Taos & Abiquiu, new mexico
Attractions Guide

About 1.5 hours north of Santa Fe is the beautiful town of Taos, New Mexico. Taos is famous for its UNESCO wolrd heritage site, the Taos Pueblo, which features two incredible multi-story adobe houses which are between 600-1,000 years old.

These very old adobe structures include the Hlauuma (North House) and Hlaukwima (South House). You can also admire the nearby ruins of the San Jeronimo Mission Church, built by the Spanish in the early 1600s.

Be sure to also visit the Downtown Taos Historic District to see impressive adobe architecture, centered around Taos Plaza. In this area you'll find shops selling Native American crafts, as well as cafes, restaurants, and art galleries. This area also hosts several historic homes which have been preserved as museums.

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

Just west of Taos is the impressive Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, which you can look out over after you drive across it. This striking bridge spans a deep canyon gorge of the Rio Grande River in the middle of the desert.

To the west of Taos (or about 1 hour north of Santa Fe) is Abiquiu, a small town surrounded by stunningly beautiful scenery. First along the highway you'll encounter Plaza Blanca (White Place), a landscape filled with brilliant white cliff formations that you can explore amongst.

Further along is the Abiquiu Reservoir, which offers majestic views from the north and south side of the lake, with both offering very different scenery. The best views along the southern side of the lake can be enjoyed along the highway just after the dam, with several small pull-offs. Along the highway on the northern side of the lake you'll find a much larger pull-off overlooking the lake and the striking red cliff formations behind it.

Nearby the northern viewpoint is the Ghost Ranch, which hosts a tiny museum along with a few trails. Among the most impressive formations you'll see along the trails is the red rock Chimney Rock.

A bit further up the highway from Abiquiu is the massive Echo Amphitheater, an incredible multi-colored amphitheater which was carved out of the tall cliffs by natural geological processes. You can reach this amazing sight with a very short walk from the parking area.