5 Ways to Live on the Water this Summer
Summertime is water time — and we’ve got five fantastic ways you can hit the wet stuff this summer in Taos. From rafting to hot springs, paddle boarding the more, there’s a water adventure for everyone in Taos. How will you test the waters?
1. Hop Into the Hot Springs: New Mexico is home to some of the most indulgent and beautiful hot springs in the world. Just south of Taos, you’ll find Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs. Deemed sacred by Native Americans, these legendary waters have been soothing body, mind and spirit for centuries. If you like your water a balmy 97 degrees, Taos has several hot spots for you right beside the Rio Grande.
2. Get Ready to Raft: Looking for a wild ride? Ride the Taos Box rapids, with names like Dead Car and Pinball. Calm and steady more your speed? Coast the mellow stretches of the Rio Chama. Several river outfitters call Taos home, including New Wave Rafting (great for kids!) and Big River Rafting Trips, so there’s no shortage of tours and rentals. It’s a fun family adventure you’ll never forget.
3. Paddle On: Standup paddle boarding, or SUPPING, originated in the Hawaiian Islands and is now one of the most popular water activities in North America and beyond. From coasting down a calm river to performing yoga poses on a paddle board, there’s something for every skill level and interest. Ready to get your paddle on? Try New Mexico River Adventures, Cotta’s Rio Grande Rafting or Far Flung Adventures, for top-notch rentals and tours.
4. Go Fish: What’s your pleasure? From serene solitude to bushwhacking, Taos waters have something for every fisherman (and woman). Northern New Mexico offers mid-summer anglers a welcome relief from the summer heat. There’s also a range of choices for bountiful lake and public and private river fishing. The Taos waters are well-known for excellent trout fishing — along with Rainbow, Brown and Brook Trout, the Taos area is home to the native Rio Grande Cutthroat trout. And with a variety of services aimed at helping you create your perfect day of fishing — Red River Fishing, Rio Grande Float Fishing and more — you’re guaranteed to reel in a day of summer fun.
5. Kayak for Kicks: Kayak-lovers have plenty of lake options to choose from in Taos, including Racecourse and Lower Taos Box on the Rio Grande. The abundance of tall mountains and north-central New Mexico’s location just south of the Colorado Rockies create cascades of whitewater every spring. From small tributaries to the ‘Mother’ Rio Grande, the north-central waterways are a river runner’s paradise. Need a rental? We suggest: Cotta’s Rio Grande, Los Rios River Runners, New Mexico River Adventures and New Wave Rafting.
Here’s to you, Hopper!
For the past eight years, the city of Taos, N.M., has celebrated counter-culture icon and actor Dennis Hopper. Best known for his roles in “Apocalypse Now” and alongside Jack Nicholson in “Easy Rider,” Hopper was a champion of the arts in New Mexico. Today, people from around the world gather in Taos in May to celebrate his contributions to art, film and the state he adored.
Hopper was a major Hollywood star throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, writing and starring in several high-profile films of the time. Despite the appeal of the Hollywood lifestyle, Hopper was a lifelong resident, advocate and enthusiast of Taos, leaving many Taoseños with great stories of his early and later years in the community. Hopper passed away from prostate cancer in May 2010 at the age of 74.
Hopper edited the film “ he Last Movie” while living at Los Gallos, a 22-room adobe house in Taos that he rechristened the Mud Palace and envisioned as a counterculture Hollywood.
Taos plans to celebrate the life of Hopper, a former Taos resident, with a celebration on May 17 — Hopper’s birthday and Dennis Hopper Day in New Mexico. This year’s Dennis Hopper Day celebration will kick off at 7 p.m. with the Rebel Film Festival Screening & Hopper Birthday Celebration and last throughout the weekend. From the popular Easy Rider Rally & Ride to a Buffalo Barbecue and Hopper Commemoration Concert, the weekend welcomes all Hopper fans to remember their hero. Even the restaurants of Taos will serve up Hopper’s favorite dishes in celebration of the weekend.
Spring Into Art
Artistry and inspiration are in the air this spring in Taos. Taos Spring Arts: Celebrating Art, Culture and Music will showcase the best of Taos’ creative community with a season of museum exhibitions, art shows, film and music festivals and more. With more than 20 events throughout the spring, there’s something for everyone!
