Delightful things to do in Taos

Arroyo Seco

Called simply Seco by locals, this village is about 11 kilometers east of Taos on the road to the ski valley. On warm days, you might find local potters working on their wheels along the main street. Just off State Road 150, north of the Abominable Snowmansion hostel, you'll find a traditional, colorful northern New Mexican neighborhood cemetery (photography is frowned upon). Each Fourth of July, you can join thousands of locals from surrounding areas to watch one of New Mexico's homegrown Independence Day parades, complete with Western themes, horseback riders, even a popular grill-themed float that tosses out hundreds of pre-cooked and dressed, foil-wrapped hot dogs to the eager crowd. After the parade, the street party continues with live music and general revelry along 150.

Earthship Community

Just a little more than 1.6 kilometers up the road from the gorge is Tres Piedras, home to a colony of self-sustaining homes that look like spaceships embedded in the scenic landscape. There are about 70 homes in the 256-hectare subdivision, all made from recycled materials. There are no water lines, power lines or sewer lines and lot owners are not allowed to drill wells. All water comes from the rain and snow that lands on the roof. And sewage systems are self-contained. The community is also the headquarters of one of the early leaders in the sustainable building movement, Earthship Biotecture. There is a center where visitors can learn more about the movement, as well as nightly rentals for those who want to experience truly sustainable living.

Mabel Dodge Luhan House

Walk through the home of the unofficial founder of Taos' artistic and intellectual community. A salon hostess married to a Taos Pueblo Indian, Mabel Dodge Luhan moved to Taos in 1919 and is credited with luring writers and artists to the Land of Enchantment by sending invitations to people she barely knew. O'Keeffe and Adams were among those who accepted and came to hang out at the now historic inn, along with novelist Willa Cather, painter John Marin and writer D.H. Lawrence. From the outside, look up at the bathroom windows, colorfully painted over by Lawrence.

Association Press