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Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A major downhill ski locale, usually with the best snow in New Mexico if not the entire Southwest. The slopes usually open on Thanksgiving weekend and close in early April, although early season snow can be sparse and spring conditions slushy. This is a challenging hill, and beginners may feel more comfortable on one of the nearby areas listed under "Go next," but the expert skier can have a fantastic time here. One caution: there is Nordic (cross-country) skiing up-valley from the downhill area, but the valley is prone to avalanches, and Nordic skiers have died there. If the locals warn you against skiing (downhill or Nordic) outside the safe areas due to avalanche hazard, take them seriously.
Taos Ski Valley is a village and alpine ski resort in the southwestern United States, located in Taos County, New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, Taos Ski Valley had a population of 77. Until March 19, 2008, it was one of four ski resorts in America to prohibit snowboarding. The Kachina lift, constructed in 2014, serves one of the highest elevations of any triple chair in North America, to a peak of 12,481 feet (3,804 m) above sea level.
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A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the Americas, Taos is the northernmost of the New Mexico Pueblos and the most iconic, with two large adobe structures that are around 1,000 years old. A large plaza sits between the two structures, with a small creek running through the middle. While most inhabitants of the pueblo live in modern housing on the outskirts of the reservation, there are still a sizable number who live at least part time in the historic village and keep the traditional ways alive; Guided tours take visitors around a portion of the village, including into the San Geronimo Chapel and past the ruins of the old church, both on the grounds of the pueblo, with the guide explaining some of the history and culture of the pueblo, and how the pueblo operates in the present day. For anyone interested in learning about Native American culture, the tour is a very rewarding experience. Snacks and handmade wares are available from some curio shops run by local artisans in the village, with moccasins, boots, drums, mica-flecked pottery and silver jewelry being specialties; Photography and sketching is strictly regulated, with a separate fee required. Don't photograph residents without permission, and don't enter doors or homes that are not clearly marked as businesses. The pueblo also operates a small casino near the entrance to the historic village, which is mainly notable for being entirely non-smoking.
Famed artist Millicent Rogers lived here in Taos and amassed a huge collection of Southwestern art, and this superb museum continues her legacy. The museum is particularly noted for its jewelry collection, assembled and worn by Millicent Rogers, which represents all the major Native American jewelry traditions. However, you'll also find excellent examples of other Native American art, including a collection of Native pottery (with a set of pots from noted Pueblo potter Maria Martinez), textiles and baskets, as well as a collection of Spanish Colonial furniture, tinwork, blankets, and religious art.
Located in the former home and studio of Russian born artist Nicolai Fechin, the Taos Art Museum has works from famous Taos artists, most notably a collection of paintings from the Taos Society of Artists from the early 20th century, of which Fechin was a member. The building is a wonderful example of Southwestern adobe architecture, with interesting ornamentation and examples of Fechin's own handcrafted furniture, and the collection offers a good insight into the work of the artists who brought artistic renown to Taos.
A lovely, shaded public park with fields, trails, a playground, and a cemetery with the graves of Kit Carson, his family, and other notable Taos citizens.
The former home of Governor Bent, the first Governor of New Mexico when it was territorial United States, who was killed here in a raid by angry residents who objected to American rule. This small museum has some artifacts from the uprising, as well as some works from local artists.