50 Things to See and Do in Northern New Mexico's Enchanted Circle

Amy Becker Williams, Mark D. Williams

Description

A photographic guide laced with insider knowledge to one of Northern New Mexico’s most spectacular scenic byways.

The Enchanted Circle is an 83-mile loop through mountains, mesa, valleys, and a national forest, beginning from Taos to Red River, Eagle Nest, Angel Fire, and then back. A National Forest Scenic Byway, the route brings together the wonders of nature and the area’s rich history to create one of the country's most unique and varied landscapes, perfect for drives, hikes, camping, fishing, and much more.

This book contains beautifully rendered photographs of the Enchanted Circle’s most breathtaking sights as well as the best things to do and places to see along the popular route. Visitors could look forward to discovering historic sites, markets, mines, and villages; enjoying the regional cuisine; shopping; rafting; skiing; and more.

Sujets

• Points of Interest
• Museums
• Carson National Forest
• Southwest
• Eagle's Nest
• Travel
• Angel Fire, New Mexico
• Red River
• New Mexico
• South West
• Taos
• Guide
• Rivière Rouge
• Tours
• Nouveau-Mexique

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 02 octobre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781513261300
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

50 THINGS
TO SEE AND DO IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO S
ENCHANTED CIRCLE
MARK D. WILLIAMS AMY BECKER WILLIAMS
Text and photos 2018 by Mark D. Williams and Amy Becker Williams
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018943828
ISBN 9781513261287 (paperback)
ISBN 9781513261294 (hardbound)
ISBN 9781513261300 (e-book)
Edited by Michelle Blair and Olivia Ngai
Indexed by Sheila Ryan
Overview Map by Betsy Beier
WestWinds Press
An imprint of

GraphicArtsBooks.com
GRAPHIC ARTS BOOKS
Publishing Director: Jennifer Newens
Marketing Manager: Angela Zbornik
Editor: Olivia Ngai
Design Production: Rachel Lopez Metzger
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The Enchanted Circle Mile by Mile
The Enchanted Circle
HIGH ROAD TO TAOS
1 Journey to El Santuario de Chimay
2 Visit the San Jos de Gracia Church
3 Step into history at San Francisco de As s
LOW ROAD TO TAOS
4 Taste wine at local wineries
5 Raft in Pilar
6 Sightsee at Taos Junction Bridge
7 Hike at the Taos Valley Overlook
FROM TAOS TO QUESTA
Taos
8 Tour the Hacienda de los Martinez
9 Walk Ledoux Street
10 Explore Taos Plaza and Taos Downtown Historic District
11 Shop at the Farmers Market
12 View the Kit Carson House and Museum
13 Dine at the Historic Taos Inn and Adobe Bar
14 Visit the Governor Bent House and Museum
15 Picnic in the Kit Carson Park and Historic Cemetery
16 View art at the Fechin House
17 Get inspired at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House
18 Visit the Taos Pueblo
19 Win big at Taos Mountain Casino
20 Tour the Millicent Rogers Museum
21 Side Trip: Relax at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Spa
22 Marvel at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (High Bridge)
23 Whitewater River Raft down the Rio Grande
24 See Earthships at the Earthship Biotecture World Headquarters and Visitor Center
25 Soak in the Manby and Black Rock Hot Springs
26 Side Trip: Explore Arroyo Seco
27 Fish the Rio Hondo
28 Side Trip: Ski and snowboard at Taos Ski Valley
29 Hike to Williams Lake
30 Travel to the John Dunn Bridge
31 Visit the D.H. Lawrence Ranch
32 Fish the Red River Fish Hatchery
FROM QUESTA TO RED RIVER
Questa
33 Visit St. Anthony s Church
34 Fish Eagle Rock Lake
35 Side Trip: Hike at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area at Rio Grande del Norte Monument
36 Side Trip: Fish at Valle Vidal
FROM RED RIVER TO EAGLE NEST
Red River
37 Stroll down Main Street

38 Explore Red River Ski Summer Area
39 Fish Red River
40 Snowshoe at the Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area
41 Wander in ghost town Elizabethtown
FROM EAGLE NEST TO ANGEL FIRE
Eagle Nest
42 Boat at Eagle Nest Lake
43 Side Trip: Discover the Old West in Cimarron
FROM ANGEL FIRE TO TAOS
Angel Fire
44 Visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park
45 Ski at the Angel Fire Resort
46 Ride the summer gondola at the Resort
47 Hit the trails at Angel Fire Bike Park
48 Travel the Palo Flechado Pass
49 Side Trip: Vacation at the Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort
50 Side Trip: Explore Las Vegas, New Mexico
INDEX
From left to right, top: El Santuario de Chimay . Middle: Rio Grande Gorge Bridge; Official Scenic Historic Marker; Earthships. Bottom: Taos Pueblo .
INTRODUCTION
Both of our families have been coming to the Enchanted Circle since we were kids. As a couple, we ve been coming here for the last twenty-five years and have a second home in Taos; we love this part of the world that much. We have traveled together all over the world but keep coming back to the Southwest, keep coming back to the Enchanted Circle.
We are both teachers (Mark for high school, and Amy for elementary) and we will each be retiring soon. We chose Taos as our retirement home. The climate is great, the food sublime, the fishing and outdoor recreation top notch, the skiing world class, and the people friendly and interesting. The Enchanted Circle has great craft brews and award-winning wineries, unique shopping, an interesting mixture of so many cultures that produced this weird, cool, awesome culture of clothing, cuisine, rugs, sculpture, paintings, literature, and so much more. From Taos, we are close to the Colorado border; close to Santa Fe and Las Vegas, New Mexico; close to Texas. We are also close to several ski resorts, dozens of trout streams, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, and, of course, we are close to some of the finest restaurants in the Southwest.
The Enchanted Circle is a unique result of history and geography. The region enjoys a rich tapestry of peoples and culture. Tourism is the driving economic force for the Enchanted Circle s communities today and they see up to a million visitors annually. We enjoy and love the region so much, have explored so many of its secrets and joys, that we felt obliged and honored to share it with you.

