fun restaurants. The creativity of the town flourishes in the flavors here. It’s also a comfortable place to dine. Informality reigns; at a number of restaurants you can eat world-class food while wearing jeans or even ski pants. Nowhere is a jacket and tie mandatory. This informality doesn’t extend to reservations, however; especially during the peak season, it’s important to make reservations well in advance and keep them or else cancel. Also, be aware that Taos is not a late-night place; most restaurants finish serving at about 9pm.

Taos

Expensive

De La Tierra ★★★ NEW AMERICAN Located in the ecoresort El Monte Sagrado, this restaurant offers delectably inventive American cuisine in an old-world ambience, with a high ceiling, comfortable black silk chairs, and elegant contemporary art on the walls. Service is excellent, even down to the master sommelier overseeing the wine selections. The chef uses seasonal and local ingredients, including organic ones when he can. For starters, you might try the buffalo ravioli with green-chile Alfredo and cilantro pesto. For a main course, the Prairie Farms elk tenderloin with chestnut mashed potatoes and green-chile Brussels sprouts is delicious, as is the Kessler Canyon mountain trout with mint and green-pea potatoes and lemon caper sauce. Excellent food, including Sunday brunch, is served during the day at the Gardens, a more casual spot, with lots of exotic plants and a lovely patio. Meals are also served at the Anaconda Bar.

In the El Monte Sagrado Hotel, 317 Kit Carson Rd. 800/828-8267 or 575/758-3502. www.elmontesagrado.com/dining/dining.asp. Reservations recommended. The Gardens main courses $7–$14 breakfast, $8–$16 lunch; De La Tierra $19–$39 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. The Gardens daily 7am–3pm; De La Tierra daily 6–9:30pm.

Doc Martin’s ★ NEW AMERICAN/NEW MEXICAN Doc Martin’s serves innovative food in a historic setting. The restaurant comprises Dr. Thomas Paul Martin’s former home, office, and delivery room. In 1912, painters Bert Philips and Ernest Blumenschein hatched the concept of the Taos Society of Artists here.

The chef uses local and organic ingredients and wild game when available. The wine list has received numerous “Awards of Excellence” from Wine Spectator magazine. In the rich atmosphere of a thick-walled adobe home with a kiva fireplace, diners feast on breakfast fare such as a grilled organic buffalo patty and eggs, with wild mushroom gravy and home fries; or blue-corn and blueberry hotcakes. Lunch might include Doc’s chile rellenos, or a turkey, avocado, bacon, and green-chile sandwich. For dinner, a good bet is the grilled buffalo steak with a red chile and roasted tomatillo sauce, served with beans, rice, and vegetables. If you have room, there’s always a nice selection of desserts. The Adobe bar has live music with no cover charge.

In the Historic Taos Inn, 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-1977. www.taosinn.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $5–$10 breakfast, $7–$15 lunch, $18–$30 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–9:30pm; Mon–Fri 7:30–11am and 11:30am–2:30pm; brunch Sat–Sun 7:30am–2:30pm.

El Meze ★★ INTERNATIONAL/MEDITERRANEAN Meaning “table” in Arabic, El Meze offers delicious Spanish/Mediterranean food with Moroccan influences. The setting is an 1847 hacienda with vigas, walls painted orange and green, a gold fireplace, and bright contemporary art on the walls. The classically trained chef puts much thought into his food and its preparation. Service is helpful and efficient. Dinner might begin with grilled prawns with lemon and Moroccan spices, or a butternut squash and chicken tortilla soup with avocado and feta. For an entree, I’ve enjoyed a tuna carpaccio with fresh grated horseradish, capers, lemon, and Spanish olive oil. Another excellent offering is the grilled bone-in rib-eye steak. For dessert, the chocolate truffle soufflé is as good as it sounds. A thoughtful beer and wine list accompanies the menu.

1017 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/751-3337. www.elmeze.com. AE, DISC, MC, V. Reservations recommended. Main courses $18–$32. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer Mon–Sat 5:30–9:30pm; winter hours vary, call ahead.

Lambert’s of Taos ★★★ NEW AMERICAN Open since 1989 in the historic Randall Home near Los Pandos Road, this restaurant serves flavorful contemporary food in an elegant setting. Wood floors, lightly sponge-painted walls, and crisp tablecloths set the scene for imaginative food using seasonal and local ingredients whenever possible. The meal begins with good crusty bread served with a head of roasted garlic and your choice of olive oil or butter. For an appetizer you might try the Maryland-style crab cakes with roasted garlic rémoulade. For an entree, the pepper-crusted lamb loin served with ravioli is a signature dish, but you might opt for one of the fresh fish specials, such as Scottish salmon with chard cream sauce, fingerling potatoes, and asparagus. For dessert, try the warm apple-and-almond crisp with white-chocolate ice cream or Zeke’s chocolate truffle mousse. A full bar, with an interesting wine and beer list and espresso, is available. The restaurant also has a cozy lounge with its own menu—a real locals hangout.

309 Paseo del Pueblo Sur. 575/758-1009. www.lambertsoftaos.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $22–$38. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–9pm or so.

Stakeout Grill & Bar ★★ CONTINENTAL/STEAK/SEAFOOD This is one of northern New Mexico’s most adventurous dining experiences. You drive about a mile up a dirt road toward the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to reach the restaurant, and dine looking down on the Taos gorge while the sun sets over the Jemez Range. The warm, rustic decor of this sprawling hacienda with a broad patio (a great place to sit in summer) includes creaking hardwood floors—and a crackling fireplace in the winter. The fare, which focuses on steak and seafood, is fresh and thoughtfully prepared. Start with baked brie with sliced almonds and apples, or green-chile crab cakes with citrus aioli. Move on to a filet mignon served with béarnaise sauce, or sample one of the chef’s excellent pasta specials. Recently, I had shrimp over linguine with goat cheese that was a bowl of pure joy. This is also the place to come if you have a craving for lobster. Try to time your reservation so you can see the sunset. A full bar, an extensive wine list, and cigars are available.

101 Stakeout Dr. (9 miles south of Taos, just off Hwy. 68). 575/758-2042. www.stakeoutrestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $20–$72. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–9:30pm.

Moderate

Antonio’s ★★ MEXICAN/NEW MEXICAN A summer afternoon on the patio of this new restaurant, with a fountain flowing and sun shining on flowers in garden beds, could just transport you to an idyllic Mexico. Add in a margarita and a plate of enchiladas or tacos, and you may never return. Just a block from the plaza, the food at this fun cafe is spirited, though the service could pay more attention. Start your meal with guacamole mixed at your table and move on to Rellenos en Nogada, a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with beef, pear, apple, raisins, onion, tomato, and spices, and smothered with walnut brandy cream sauce. Too rich for you? Try the beef, chicken, cheese, or spinach enchiladas with a red- or green-chile sauce. Finish with tres leches—cake in rich, whipped milk. A bar inside bustles at cocktail hour, as does the whole place during busy summer days. Under the same ownership, just a few blocks away at 135 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Rellenos Café also serves the same delicious Mexican food but in a more modest setting ( 575/758-7001; Mon–Sat 11am–3pm).

122-B Doña Luz. 575/751-4800. www.antoniosoftaos.com. Reservations recommended on weekends. Main courses $8.50–$23. MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–9pm.

Graham’s Grille ★★ INTERNATIONAL/NEW AMERICAN Opened in 2007, this restaurant offers comfort food with a Southwestern flair. It’s set in a long, narrow space just off the plaza, a cozy urban atmosphere with hanging halogen lamps and a long banco along one wall. Meals start with delectable flour tortilla crisps. The must-have appetizer is the baked mac and cheese with green chile and bacon, but if that sounds too rich, the artichoke-and-fennel fritti will also please. Lunches offer soup, salad, and sandwich combinations, if you’d like. The town is buzzing about the salmon BLT, which is just what it sounds, salmon with good bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Burritos, tamale pie, and burgers—even veggie, buffalo, and lamb ones—come on house-made buns. For dinner, the cherry chipotle-grilled salmon is the most popular dish here. For dessert, the chocolate nachos are a real novelty, but my favorite is the mango coconut cake. A select beer and wine list accompanies the menu.

106 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/751-1350. www.grahamstaos.com. Reservations recommended at dinner. Main courses $7–$13 lunch, $13–$32 dinner. AE, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–2:30pm and 5–9pm.

The Love Apple ★★★ NEW AMERICAN/NEW MEXICAN Set in the mid-1800s Placitas Chapel, this new restaurant serves inventive food in a warm and cozy atmosphere. The soulful setting includes candlelight, aged wood floors, thick adobe walls, and vigas adorning the ceiling. Service is attentive and intuitive. Diners feast on seasonal and often organic produce and meats in all the dishes. Good appetizer choices include a sautéed apple and roasted squash quesadilla; or a beet, pear, and mozzarella salad. The main course might bring a grilled lamb sausage with posole (hominy) or a ruby rainbow trout cooked in corn husks and served with a quinoa–piñon nut fritter. An eclectic list of wines accompanies the menu, with many value options. The seasons drive the dessert creations. My favorite thus far is hot apple pie a la mode. Be aware that this is a cash- or check-only establishment.

803 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571. 575/751-0050. Reservations recommended. Main courses $13–$18. No credit cards. Tues–Sat 5:30–9:30pm.

Old Blinking Light ★ AMERICAN/MEXICAN This restaurant on the Ski Valley Road provides tasty American food in a casual atmosphere. It’s named for the blinking yellow light that was once the marker Taoseños used to give directions (“turn left at the blinking light,” and so on), now replaced by a stoplight. Decorated with Spanish colonial furniture and an excellent art collection, this restaurant is a good place to stop after skiing or for a romping night of music. The service is friendly and efficient. To accompany the free chips and homemade salsa, order a margarita—preferably their standard, made with Sauza Gold Tequila—and sip it next to the patio bonfire, open evenings year-round. The menu ranges from salads and burgers to steaks, seafood, and Mexican food. I say head straight for the fajitas, especially the jumbo shrimp wrapped in bacon and stuffed with poblano peppers and jack cheese. Leave room for the Old Blinking Light Mud Pie, made with local Taos Cow Ice Cream. Live music plays on Monday and Friday nights.