Here are a few of our top picks for art lovers:
Mobile Museum of American Artifacts Taos Residency
Now through April 30
This traveling museum will engage the Taos community in participatory art installations and acequia-themed events that celebrate local traditions. The project’s goal is to acknowledge the culture embedded in everyday objects, illuminating their role in history and sparking community dialog, all in a museum-like setting. MMoAA activities include the capture of oral histories related to objects, including the acequia culture; lectures and community presentations around water and cultural topics; and a teen and undergraduate intern program to educate and engage our youth. The residency will conclude with a public exhibition celebrating water, acequia culture and the oral histories attached to this community treasure.
Pecha Kucha: Water is Community
Sunday, April 8, 7-9:30 p.m.
As a culmination to the weekend of “Water is Community,” Pecha Kucha Volume 26 brings a dozen community members to the stage of Taos Community Auditorium to talk water. The term “Pecha Kucha” is Japanese, and refers to the sound of “chit chat.” Presenters are given an opportunity to showcase and present 20 images of their work, with images changed every 20 seconds. There is a $10 entrance fee.
Taos Art Insurgency: The New Protagonists
April 21-May 12
The New Protagonists is a show that poses the questions: Who will be the artists that lead the way for the new millennium? And, what will be the movements and issues they champion? Taos is a major artist’s colony that has been at the forefront of all of the modern art movements initiated within the last 120 years, including Modernism, Abstract-Expressionism and Minimalism. The event will be held at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art, which is also a host of the show.
Don’t-Miss Taos Landmarks
Whether you’re looking for a history lesson, unmatched natural beauty, an environmental landmark or a religious experience, there are plenty of landmark sites in Taos to keep your itinerary full during your visit. But with so many fantastic offerings, where do you start? We’ve compiled five of our favorites to put on your “must” list. Let’s take a look:
1. Taos Pueblo: Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and a National Historic Landmark. These multi-storied adobe dwellings have been are considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the U.S. — and have been inhabited for more than 1,000 years.
2. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge: Rio Grande Gorge Bridge — the second highest bridge on the U.S. Highway System — is a three-span steel continuous-deck-truss structure with a concrete-filled steel-grid deck. It was called the “bridge to nowhere” while it was being built because the funding did not exist to continue the road on the other side. At 650 feet above the Rio Grande, it is the fifth highest bridge in the United States. The bridge — a great place to spot bighorn sheep — has appeared in several films, including “Natural Born Killers,” “Twins” and “Terminator Salvation.”
3. Historic Taos Plaza: The Historic Taos Plaza has been the center of local trade and community events for centuries. Today, old mercantile stores house galleries, restaurants and shops. Nearby, Kit Carson Road, Bent Street, and Ledoux Street lead to even more historic homes, neighborhoods and shopping areas.
4. Earthship Biotecture: Earthship Biotecture is a passive solar house that is made of both natural and upcycled materials, such as earth-packed tires, pioneered by architect Michael Reynolds. Reynolds wanted to create a home that would do three things: utilize sustainable architecture, materials indigenous to the local area or recycled materials wherever possible; rely on natural energy sources so it would be independent from the “grid;” and be feasible for a person with no specialized construction skills to build. Eventually, Reynolds’s vision was transformed into the U-shaped earth-filled tire homes seen today.
5. San Francisco de Asia Church: Celebrating more than 200 years, the historic “Ranchos Church” was built in the early 1800s — and is the only original church which remains intact in the Taos area. San Francisco de Asis Church continues to be an integral part of the spiritual community. In fact, every June parishioners and community volunteers gather to re-plaster the church in adobe. This annual project is called “The Enjarre,” or “the mudding” of the church.
Photo credit: Earthship Global
Wanderlust: 5 Things to try in 2018
Have you kept up your New Year’s resolutions? We don’t know about you but we find resolutions are much easier to keep when we actually want to do them! To that end, we’ve created a fun 2018 “must” list for visitors to Taos. From cultural celebrations to relaxing hot springs, there are plenty of “musts” to try all year long. What will your first adventure be?
1. Enjoy the Snowy Trail Life: Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are both great ways to discover the natural beauty of Taos in the winter. West Rim Trail starts in the parking lot of the Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center, and is one of the best trails for sliding and gliding is Taos. The natural landscape of the gorge is breathtaking — a perfect way to commune with mother nature in the heart of winter, or any time of year.
2. Visit a National Monument: Discover the Rio Grande del Norte public lands — proclaimed a national monument in 2013 by President Obama. The landscape is rugged, with wide-open plains, volcanic cones and steep canyons (with rivers tucked away in their depths). The unique setting of the monument provides a myriad of recreational opportunities, from whitewater rafting and fishing to hiking and mountain biking.