GETTING TO TAOS THE ENCHANTED CIRCLE
Generally there are two primary routes to get to the Enchanted Circle: 1) from the southwest (Albuquerque or Santa Fe) or 2) from the east, hitting Cimarron into Eagle Nest. If you are coming from Santa Fe for a day trip or longer, you can take the High Road or the Low Road to reach the Enchanted Circle. Which is better? We like going up the High, coming back the Low. The other main entry into the Enchanted Circle is through Cimarron and Eagle Nest on the eastern side of the byway. You cut off on NM 58 west to US 64 west at Cimarron then on to Eagle Nest.

Cities near Taos and the Mileage to the Enchanted Circle Starting at Taos Plaza
From Albuquerque: 135 miles, 2.5 hours. I-25 north to Santa Fe; exit on NM 599 north to bypass Santa Fe; US 285 north to NM 68 north to Taos.
From Breckenridge: 263 miles, 4 hours. CO 9 south to Fairplay; US 285 south and CO 17 south to Alamosa; US 285 south to Tres Piedras; US 64 east to Taos.
From Crested Butte: 271 miles, 4.5 hours. CO 135 south to Gunnison; US 50 east to US 285 south to CO 17 south to Alamosa; US 285 south to Tres Piedras; US 64 east to Taos.
From Denver: 300 miles, 4.5 hours. I-25 south to Colorado Springs to Walsenburg; US 160 west to Fort Garland; CO 159 south and NM 522 south to Taos.
From Durango: 208 miles, 3.25 hours. US 160 east to Pagosa Springs; US 84 east to Chama; CO 17 south to Antonito; US 285 south to Tres Piedras; US 64 east to Taos.
From Vail: 276 miles, 4.5 hours. I-70 east to Copper Mountain; CO 91 south to Leadville; US 24 east and CO 17 south to Alamosa; US 285 south to Tres Piedras; US 64 east to Taos.
From Amarillo: 302 miles, 4.5 hours. I-40 west to Clines Corners; US 285 north to I-25 south to Santa Fe; US 84/285 to NM 68 north to Taos.
-from taos.org/plan-your-trip/getting-around/
THE ENCHANTED CIRCLE MILE BY MILE
This mile-by-mile chart is to be used as you plan your driving trip around the Enchanted Circle starting with Taos Plaza intersection as your genesis. Set your mileage counter at zero and you ll be able follow the chart along your route.
Ground Zero TAOS PLAZA intersection
0.1
Kit Carson Park
0.5
Split to Taos Pueblo on the right, but stay left (north) on NM 522
1.2
Taos Pueblo entrance right (east) on Hail Creek Road. This is a second entrance to the Taos Pueblo. You ll see the smoke shop just off the road to your left when you turn.
2.1
Historical marker (Taos history) on right with pullout
2.4
Overland Ranch complex
3.9
Cutoff to Arroyo Seco and Taos Ski Valley right (east) on NM 150
4.0
Four-way light (the Old Blinking Light). Turn left (west) on US 64 to Rio Grande Gorge and Earthships, north on NM 522 to Questa.
5.3
Historical marker (Taos/Gorge) on left
10.5
Cross the bridge over Rio Hondo and turn left (west) on B006 and, after a bit, B007 to go to John Dunn Bridge over Rio Grande; here you start your climb to Questa (the road keeps climbing for a good ways).
Scrub oak, juniper, sage, mountains to your right.
13.8
Historical marker (D.H. Lawrence Ranch) and entrance on the right to D.H. Lawrence Ranch
14.5
San Cristobal
Still climbing (pi on and juniper).
17.3
Garrapata Canyon
17.9
Cebolla Mesa (left) includes parking area
20.0
Red River Hatchery turnoff (turn left or west on NM 515 for 2 miles)
21.3
The valley opens up in front of you and you can see the edge of Questa.
21.9
Questa Welcomes You sign
22.5
Crossing bridge over Red River
23.7
Traffic light. To get to Red River, turn right (east) on NM 38 and follow for winding 12 miles ahead.
24.0
Historical marker (Cienega) on the right
Note you are leaving scrub oak and seeing more pine trees.
25.2
Eagle Rock Lake Day Use Area (right)
25.5
Red River to the right
27.1
Goat Hill Campground (Molycorp Mine begins to your left)
Watch for bighorn sheep and retaining walls and slides here and there.
28.7
Columbine Creek Canyon Hike (right)
Curvy road past aspens and pines.
30.3
Molycorp Mine in full view to your left
31.8
Ascent and curves; La Bobita Campground (left)
32.