Planning a trip to Taos
Arriving
By Plane -- The Taos Regional Airport (tel. 575/758-4995) is about 8 miles northwest of town on US 64. Most people opt to fly into Albuquerque International Sunport, rent a car, and drive up to Taos from there. The drive takes approximately 2 1/2 hours. If you'd rather be picked up at Albuquerque International Sunport, call Faust's Transportation, Inc. (tel. 575/758-3410), which offers daily service, as well as taxi service between Taos and Taos Ski Valley.
By Bus -- The Taos Bus Center is 5 miles south of the plaza at 710 Paseo del Pueblo Sur (tel. 575/758-1144). TNM&O arrives and departs from this depot several times a day.
By Car -- Most visitors arrive in Taos via either NM 68 or US 64. Northbound travelers should exit I-25 at Santa Fe, follow US 285 as far as Española, and then continue on the divided highway when it becomes NM 68. Taos is about 79 miles from the I-25 junction. Southbound travelers from Denver on I-25 should exit about 6 miles south of Raton at US 64 and then follow it about 95 miles to Taos. Another major route is US 64 from the west (214 miles from Farmington).
Visitor Information
The Taos County Chamber of Commerce, at 108 F. Kit Carson Rd., Taos, NM 87571 (tel. 575/751-8800; www.taoschamber.com), is open in summer, daily 9am to 5pm. It's closed on major holidays.
City Layout
The plaza is a short block west of Taos's major intersection -- where US 64 (Kit Carson Rd.) from the east joins NM 68, Paseo del Pueblo Sur. US 64 proceeds north from the intersection as Paseo del Pueblo Norte. Camino de la Placita (Placita Rd.) circles the west side of downtown, passing within a block of the other side of the plaza. Many of the streets that join these thoroughfares are winding lanes lined by traditional adobe homes, many of them over 100 years old.
Most of the art galleries are located on or near the plaza, which was paved over with bricks several years ago, and along neighboring streets. Others are in the Ranchos de Taos area, a few miles south of the plaza.
Maps -- To find your way around town, pick up a free Taos map from the Town of Taos Visitor Center, 1139 Paseo del Pueblo Sur (tel. 800/732-TAOS [8267] or 575/758-3873). Good, detailed city maps can be found at area bookstores as well. Carson National Forest information and maps are available in the same building.
Getting Around
By Car -- With offices at the Taos airport, Enterprise (tel. 575/751-7490) is reliable and efficient. Other car-rental agencies are available out of Albuquerque.
Parking -- Parking can be difficult during the summer rush, when the stream of tourists' cars moving north and south through town never ceases. If you can't find parking on the street or in the plaza, check out some of the nearby roads (Kit Carson Rd., for instance); there are plenty of metered and unmetered lots in Taos.
Warning for Drivers -- En route to many recreation sites, reliable paved roads often give way to poorer forest roads. When you get off the main roads, you don't find gas stations or cafes. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended on snow and much of the unpaved terrain of the region. If you're doing some off-road adventuring, it's wise to go with a full gas tank, extra food and water, and warm clothing -- just in case. At the higher-than-10,000-foot elevations of northern New Mexico, sudden summer snowstorms are not unheard of.
Road Conditions -- Information on highway conditions throughout the state can be obtained from the State Highway Department (tel. 800/432-4269).
By Bus & Taxi -- If you're in Taos without a car, you're in luck because there's local bus service, provided by Chile Line Town of Taos Transit (tel. 575/751-4459). It operates on the half-hour Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm in summer, 7am to 6pm in winter, and on the hour Sunday 8am to 5pm. Two simultaneous routes run southbound from Taos Pueblo and northbound from the Ranchos de Taos Post Office. Each route makes stops at the casino and various hotels in town, as well as at Taos RV Park. Bus fares are 50¢ one-way, $1 round trip, $5 for a 7-day pass, and $20 for a 31-day pass.
In addition, Faust's Transportation (tel. 575/758-3410) has a taxi service linking town hotels and Taos Ski Valley. Faust's Transportation also offers shuttle service and on-call taxi service daily from 8am to 5pm (special arrangements made for after-hours; Sun by appointment only), with fares of about $10 anywhere within the city limits for up to two people.
By Bicycle -- Bicycle rentals are available from Gearing Up Bicycle Shop, 129 Paseo del Pueblo Sur (tel. 575/751-0365); daily rentals run $35 for a full day and $25 for a half-day for a mountain bike with front suspension. From April to October, Native Sons Adventures, 1334 Paseo del Pueblo Sur (tel. 800/753-7559 or 575/758-9342; www.nativesonsadventures.com), rents front-suspension bikes for $25/half-day and $35/full day. It also rents car racks for $5. Each shop supplies helmets and water bottles with rentals.
Fast Facts
Area Code -- The telephone area code for Taos area is 575.
ATMs -- You can find ATMs (also known as cash pueblos) all over town, at supermarkets, banks, and drive-throughs.
