The 70-mile drive from Santa Fe to Taos is one of the great short road trips in America, and it passes through two of the most important art communities in the country. The Low Road (US-68 along the Rio Grande Gorge) is faster and dramatic in its own right. The High Road (NM-503, NM-76, NM-75) takes longer but passes through a series of mountain villages — Chimayó, Truchas, Las Trampas — that are themselves remarkable places. Do both: take the High Road north, the Low Road south.

Starting in Santa Fe

Allow at least a full day for Santa Fe galleries before heading north. The essential stops are Gerald Peters Gallery and Nedra Matteucci Galleries on Canyon Road for the historical tradition, and LewAllen Galleries in the Railyard for contemporary depth. The New Mexico Museum of Art on the Plaza provides indispensable historical context for both the Santa Fe and Taos schools.

The High Road

The High Road climbs into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains through a series of Spanish Colonial villages that have changed remarkably little over the past century. Chimayó is the first major stop — the Santuario de Chimayó is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Southwest, and the surrounding village has several studios and shops selling weavings in the traditional Rio Grande style. El Potrero Trading Post carries authentic Chimayó blankets at fair prices.

Truchas, high above the Rio Grande valley, is an artists' colony in a landscape of extraordinary drama. Several painters have studios here; look for signs. Las Trampas has a perfectly preserved 18th-century church that is worth stopping for even on a tight schedule.

Arriving in Taos

Taos repays a minimum of two days. The Taos Art Museum at Fechin House and the Harwood Museum of Art provide the historical foundation; the Millicent Rogers Museum, three miles north of the plaza, has the most extraordinary collection of Pueblo pottery and Navajo textiles in the region. On the commercial side, Blue Rain Gallery and Parks Gallery are the essential contemporary stops.

Taos Pueblo, two miles north of the plaza, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most photographed building in New Mexico — but it is first and foremost a living community. Visit respectfully, pay the entrance fee, and buy directly from the potters and jewelry makers who set up outside.

Practical Notes

  • The High Road is approximately 2.5 hours from Santa Fe to Taos; the Low Road is about 1.5 hours.
  • Most High Road villages have no services; fill your tank before leaving Santa Fe.
  • Both cities are at high altitude (7,000+ feet); pace yourself, especially in summer heat.
  • The Taos Fall Arts Festival (late September) and the Santa Fe Indian Market (August) are the optimal times to make this trip if gallery activity is your primary focus.