After sleeping in a little we had a few logistical things to do before leaving for Taos. First, the VW needed a serious car wash. There was one just down the road, so we had that done so we could see out of the windows again. Then it was on to the grocery store for a few supplies and cash back. After filling the VW up with gas, we were on our way about 10:30 am.
The Santa Fe - Taos drive takes about an hour and a half and there are two choices: The first and probably a little quicker is "The Low Road." which essentially follows the Rio Grande River valley north to Taos. The second road, "The High Road to Taos" is a New Mexico Scenic Byway road. We decided to take the low road up to Taos and come back on the high road.
The first part of the trip passed through an almost continious string of Indian reservations all with the seemingly mandatory casinios and highway commercial sprawl. The second part of the trip was dramatically different. We passed through the Rio Grande Gorge where the Rio Grande River makes its way from north to south the length of New Mexico then east to form the southern border between Texas and Mexico. The Rio Grande River through the Gorge is a relatively fast moving whitewater river that has been designated as a National Wild and Scenic River. There are several river access points and there appear to be a number of rafting outfitters who provide whitewater rafting trips. We stopped at a very nice BLM visitor center that provided information about the river gorge and the recreational opportunities available in the area.
We arrived in Taos about 12:30 pm and after a short walk around the plaza, we found a very nice little restaurant for lunch just off the plaza which is the center of the Taos Historical District.
After lunch, we walked around the center of town looking at the many shops and historical attractions. There are a lot of high-end art galleries and native craft shops as well as a number of typical souvenior shops in the immediate area of the plaza. We also visited a nearby Catholic Church built in the "Adobe Pueblo" style that is seen almost everywhere in the state and, in fact, is mandatory for nearly every new building and/or house in the Santa Fe area.
After touring the plaza, we decided to visit the Taos Pueblo, just north of town. The pueblo is the site of the Red Willow Indian Tribe and has been their home for at least the last 1000 years. The buildings have been mostly preserved and reconstructed and this particular village is now perhaps the best example of a New Mexico pueblo (native village) still in existence on its original site. The pueblo complex has also been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visitors to the pueblo are strictly controlled. The tribe charges a $10 per-person admission fee and a $6 per-camera fee. Cel phones cannot be used in the pueblo and if they are brought in there is a fee for them also. (We left our phones in the car.) Private areas, such as Kivas (native religious centers) and interiors of all private homes are off limits to visitors. 30 minute tours are provided by tribal volunteer guides on a gratuity basis. Our guide was a young tribal member who is a sophomore at the Uuniversity of New Mexico. He did a good job and gave a very good overview of tribal history and the pueblo. There were a number of small commercial activities going on in the pueblo; tribal members were selling Indian craft items and souvenirs, some of which may have been made in the pueblo.
The Red Willow Tribe has about 3500 affiliated members and we were told by our guide that about 300 members still live in the pueblo on a regular basis, preserving the "old ways"; i.e., electricity, plumbing, water, and other modern conveniences are not allowed in the pueblo. Other tribal members live outside the pueblo and are not subjected to the pueblo rules regarding modern conveniences. The pueblo is also the center of tribal festivals, ceremonies, and gatherings. The tribe owns about 180,000 acres of surrounding lands, much of which was recovered from the U.S. government after an extensive legal battle that was resolved in the 1970s.
After our pueblo tour, we left the Taos area and drove back to Santa Fe by "The High Road to Taos", a beautiful winding road over the Sangre de Christo Mountains with vistas of snow-covered peaks and heavily forested hills and valleys in the Carson National Forest. We drove through several interesting mountain villages, some with adobe churches that looked like they were worth a visit, but we were out of time for today. We did stop at one religious site called Santuario de Chimaya, arriving just after it had closed for the day. The church there, or rather the"holy dirt" in a special area of the church, is supposed to have healing and restorative powers. Alas, we will never know. We got several pictures of the area, anyway. As we approached Santa Fe we also had to stop on the road to allow a few cattle to cross the road. There were lots of cattle guards but we were still in "open range" country.
After a short respite at the RV, we went out to dinner at the Nu-Mex restaurant (El Milagro)recommended by the RV park manager. It was Mexican food two nights in a row but it was well worth the trip. The restaurant was a no-frills mom-and-pop place in the nearby mall, but the food was excellent.
Monday Pictures - Santa Fe to Taos
Monday Pictures - Taos Pueblo - Santa Fe
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