3. View Artistic Inspirations: A source of inspiration and muse of Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams — who were fascinated by its adobe contours and sculptural buttresses — the famous San Francisco de Asis Church continues to be an integral part of the spiritual community of New Mexico. Don’t miss the 18th century oil painting “The Shadow of the Cross,” which used to hang inside the church and now resides in the Parish Hall. When the lights went dark, the painting would mysteriously glow … now visitors can only view it in the dark.
4. Soak It Up: Located along the beautiful canyon of the Rio Grande, Black Rock Hot Springs is a unique place to visit. This small collection of hot springs was captured into one soaking pool. During the winter, and especially during spring runoff, the hot water will be completely inundated by cold river water — and impossible to locate. The pool frequently gets washed out, too, so this adventure is not without its risks. (Speaking of which, clothing is optional …).
5. Celebrate the Taos Fiestas: Taos embarks on a cultural journey July 20-22 for Las Fiestas De Taos. A celebratory tradition passed from generation to generation, the Fiestas preserve the rich tri‐cultural way of life that developed in Taos over the last four centuries. This culture is unique to Taos, encompassing pueblo and plains Indians, Spanish explorers, conquistadores, French fur trappers and American mountain men. Music, parades, food and drink, and shopping all have a place at this not-to-be-missed festive event.
‘Tis The Season in Taos
’Tis the season for yuletide in Taos! The holiday season marks a month of historic and unique New Mexican celebrations that transport visitors and locals alike to another time and place. While myriad holiday activities abound, here are a few of our festive favorites.
1. Taosfolk: Nov.24-Dec.24
11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Stables Gallery
Taos’ famous POP-UP store is the perfect place to find affordable and beautiful handmade gifts by Taos artisans. Learn more at taosfolk.com.
2. Bonfires on Bent Street: Saturday, Dec. 9, 4-7 p.m.
John Dunn Shops and Bent Street
Enjoy bonfires, farolitos, luminaries, Aztec Dancers, carolers, Southwestern bites and cookies.
3. Christmas Eve Procession at Taos Pueblo & Christmas Eve Torchlight Parades: Christmas Eve
Sunset: Experience a one-of-its-kind event that features massive bonfires and the Procession of the Virgin with rifle salutes from the rooftops of the 1,000-year-old adobe pueblo buildings. Learn more at taospueblo.com.
6 p.m.: Watch as skiers make their way down the mountain in the dark — with flares as their only means of light. All the area ski resorts – Taos Ski Valley, Angel Fire, Sipapu, Enchanted Forest and Red River – have torchlight parades and fireworks during the holiday season. You can also view this rare spectacle pos New Year’s Eve.
4. Taos Pueblo Deer or Matachinas Dance: Christmas Day, 2 p.m.
Taos Pueblo Plaza
Witness the ancient Native American ceremonial dance honoring the depths of winter, as danced and drummed by the people of Taos Pueblo. Learn more at taospueblo.com.
5. Town of Taos New Year’s Eve Celebration: New Year’s Eve, 7:30-10 p.m.
Historic Taos Plaza
Watch the Times Square Countdown on a massive movie screen, a light show, fireworks, a pig roast, live music and more at this community New Year’s Eve celebration. Cheers!
A Terrifyingly Terrific Taos Halloween
Who’s ready to get spooked? This Halloween, Taos comes alive to celebrate the day where the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest. It’s Halloween, and that means plenty of tricks and treats, thanks to an abundance of art, costumes, music, food and more. Here’s how you can join in on the fearful fun on Halloween day and night at the Taos Halloween Community Celebration.
Start your day by getting creature-creative at a free art program inspired by Halloween and Day of the Dead in the Taos Plaza. Come in costume and find the many skeletons in the Harwood Museum’s collection. You can even make a skeleton puppet or a shrine from a cigar box! Bring the whole family to enjoy this day filled with art making and other fun Halloween activities.
Next, from 3 to 6 p.m. check out Taos Plaza, Bent Street, John Dunn Shops and Teresina Lane for a Children’s Halloween Party. A live DJ, costume contests, carnival games, a haunted “house” and plenty of treats will keep the whole family in the Halloween spirit. All candied out? Wind down at Funky Sensations at Twirl for a tasty bowl of soup from SoulePOP — as well as some sensory surprises. We can’t think of a better place to get your “boo” on!