US 150, mile marker 1. 575/776-8787. www.oldblinkinglight.com. Reservations recommended weekends and Mon nights. Main courses $9–$20. AE, MC, V. Restaurant daily 5–10pm. Bar opens at 4pm for happy hour. Wine shop daily noon–10pm.

family-friendly Restaurants

Lula’s A relaxed atmosphere and lots of sandwich choices, as well as soups, are sure to please here.

Orlando’s New Mexican Café The relaxed atmosphere and playfully colorful walls will please the kids almost as much as the tacos and quesadillas made especially for them.

Taos Cow Potpies and sandwiches will fill kids up before they dive into the all-natural ice cream at this cafe north of town.

Taos Pizza Out Back The pizza will please both parents and kids, and so will all the odd decorations, such as the chain with foot-long links hanging over the front counter.

Taos Pizza Out Back ★ ITALIAN/PIZZA My kayaking buddies always go here after a day on the river. That will give you an idea of the level of informality (very), as well as the quality of the food and beer (great), and the size of the portions (large). It’s a raucous old hippie-decorated adobe restaurant, with a friendly and eager waitstaff. What to order? I have one big word here: PIZZA. Sure the spicy Greek pasta is good, as is the Veggie Zone (a calzone filled with stir-fried veggies and two cheeses)—but, why? The pizzas are incredible. All come with a delicious thin crust that’s folded over on the edges and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The sauce is unthinkably tasty, and the variations are broad. There’s the Killer, with sun-dried tomatoes, Gorgonzola, green chile, and black olives; and my favorite, pizza Florentine (spinach, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken breast, mushrooms, capers, and garlic). Don’t leave without trying the house-made carrot cake. Check out the selection of wines and large selection of microbrews.

712 Paseo del Pueblo Norte (just north of Allsup’s). 575/758-3112. Reservations recommended weekends and holidays. Pizzas $13–$28; pastas and calzones $10–$13. MC, V. Daily 11am–10pm (winter Sun–Thurs until 9pm).

Trading Post Café ★★ NORTHERN ITALIAN/INTERNATIONAL One of my tastiest writing assignments was when I did a profile of this restaurant for the New York Times. Chef/owner René Mettler served course after course prepared especially for me. But if you think this might color my opinion, just ask anyone in town where he or she most likes to eat. Don’t expect quiet romance here: The place bustles. A bar encloses an open-exhibition kitchen. If you’re dining alone or don’t feel like waiting for a table, the bar is a fun place to sit. Diners can feel comfortable here, even if trying three appetizers and skipping the main course. The outstanding Caesar salad has an interesting twist—garlic chips. The fettuccine alla carbonara is tasty, as is the seafood pasta. Heartier appetites might like the New Zealand lamb chops with tomato-mint sauce. There’s also a fresh fish of the day and usually some nice soups at very reasonable prices. A good list of beers and wines rounds out the experience. For dessert, try the tarts.

4179 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Ranchos de Taos. 575/758-5089. www.tradingpostcafe.com. Reservations accepted. Menu items $8–$30. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Tues–Sat 11:30am–9:30pm; Sun 5–9pm.

Inexpensive

Guadalajara Grill ★ MEXICAN This bustling restaurant set in a plain building on the south side serves authentic Mexican food in a casual setting. Glass-topped tables and wooden benches are highlighted by a mural of the plaza in the town of Teocuitatlán, the owner’s original home. During warm months a wrap-around patio offers a great place to sip cerveza. The food is Mexican rather than New Mexican, a refreshing treat. I recommend the tacos, particularly pork or chicken, served in soft homemade corn tortillas, the meat artfully seasoned and grilled. The enchiladas and burritos are large and smothered in chile. Platos are served with rice and beans, and half orders are available for smaller appetites. The seafood dishes also offer real flavor—try the mojo de ajo (shrimp cooked with garlic), served with rice, beans, and guacamole. Beer and wine accompany the menu. Equally popular, and casual, is their north-side location, at 822 Paseo del Pueblo Norte ( 575/737-0816).

1384 Paseo del Pueblo Sur. 575/751-0063. Main courses $5–$15. MC, V. Sun–Thurs 10:30am–9pm (winter until 8:30pm); Fri–Sat 10:30am–9:30pm (winter until 9pm).

Gutiz ★★ FRENCH/SPANISH/NEW AMERICAN Between purple and apricot walls hung with bright contemporary art, this restaurant, recently under new ownership, serves unique and flavorful cuisine. The recipes combine flavors from Spain, France, Peru, and Bolivia and use organic greens and fresh meats and fish, and a broad variety of chile peppers. Service is friendly and efficient. Breakfast brings delicacies such as my favorite, the Taoseño—rice, potatoes, chile, cheese, and fresh herbs topped with scrambled eggs. The French toast is thick, made with home-baked bread. Lunch might begin with a niçoise salad made with fresh tuna, French beans, veggies, potatoes, and olives. The many varied sandwiches come on homemade bread. Alongside the great food, sip from a variety of coffees and chai tea.

812-B Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-1226. Main courses $7–$18. MC, V. Tues–Sun 8am–3pm.

Lula’s ★★ DELI/CAFE A few blocks south of the plaza, this deli offers gourmet soups and sandwiches and diner-style meals between sun-colored walls or to go. The tables here, tall and glass, with stools, don’t quite match the comfort level of the food, so diners tend to grab the few regular wooden ones. You order at a counter and the food is served at your table. The soups are gourmet, especially the vegetable stew, which has a rich broth and is served with a baguette. Paninis are a big draw here, the one with roasted eggplant, roasted red bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, provolone, and pesto a real favorite. The nightly blue-plate specials served after 4pm on weekdays and all day Saturday may include chicken alfresco—chicken in broth seasoned with garlic, tomato, and basil over linguini. A kids’ menu pleases the tots. Don’t leave without sampling a coconut macaroon with whipped ganache dipped in chocolate. Sample from the small select beer and wine list.

316 Paseo del Pueblo Sur. 575/751-1280. Main courses $7.50–$14. MC. V. Mon–Sat 11am–9pm (winter until 8pm).

Orlando’s New Mexican Café ★ NEW MEXICAN Festivity reigns in this spicy little cafe on the north end of town. Serving some of northern New Mexico’s best chile, this place has colorful tables set around a bustling open kitchen and airy patio dining during warmer months. Service is friendly but minimal. Try the Los Colores, their most popular dish, with three enchiladas (chicken, beef, and cheese) smothered in chile and served with beans and posole. The taco salad is another favorite. Portions are big here, and you can order a Mexican or microbrew beer, or a New Mexican or California wine.

114 Don Juan Valdez Lane (1 3/4 miles north of the plaza, off Paseo del Pueblo Norte). 575/751-1450. Reservations not accepted. Main courses under $12. MC, V. Daily 10:30am–3pm and 5–9pm.

North of town

Taos Cow ★ DELI/DESSERT Located about 10 minutes north of town in Arroyo Seco, Taos Cow offers fun breakfast and lunch fare in a relaxed atmosphere—and, of course, ice cream! Diners order and pick up at a counter. A unique item here is the potpies in chicken, buffalo, beef, or veggie, all with rich sauce and lots of vegetables. Village residents like to wake up to the breakfast tacos, made with fresh local eggs and lots of green chile. A different quiche special, such as a veggie with quinoa, tops the menu each day, and a variety of sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients ranging from black forest ham to portobello mushrooms. All that said, the real reason to come here is the hormone-free ice cream in a variety of flavors. My all-time favorite is the Cherry Ristra, with piñon nuts and chocolate chunks. Kids love their shakes. On chillier afternoons, there are espresso, cappuccino, and hot chocolate to warm you after a day on the slopes.

485 NM 150, Arroyo Seco. 575/776-5640. All menu items under $12. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–7pm (winter until 6pm).

What to See & Do

Taos Attractions

With a history shaped by pre-Columbian civilization, Spanish colonialism, and the Wild West; outdoor activities that range from ballooning to world-class skiing; and a clustering of artists, writers, and musicians, Taos has something to offer almost everybody. Its pueblo is the most accessible in New Mexico, and its museums represent a world-class display of regional history and culture.

The Top Attractions

Millicent Rogers Museum of Northern New Mexico ★★ This museum will give you a glimpse of some of the finest Southwestern arts and crafts anywhere, but it’s small enough to avoid being overwhelming. It was founded in 1953 by Millicent Rogers’s family members after her death. Rogers was a wealthy Taos émigré who in 1947 began acquiring a magnificent collection of beautiful Native American arts and crafts. Included are Navajo and Pueblo jewelry, Navajo textiles, Pueblo pottery, Hopi and Zuni katsina dolls, paintings from the Rio Grande Pueblo people, and basketry from a wide variety of Southwestern tribes. The museum also presents exhibitions of Southwestern art, crafts, and design.

Since the 1970s, the scope of the museum’s permanent collection has been expanded to include Anglo arts and crafts and Hispanic religious and secular arts and crafts, from Spanish and Mexican colonial to contemporary times. Included are santos, furniture, weavings, colcha embroideries, and decorative tinwork. Agricultural implements, domestic utensils, and tools dating from the 17th and 18th centuries are also displayed.

The museum gift shop has a fine collection of superior regional art. Classes, workshops, lectures, and field trips are held throughout the year.

Off US 64, 4 miles north of Taos Plaza, on Millicent Rogers Rd. 575/758-2462. www.millicentrogers.org. Admission $10 adults, $6 students, $8 seniors, $2 children 6–16, $18 family rate. Daily 10am–5pm. Closed Mon Nov–Mar, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day.

A Tip for Museumgoers

If you’d like to visit five museums that comprise the Museum Association of Taos—Blumenschein Home, Martinez Hacienda, Harwood Museum, Millicent Rogers Museum, and Taos Art Museum—you’ll save money by purchasing a combination ticket for $25. The ticket allows one-time entry to each museum during a 1-year period and is fully transferable to other people. You may purchase the pass at any of the five museums. For more information, call 575/758-0505.

San Francisco de Asis Church ★★ On NM 68, about 4 miles south of Taos, this famous church appears as a modern adobe sculpture with no doors or windows, an image that has often been photographed and painted, most notably by Ansel Adams and Georgia O’Keeffe. Visitors must walk through the garden on the east side to enter the two-story church and get a full perspective of its massive walls, authentic adobe plaster, and beauty.

