Taos

Pueblo Indians were living in the Taos Valley long before the Spanish arrived. Spanish settlers founded the town of Fernandez de Taos in about 1615,  close to an Indian Pueblo. The history of Taos is punctuated by revolts. Early relations with Pueblo Indians were good, but they soured due to interference from missionaries and in 1640 the Pueblo revolted. In 1680 Taos Pueblo participated in the widespread Pueblo Revolt which forced the Spanish to flee from much of Nuevo México. Spain took back control in 1692 but Taos Pueblo held out for another four years. In 1847 during the US occupation there was another revolt in Taos this time against the Americans. From the end of the 19th century, Taos became known for a more peaceful pursuits, namely Art and Literature. The local scenery and the Pueblo attracted a significant colony of artists and several novelists including D H Lawrence lived in the area.

Kit Carson Home & Museum

Christopher Houston Carson, better known as Kit Carson,  was born in Kentucky and brought up in Missouri. In 1826 he moved to Santa Fé to work as a fur trapper. His first two wives were,  respectively, Arapahoe and Cheyenne which enable him to build strong relations with the local Indians. He was a guide to the 1843-44 Fremont expedition  that mapped trails to the Pacific Ocean through the south western and western USA. Fremont’s account of the expedition made Carson a national hero. Carson fought in both the Mexican-American War and the Civil War and by the time he died in 1868 his career had spanned fur trapper, explorer, guide, Indian agent, rancher and soldier. The house that he owned in Taos for 25 years is now a museum.

Taos Ski Valley

We don’t ski but plenty of people do and Taos is well established as a ski resort. In the early 1950s Ernie Blake was the manager of the new Santa Fé Ski Basin but he dreamed of owning his own ski resort. In 1955 he spotted a suitable site near Taos so he and his family moved from Santa Fé to a caravan at the site of his dream ski resort. By the winter of 1956 the first ski lift was operational and a second lift was added in 1957. Taos Ski Valley is still owned and operated by the Blake family and it has now  expanded into a Swiss-style village complete with conference facilities.

Heavy Traffic on Route 64 near Taos Plaza

Taos has charm, but we much prefer Santa Fé and this picture shows the main reason why. The busy Route 64 runs straight through the centre of the city. During our last visit in 2008 we parked on the opposite side of Route 64 from the Plaza. Big mistake, as it took a very long time and a lot of courage to find a way of crossing Route 64 at this junction. We push the button for the ‘Walk’ light on the traffic lights but it never lit up.

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Taos Plaza

Taos is a small city of less than 5,000 people. It is probably best known for art, skiing and its Pueblo. In typical New Mexico style at the centre of Taos is its Plaza.  Taos Plaza lacks the lacks the historical setting of the one at Santa Fé, and the roads around it are filled with parked cars.

Kivas at Taos Pueblo

Taos Pueblo still exists and you can find out much more about it at our Indian Pueblos page. This picture shows two of the Kivas at the Pueblo. Although they are strictly off-limits to tourists they are clearly visible from the public areas.

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© Mike  Elsden 1981 - 2025

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