Outdoor Activities

Carson National Forest map

National Forests. High Road to Taos in red.

OVERVIEW

Much of the High Road to Taos passes through or near the Carson National Forest and the Santa Fe National Forest. From the High Road, you can also access trails to the 200,000 acres of the Pecos Wilderness, where you may see Rocky Mountain Bighorn, elk, mule deer, and golden eagles. The area offers many opportunities for camping and recreation, including cycling, hiking, backpacking, climbing, paddling, fishing, skiing, and geocaching. Check out the following links for more information.

RECREATION AREAS

MOUNTAIN PEAKS

  • Sangre de Cristo Mountains—Excellent general introduction to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from www.summitpost.org, including geology and history. Also see information from this website on specific peaks, including elevation, getting there, red tape, what to expect, when to go, and much more:

CAMPING

Carson public lands map

Carson National Forest recreation areas and campgrounds,
from Public Lands Information Center.

 

    Camping in Carson National Forests—General information on camping in the Carson National Forest, from the National Forest Service. It's a good idea to check their current conditions site for any updates on burn restrictions or closures.

    Carson National Forest Campgrounds—Table listing all campgrounds in the Carson National Forest, from the National Forest Service. Look for campgrounds in the Rio Pueblo/Camino Real district. Also see these specific listings for "established" campgrounds (the others are probably more primitive):

Carson camp map

Carson National Forest Campgrounds map, from National Forest Service. Numbers 13-22 are in the High Road region.

 

Rancho de Chimayo

Lower Trampas Lake
(©2009 akajut)

TRAILS

    All Trails in Carson National Forest—This listing includes all trails in Carson, including hiking, biking, snowshoeing, horseback riding, etc. Look for the Camino Real district. Extensive information is given on some trails. See also the listings below specifically for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding:

    Pecos Wilderness Trails—A series of trails in the Pecos Wilderness ranging in length from 13 to 47 miles long. Trails 7 to 12 are in the High Road area. This trails series was developed by Albuquerque Boy Scout Troop 285 in the early 1980's.

    Sangre de Cristo Mountains—Scroll down to the section on the Pecos Wilderness & Trail No. 25.

    See also the following specific trails.

ROAD BIKING

The High Road to Taos itself is an excellent place for long-distance cycling. It is about 60 miles from Pojoaque to Taos, if you don't take any of the lovely detours. Although some of the roads are rural with no shoulders, some have been improved in recent years. Elevation ranges from 6,200 to 8,500 feet. Traffic is sparse except for summer tourists and a small "rush hour" each morning and evening for all the mountain village residents who work in Los Alamos or Santa Fe. For more details (and elevations), see description on mapmyride.com of The High Road from Pojoaque and The High Road from Santa Fe. Also see the following rides.

    Nambé Church Loop—a 5.2-mile loop through the Pojoaque valley on fairly quiet, rural roads. (Note: State Road 503 can be busy during rush hours.)

    Nambé Dam Spur—"A great little out and back (6.43 mi) to add to any route passing by on Hwy 503. Crosses Nambé Pueblo lands. The upper part of the road is only open May-Oct. Please stop at the Pueblo Ranger Station to ask permission to ride to the top. The last mile up is steep!"

    Pojoaque to Truchas—"Lots and lots of climbing!! Rural. No reliable services for much of the route. Plan on bringing your own food and water. Big climbs, low traffic area, scenic, very hilly"

    Chimayó to Peñasco—50 miles out & back.

    Ranchos de Taos to Tres Ritos—"Very beautiful and scenic ride with long steady climbs to top of pass. Beautiful views along the valleys also. Turn around at Sipapu Ski Area for about a 40-mile round-trip ride."

FISHING

Carson fisHing map

Carson National Forest Fishing map, from National Forest Service.

 

Rio Embudo, Truchas
(©2009 Richard T. Hasbrouck)

PADDLING

SKIING

    Located just off the High Road to Taos, directly on the Rio Pueblo, is the Sipapu Ski Resort. It is also popular as a cool summer getaway and offers disk golf and a geocache.

GEOCACHING