A video presentation is given in the church office every half-hour. Also, displayed on the wall is an unusual painting, The Shadow of the Cross, by Henri Ault (1896). Under ordinary light, it portrays a barefoot Christ at the Sea of Galilee; in darkness, however, the portrait becomes luminescent, and the perfect shadow of a cross forms over the left shoulder of Jesus’ silhouette. The artist reportedly was as shocked as everyone else to see this. The reason for the illusion remains a mystery. A few crafts shops surround the square.

Ranchos de Taos Plaza. 575/758-2754. Admission $3 for video and mystery painting. Mon–Sat 9am–4pm. Visitors may attend Mass Mon–Wed and Fri 6:45am; Sat 6pm (Mass rotates from this church to the 3 mission chapels); Sun 7 (Spanish), 9, and 11:30am. Closed to the public 1st 2 weeks in June, when repairs are done; however, services still take place.

Taos Art Museum ★ Set in the home of Russian artist Nicolai Fechin (Feh-shin), this collection displays works of the Taos Society of Artists, which give a sense of what Taos was like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The works are rich and varied, including panoramas and images of the Native American and Hispanic villagers. The setting in what was Fechin’s home from 1927 until 1933 is truly unique. The historic building commemorates his career. Born in Russia in 1881, Fechin came to the United States in 1923, already acclaimed as a master of painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, and woodwork. In Taos, he renovated the home and embellished it with hand-carved doors, windows, gates, posts, fireplaces, and other features of a Russian country home. Fechin died in 1955. If you don’t care to pay the admission, you can see just Fechin’s studio, which is attached to the gift shop, for free. Also, bear in mind that this museum is privately funded, so your dollars are a real help.

227 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-2690. www.taosartmuseum.org. Admission $8 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students $4 children 6–12, free for 5 and under. Summer Tues–Sun 10am–5pm; call for winter hours.

Taos Historic Museums ★★ Two historical homes are operated as museums, affording visitors a glimpse of early Taos lifestyles. The Martinez Hacienda and Ernest Blumenschein home each has unique appeal.

The Martinez Hacienda, Lower Ranchitos Road, Hwy. 240 ( 575/758-1000), is one of the only Spanish colonial haciendas in the United States that’s open to the public year-round. This was the home of the merchant, trader, and alcalde (mayor) Don Antonio Severino Martinez, who bought it in 1804 and lived here until his death in 1827. His eldest son was Padre Antonio José Martinez, northern New Mexico’s controversial spiritual leader from 1826 to 1867. Located on the west bank of the Rio Pueblo de Taos, about 2 miles southwest of the plaza, the museum is remarkably beautiful, with thick, raw adobe walls. The hacienda has no exterior windows—this was to protect against raids by Plains tribes.

Twenty-one rooms were built around two placitas, or interior courtyards. They give you a glimpse of the austerity of frontier lives, with only a few pieces of modest period furniture in each. You’ll see bedrooms, stables, a kitchen, and a large fiesta room. Exhibits tell the story of the Martinez family and life in Spanish Taos between 1598 and 1821, when Mexico gained control.

Taos Historic Museums has developed the Martinez Hacienda into a living museum with weavers, blacksmiths, and woodcarvers. Demonstrations are scheduled daily, and during the Taos Trade Fair (held in late Sept) they run virtually nonstop. The Trade Fair commemorates the era when Native Americans, Spanish settlers, and mountain men met here to trade with each other.

The Ernest L. Blumenschein Home & Museum, 222 Ledoux St. ( 575/758-0505), 1 1/2 blocks southwest of the plaza, re-creates the lifestyle of one of the founders of the Taos Society of Artists. An adobe home with garden walls and a courtyard, parts of which date from the 1790s, it became the home and studio of Blumenschein (1874–1960) and his family in 1919. Period furnishings include European antiques and handmade Taos furniture in Spanish colonial style.

Blumenschein was born and raised in Cincinnati. In 1898, after training in New York and Paris, he and fellow painter Bert Phillips were on assignment for Harper’s and McClure’s magazines of New York when a wheel of their wagon broke 30 miles north of Taos. Blumenschein drew the short straw and thus was obliged to bring the wheel by horseback to Taos for repair. He later recounted his initial reaction to the valley he entered: “No artist had ever recorded the New Mexico I was now seeing. No writer had ever written down the smell of this air or the feel of that morning sky. I was receiving . . . the first great unforgettable inspiration of my life. My destiny was being decided.”

That spark later led to the foundation of Taos as an art colony. An extensive collection of works by early-20th-century Taos artists, including some by Blumenschein’s wife, Mary, and daughter, Helen, are on display in several rooms of the home.

222 Ledoux St. 575/758-0505 (information for both museums can be obtained at this number). www.taosmuseums.org. Admission for each museum $8 adults, $4 children 6–16, free for children 5 and under. Summer daily 9am–5pm; call for winter hours.

Taos Pueblo ★★★ This home to some 100 residents offers a peek into the traditional Pueblo culture. When you enter this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll see two large buildings, both with rooms piled on top of each other, forming structures that echo the shape of Taos Mountain (which sits to the northeast). Here, a portion of Taos residents lives without electricity and running water. The remaining 2,000 residents of Taos Pueblo live in conventional homes on the pueblo’s 100,000 acres.

The main buildings’ distinctive flowing lines of shaped mud, with a straw-and-mud exterior plaster, are typical of Pueblo architecture throughout the Southwest. It’s architecture that blends in with the surrounding land. Bright blue doors are the same shade as the sky that frames the brown buildings.

The northernmost of New Mexico’s 19 pueblos, Taos Pueblo has been home to the Tiwa-speaking people for more than a millennium. Many residents here still practice ancestral rituals. The center of their world is still nature; women use hornos to bake bread, and most still drink water that flows down from the sacred Blue Lake. Meanwhile, arts and crafts and other tourism-related businesses support the economy, along with government services, ranching, and farming.

The village looks much the same today as it did when a regiment from Coronado’s expedition first came upon it in 1540. Though the Tiwa were essentially a peaceful agrarian people, they are perhaps best remembered for spearheading the most successful revolt by Native Americans. Launched by Popé (Poh-pay) in 1680, the uprising drove the Spanish from Santa Fe until 1692 and from Taos until 1698.

As you explore the pueblo, you can visit the residents’ studios, sample homemade bread, look into the San Geronimo Chapel, and wander past the fascinating ruins of the old church and cemetery. You’re expected to ask permission from individuals before taking their photos; some will ask for a small payment. Do not trespass into kivas (ceremonial rooms) and other areas marked as restricted.

The Feast of San Geronimo (the patron saint of Taos Pueblo), on September 29 and 30, marks the end of the harvest season. The feast day is reminiscent of an ancient trade fair for the Taos Indians, when tribes from as far south as South America and as far north as the Arctic would come and trade for wares, hides, clothing, and harvested crops. The day is filled with footraces, pole climbing done by traditional Indian clowns, and artists and craftspeople dressed like early traders. Dance ceremonies are held the evening of September 29. Other annual events include a turtle dance on New Year’s Day, buffalo or deer dances on Three Kings Day (Jan 6), and corn dances on Santa Cruz Day (May 3), San Antonio Day (June 13), San Juan Day (June 24), Santiago Day (July 25), and Santa Ana Day (July 26). The annual Taos Pueblo Powwow (www.taospueblopowwow.com), a dance competition and parade that brings together tribes from throughout North America, is held the second weekend of July on tribal lands off NM 522 (see “New Mexico Calendar of Events,” in chapter 3). The pueblo Christmas celebration begins on Christmas Eve, with bonfires and a procession of the Blessed Mother. On Christmas Day, a variety of dances take place. These may include the deer dance, in which dancers act out a hunt, or the Matachine dances, which depicts the blending of the native and Spanish traditions.

During your visit to the pueblo you will have the opportunity to purchase traditional fried and oven-baked bread as well as a variety of arts and crafts. As with many of the other pueblos in New Mexico, Taos Pueblo has opened a casino. The smoke-free Taos Mountain Casino ( 888/946-8267; www.taosmountaincasino.com) is on the main road to Taos Pueblo and features slot machines, blackjack, and poker.

Note: To learn more about the pueblo and its people, I recommend taking a 15-minute guided tour. Ask upon arrival when the next one will be given and where you should meet your guide.

Veterans Hwy. (P.O. Box 1846), Taos Pueblo. 575/758-1028. www.taospueblo.com. $10 adults, $5 students, children 10 and under free. Camera, video, and sketching fees subject to change on a yearly basis; be sure to ask about telephoto lenses and tripods, as the pueblo may not allow them; photography not permitted on feast days. Daily 8am–4:30pm in summer, 8am–4pm in winter, with a few exceptions. Guided tours available. Closed for 6 weeks every year late winter or early spring (call ahead). Because this is a living community, you can expect other periodic closures. From Paseo del Pueblo Norte, travel north 2 miles on Veterans Hwy.

More Attractions

D. H. Lawrence Ranch A trip to this ranch north of Taos leads you into odd realms of devotion for the controversial early-20th-century author who lived and wrote in the area in the early 1920s. A short uphill walk from the ranch home (not open to visitors) is the D. H. Lawrence Memorial, a small stucco structure that is said to have Lawrence’s ashes mixed in with the cement. The guest book is interesting: One couple wrote of trying for 24 years to get here from England.

Lawrence lived in Taos on and off between 1922 and 1925. The ranch was a gift to his wife, Frieda, from the art patron Mabel Dodge Luhan. Lawrence repaid Luhan the favor by giving her the manuscript of Sons and Lovers. When Lawrence died in southern France in 1930 of tuberculosis, his ashes were returned here for burial. The grave of Frieda, who died in 1956, is outside the memorial. The memorial is the only public building at the ranch, which is operated today by the University of New Mexico as an educational and recreational retreat.

NM 522, San Cristobal. 575/776-2245. Free admission. Daily 8am–6pm. To reach the site, head north from Taos about 15 miles on NM 522, then another 6 miles east into the forested Sangre de Cristo Range via a well-marked dirt road.

Governor Bent House Museum This residence of Charles Bent, New Mexico Territory’s first American governor, offers an interesting peek into the region’s at-times brutal history. Bent, a former trader who established Fort Bent, Colorado, was murdered during the 1847 Native American and Hispanic rebellion, while his wife and children escaped by digging through an adobe wall into the house next door. The hole is still visible. Period art and artifacts are on display at the museum, just a short block north of the plaza. Owned by the same family since the 1950s, the museum also has a charming gift shop with historic memorabilia.

