Strange Places Around Taos New Mexico

An Overview of Taos

Taos is a historic adobe town located in New Mexico’s high desert, surrounded by the imposing, dusty stones of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The region has been sacred to Native American communities for centuries, and their cultures are apparent throughout the region in the form of art galleries, museums, petroglyphs and building designs. The Taos Pueblo site found in Taos is the only Native American community with double status as a USECO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. With its stunning mountains, wide rivers, deep gorges, incredible culture and impressive wildlife, there are many enjoyable and strange places around Taos.

Strange Places Around Taos

Tiwa Kitchen Restaurant

This is a Native American restaurant, known for serving authentic, traditional meals combined with New Mexican cuisine. Much of the restaurant’s menu is seasonal, as many ingredients are grown locally as native plants from the region.

Taos Pueblo

Located slightly to the north of Taos, this is an ancient, continually-inhabited pueblo megastructure belonging to the Puebloan tribe. The site is one of the longest continuously-inhabited communities in the United States.

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

Often called “Gorge Bridge” or “High Bridge,” this is a steel deck arch bridge which overlooks the steep Rio Grande Gorge below. The area is a popular stop for visitors driving through the area, so there are often stalls and blankets selling trinkets nearby. The bridge leads to several flat trails following the gorge.

Earthship Biotechture

Found in the flat lands near Taos, this is a strange, uniquely-structured community with space-ship-like homes built through recycled goods. While most of the buildings here are private, autonomous residents, there isa visitor center which describes building methodologies.

Taos Art Museum at Fechin House

This are museum is dedicated to the works of Russian artist Nicolai Fechin.

Moxie Fair Trade

Moxie Fair Trade is a unique shopping destination in Taos know for its local art, handmade gift items and fair trade goods.

Harwood Museum of Art

This is one of the oldest art museums in New Mexico, stocked with a collection of Hispanic works and visual arts provided by the Taos Society of Artists and Taos Moderns.

Classical Gas Museum

Found to the Southwest of Taos, this is a free-entry museum dedicated to the old-school road-travel culture and American gas stations of America. The museum is stocked with a collection of vintage gas pumps, old photos and glowing signs.

Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project

Based in Taos, this organization is dedicated to the discovery and documentation of over 100,00 petroglyphs found through the mesa to the north of Española. Some of the petroglyphs found nearby include the stones along the La Vista Verde Trail. These petroglyphs are collectively known as the Mesa Prieta Petroglyphs. The majority of these petroglyphs are still a secret site, hidden from the public to avoid damage done by over-hiking in the region. However, the Project offers limited, booked tours.

Río Grande del Norte National Monument

This monument marks a diverse landscape full of volcanic cones, campsites, trails and river access. Rio Grande del Norte is a protected area which preserves the habitats of native animals, such as Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, mule deer, pronghorns, black bears, eagles and the native Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout

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