If you want to spend a day riding and visiting New Mexico’s local attractions, a Santa Fe-to-Taos Pueblo motorcycle road trip is just the thing. This approximately 100-mile route will take just two and a half hours riding straight through, but with everything to see and do along the way, you can easily fill up your day.
The Route
Starting in Santa Fe, take US-84 W/US Hwy 285 N 21 miles through Pojoaque. At the outskirts of Santa Cruz, turn right onto La Puebla Rd., following it three miles to turn right onto NM-76 N to Chimayó. Follow 76 through Chimayó, Truchas, and Trampas.
In Peñasco, turn right onto NM-75 E/High Rd. to Taos. Follow it five and a half miles through Vadito, then make a left onto NM-518 N. Follow 518 for the next 20 miles through Talpa into Taos.
In Taos, turn right onto the Highway to Town of Taos and follow it approximately two miles to reach Taos Pueblo, a tribal site and adobe building historical landmark.
The Sights
The High Road to Taos on your Santa Fe-to-Taos Pueblo motorcycle road trip is a national scenic byway, offering twists, turns, and views of Spanish colonial villages, native adobe buildings, forests, mountains, deserts, and historical church buildings. Thirty miles of the route brings you through Carson National Forest.
The Attractions
See historic churches, including the San Francisco de Asis Church, Church of Nuestra Señora de San Juan de los Largos del Rio Chiquito, San José de Gracia, San Antonio de Padua Church, Santuario de Chimayó, Iglesia de la Santa Cruz de la Cañada, San Miguel Chapel, and more.
Many locations along the way offer work by local artists, including Ortega and Trujillo weaving art in Chimayó and artist studios in Ojo Sarco. Don’t miss several art museums in Santa Fe, including the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian Arts, and the International Museum of Folk Art.
Chimayó offers the Plaza del Cerro, established around 1730. This fortified plaza features working irrigation and a central plaza with defensible walls and narrow passageways to defend against hostile native uprisings against the threat of Spanish colonization.
Taos Pueblo, your destination for the ride, offers the longest continually inhabited village in the U.S. Originally built between 1000 and 1450, the adobe buildings still house local families and artisans. Stop to see the San Geronimo Catholic Church Ruins and Cemetery, plus shop for native arts and crafts, including handmade drums, jewelry, weaving, and more.
The Eats
Stop in Chimayó to visit the Rancho de Chimayó for traditional New Mexican cuisine, including chile rellenos, prickly pear cactus, carne adovada, stuffed sopapillas, and green chiles.
When riding through Peñasco, stop at Victor’s Drive-In for burgers, shakes, chili dogs, and ice cream, or visit Sugar Nymph’s Bistro for burgers, sandwiches, brunch, desserts, and more.
You have many more options for eateries and gas stations once you get near Taos, including the Ranchos Plaza Grill in Ranchos de Taos, offering New Mexican favorites. Or stop at Rosa’s Tacos in Taos as soon as you turn onto 68.
For cuisine outside the usual New Mexican fare, visit Mondo Italiano Taos for pizza, pasta, calzones, chicken parmesan, and espresso. Or visit Song’s Restaurant for Chinese Asian fusion, including sushi, kung pao chicken, and lo mein.
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