117 Bent St. 575/758-2376. Admission $3 adults, $1 children 8–15, free for children 7 and under. MC, V. Daily 9:30am–5pm (winter from 10am). Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day. Street parking.

Harwood Museum of Art of the University of New Mexico ★★ With its high ceilings and broad wood floors, this museum is a lovely place to wander among New Mexico–inspired images. A cultural and community center since 1923, the museum displays paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, and photographs by Taos-area artists from 1800 to the present. Featured are paintings from the early days of the art colony by members of the Taos Society of Artists, including Oscar Berninghaus, Ernest Blumenschein, Herbert Dunton, Victor Higgins, Bert Phillips, and Walter Ufer. Also included are works by Emil Bisttram, Andrew Dasburg, Agnes Martin, Larry Bell, and Thomas Benrimo.

Upstairs are 19th-century pounded-tin pieces, bultos (carved statues) and retablos (religious paintings of saints that have traditionally been used for decoration and inspiration in the homes and churches of New Mexico). The permanent collection includes sculptures by Patrociño Barela, one of the leading Hispanic artists of 20th-century New Mexico. It’s well worth seeing, especially his 3-foot-tall “Death Cart,” a rendition of Doña Sebastiána, the bringer of death.

238 Ledoux St. 575/758-9826. www.harwoodmuseum.org. Admission $8 adults, $7 seniors, free for children 11 and under. Tues–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm (winter until 4pm).

Kit Carson Home and Museum If you want a glimpse into the modest lifestyle of Taos’s frontiersmen, head to this three-room adobe home, a block east of the plaza. Built in 1825 and purchased in 1843 by Carson—the famous mountain man, Indian agent, and scout—it was a wedding gift for his young bride, Josefa Jaramillo. It remained their home for 25 years, until both died (exactly a month apart) in 1868. Rooms have sparse displays such as buffalo hide and sheepskin bedding, a wooden chest, basic kitchen utensils, and a cooking fireplace. The treasure of the museum is interpreter Natívídad Mascarenas-Gallegos, a distant relative of Carson, who can tell you plenty about the family. The museum also includes a film on Carson produced by the History Channel. The price of a visit here is a bit steep for what you see, but if you decide to come, plan on spending about a half-hour. If you’d like to see more of Carson’s possessions, visit the Martinez Hacienda (see above).

113 Kit Carson Rd. 575/758-4945. www.kitcarsonhomeandmuseum.com. Admission $5 adult, $4 seniors 65 years and older, $3 children 13–18, $2 children 6–12. Daily 9am–6pm.

Kit Carson Park and Cemetery Major community events are held in the park in summer. The cemetery, established in 1847, contains the graves of Carson, his wife, Governor Charles Bent, the Don Antonio Martinez family, Mabel Dodge Luhan, and many other noted historical figures and artists. Their lives are described briefly on plaques.

211 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-8234. Free admission. Daily 24 hr.

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge ★ This impressive bridge, west of the Taos airport, spans the Southwest’s greatest river. At 650 feet above the canyon floor, it’s one of America’s highest bridges. If you can withstand the vertigo, it’s interesting to come more than once, at different times of day, to observe how the changing light plays tricks with the colors of the cliff walls. A curious aside is that the wedding scene in the movie Natural Born Killers was filmed here.

US 64, 10 miles west of Taos. Free admission. Daily 24 hr.

Organized Tours

An excellent opportunity to explore the historic downtown area of Taos is offered by Taos Historic Walking Tours ( 575/758-4020). Tours cost $12 and take 1 1/2 to 2 hours, leaving from the Kit Carson Cemetery at 10am Monday to Saturday (June–Aug; closed holidays). Call to make an appointment.

If you’d really like a taste of Taos history and drama, call Enchantment Dreams Walking Tours ★ ( 575/776-2562; storytel1@yahoo.com). Roberta Courtney Meyers, a theater artist, dramatist, and composer, will tour you through Taos’s history while performing a number of characters, such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Kit Carson. Walking tours cost $25 per person.

Skiing ★★★

Downhill Skiing

Five alpine resorts are within an hour’s drive of Taos; all offer complete facilities, including equipment rentals. Although exact opening and closing dates vary according to snow conditions, the season usually begins around Thanksgiving and continues into early April.

Ski clothing can be purchased, and ski equipment can be rented or bought, from several Taos outlets. Among them are Cottam’s Ski & Outdoor Shops, with four locations ( 800/322-8267 or 575/758-2822; www.cottamsoutdoor.com), and Taos Ski Valley Sportswear, Ski & Boot Co., in Taos Ski Valley ( 575/776-2291).

Taos Ski Valley ★★★, P.O. Box 90, Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525 ( 575/776-2291; www.skitaos.org), is the preeminent ski resort in the southern Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1955 by a Swiss-German immigrant, Ernie Blake. According to local legend, Blake searched for 2 years in a small plane for the perfect location for a ski resort comparable to what he was accustomed to in the Alps. He found it at the abandoned mining site of Twining, high above Taos. Today, under the management of two younger generations of Blakes, the resort has become internationally renowned for its light, dry powder (as much as 300 in. annually), its superb ski school, and its personal, friendly service.

Taos Ski Valley can best be appreciated by the more experienced skier and snowboarder. It offers steep, high-alpine, high-adventure skiing. The mountain is more intricate than it might seem at first glance, and it holds many surprises and challenges—even for the expert. The London Times called the valley “without any argument the best ski resort in the world. Small, intimate, and endlessly challenging, Taos simply has no equal.” The quality of the snow here (light and dry) is believed to be due to the dry Southwestern air and abundant sunshine. Note: In 2008, Taos Ski Valley began allowing snowboarders onto its slopes.

Between the 11,819-foot summit and the 9,207-foot base, there are 72 trails and bowls, more than half of them designated for expert and advanced skiers. Most of the remaining trails are suitable for advanced intermediates; there is little flat terrain for novices to gain experience and mileage. However, many beginning skiers find that after spending time in lessons they can enjoy the Kachina Bowl, which offers spectacular views as well as wide-open slopes.

The area has an uphill capacity of 15,000 skiers per hour on its five double chairs, one triple, four quads, and one surface tow. Full-day lift tickets, depending on the season, cost $45 to $69 for adults, $30 to $58 for ages 13 to 17, $20 to $41 for children 12 and under, $35 to $58 for seniors 65 to 79, and are free for seniors over 80 and for children 6 and under with an adult ticket purchase. Full rental packages are $29 for adults and $20 for children. Taos Ski Valley is open daily 9am to 4pm from Thanksgiving to around the second week of April. Note: Taos Ski Valley has one of the best ski schools in the country, specializing in teaching people how to negotiate steep and challenging runs.

Skiing with Kids

With its children’s ski school, Taos Ski Valley has always been an excellent choice for skiing families, but with the 1994 addition of an 18,000-square-foot children’s center (Kinderkäfig Center), skiing with your children in Taos is even better. Kinderkäfig offers many services, from equipment rental for children to babysitting services. Call ahead for more information.

Taos Ski Valley has many lodges and condominiums, with nearly 1,500 beds. (See “Taos Ski Valley,” earlier, for details on accommodations.) All offer ski-week packages; three of them have restaurants. There are three restaurants on the mountain in addition to the many facilities of Village Center at the base. Call the Taos Ski Valley ( 800/776-1111 or 575/776-2233).

Not far from Taos Ski Valley is Red River Ski & Snowboard Area, P.O. Box 900, Red River, NM 87558 ( 800/331-7669 for reservations; 575/754-2223 for information; www.redriverskiarea.com). One of the bonuses of this ski area is that lodgers at Red River can walk out their doors and be on the slopes. Two other factors make this 40-year-old, family-oriented area special: First, most of its 58 trails are geared toward the intermediate skier, though beginners and experts also have some trails, and second, good snow is guaranteed early and late in the year by snowmaking equipment that can work on 87% of the runs, more than any other in New Mexico. However, be aware that this human-made snow tends to be icy, and the mountain is full of inexperienced skiers, so you really have to watch your back. Locals in the area refer to this as “Little Texas” because it’s so popular with Texans and other Southerners. A very friendly atmosphere, with a touch of redneck attitude, prevails.

There’s a 1,600-foot vertical drop here to a base elevation of 8,750 feet. Lifts include four double chairs, two triple chairs, and a surface tow, with a capacity of 7,920 skiers per hour. The cost of a ticket for all lifts is $59 for adults for a full day, $44 half-day; $48 for ages 13 to 19 for a full day, $35 half-day; and $39 for children 4 to 12 and seniors 60 through 69 for a full day, $32 half-day (free for seniors 70 and over). All rental packages start at $25 for adults, $17 for children. Lifts run daily 9am to 4pm approximately Thanksgiving through March. Ask about their lesson packages.

Also quite close to Taos (approx. 20 miles) is Angel Fire Resort ★, P.O. Drawer B, Angel Fire, NM 87710 ( 800/633-7463 or 575/377-6401; www.angelfireresort.com). If you (or your kids) don’t feel up to skiing steeper Taos Mountain, Angel Fire is a good choice. The 73 trails are heavily oriented to beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders, with a few runs for more advanced skiers and snowboarders. The mountain has received over $7 million in improvements in past years. This is not an old village like you’ll find at Taos and Red River. Instead, it’s a Vail-style resort, built in 1960, with a variety of activities other than skiing (see “A Scenic Drive: The Enchanted Circle,” later in this chapter). The snow-making capabilities here are excellent, and the ski school is good, though I hear it’s so crowded that it’s difficult to get in during spring break. Two high-speed quad lifts whisk you to the top quickly. There are also three double lifts and one surface lift. A large snowboard park contains a banked slalom course, rails, jumps, and other obstacles. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snow biking are also available. All-day lift tickets cost $59 for adults, $52 for ages 13 to 17, and $39 for children 7 to 12. Kids 6 and under and seniors 70 and over ski free. It’s open daily 9am to 4pm from approximately mid-December to March 29 (depending on the weather).

