We are having to change our vacation plans and would like to know what RT 64 going west is like. Will be coming south on I-25 from Colorado. I did a search and have planned to go from Taos to Tierra Amarilla via Espanola (RT 68) and Abiquiu (RT 84), but need info on RT 64 from I-25 to Taos and also from Tierra Amarilla to Farmington.
We have a 2-wheel drive 1-ton Dodge Ram pulling a 27' Chateau TT and will be making the trip in late September. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Highway 64 is a fine two-lane highway all the way through.
You'll have a small pass to negotiate between Angel Fire and Taos. Nothing to get excited about if you've done passes elsewhere.
If you decide to go 64 all the way instead of going the LONG way around via Espanola, then from Tres Piedras to Tierra Amarilla you'll have some high contry to traverse. It's a long, but relatively tame climb, and beautiful country.
In late September, you may have one problem: If the leaves are in full color, you'll have to work hard just to keep your eyes on the road.
I've crossed this area dozens of times with the F150 towing the Airstream. (We live within a mile of Hwy 64, and it's the only major highway in or out of this valley.)
It is a fine road all the way. Just (last month) came east from Farmingtom to Chama - road as in good shape. If you don't have agood reasom to go to Taos here is a beautiful-drive alternative for you. At Walsenburg turn west over laVeta pass ( one of the easiest in CO to Alamosa. Turn south on 17 to Antonito and continue on 17 over Cumbres Pass to Chama and pick up 64 there. Trees should be leafing out by now! That also os a pretty easy pass to pull.
But if you want to get to Taos - take the above route to Antonito and turn south on 285 into NM then over to Taos on 64 at Tres Piedras. Avoid the boring I25 as much as possible (my not-so-humble opinion).
John
Thanks much for the replies. Glad to hear it's a good road all the way and sounds like we won't have any problems.
cruiserjs...Taos is definitely a destination for us. I'll make a note on my maps about the alternative route you suggested and keep it in mind for any future trips to the area.
cruiserjs wrote: It is a fine road all the way. Just (last month) came east from Farmingtom to Chama - road as in good shape. If you don't have agood reasom to go to Taos here is a beautiful-drive alternative for you. At Walsenburg turn west over laVeta pass ( one of the easiest in CO to Alamosa. Turn south on 17 to Antonito and continue on 17 over Cumbres Pass to Chama and pick up 64 there. Trees should be leafing out by now! That also os a pretty easy pass to pull.
But if you want to get to Taos - take the above route to Antonito and turn south on 285 into NM then over to Taos on 64 at Tres Piedras. Avoid the boring I25 as much as possible (my not-so-humble opinion).
John
Ok, just one little edit to tell about a little jewel north of Taos. Do cut off at Walsenburg and go over LaVeta on Hwy 160. HOWEVER, before you get to Alamosa to turn south toward Antonito, turn south at Fort Garland onto CO Hwy 159 (which is rechristed as NM Hwy 522 at the border).
Following this route down toward Taos, you'll go past San Luis, CO (the oldest town in the state) and past Costilla, NM (one of the entry points for the beautiful Valle Vidal preservation area).
When you get to tiny Cerro, NM, you'll see signs to take you to the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. Drive in and look at the confluence of the Red and Rio Grande Rivers in the bottom of the gorge!
From Cerro, you'll pass the mountain town of Questa (turn left here if you want to drive up to Red River) and on towards Taos, which you'll be entering from the north side of town.
At the main intersection up there, you can turn right and drive about seven miles to go out to the Rio Grande Gorge bridge. Walk out across the bridge (unless you're afraid of heights!):
Ok, in Taos, eat breakfast at Michael's Kitchen. Have some Mexican food in the informal atmosphere of Guadalajara Grill on the north side (a local's favorite, not well known by the touristas). Visit the plaza, including the pedestrian zone north of the plaza itself. Visit the galleries. Visit the musuems, including the Kit Carson home, just a few steps east of the plaza.
And don't miss the St. Francis de Asis church just south of Taos in Ranchos de Taos, which was the subject matter for one of Ansel Adams' famous photographs:
Here's a little history of Taos to whet your appetite:
History:
Quote: There is evidence that man has lived in the Taos area as far back as 3,000 B.C. Prehistoric ruins dating from 900 A.D. can be seen throughout the Taos Valley. The Pueblo of Taos remains the link from these early inhabitants of the valley to the still-living native culture.
The first Europeans to appear in Taos valley were led by Captain Alvarado, who was exploring the area for the Coronado expedition of 1540. Don Juan de Onate, official colonizer of the province of Nuevo Mexico, came to Taos in July 1598. In September of that year he assigned Fray Francisco de Zamora to serve the Taos and Picuris Pueblos.
Long established trading networks at Taos Pueblo, plus its mission and the abundant water and timber of the valley, attracted early Spanish settlers.
