After a quick afternoon in Colorado Springs, I made it to Taos on my way to Santa Fe, NM.
Here are some fun things I did while there:
- Walk the plaza
- Get some Mexican/Southwestern food
- Visit the Taos Pueblos
- Explore Taos Ski Valley
- Take pics at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
Parking
I parked in a free day lot just south of the plaza and walked to the plaza.
Taos Plaza
It’s so cute! I loved the uniqueness of the architecture and walking the little brick side roads. There are also lots of art galleries and jewelry shops to pop in and browse.
Grabbing Food
I asked one of the local shop cashiers for a lunch recommendation and she listed off:
- Ricky’s Restaurant – Mexican food
- Azteca Mexican Grill – Mexican food
- The Alley Cantina – bar
- Taos Mesa Brewing Taos Tap Room – brewery and great pizza
I stared walking south to Ricky’s, then proceeded to not take her recommendation (lol) and stopped at La Cueva Cafe which looked enticing.
I splurged a little because I was hungry 🙂
I’d give it a solid 5 out of 7 chiles. Guac and salsa were good. The taco, enchilada, and chile relleno combo plate was good. For dessert, the flan was particularly good.
Taos Pueblo
After walking off my lunch in the plaza some more, I headed north to the Taos Pueblos. Unfortunately though, access to Taos Pueblo was restricted to residents only. They had set up cones and a gate at the entrance. Maybe next time!
Taos Ski Valley
I continued north to Taos Ski Valley instead.
The winding drive up through the mountains (with no cell service) was beautiful!
When I got to the top, I got out and explored the little village for some time. Spending last winter in resorts like Vail, Breckenridge, and Park City, it’s quite small in comparison, but it’s got character and was fun to walk around 🙂
I took a look at the ski terrain map and it looked like there was a lot of varied terrain, from long groomers to some more expert trees and steep stuff. I’m excited to come back to ski this winter!
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
To close out the afternoon/evening, I drove west to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and parked at the visitor center (on the west side of the bridge).
I saw someone else walking across the bridge on my way over so my curiosity had been peaked to do the same…
I wouldn’t say I’m deathly afraid of heights, but 800 feet deep is quite a ways down and was certainly more than I was expecting.
I made my way across to the middle of the bridge, snapping some pics with a death-grip on my phone, absolutely terrified of dropping it.
😁 on the outside and 🤢😱😬 on the inside
Stunning! What a rush!
Camp Spot
I stayed at a free open lot here at the end of the paved section of 567. I’d recommend if you also want to stay here, you come from the north and not from the south by the Rio Grande Gorge State Park. I made it with no problem in my RWD Transit (when it was dry) but it was rocky and fairly steep. In hindsight I probably should have turned left (south) onto W Rim Rd from 64, west of the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. BUT, it sure was exciting 🙂
Absolutely beautiful morning over the Rio Grande, SO worth it.
Heading Out
The day went by quickly, but it was fun to explore! Off to Santa Fe!