The oldest ski area in the Taos region, founded in 1952, Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort, Hwy. 518, Rte. Box 29, Vadito, NM 87579 ( 505/587-2240; www.sipapunm.com), is 25 miles southeast of Taos, on NM 518 in Tres Ritos Canyon. It prides itself on being a small local ski area, especially popular with schoolchildren. It has two triple chairs and two surface lifts, with a vertical drop of 1,025 feet to the 8,200-foot base elevation. There are 31 trails, half classified as intermediate, and two terrain park trails have been added. It’s a nice little area, tucked way back in the mountains, with excellent lodging rates. Be aware that because the elevation is fairly low, runs can be icy. Lift tickets are $39 for adults for a full day, $29 for half-day; $34 for ages 13 through 20 full day, $26 for half-day; $29 for children 6 to 12 full day, $22 for half day; $29 for seniors 60 to 69 full day, $22 for half-day; free for seniors 70 and over and children 5 and under. A package including lift tickets, equipment rental, and a lesson costs $53 for adults and $42 for children. Also check out their lodging/skiing packages. Sipapu is open from about the end of November to March, and lifts run daily from 9am to 4pm.

Cross-Country Skiing

Numerous popular Nordic trails traverse Carson National Forest. If you call or write ahead, the ranger will send you a booklet titled Where to Go in the Snow, which gives cross-country skiers details about the maintained trails. One of the more popular trails is Amole Canyon, off NM 518 near the Sipapu Ski Area, where the Taos Nordic Ski Club maintains set tracks and signs along a 3-mile loop. It’s closed to snowmobiles, a comfort to lovers of serenity.

Just east of Red River, with 16 miles of groomed trails (in addition to 6 miles of trails strictly for snowshoers) in 400 acres of forestlands atop Bobcat Pass, is the Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area ★ ( 575/754-6112; www.enchantedforestxc.com). Full-day trail passes, good from 9am to 4:30pm, are $15 for adults, $12 for teens 13 to 17 and seniors 62 to 69, $7 for children 7 to 12, and free for seniors 70 and over, as well as for children 6 and under. In addition to cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals, the ski area also rents pulk sleds—high-tech devices in which children are pulled by their skiing parents. The ski area offers a full ski shop and snack bar. Instruction in cross-country classic as well as freestyle skating is available. A new yurt (Mongolian-style hut) is also available for a ski-in accommodation. Taos Mountain Outfitters, 114 S. Plaza ( 575/758-9292; www.taosmountainoutfitters.com), offers telemark and cross-country sales and rentals.

More Outdoor Activities

Taos County’s 2,200 square miles embrace a great diversity of scenic beauty, from New Mexico’s highest mountain, 13,161-foot Wheeler Peak, to the 650-foot-deep chasm of the Rio Grande Gorge ★★. Carson National Forest, which extends to the eastern city limits of Taos and cloaks a large part of the county, contains several major ski facilities as well as hundreds of miles of hiking trails through the Sangre de Cristo Range.

Recreation areas are mainly in the national forest, where pine and aspen provide refuge for abundant wildlife. Forty-eight areas are accessible by road, including 38 with campsites. There are also areas on the high desert mesa, carpeted by sagebrush, cactus, and, frequently, wildflowers. Two beautiful areas within a short drive of Taos are the Valle Vidal Recreation Area, north of Red River, and the Wild Rivers Recreation Area near Questa (see “A Scenic Drive: The Enchanted Circle,” later in this chapter). For complete information, contact Carson National Forest, 208 Cruz Alta Rd. ( 575/758-6200; www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson), or the Bureau of Land Management, 226 Cruz Alta Rd. ( 575/758-8851; www.blm.gov/nm).

Along a green shore

A sweet spot en route to Taos from Santa Fe, the Orilla Verde (Green Shore) Recreation Area offers just what its name implies: lovely green shores along the Rio Grande. It’s an excellent place to camp or to simply have a picnic. If you’re adventurous, the flat water in this section of the river makes for scenic canoeing, kayaking, rafting, and fishing. Hiking trails thread through the area as well. Along them, you may come across ancient cultural artifacts, but be sure to leave them as you find them.

While traveling to the area, you’ll encounter two places of note. The village of Pilar ★ is a charming farming village, home to apple orchards, cornfields, and artists. The Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center (at the intersection of NM 570 and NM 68; 575/751-4899) provides information about the gorge and has very clean restrooms. It’s open May to October daily 8:30am to 4:30pm (also Nov–Apr daily 10am–2pm if they can secure volunteer staff).

The day-use fee for Orilla Verde is $3 per day, camping is $7 per night, and RV camping is $15 per night. All campsites have picnic tables, grills, and restrooms. For information, contact the Orilla Verde Visitor Station ( 575/751-4899; www.blm.gov/nm), at the campground. To reach the recreation area, travel north from Santa Fe 50 miles or southwest from Taos 15 miles on NM 68; turn north on NM 570 and travel 1 mile.

Ballooning

As in many other towns throughout New Mexico, hot-air ballooning is a top attraction. Recreational trips over the Taos Valley and Rio Grande Gorge are offered by Paradise Hot Air Balloon Adventure ( 575/751-6098; www.taosballooning.com). The company also offers ultralight rides.

Biking

Even if you’re not an avid cyclist, it won’t take long for you to realize that getting around Taos by bike is preferable to driving. You won’t have the usual parking problems, and you won’t have to sit in the line of traffic as it snakes through the center of town. If you feel like exploring the surrounding area, Carson National Forest rangers recommend several biking trails in the greater Taos area. Head to the West Rim Trail for a scenic and easy ride. To reach the trail, travel US 64 to the Taos Gorge Bridge, cross it, and find the trail head on your left, or head south on NM 68 for 17 miles to Pilar; turn west onto NM 570. Travel along the river for 6 1/4 miles, cross the bridge, and drive to the top of the ridge. Watch for the trail marker on your right. For a more technical and challenging ride, go to Devisadero Loop. From Taos, drive out of town on US 64 to your first pullout on the right, just as you enter the canyon at El Nogal Picnic Area. The U.S. Forest Service office, 208 Cruz Alta Rd. ( 575/758-6200), has excellent trail information. Also look for the Taos Trails map (created jointly by Carson National Forest, Native Sons Adventures, and Trails Illustrated) at area bookstores.

Bicycle rentals are available from the Gearing Up Bicycle Shop, 129 Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 575/751-0365; www.gearingupbikes.com); daily rentals run $35 for a mountain bike with front suspension.

Fishing

In many of New Mexico’s waters, fishing is possible year-round, though, due to conditions, many high lakes and streams are fishable only during the warmer months. Overall, the best fishing is in the spring and fall. Naturally, the Rio Grande is a favorite fishing spot, but there is also excellent fishing in the streams around Taos. Taoseños favor the Rio Hondo, Rio Pueblo (near Tres Ritos), Rio Fernando (in Taos Canyon), Pot Creek, and Rio Chiquito. Rainbow, cutthroat, German brown trout, and kokanee (a freshwater salmon) are commonly stocked and caught. Pike and catfish have been caught in the Rio Grande as well. Jiggs, spinners, or woolly worms are recommended as lure, or worms, corn, or salmon eggs as bait; many experienced anglers prefer fly-fishing.

Licenses are required, and are sold, along with tackle, at several Taos sporting-goods shops. For backcountry guides, try Deep Creek Wilderness Outfitters and Guides, P.O. Box 721, El Prado, NM 87529 ( 575/776-8423 or 575/776-5901), or Taylor Streit Flyfishing Service, 405 Camino de la Placita ( 575/751-1312; www.streitflyfishing.com).

Fitness Facilities

The Taos Spa and Tennis Club, 111 Dona Ana Dr. (across from Sagebrush Inn; 575/758-1980; www.taosspa.com), is a fully equipped fitness center that rivals any you’d find in a big city. It has a variety of cardiovascular machines, bikes, and weight-training machines, as well as saunas, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis, a steam room, and indoor and outdoor pools. Classes range from yoga to Pilates to water fitness. In addition, it has tennis and racquetball courts. Therapeutic massage, facials, and physical therapy are available daily by appointment. Children’s programs include a tennis camp and swimming lessons, and babysitting programs are available in the morning and evening. The spa is open Monday to Thursday 5am to 9pm, Friday 5am to 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday 7am to 8pm. Monthly memberships are available for individuals and families, as are summer memberships. For visitors, there’s a daily rate of $12.

The Northside Health and Fitness Center, at 1307 Paseo del Pueblo Norte ( 575/751-1242; www.taosnorthsidespa.com), is also a full-service facility, featuring top-of-the-line Cybex equipment, free weights, and cardiovascular equipment. Aerobics classes are scheduled daily (Jazzercise classes weekly), and there are indoor/outdoor pools and four tennis courts, as well as children’s and seniors’ programs. The center is open weekdays 5am to 9pm and weekends 8am to 8pm. The daily visitors’ rate is $8. Also of note, with classes daily, is Taos Pilates Studio, 1103 Paseo del Pueblo Norte ( 575/758-7604; www.taospilates.net).

Golf

Since the summer of 1993, the 18-hole golf course at the Taos Country Club, 54 Golf Course Dr., Ranchos de Taos ( 575/758-7300; www.taoscountryclub.com), has been open to the public. Located off CR 110, just 6 miles south of the plaza, it’s a first-rate championship golf course designed for all levels of play. It has open fairways and no hidden greens. The club also features a driving range, practice putting and chipping green, and instruction by PGA professionals. Greens fees are seasonal and start at $62; cart and club rentals are available. The country club has also added a clubhouse, featuring a restaurant and full bar. It’s always advisable to call ahead for tee times 1 week in advance, but it’s not unusual for people to show up unannounced and still manage to find a time to tee off.

The par-72, 18-hole course at the Angel Fire Resort Golf Course ( 800/633-7463 or 575/377-3055; www.angelfireresort.com/summer) is PGA endorsed. Surrounded by stands of ponderosa pine, spruce, and aspen, at 8,500 feet, it’s one of the highest regulation golf courses in the world. It also has a driving range and putting green. Carts and clubs can be rented at the course, and the club pro provides instruction. Greens fees range from $47 to $99.

Hiking

There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails in Taos County’s mountain and high-mesa country. The trails are especially well traveled in the summer and fall, although nights turn chilly and mountain weather may be fickle by September.

Free materials and advice on all Carson National Forest trails and recreation areas can be obtained from the Forest Service Building, 208 Cruz Alta Rd. ( 575/758-6200; www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson), open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm. Detailed USGS topographical maps of backcountry areas can be purchased from Taos Mountain Outfitters, 114 S. Plaza ( 575/758-9292; www.taosmountainoutfitters.com).