Life was not easy for the newcomers, and there were several conflicts with Taos Pueblo before the Pueblo revolt of 1680 in which all Spaniards and their priests were either killed or driven from the province. In 1692 Don Diego de Vargas made a successful military reconquest of New Mexico and in 1693 he returned to recolonize the province. In 1694 he raided Taos Pueblo when it refused to provide corn for his starving settlers in Santa Fe.
Taos Pueblo revolted again in 1696, and De Vargas came for the third time to put down the rebellion. Thereafter, Taos and most of the other Rio Grande Pueblos remained allies of Spain and later of Mexico when it won its independence in 1821. During this long period the famous Taos Trade Fairs grew in importance so that even the annual caravan to Chihuahua delayed its departure until after the Taos Fair, which was held in July or August. The first French traders, led by the Mallette brothers, attended the Taos Fair in 1739.
By 1760, the population of Taos valley had decreased because of the fierce attacks by Plains Indians. Many times the Spanish settlers had to move into houses at Taos Pueblo for protection from these raiders. In 1779, Colonel de Anza returned through Taos from Colorado, where he had decisively defeated the Comanches led by Cuerno Verde. De Anza named the Sangre de Cristo Pass, northeast of present Fort Garland, and also named the road south from Taos to Santa Fe through Miranda Canyon as part of "El Camino Real". In 1796 - 97, the Don Fernando de Taos grant was given to 63 Spanish families.
By the early 1800's, Taos had become the headquarters for many of the famous mountain men who trapped beaver in the neighboring mountains. Among them was Kit Carson, who made his home in Taos from 1826 to 1868. In July 1826 Padre Antonio Jose Martinez began serving the Taos parish. He opened his school in Taos in 1833 and published textbooks for it in 1834. He printed "El Crepusculo", a weekly newspaper in 1835, and was prominent in territorial matters during the Mexican and early United States periods in New Mexico.
After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, the Santa Fe Trail became the important route for trade between the United States and Mexico. A branch of the trail came to Taos to supply its trading needs.From 1821 to 1846, the Mexican government made numerous land grants to help settle new sections of New Mexico. During the war with Mexico in 1846, General Stephen Kearney and his U.S. troops occupied the province of New Mexico. Taos rebelled against the new wave of invaders and in 1847 killed the newly appointed Governor Charles Bent, in his Taos home. In 1850 the province, which then included Arizona, officially became the territory of New Mexico of the United States.
During the civil war, the confederate army flew its flag for six weeks over Santa Fe. It was just prior to this time that Kit Carson, Smith Simpson, Ceran St. Vrain and others put up the American flag over Taos Plaza and guarded it. Since then, Taos has had the honor of flying the flag day and night. The discovery of gold in the Moreno valley in 1866 and later in the mountains near Taos brought many new people to the area. The Carson National Forest contains forested lands in the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez Mountain Ranges. It was created from the Pecos River Forest Reserve of 1892, the Taos Forest Reserve of 1906, and part of the Jemez National Forest of 1905.
A narrow gauge railroad, the Denver and Rio Grande Western, was built from Alamosa, Colorado, to within 25 miles southwest of Taos in 1880. In later years it was nicknamed the Chili Line. It eventually connected with Santa Fe. A surrey and four horses joggled passengers from the station to Taos. During World War II, the train was discontinued; Embudo Station on the Rio Grande is all that is left of it today. (Nowadays you can go down to Embudo and have a nice glass of wine while watching the river flow by at your feet. And the public transportation system in present-day Taos is called the Chili Line; now you know why.)
The next invasion began in 1898, when two eastern artists came to Taos and depicted on canvas the dramatic mountains and unique peoples. By 1912, the Taos Society of Artists was formed by these and other artists who had been attracted to the area (including that sex-craved, scandalous D. H. Lawrence in 1922!).
Wow, thanks for the tourist info Lynn. I'll be googling everything .
Quote: ...drive about seven miles to go out to the Rio Grande Gorge bridge. Walk out across the bridge (unless you're afraid of heights!):
I'm actually terrified of heights! From what I can see in your photo it looks pretty scary. Just the thought of walking out on that makes me feel a little shaky even now, but what a view! My hobby is photography and my desire to get a good photo often times makes me ignore that voice in my head screaming 'No-o-o-o-o! '. I'll definitely check it out. Thanks again!
On the west side of the bridge, there's a nice BLM-run rest area, and on the back side of the rest area is a trail head. Walk out about .75 of a mile or so, and you can get a great shot back at the gorge and bridge.
Lynn
BTW, if you have good knees and great lungs, there is some really good trout fishing at the bottom of the gorge. There are several trails into it from near Taos.
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goin2themountains wrote: BTW, if you have good knees and great lungs, there is some really good trout fishing at the bottom of the gorge. There are several trails into it from near Taos.
Durn, tootin! Some of really good fishing down there! There are several trailheads at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area leading down, and they are popular with avid fishermen, hikers, backbackers, and others!
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'. I'll definitely check it out. Thanks again!
