Taos New Mexico is a unique place for guests of the Taos Ski Valley. The area is made up of a number of different communities, offering a rich blend of culture. Angel Fire makes up part of Taos New Mexico. The Angel Fire area is home to New Mexico's highest mountain range, the Wheeler Peak range. Another section, Taos Pueblo, is an ancient living Indian village that has persevered and continues to exist naturally today in Taos New Mexico. Guests of Taos lodging can also explore the side streets of historic Taos Plaza. Clayton, another part of Taos New Mexico, is home to the Capulin Volcano National Monument. Guests of Taos lodging can also visit Pecos, a small, friendly village that is known for its pass used by ancient nomadic Indian tribes and as a place that changed the course of the Civil War.
There are numerous communities for guests of Taos lodging to visit in Taos New Mexico. The variety of places in close vicinity to each other offering different histories and culture are a large reason guests of Taos lodging return to places such as Angel Fire and Taos Ski Valley. Taos New Mexico also has plenty of outdoor activities. Guests of Taos Ski Valley and the rest of Taos New Mexico can go horseback riding, hiking, biking, or kayak the raging Rio Grande. Taos New Mexico is a magical place, proud of its preservation of Native American, Spanish, and Anglo cultures. Guests of Angel Fire and Taos New Mexico will visit again and again for precisely this reason and many others.
Taos Geographic InformationTaos New Mexico is set amongst the Rocky Mountain Range and is a collection of 11 communities located in Taos County. The town of Angel Fire is 27 miles from Taos New Mexico. Angel Fire is located in the Wheeler Peak mountain range. Near Pecos are the Truchas Peaks, formed by glaciers in the Ice age and among the highest peaks in the New Mexico Rockies, rising to 13,101 feet. Near Taos Pueblo, guests of Taos lodging can view the Taos Canyon. The Rio Grande cuts through Taos New Mexico offering guests of Taos lodging some of the country's most fantastic fishing. Taos Ski Valley is at the Kachina Peak. The vertical drop at Taos Ski Valley is just over 2,600 feet. Taos Ski Valley is a pure ski town, and no snowboarding is allowed. Sipapu is in the Sangre de Christo Mountains along the Rio Pueblo. Sipapu is surrounded by the Pecos Wilderness and the Carson National Forest. Guests of Taos vacation rentals will find a plethora of mountain ranges and terrain all throughout Taos New Mexico.
Taos Weather OverviewGuests of Taos lodging will find the fall is brisk and dry in Angel Fire and Taos Ski Valley. Fall is a beautiful around the whole of Taos New Mexico. The aspens turn many different shades of red and gold as the vegetation around Taos New Mexico turns. Spring and summer have an average of seven inches of rain per year. Clement temperatures vary from early morning lows in the mid-forties to mid-afternoon highs of 75 degrees. Humidity is often low and the air remains relatively dry, so guests of Angel Fire would be wise to pack some lip balm. Guests of Angel Fire visiting in the summer will also want to bring a sweater or light jacket for cool evenings.
Taos Lodging and Taos Ski Valley AccommodationsTaos New Mexico offers everything lodging guests of Angel Fire and Taos Ski Valley could need. Choice and professional courtesy is important to all guests of Taos New Mexico, and its communities never fail to satisfy. From historic inns to bed and breakfasts, to hotels and Taos vacation rentals, it's all a matter of preference. Taos lodging offers all the amenities of home including cable TV, spacious living rooms and bedrooms, and kitchens stocked with modern appliances. Nothing is more important to the proprietors of Taos lodging than the comfort and satisfaction of their guests.
Guests of Taos New Mexico need only choose which community to stay in. Those guests staying in Taos New Mexico strictly for the skiing should, of course, stay in Taos Ski Valley. Guests of Taos Ski Valley will step out their front door and find themselves already at the slopes, ready to swish and swoop. Guests choosing to stay in Angel Fire will find themselves amongst the best hiking and biking trails in the area, as well as snowboard-friendly mountains.
Local Events in TaosThe Annual Taos Fall Arts Festival includes two art shows that represent Taos' best. Visitors to Taos New Mexico will discover the rich and deep history this town has in art -- a history that dates back to indigenous artist and Santeros of early times. This history also comprises the Taos Society of Artists of the early twentieth century and the abundance of present-day artists working in every style imaginable. Residents of Taos New Mexico are showcased in the prestigious "Taos Invites Taos" at the Taos Civic Plazas Rio Grande Hall. Guests of Taos lodging will be delighted by the new addition of the "Rio Grande Nights" awards ceremony where the best musicians Taos New Mexico has produced celebrate the arts of Taos.