One of the easiest hikes to access is the West Rim Trail, aptly named because it runs along the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge. Access this 9-mile-long trail by driving west from Taos on US 64, crossing the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, and turning left into the picnic area. The 19,663-acre Wheeler Peak Wilderness is a wonderland of alpine tundra, encompassing New Mexico’s highest peak (13,161 ft.). A favorite (though rigorous) hike to Wheeler Peak’s summit (15 miles round-trip with a 3,700-ft. elevation gain) makes for a long but fun day. The trail head is at Taos Ski Valley. For year-round hiking, head to the Wild Rivers Recreation Area ★ ( 575/770-1600), near Questa (see “A Scenic Drive: The Enchanted Circle,” later in this chapter).

Horseback Riding

The sage meadows and pine-covered mountains around Taos make it one of the West’s most romantic places to ride. Taos Indian Horse Ranch ★★, on Pueblo land off Ski Valley Road, just before Arroyo Seco ( 575/758-3212; www.taosindianhorseranch.com), offers a variety of guided rides. Open by appointment, the ranch provides horses for all types of riders (English, Western, Australian, and bareback) and ability levels. Call ahead to reserve and for prices, which will likely run about $100 for a 2-hour trail ride.

Horseback riding is also offered by Rio Grande Stables, P.O. Box 2122, El Prado ( 575/776-5913; www.lajitasstables.com), with rides taking place during the summer months at Taos Ski Valley. Most riding outfitters offer lunch trips and overnight trips. Call for prices and further details.

Hunting

Hunters in Carson National Forest bag deer, turkey, grouse, band-tailed pigeons, and elk by special permit. Hunting seasons vary year to year, so it’s important to inquire ahead with the New Mexico Game and Fish Department in Santa Fe ( 505/476-8000; www.wildlife.state.nm.us).

Jogging

The paved paths and grass of Kit Carson Park provide a quiet place to stretch your legs.

Llama Trekking

For a taste of the unusual, you might want to try letting a llama carry your gear and food while you walk and explore, free of any heavy burdens. They’re friendly, gentle animals that have keen senses of sight and smell. Often, other animals, such as elk, deer, and mountain sheep, are attracted to the scent of the llamas and will venture closer to hikers if the llamas are present.

Wild Earth Llama Adventures ★★ ( 800/758-5262 or 575/586-0174; www.llamaadventures.com) offers a “Take a Llama to Llunch” day hike—a full day of hiking into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, complete with a gourmet lunch for $99. Wild Earth also offers a variety of custom multiday wilderness adventures tailored to trekkers’ needs and fitness levels for $165 per person per day. Children 11 and under receive discounts. Camping gear and food are provided. On the trips, experienced guides provide information about native plants and local wildlife, as well as natural and regional history of the area. The head guide has doubled as a chef in the off season, so the meals on these treks are quite tasty.

River Rafting

Half- or full-day white-water rafting trips down the Rio Grande and Rio Chama originate in Taos and can be booked through a variety of outfitters in the area. The wild Taos Box ★★★, a steep-sided canyon south of the Wild Rivers Recreation Area, offers a series of class IV rapids that rarely let up for some 17 miles. The water drops up to 90 feet per mile, providing one of the most exciting 1-day white-water tours in the West. May and June, when the water is rising, is a good time to go. Experience is not required, but you will be required to wear a life jacket (provided), and you should be willing to get wet.

Most of the companies listed run the Taos Box ($104–$115 per person) and Pilar Racecourse ($45–$56 per person for a half-day) on a daily basis.

I highly recommend Los Rios River Runners ★ in Taos, P.O. Box 2734 ( 800/544-1181 or 575/776-8854; www.losriosriverrunners.com). Other safe bets are Native Sons Adventures, 1335 Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 800/753-7559 or 575/758-9342; www.nativesonsadventures.com), and Far Flung Adventures, P.O. Box 707, El Prado ( 800/359-2627 or 575/758-2628; www.farflung.com).

Safety warning: Only experienced river runners should attempt these waters without a guide. Check with the Bureau of Land Management ( 575/758-8851; www.blm.gov/nm) to make sure that you’re fully equipped to go white-water rafting. Have them check your gear to make sure that it’s sturdy enough—this is serious rafting and kayaking!

Rock Climbing

Mountain Skills, P.O. Box 206, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 ( 575/776-2222; www.climbingschoolusa.com), offers rock-climbing instruction for all skill levels, from beginners to more advanced climbers who would like to fine-tune their skills or just find out about the best area climbs.

Skateboarding

Try your board at Taos Youth Family Center, 407 Paseo del Cañon, 2 miles south of the plaza and about 3⁄4 mile off Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 505/758-4160; www.taosyouth.com). There is an in-line-skate and skateboarding park, open when there’s no snow or ice. Admission is free.

Getting Pampered: The spa scene

Taos doesn’t have the spa scene that Tucson and Phoenix do, but you can get pampered with treatments ranging from body polishes to mud wraps to massages at Estrella Massage & Day Spa, 601 Callejon Rd. ( 575/751-7307; www.estrellamassage.com). Taos Spa and Tennis Club (see “Fitness Facilities,” above) also offers massages.

If you’d like to stay at a spa, El Monte Sagrado, 317 Kit Carson Rd. ( 800/828-8267 or 505/758-3502; www.elmontesagrado.com), and Casa de las Chimeneas, 405 Cordoba Rd. ( 877/758-4777 or 575/758-4777; www.visittaos.com), offer a variety of treatments to their guests (see earlier).

Snowmobiling & ATV Riding

Native Sons Adventures, 1335 Paseo del Pueblo Sur ( 800/753-7559 or 575/758-9342; www.nativesonsadventures.com), runs fully guided tours in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Rates run $65 to $130. Advance reservations required.

Swimming

The indoors Taos Swimming Pool, Civic Plaza Drive at Camino de la Placita, opposite the Convention Center ( 575/758-4160; www.taosyouth.com), admits swimmers 8 and over without adult supervision.

Tennis

Taos Spa and Tennis Club has four courts, and the Northside Health and Fitness Center has three tennis courts (see both under “Fitness Facilities,” above). In addition, there are four free public courts in Taos—two at Kit Carson Park, on Paseo del Pueblo Norte, and two at Fred Baca Memorial Park, on Camino del Medio, south of Ranchitos Road.

Shopping

Given the town’s historical associations with the arts, it isn’t surprising that many visitors come to Taos to buy fine art. Some 50-odd galleries are within walking distance of the plaza, and a couple dozen more are just a short drive from downtown. Galleries and shops are generally open 7 days a week during summer and closed Sundays during winter. Hours vary but generally run from 10am to 5 or 6pm. Some artists show their work by appointment only.

The best-known artist in modern Taos is the late R. C. Gorman, a Navajo from Arizona who made his home in Taos for more than 2 decades. He was internationally acclaimed for his bright, somewhat surrealistic depictions of Navajo women. His Navajo Gallery, at 210 Ledoux St. ( 575/758-3250; www.rcgormangallery.com), is a showcase for his widely varied work: acrylics, lithographs, silk screens, bronzes, tapestries, hand-cast ceramic vases, etched glass, and more.

My favorite spots to shop are the Plaza and Bent Street areas and the village of Arroyo Seco ★ on NM 150, about 5 miles north of Taos en route to Taos Ski Valley. At the village you’ll find a lovely 1834 church, La Santísima Trinidad, along with a few cute little shops lining the winding lane through town. A few of my favorites there are Arroyo Seco Mercantile ★ ( 575/776-8806) at 488 NM 150, which is full of cowboy hats, antiques, and country home items; and Jack Leustig Imaging ★ ( 800/670-6651 or 575/776-3899; www.jliprints.com), which carries quality reproductions of fine artworks along with hundreds of art greeting cards.

Art

Act I Gallery This gallery has a broad range of works in a variety of media. You’ll find watercolors, retablos, furniture, paintings, Hispanic folk art, pottery, jewelry, and sculpture. 218 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 877/228-1278 or 575/758-7831. www.actonegallery.com.

Envision Gallery ★ Offering contemporary art with an elaborate sculpture garden, this is a fun place to browse for works on paper and of clay. Bold colors and innovative designs mark this work, with wind sculptures by Lyman Whitaker the real prize. 1405 Paseo del Pueblo Norte (in the Overland Sheepskin Complex), El Prado. 505/751-1344. www.envisiongallery.net.

Inger Jirby Gallery ★ The word expressionist could have been created to define the work of internationally known artist Inger Jirby. Full of bold color and passionate brush strokes, Jirby’s oils record the lives and landscapes of villages from the southwestern U.S. to Guatemala to Bali. This gallery, which meanders back through a 400-year-old adobe house, is a feast for the eyes and soul. 207 Ledoux St. 575/758-7333. www.jirby.com.

Lumina Contemporary Art ★★ North of Taos (about 8 min.) outside the village of Arroyo Seco, this gallery, a new version of the notable gallery that was in Taos, offers a tranquil museum-quality experience. Set within a 3-acre Japanese garden, it has a water cascade and Buddhist teahouse accented with large stone sculptures. Inside, works offer a refreshing look at the world. Watch for Chacha’s gold- and copper-leaf works on metal, and Annell Livingston’s geometric paintings on handmade paper. It’s open in summer Thursday to Monday 11am to 6:30pm; winter Friday to Monday 11am to 5pm. 11 NM 230, Arroyo Seco. 877/5-558-6462 or 575/776-0123. www.luminagallery.com.

Michael McCormick Gallery ★ Nationally renowned artists dynamically play with Southwestern themes in the works hanging at this gallery, steps from the plaza. Especially notable are the bright portraits by Miguel Martinez. If the gallery’s namesake is in, strike up a conversation about art or poetry. 106C Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 800/279-0879 or 575/758-1372. www.mccormickgallery.com.

Nichols Taos Fine Art Gallery Here you will find traditional works in all media, including Western and cowboy art. 403 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-2475.

Parks Gallery ★ Some of the region’s finest contemporary art decks the walls of this gallery just off the plaza. Some of the top artists here include the late Melissa Zink, Jim Wagner, Susan Contreres, and Erin Currier. 127 Bent St. 575/751-0343. www.parksgallery.com.