Business Hours -- Most businesses are open at least Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, though some may open an hour earlier and close an hour later. Many tourist-oriented shops are also open on Saturday morning, and some art galleries are open all day Saturday and Sunday, especially during peak tourist seasons. Banks are generally open Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and often for longer hours on Friday. Some may be open Saturday morning. Most branches have cash machines available 24 hours. Call establishments for specific hours.
Climate -- Taos's climate is similar to that of Santa Fe. Summer days are dry and sunny, except for frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winter days are often bracing, with snowfalls common but rarely lasting too long. Average summer temperatures range from 50° to 87°F (10°-31°C). Winter temperatures vary between 9° and 40°F (-13° to -4°C). Annual rainfall is 12 inches; annual snowfall is 35 inches in town and 300 inches at Taos Ski Valley, where the elevation is 9,207 feet. (A foot of snow is equal to an inch of rain.)
Currency Exchange -- Foreign currency can be exchanged at the Centinel Bank of Taos, 512 Paseo del Pueblo Sur (tel. 575/758-6700).
Dentists -- If you need dental work, try Dr. Walter Jakiela, 1392 Weimer Rd. (tel. 575/758-8654); Dr. Michael Rivera, 107 Plaza Garcia, Suite E (tel. 575/758-0531); or Dr. Tom Simms, 1392 Weimer Rd. (tel. 575/758-8303).
Doctors -- Members of the Taos Medical Group, on Weimer Road (tel. 575/758-2224), are highly respected. Also recommended are Family Practice Associates of Taos, 630 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Ste. 150 (tel. 575/758-3005).
Emergencies -- Dial tel. 911 for police, fire, and ambulance.
Hospital -- Holy Cross Hospital, 1397 Weimer Rd., off Paseo del Canyon (tel. 575/758-8883), has 24-hour emergency service. Serious cases are transferred to Santa Fe or Albuquerque.
Hot Lines -- The crisis hot line (tel. 575/758-9888) is available for emergency counseling.
Internet Access -- You can retrieve your e-mail via Wi-Fi or the cafe's computers at Sustaining Cultures, 114 Doña Luz (tel. 575/751-0959). It's located 1 block west of the plaza. And the Taos County Chamber of Commerce, 108 Kit Carson Rd., Ste. F (tel. 575/751-8800), just off the Plaza, offers free access. As well, the Taos Public Library offers free access .
Library -- The Taos Public Library, 402 Camino de la Placita (tel. 575/758-3063 or 575/737-2590), has a general collection for Taos residents, a children's library, and special collections on the Southwest and Taos art.
Lost Property -- Check with the Taos police at tel. 575/758-2216.
Newspapers & Magazines -- The Taos News (tel. 575/758-2241; www.taosnews.com) and the Sangre de Cristo Chronicle (tel. 575/377-2358; www.sangrechronicle.com) are published every Thursday. Taos Magazine is also a good source of local information. The Albuquerque Journal (www.abqjournal.com) and the New Mexican (from Santa Fe; www.santafenewmexican.com) are easily obtained at book and convenience stores.
Pharmacies -- There are several full-service pharmacies in Taos. Sav-on Drug (tel. 575/758-1203), Smith's Pharmacy (tel. 575/758-4824), and Wal-Mart Pharmacy (tel. 575/758-2743) are all on Pueblo Sur and are easily seen from the road.
Police -- In case of emergency, dial tel. 911. All other inquiries should be directed to the Taos police, Civic Plaza Drive (tel. 575/758-2216). The Taos County Sheriff, with jurisdiction outside the city limits, is in the county courthouse on Paseo del Pueblo Sur (tel. 575/758-3361).
Post Offices -- The main Taos post office is at 318 Paseo del Pueblo Norte (tel. 575/758-2081), a few blocks north of the plaza traffic light. There are smaller offices in Ranchos de Taos (tel. 575/758-3944) and at El Prado (tel. 575/758-4810). The zip code for Taos is 87571.
Radio -- A local station is KTAOS-FM (101.9), which broadcasts an entertainment calendar daily (tel. 575/758-5826); National Public Radio can be found on KUNM-FM (98.5) from Albuquerque.
Taxes -- Gross receipts tax for the city of Taos is 7.5%, and for Taos County it's 6.3%. There is an additional lodgers' tax of 5% in both the city of Taos and in Taos County.
Television -- Channel 2, the local access station, is available in most hotels. For a few hours a day it shows local programming. Cable networks carry Santa Fe and Albuquerque stations.
Time -- As is true throughout New Mexico, Taos is on Mountain Standard Time. It's 2 hours earlier than New York, 1 hour earlier than Chicago, and 1 hour later than Los Angeles. Clocks change the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.
Useful Telephone Numbers -- For emergency road service in the Taos area, call the state police at tel. 575/758-8878; for road conditions dial tel. 800/432-4269 (within New Mexico) for the state highway department. Taos County offices are at tel. 575/737-6300.
Weather -- Taos has no number to call for weather forecasts, but if you're hooked up, log on to www.taoschamber.com.
