Often overshadowed by Santa Fe, its flashier neighbor to the south, Taos warrants careful consideration if planning a New Mexico vacation. The history, culture, climate, and quaintness of this village make it unique among other Rocky Mountain towns, many of which sprung up in the late 19th century or are masterplanned developers’ dreams. There is a certain spiritual attraction to Taos as well: the lore surrounding the Taos Hum, a mysterious low-frequency noise that visitors and residents regularly report experiencing, has become part of the town’s appeal.

To understand the blend of cultures that produced Taos, a brief history lesson is in order. According to Pueblo Indian tradition, their ancestors, the Anasazi, inhabited the area from 900 AD until the Spanish arrival in 1540. In 1598, Conquistadors, traveling north from Mexico, established a colonial capital and promptly subjected the native people to their rule and religion. In the ensuing centuries of Indian revolts and Spanish recaptures, their cultures melded and produced unique art, cuisine, and architecture.

Taos is a lofty 7,000 feet above sea level, at the foot of the Sangre de Christo Mountains, about two hours’ drive from Albuquerque. This is high desert country, with juniper and sage covering the sun-parched expanse. Cottonwoods and willows line streets faced with adobe architecture. In the center of town is the Plaza, a tree-lined park with a gazebo surrounded by shops, art galleries, restaurants, and the Hotel La Fonda (www.lafondataos.com). Everything seems tastefully weathered here, from the covered sidewalks to the wide-plank wooden floors.

The valley is dotted with a multitude of quaint bed-and-breakfasts. While I stayed at the Touchstone Inn (www.touchstoneinn.com), I was able to visit a friend at the Hacienda del Sol (www.taoshaciendadelsol.com) next door and compare the properties. The similarities in theme are striking: every room in these small inns is unique, though wood floors, antiques, stucco walls adorned with hand-painted flowers, and fireplaces are common attributes. Both have large community dens with leather chairs and a television, and the staff serves a plentiful and uniquely Southwestern breakfast each morning.

My room was in the back of an old adobe building, and my second-floor balcony faced a shaded, grassy yard. Beyond thefence at the rear of the yard was Taos Pueblo, the multi-story living complex constructed in the 14th century. Protecting it was the reservation, thousands of acres of undeveloped land dominated by majestic Taos Mountain. I found myself drifting to the balcony each evening as the sun set to hear the birds sing their final songs of the day and the coyotes howl in
the distance.

Beyond the accommodations, Taos offers plenty of artistic, natural, historic, and outdoor experiences to keep visitors occupied during the day.

Whitewater Rafting
The Taos area is home to internationally renowned whitewater rafting, thanks to the Rio Grande. The nearby La Junta section (“The Joining”) provides the “middle box” and the famous “Taos Box,” which peak April through mid-June. Adventurers should plan their trip in advance and discuss in detail with their guide service the desired degree of adventure. When the river is peaking, the experience can be more than the average thrill seeker bargained for.

We took a full-day trip down the middle box in early June. The river was running lower than normal for that time of year, and our guide, Cisco Guevara, put each member of our group in individual “funyaks” to make the trip exciting. It was a hot, crystal clear day, but the spray from the river kept us cool. The scenery was spectacular: the cliffs of the gorge towered above us, and hawks followed us in flight all day.

Guevara has been guiding on the Rio Grande for 29 years and owns Los Rios River Runners (www.losriosriverrunners.com).  He offers half-day, full-day, and multi-day adventures. On full-day trips he and his guides provide a plentiful lunch, and on overnight adventures create fresh, organic “campfire gourmet” meals. They also provide all camping gear.

Fly Fishing
Northern New Mexico’s many streams provide year-round fly-fishing. Cutthroat, brown, rainbow, and cut-bow trout can be caught here. The waters vary from small, 10- to 15-foot streams to tail waters meandering through alpine meadows, to the famous Rio Grande.

James Reidy, a guide working for Los Rios Anglers of Taos (www.losrios.com), took me on a half-day trip to the Rio Hondo. It was mid-June, a good time for the area, and we fished “pocket water” by carefully working our way upstream. Because of the thick forest and low-hanging limbs overhead, long, fluid casts were impossible and unnecessary. James taught me to roll cast, using about eight feet of line, and to bow and arrow cast, both of which enable an angler to place the fly in tight spots. After three hours of fishing, we caught six brown, and I missed two or three more.

Art
The combination of Spanish, Indian, and later, Mexican and New Mexican cultures in a naturally majestic desert studio gave birth to a prolific art scene in Taos. In 1898, two young artists named Ernest Blumenschein and Bert Philips made Taos their home, and in 1915, they and four other artists founded the Taos Society of Artists. Today, the Chamber of Commerce estimates that approximately 1,000 of Taos’ 6,500 residents are artists.

Taos boasts eight museums (www.taosmuseums.org), including the Harwood Museum, the Millecent Rogers Museum, the Taos Art Museum, and the Philips and Blumenschein homes. These mostly feature the work of local artists, and include paintings, sculpture, Navaho and Spanish weavings, Pueblo pottery, and Navaho and Zuni silver and turquoise jewelry.For those wishing to purchase art, more than 51 galleries are scattered around the Plaza and throughout the village.

Hiking
Taos is located at the front of the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range and Carson National Forest (www.fs.fed.us), where the ski valley is situated. Elevations rise from 6,000 feet to 13,161 feet at Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico. Within Carson National Forest, 86,193 acres have been set aside as wilderness, and travel therein is limited to foot or horseback. Carson National Forest also contains many established campgrounds with toilet facilities, and some provide drinking water. Remote trails offer an escape for backpackers wanting to get away, but several local companies also provide guided hikes.

Photo Captions:
Picture 1: San Francisco de Asis Church has provided spiritual and artistic inspiration for Taos natives since its construction in 1815.
Picture 2: The Rio Grande offers year-round fly-fishing for rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass and great northern pike (photo courtesy of New Mexico Tourism.)
Picture 3: Taos prides itself on its rich cultural heritage, boasting seven art and historical museums as well as annual art festivals.