Philip Bareiss Gallery The works of some 30 leading Taos artists, including sculptor and painter Ron Davis, and painter Norbert Voelke, are exhibited here, along with early Taos modernists. 15 NM 150. 800/458-2284 or 575/776-2284. www.taosartappraisal.com.

R. B. Ravens A trader for many years, including 25 years on the Ranchos Plaza, R. B. Ravens is skilled at finding incredible period artwork. Here, you’ll find Navajo rugs and pottery, all in the setting of an old home with raw pine floors and hand-sculpted adobe walls. 4146 NM 68 (across from the St. Francis Church Plaza), Ranchos de Taos. 800/758-7322 or 575/758-7322. www.rbravens.com.

Robert L. Parsons Fine Art ★★ This gallery set in the 1859 Ferdinand Maxwell home carries works of the early Taos and Santa Fe artists, including Nicolai Fechin, Joseph Sharp, and O.E. Berninghaus. Fine Pueblo pottery and antique Navajo blankets dress the space as well. 131 Bent St. 575/751-0159. www.parsonsart.com.

Books

Moby Dickens Bookshop ★ This is Taos’s best bookstore, with comfortable places to sit and read. You’ll find children’s and adults’ collections of Southwest, Native American, and out-of-print books. 124A Bent St. 888/442-9980 or 575/758-3050. www.mobydickens.com.

Children

Twirl ★ As well as a fun place to shop, this is an adventure. A play structure, hobbit home, and fountain keep kids occupied while those of all ages hunt for musical instruments, toys, and clothing. 225 Camino de la Placita. 575/751-1402. www.twirlhouse.com.

Crafts

Taos Artisans Cooperative Gallery This 10-member cooperative gallery, owned and operated by local artists, sells local handmade jewelry, wearables, clay work, glass, leather work, and garden sculpture. You’ll always find an artist in the shop. 107C Bent St. 575/758-1558. www.taosartisansgallery.com.

Taos Blue This gallery has fine Native American and contemporary handcrafts. 101A Bent St. 575/758-3561. www.taosblue.com.

Weaving Southwest Contemporary tapestries by New Mexico artists, as well as one-of-a-kind rugs, blankets, and pillows, are the woven specialties found here. 106-A Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-0433. www.weavingsouthwest.com.

Fashions

Artemisia ★ Advertising “one-of-a-kind artwear and accessories,” this shop delivers, with wearable art in bold colors, all hand-woven or hand-sewn, all for women. 115 Bent St. 575/737-9800. www.artemisiataos.com.

Overland Sheepskin Company ★ You can’t miss the romantically weathered barn sitting on a meadow north of town. Inside, you’ll find anything you can imagine in leather: coats, gloves, hats, slippers. The coats here are exquisite, from oversize ranch styles to tailored blazers in a variety of leathers from sheepskin to buffalo hide. NM 522 (a few miles north of town). 575/758-8820. www.overland.com.

Food

Cid’s Food Market This store has the best selection of natural and gourmet foods in Taos. It’s a great place to stock your picnic basket with such items as roasted chicken and barbecued brisket, or with lighter fare such as sushi, Purple Onion–brand sandwiches, black-bean salad, and fresh hummus and tabbouleh. 623 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-1148. www.cidsfoodmarket.com.

Furniture

At Home in Taos ★ If you’re looking to brighten your abode, head to this brilliant shop just off the plaza. You’ll find colorful, handmade place mats and bowls as well as bags made from recycled materials. 117 S. Plaza. 575/751-1486.

Country Furnishings of Taos Here you’ll find unique hand-painted folk-art furniture. The pieces are as individual as the styles of the local folk artists who make them. There are also home accessories, unusual gifts, clothing, and jewelry. 534 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-4633.

Mineral & Fossil Gallery ★ This fine showroom offers an adventure into an ancient world of stunning geodes and fossils, both decorative and functional. Look for jewelry and fetishes here as well. 110 S. Plaza. 575/737-5001.

Nambé ★ This company made a name for itself producing serving platters, picture frames, and candlesticks from a metal alloy. Over the years, Nambé has expanded into production of crystal and wood designs, all lovely for the home. 109 N. Plaza. 575/758-8221. www.nambe.com.

Gifts & Souvenirs

Chimayo Trading del Norte Specializing in Navajo weavings, pueblo pottery, and other types of pottery, this is a fun spot to peruse on the Ranchos de Taos Plaza. Look especially for the Casas Grandes pottery from Mexico. 1 Ranchos de Taos Plaza. 575/758-0504.

El Rincón Trading Post This shop has a real trading-post feel. It’s a wonderful place to find turquoise jewelry, whether you’re looking for contemporary or antique. In the back of the store is a museum full of Native American and Western artifacts. 114 Kit Carson Rd. 575/758-9188.

Jewelry

Artwares Contemporary Jewelry The gallery owners here call their contemporary jewelry “a departure from the traditional.” True to this slogan, each piece here offers a new twist on traditional Southwestern and Native American design, by artists such as Roberto Coin, John Hardy, Diane Malouf, Judith Ripka, and Alex Sepkus. 129 N. Plaza. 800/527-8850 or 575/758-8850. www.artwaresjewelry.com.

Musical Instruments

Taos Drum Company ★ Taos Drums has one of the largest selections of Native American log and hand drums in the world. In addition to drums, the showroom displays Southwestern and wrought-iron furniture, cowboy art, more than 60 styles of rawhide lampshades, and an array of other items as well. To find Taos Drum Company, look for the tepees and drums off NM 68. Ask about the tour that demonstrates the drum-making process. 5 miles south of Taos Plaza (off NM 68). 800/424-3786 or 575/758-3796. www.taosdrums.com.

Pottery

Stephen Kilborn Pottery Visiting this shop in town is a treat, but for a real adventure, go 17 miles south of Taos toward Santa Fe to Stephen Kilborn’s studio in Pilar, open daily 10am to 5pm June to October (shorter hours off season). There, you can watch how the pottery is made. 136A Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 800/853-2519 or 575/758-5760. www.kilbornpottery.com.

Taos After Dark

For a small town, Taos has its share of top entertainment. The resort atmosphere and the arts community attract performers, and the city enjoys annual programs in music and literary arts. State troupes, such as the New Mexico Repertory Theater and New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, make regular visits.

Many events are scheduled by the Taos Center for the Arts (TCA), 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte ( 575/758-2052; www.tcataos.org), at the Taos Community Auditorium. The TCA imports local, regional, and national performers in theater, dance, and concerts (Robert Mirabal, among others, has performed here). Also, look for a weekly film series offered year-round.

You can obtain information on current events in the Taos News, published every Thursday. The Taos County Chamber of Commerce ( 800/732-8267 or 575/751-8800; www.taoschamber.com) is also a good resource. Taos Visitors Center ( 575/758-3873) publishes semiannual listings of Taos County Events, as well as the annual Taos Country Vacation Guide that also lists events and happenings around town.

The Major concert & performance Halls

Taos Convention Center, 121 Civic Plaza Dr. ( 575/758-5792). This convention space has an exhibit center where presentations, lectures, and concerts are held.

Taos Community Auditorium, Kit Carson Memorial State Park ( 575/758-4677). A comfortable, small-town space, this community auditorium makes a nice venue for films, concerts, and lectures.

The Performing Arts

Music from Angel Fire This acclaimed program of chamber music begins in mid-August, with weekend concerts, and continues up to Labor Day. Based in the small resort community of Angel Fire (located about 21 miles east of Taos, off US 64), it also presents numerous concerts in Taos, Las Vegas, and Raton. P.O. Box 502, Angel Fire. 888/377-3300 or 575/377-3233. www.musicfromangelfire.org.

Taos School of Music ★ Founded in 1963, this music summer school located at the Hotel St. Bernard in Taos Ski Valley offers excellent concerts by notable artists. From mid-June to mid-August there is an intensive 8-week study and performance program for advanced students of violin, viola, cello, and piano. The 8-week Chamber Music Festival, an important adjunct of the school, offers 16 concerts and seminars for the public; performances are given by pianist Robert McDonald, the Borromeo, St. Lawrence, and Brentano String Quartets, and the Young Artists International orchestra. Performances are held at the Taos Community Auditorium and the Hotel St. Bernard. P.O. Box 1879. 575/776-2388. www.taosschoolofmusic.com. Tickets for chamber music concerts $20 for adults, $10 for children 16 and under.

The Club & Music Scene

Adobe Bar ★ A favorite gathering place for locals and visitors, the Adobe Bar is known for its live music series (nights vary) devoted to the eclectic talents of Taos musicians. The schedule offers a little of everything—classical, jazz, folk, flamenco, and world music. The Adobe Bar features a wide selection of international beers, wines by the glass, light New Mexican dining, desserts, and an espresso menu. Their margarita consistently wins the “Best of Taos” competition in Taos News. It’s open daily 11:30am to 10pm. In the Historic Taos Inn, 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. 575/758-2233. www.taosinn.com.

Alley Cantina ★ This bar that touts its location as the oldest house in Taos has become the hot late-night spot. The focus is on interaction, as well as TV sports, but there’s also a cozy outdoor patio. Patrons playing shuffleboard, pool, chess, and backgammon listen to live music 4 to 5 nights a week. Burgers, fish and chips, and other informal dishes are served until 11pm. 121 Teresina Lane. 575/758-2121. www.alleycantina.com. Cover for live music only.

Anaconda Bar ★★ Set in the ecoresort El Monte Sagrado, this is Taos’s most happening nightspot, with live entertainment—jazz, blues, Native American flute, or country—playing Thursday through Saturday. An anaconda sculpture snaking across the ceiling and an 11,000-gallon fish tank set the contemporary tone of the place, where a variety of the hotel’s signature dishes are served. In the El Monte Sagrado hotel, 317 Kit Carson Rd. 575/758-3502. www.elmontesagrado.com.

Caffe Tazza ★ This cozy three-room cafe, with a summer patio, attracts local community groups, artists, performers, and poets. Plays, films, comedy, and musical performances are given here on weekends (and some weeknights in summer). You can read one of the assorted periodicals available (including the New York Times) while sipping a cappuccino or café Mexicano (espresso with steamed milk and Mexican chocolate), made from organic coffee beans. The food—soups and sandwiches—is quite good. Pastries, which are imported from many bakeries around the region, are almost as big a draw here as the Taos Cow ice cream. Choose from 15 flavors. 122 Kit Carson Rd. 575/758-8706.