Guests of Angel Fire arriving around the New Year would not want to miss the Torchlight Parade & Fireworks At Dusk celebration. Watch from the base of the ski mountain as streams of torchlight march through the beautiful Angel Fire evening. Guests of Taos lodging will then watch a surreal and majestic display of fireworks sparkling over the mountain range as they brighten the early evening sky with fluorescent reds and greens. Fun festivities then take place in Angel Fire and throughout the whole of Taos New Mexico.
Olympic gold medalist and PSIA Alpine Demo Team Member, Debbie Armstrong, has chosen Taos Ski Valley as her place to ski and teach. Guests of Taos lodging should not pass up this chance to learn from one of America's best skiers. Guests of Taos Ski Valley can learn the latest racing techniques from Debbie Armstrong through weekly race clinics, early season race camps, private lessons and skiing socials. Skiing with Debbie Armstrong is a rare opportunity not offered anywhere else but Taos Ski Valley.
Guests of Taos New Mexico have plenty of opportunities to dive into the culture and history of the area. One great way is the Wool Festival at Taos. This festival occurs each fall. Fiber artists and wool producers from the Rio Grande Region of the Rocky Mountains collect their art and bring themselves to Taos New Mexico to share and celebrate their traditions of survival, innovation and artistry. The wool traditions of the region date back to 1598. Guests of Taos lodging have learned that Don Juan Onate, brought the sturdy little churro sheep with a small group of Spanish settlers to northern New Mexico. The churro sheep were a major part of the early lifestyle for residents of Taos New Mexico. The traditions have been passed down for generations and still exist over 400 years later for the enjoyment of Taos lodging guests. There are 60 wool vendor booths at the festival offering an endless array of wool art to purchase. Taos Dining and NightlifeDon Fernando de Taos is a Pueblo Indian adobe-style restaurant and is among the finest for dining in Taos New Mexico. Don Fernando de Tao offers award winning service and a fabulous menu of light fare, southwest flavor, sandwiches and burgers. Guests of Taos lodging shouldn't pass on their Chicken Gusdorf. It's a tender chicken breast stuffed with mild green chilies and Jack cheese, lightly breaded with Spanish seasoned bread crumbs, then oven baked and topped with red or green chili.
For a real family environment, guests of Taos Ski Valley will want to visit Rhoda's Restaurant. Rhoda's celebrates Rhoda Blake, one of the pioneers of the early ski industry. She designed many trails of Taos Ski Valley including Totemoff, Porcupine, Lone Star and many more. She was well known for her motherly attitude toward guests and locals, and Rhoda's strives to continue her tradition. Rhoda's menu offers a wide variety of southwestern and American cuisine.
The nightlife in Taos New Mexico has a lot to offer guests of Angel Fire and Taos lodging. For German beer, try The Bavarian; the Hotel St. Bernard has a deck for outside dining and socializing; the Thunderbird offers music of all varieties throughout the winter as does the Alley Cantina coupled with some crazy dance nights. For guests of Taos New Mexico looking to test their luck, there's the Taos Mountain Casino up at Taos Pueblo.
Attractions in TaosGuests of Taos Ski Valley are well aware of the winter sports activities available to them; however, the whole region of Taos New Mexico offers a bounty of experiences with nature. One of the most beautiful and mystical among them is the Wine and Dine with the Stars event. Guests of Taos Ski Valley arriving in the summer can take advantage of these star parties. The restricted lighting of Taos Ski Valley opens up one of the most perfect skies for star gazing. Once the night falls, guests of Taos lodging will be shown countless planets, stars, galaxies, globular clusters and novas through high quality telescopes. Energetic astronomers guide guests through the maps of the universe in the sky. Guests of Taos Ski Valley can come early and take part in a fine wine dinner. The star gazing is free and open to all guests of Taos Ski Valley lodging.
The annual Taos Pueblo Pow Wow is one more great way for guests of Taos New Mexico to immerse themselves in the rich culture of the area. Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings are over 1000 years old and have been inhabited the entire time. Tao Pueblo was an original gathering place for Native Americans of numerous regions. The Taos Pueblo Pow Wow offers guests of Taos lodging an authentic link into the long history of the Native American peoples. The event takes place in July and includes dance and drum contests and gourd dancing.
Activities in TaosTaos, New Mexico offers all kinds of outdoor events such as fishing, hiking, biking, and especially skiing. However, what makes Taos New Mexico a place to return to again and again is its overwhelming amount of history, beautiful scenery and intriguing culture. From cool evenings spent under an expansive sky spotted with millions of breathtaking stars to modest festivals selling art of the local people representing their rich ancestry, towns like Angel Fire have it all. Taos New Mexico offers the contrast of a beautiful fireworks display over the Taos Ski Valley mountain sky to the coveted and revered Pow Wow honoring the long history and contribution of the Native Americans to Taos New Mexico. It's a place close to nature, close to its people, and always close to its origins. The region of Taos New Mexico is sure to enrich the lives of all Taos lodging guests.