Taos County

The county in brief

A traveler's read on Taos County

Taos Pueblo's multi-story adobe complex has been continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years — the longest-occupied dwelling structure in North America per UNESCO World Heritage citation, and the Pueblo charges a $25 visitor fee plus a separate camera-permit fee that funds tribal preservation. The Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway loops 84 miles around Wheeler Peak (13,167 ft, the state high point), with the Bobcat Pass section topping at 9,820 ft. Rio Grande del Norte National Monument's Wild Rivers Recreation Area at the Red River-Rio Grande confluence holds the best public dispersed RV stages in northern NM, with the Big Arsenic and La Junta points both accepting rigs up to 35 ft. Taos Ski Valley sits at 9,200 ft and is one of three commercial ski resorts in the world that opened by accepting only adult expert skiers (1955-1986).