Sagebrush Inn ★ This is a real hot spot for locals. The atmosphere is Old West, with a rustic wooden dance floor and plenty of rowdiness. Live country or rock music generally plays Thursdays to Saturdays from 8:30 to 11:30pm. Paseo del Pueblo Sur (P.O. Box 557). 575/758-2254.

A Scenic Drive: The Enchanted Circle

Taos Area (Including Enchanted Circle)

If you’re in the mood to explore, take this 90-mile loop north of Taos, through the old Hispanic villages of Arroyo Hondo and Questa, into a pass that the Apaches, Kiowas, and Comanches once used to cross the mountains to trade with the Taos Indians. You’ll come to the Wild West mining town of Red River, pass through the expansive Moreno Valley, and travel along the base of some of New Mexico’s tallest peaks. Then you’ll skim the shores of a high mountain lake at Eagle Nest, pass through the resort village of Angel Fire, and head back to Taos along the meandering Rio Fernando de Taos. Although one can drive the entire loop in 2 hours from Taos, most folks prefer to take a full day, and many take several days.

Arroyo Hondo

Traveling north from Taos via NM 522, it’s a 9-mile drive to this village, the remains of an 1815 land grant along the Rio Hondo. Along the dirt roads that lead off NM 522, you may find a windowless morada or two, marked by plain crosses in front—places of worship for the still-active Penitentes, a religious order known for self-flagellation. This is also the turnoff point for trips to the Rio Grande Box, an awesome 1-day, 17-mile white-water run for which you can book trips in Santa Fe, Taos, Red River, and Angel Fire. (See the “Outdoor Activities” sections in chapter 7 and “More Outdoor Activities,” earlier in this chapter, for booking agents in Santa Fe and Taos, respectively.)

Arroyo Hondo was also the site of the New Buffalo commune in the 1960s. Hippies flocked here, looking to escape the mores of modern society. Over the years, the commune members have dispersed throughout northern New Mexico, bringing an interesting creative element to the food, architecture, and philosophy of the state. En route north, the highway passes near San Cristobal, where a side road turns off to the D. H. Lawrence Ranch (see “More Attractions,” earlier in this chapter) and Lama, site of an isolated spiritual retreat.

Questa

Next, NM 522 passes through Questa, most of whose residents are employed at a molybdenum mine about 5 miles east of town. Mining molybdenum (an ingredient in lightbulbs, television tubes, and missile systems) in the area has not been without controversy. The process has raked across hillsides along the Red River, and though the mine’s owner treats the water it uses before returning it to the river, studies show that it has adversely affected the fish life. Still, the mine is a major employer in the area, and locals are grateful for the income it generates.

If you turn west off NM 522 onto NM 378 about 3 miles north of Questa, you’ll travel 8 miles on a paved road to the Bureau of Land Management–administered Wild Rivers Recreation Area ★★ ( 575/586-1150; www.blm.gov/nm). Here, where the Red River enters the gorge, you’ll find 22 miles of trails, some suited for biking and some for hiking, a few trails traveling 800 feet down into the gorge to the banks of the Rio Grande. Forty-eight miles of the Rio Grande, which extend south from the Colorado border, are protected under the national Wild and Scenic River Act of 1968. Information on geology and wildlife, as well as hikers’ trail maps, can be obtained at the visitor center here. The stunning La Junta Trail (1.2 miles) is difficult, but travels into the canyon at the convergence of the Red River and Rio Grande. The Big Arsenic Springs Trail (1 mile) is moderate and offers a self-guided interpretive trail. Both are excellent ways to get down into the canyon.

The village of Costilla, near the Colorado border, is 20 miles north of Questa. This is the turnoff point for four-wheel-drive jaunts and hiking trips into Valle Vidal, a huge U.S. Forest Service–administered reserve with 42 miles of roads and many hiking trails. A day hike in this area can bring you sightings of hundreds of elk.

Red River

To continue on the Enchanted Circle loop, turn east at Questa onto NM 38 for a 12-mile climb to Red River, a rough-and-ready 1890s gold-mining town that has parlayed its Wild West ambience into a pleasant resort village that’s especially popular with families from Texas and Oklahoma.

This community, at 8,750 feet, is a center for skiing, snowmobiling, fishing, hiking, off-road driving, horseback riding, mountain biking, river rafting, and other outdoor pursuits. Frontier-style celebrations, honky-tonk entertainment, and even staged shootouts on Main Street are held throughout the year.

Though it can be a charming and fun town, Red River’s food and accommodations are mediocre at best. Its patrons are down-home folks, happy with a bed and a diner-style meal. If you decide to stay, try the Lodge at Red River, 400 E. Main St. ( 800/915-6343 or 575/754-6280; www.lodgeatredriver.com), in the center of town. It offers hotel rooms ranging in price from $84 to $225. Knotty pine throughout, the accommodations are clean and comfortable. Downstairs, Texas Reds Steak House ★ serves steaks, burgers, and chicken dishes in a country-diner atmosphere. It’s open in summer and winter daily from 4:30 to 9pm. During the shoulder seasons in spring and fall, it’s open on Friday and Saturday nights.

If you’re passing through and want a tasty meal, Mountain Treasures ★, 121 E. Main St. ( 575/754-2700), a gallery, bistro, and espresso bar, offers excellent sandwiches. Go straight for the muffulettas or “muffys,” Italian sandwiches made popular in New Orleans. Salami, turkey, provolone, cheddar, and olive spread are set within homemade Sicilian round bread and heated until the outside is crusty, the inside gooey rich. For dessert try the Czech pastry kolache in a variety of fruits, including peach and cherry. Summer and winter ski season the cafe is open daily 6am to 8pm, and other times Monday to Saturday 7am to 2pm.

The Red River Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 870, Red River, NM 87558 ( 800/348-6444 or 575/754-2366; www.redrivernewmexico.com), lists more than 40 accommodations, including lodges and condominiums. Some are open winters or summers only.

Eagle Nest

About 16 miles southeast of Red River, on the other side of 9,850-foot Bobcat Pass, is the village of Eagle Nest, resting on the shore of Eagle Nest Lake in the Moreno Valley. Gold was mined in this area as early as 1866, starting in what is now the ghost town of Elizabethtown about 5 miles north; Eagle Nest itself (pop. 200) wasn’t incorporated until 1976. The 4-square-mile Eagle Nest Lake State Park ( 888/667-2757 or 575/377-1594; www.emnrd.state.nm.us) stretches out below the village. Currently facilities include restrooms, a boat ramp, and visitor center. The lake is considered one of the top trout producers in the United States and attracts ice fishermen in winter as well as summer anglers. It’s too cold for swimming, but sailboaters and windsurfers ply the waters.

One of New Mexico’s more atmospheric country bars, the Laguna Vista Saloon, resides here, on US 64 at the center of Eagle Nest ( 800/821-2093 or 575/377-6522; www.lagunavistalodge.com).

If you’re heading to Cimarron or Denver, proceed east on US 64 from Eagle Nest. But if you’re circling back to Taos, continue southwest on NM 38 and US 64 to Agua Fría and Angel Fire.

Shortly before the Agua Fría junction, you’ll see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park, CR B-4, Angel Fire ( 575/377-6900; www.angelfirememorial.com). It’s a stunning structure with curved white walls soaring high against the backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Range. Consisting of a chapel and an underground visitor center, it was built by Dr. Victor Westphall in memory of his son, David, a marine lieutenant killed in Vietnam in 1968. The 6,000-square-foot memorial houses exhibits, videos, and memorabilia. It also has a changing gallery of photographs of Vietnam veterans who lost their lives in the Southeast Asian war, but no photo is as poignant as this inscription written by young David Westphall, a promising poet:

Greed plowed cities desolate.
Lusts ran snorting through the streets.
Pride reared up to desecrate
Shrines, and there were no retreats.
So man learned to shed the tears
With which he measures out his years.

Angel Fire

If you like the clean efficiency of a resort complex, you may want to plan a night or two here—at any time of year. Angel Fire is approximately 150 miles north of Albuquerque and 21 miles east of Taos. Opened in the late 1960s, this resort offers a hotel, condominiums, and cabins. Winter is the biggest season. This medium-size beginner and intermediate mountain is an excellent place for families to roam about (see “Skiing,” earlier in this chapter). Two high-speed quad lifts zip skiers to the top quickly, while allowing them a long ski down. The views of the Moreno Valley are awe inspiring. Fourteen miles of Nordic trail traverse the top of the mountain, and snow mobile tours are also available here.

During spring, summer, and fall, Angel Fire Resort ★ offers golf, tennis, hiking, mountain biking (you can take your bike up on the quad lift), fly-fishing, river rafting, and horseback riding. There are other fun family activities, such as a video arcade, a miniature golf course, theater performances, and, throughout the year, a variety of festivals, including a hot-air balloon festival, Winterfest, and concerts of both classical and popular music.

The unofficial community center is the Angel Fire Resort, 10 Miller Lane (P.O. Box 130), Angel Fire, NM 87710 ( 800/633-7463 or 575/377-6401; www.angelfireresort.com), a 155-unit hotel with spacious, comfortable rooms, some with fireplaces and some with balconies. The resort is in the process of remodeling, so be sure to request one of its updated rooms. Rates range from $92 to $200.

If you’d like a good meal while in the area, stop in at the Roasted Clove ★, 48 N. Angel Fire Rd. ( 575/377-0636; www.roastedclove.com), a fine-dining restaurant that serves contemporary American cuisine. Your best bet here is the filet-mignon tacos served with fresh guacamole, chile sauce, and lime crema. It’s open during ski season and in summer Monday to Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 5 to 8:30pm, and Friday to Saturday 5 to 9pm.

For more information on the Moreno Valley, including full accommodations listings, contact the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 547, Angel Fire, NM 87710 ( 800/446-8117 or 575/377-6661; fax 575/377-3034; www.angelfirechamber.org).

A fascinating adventure you may want to try here is a 1-hour, 1-day, or overnight horseback trip with Roadrunner Tours, P.O. Box 274, Angel Fire, NM 87710 ( 575/377-6416; www.rtours.com). One-and-a-half-hour rides run year-round for $70, but if you’d like a little more adventure, try an overnight. In winter, Roadrunner offers sleigh rides as well. Call for prices.