The Art of the Matter
The seasons are changing from warm summer to crisp autumn, and with this change comes one of our favorite Taos fall traditions: The Taos Fall Arts Festival. From Sept. 22 to Oct. 1 the festival will feature three major art shows: The Distinguished Achievement Award Showcase, The Taos Selects (an independently juried competition featuring more than 200 works of art from Taos County artists) and the Taos Open (featuring youth art, fashion and wearable art).
Held in venues throughout the Historic District, the Taos Fall Arts Festival is the oldest arts festival in Taos, celebrating its 43rd year in 2017. The festival showcases emerging and established artists within Taos County, and represents more than 250 Taos County artists of all mediums annually. Over the years, other art events have set their dates to coincide with the festival, which was founded in 1973 by a group of artists and gallerists. The season, known as “Grand Fall Arts,” is the largest arts event in northern New Mexico.
This year, several distinct art shows will be held at six locations along with a walking tour through Taos’ central core. The 2017 Fall Arts Festival will include both recognition for Best in Show and an award for a Local Emerging Artist. In addition, the Taos Environmental Film Festival will kick off Sept. 29, and incorporate films honoring the land, environment and people of New Mexico. This year’s Official 2017 poster, “Colors of Northern New Mexico,” was designed by local artist Ed Sandoval, and is a stunning rendition of the area near his birth place in Nambe, N.M. Get yours at http://www.taosfallarts.com/buy-posters.html.
Learn more about the Taos Fall Arts Festival at www.taosfallarts.com.
Bringing History to Life
Native culture is alive and well in Taos, and inhabitants and visitors alike celebrate that unique and rich tradition everyday through a plethora of arts, culture and music events. There are eight northern pueblos that are open-to-the-public, where visitors can learn how Taos’ native communities’ pottery, jewelry, dancing and food influenced the art and culture of the Southwest.
1. Taos Pueblo: Taos Pueblo (“The Place of the Red Willows”) is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-story adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years. Archaeologists say ancestors of the Taos Indians lived in this valley long before Columbus discovered America and hundreds of years before Europe emerged from the Dark Ages. Ancient ruins in the Taos Valley indicate those native to the region lived there nearly 1,000 years ago. The main part of the present buildings were most likely constructed between 1000 and 1450 A.D., and appeared much as they do today when the first Spanish explorers arrived in Northern New Mexico in 1540.
2. Picuris Pueblo: Named Pikuria (“Those Who Paint”) by Spanish colonizer Juan de Oñate, Picuris is located about 20 miles southeast of Taos in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Although it was once the largest, today Picuris is one of the smallest Tiwa pueblos, with less than 2,000 inhabitants. Like Taos, it was influenced by Plains Indian culture, particularly the Apaches. Picuris Pueblo is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
3. More to Visit: There are eight pueblos you can visit today in northern New Mexico, each with its own unique traditions and culture. In addition to Taos Pueblo and Picuris Pueblo, Nambé Pueblo (“Mound of Earth in the Corner”), Ohkay Owingeh (“Village of the Strong People”), Pojoaque Pueblo (“Water Drinking Place”), San Ildefonso Pueblo (“Where the Water Cuts Through”), Santa Clara Pueblo (“Valley of the Wild Roses”) and Tesuque Pueblo (“Cottonwood Tree Place”) each provide a unique footprint of Native American culture.
Learn more about the rich history of the region during your next trip to Taos. And remember: Before you visit, research the rules of each pueblo, such as photography and areas of the pueblo that are accessible to the public. Individual websites for each pueblo will give you the 411 on these Southwestern treasures.
Float On
While Taos may be most widely known for its arts and culture, stunning ski slopes and exhilarating hiking, there’s another activity that is guaranteed to take your Taos vacation to (literally) another level: A picturesque hot air balloon ride.
Taos hot air balloon rides follow a unique balloon flight path over and in the Rio Grande Gorge (baskets even touch the river!), the wilderness and the “high bridge” — which is unmatched in its scenic beauty and top-notch hot air balloon flight conditions. Four-hour flights start around $200 per person and usually include a post-flight champagne toast and brunch.
Traveling to Taos in fall? On Oct. 27-29, the Taos Mountain Balloon Rally will celebrate its 35th year. Each fall, Mother Nature paints the trees vivid shades of orange, red, amber and yellow — and even more color is added to the vista as the Taos skies are filled with dozens of brightly colored hot air balloons lifting into the Taos Mountain sunrise.The event hosts 35-50 balloons each year, and has become a popular stop for balloonists, families, crews, Taoseños and visitors alike. Click here to learn more!
Because after all, why walk when you can fly?
Can’t miss events during the Taos Summertime
Summertime in Taos is all about paying respect to traditions, jubilant celebrations and roaring fun in the New Mexico sun. But with so much going on, how can you possibly choose which events to enjoy? Here are our top picks for the must-do events this season. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
1. Movies on the Green — Now through Aug. 16
Get the family together and enjoy Taos’ beautiful spring and summer nights under star-filled skies with movies and entertainment at Kit Carson Park. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at dusk — but come early for pre-show entertainment. This season, guests will enjoy “Toy Story,” “Tangled,” “Frozen,” and even the new “Ghostbusters” flick, among others. Bring chairs, blankets and a picnic, then pick up a few sweet essentials at the concessions stand. A Kids Zone, which includes a Bounce House and Velcro Wall, rounds out the evening’s amusement. See the full schedule at taos.org/events/movies-on-the-green/.
2. Taos Plaza Live — Now through Aug. 31
Enjoy a wide variety of local and regional bands at this free music event every Thursday night from 6 to 8 p.m. on Historic Taos Plaza. Bring your own chairs, blanket and picnics for a night of sounds that range from rock, country and folk to bluegrass, blues, swing and ranchero. See the full music lineup here: http://taos.org/events/taos-plaza-live/.
3. Fourth of July at Taos Ski Valley — July 4
After the famous Arroyo Seco parade, climb to cooler temperatures along Hwy. 150 north to Taos Ski Valley. From 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Bavarian Lodge, enjoy a chair lift parade, live music, food, libations, the annual Rubber Duck Race, a KidZone play area and live music from “Out of Nowhere.” For a complete list of events on the Fourth of July in Taos, visit taos.org/events/celebrate-4th-july-taos.
4. The Pow Wow — July 7-9
Members of Indian tribes throughout the country gather in Taos to compete in traditional dance competitions during The Pow Wow. Crafts booths and food vendors ring the pow wow circle during the three-day event, which is celebrating its 32nd year. With only a handful of pow wow’s in the United States, it’s a must-see celebration of Native American culture. For more information, visit www.taospueblopowwow.com.
5. Las Fiestas de Taos — July 21-23
As they have for centuries, the people of Taos celebrate the Feast of St. Anne and St. James. The annual event, popularly referred to as “The Taos Fiestas,” allows the local population to put aside their labor for two days and bask in the leisure of the holy days. The Fiestas encompass a roster of activities: A Fiestas Queen is selected from among the local beauties, and musical and dance performances are scheduled on the Plaza every hour. A commemorative Mass and procession from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church officially opens the event on Friday evening. Two parades are staged – one on Saturday and another on Sunday, and of course plenty of food, drink and curios are available at vendor booths circling Historic Taos Plaza. For more information, visit fiestasdetaos.com.
6. Dwight Yoakum in concert — July 29
Get your tickets now to see country legend Dwight Yoakam at Kit Carson Park. Yoakum has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide, and is a multiple GRAMMY Award winner. He’ll be joined by The Mavericks and The Last Bandoleros. Tickets are $52 for adults; children 12 and under are just $9. Learn more at taos.org/events/dwight-yoakam-mavericks-last-bandoleros.
photo credit: Doc Badger (Flickr)
Bursting with Blooms
Is there anything more wonderfully aromatic than fresh, colorful lilacs?
It’s no wonder that each year during the two weeks between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, the Taos Lilac Festival celebrates the blooming of these stunning flowering trees and shrubs in Taos. But the not-to-be-missed weekend of activities is May 19-21, when the grand festival is held in Kit Carson Park.
From an arts and crafts fair, to a pet parade, vintage Flying Jenny Carousel and plenty of live music, the festival is a lilac-lovers paradise. For those who want to explore, simply pick up a self-guided walking tour map of the Taos historic district. In addition to the fragrant blooms, be sure to check out the New Mexico Beer & Wine Garden, featuring beers, wines and foods from New Mexico; the Taos Taco Cook Off (yum!); and the Lilac 5K (to burn off those tacos…).
Add a little flower power to your weekend at the Taos Lilac Festival. Sweet scents, beautiful blooms and great eats? It does’t get much better than that! Learn more by clicking here.
