Summer's in full swing, the chair lifts are open in the ski valleys, and families will delight in the breathtaking range of recreational activities offered in and around Taos. Fancy floating through the sky at sunrise? Riding through the mountains at dusk? Taking on the rapids on the Rio Grande? You’ll find opportunities to do all this and more in the listings below. Find out what locals consider as their top ten favorite, free, outdoor activities. Check out too our Festival and Events section for all the special events taking place this spring. And make sure you visit our Arts and Culture section to find out about all the fun stuff taking place indoors. While we strive to maintain accuracy in our listings, information of this nature changes regularly, so we apologize if any of the details are incorrect. Please help us to keep this list up-to-date by emailing info@twirlhouse.com with any corrections or new information. Top Ten Recreation and Outdoor FREEBIES Twirl has a wonderful free outdoor play area with a climbing structure, water play area, Hobbit tree house, pirate ship, and much more. There’s always a ton going on including free activities on Thursdays between 3pm – 5pm and Saturdays between 11am – 1pm. Visitors are welcome to enjoy this area for free at any time during store opening hours, so come and check it out - it’s quite the scene over the summer holidays. Hiking – Taos has some great hiking trails. Divisidero Trail or any of the hikes south of Taos (check out the hikes on Hwy. 518) or down to the Gorge will be aided by our abundant sunshine. Or, hike down to the Stage Coach Hot Springs for a nice soak. Location - Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River Recreation Area, northwest of Taos. Check out the great hiking books for sale at Taos Mountain Outfitters, Mudd and Flood or Moby Dickens. Pretty sure with a nice hello, the friendly folks at the mountain stores will just tell you their favorite spots to hike. River Watching – If you’re not quite ready to take the plunge, you can keep your feet dry and watch the white water rafters and kayakers navigating the surf and rapids. Driving down through the Gorge on Hwy. 68, you can pull over at various spots and check out these water rats. Biking - Gearing Up Bike Shop here in Taos will give you great ideas on trails that are in good condition this season. The lower elevation trails are the best as they dry out the quickest, so try the West Rim Trail, Trail 18 and the Talpa Traverse. If you are up for a challenge, try South Boundary Trail. Call Gearing Up for directions - 575-751-0365. Fishing - Call up the Taos Fly Shop for updates on the best places to throw a line. Depending on the weather, the ice flow and many other factors, it's always best to check in before heading out - call 575 751-1312. The Taos News has a comprehensive guide to the state's best fishing, look in the sports section for this guide. Bird and Wildlife Watching - From big-horn sheep, elk, and marmots to golden eagles and hawks, there is a ton of wildlife to see in Northern New Mexico. The months of June and July offer the best bird watching in the state, including both migratory and indigenous species. Try Orilla Verde Recreation Area along the Rio Grande Gorge near Espanola - sometimes you can spot a peregrine falcon. Or Wheeler Peak Wilderness - big horn sheep enjoy the ruggedness of this wilderness area. Check out mule deer, golden eagles and perhaps a bear or mountain lion if you're lucky (or not!) Tres Piedras - The name means "Three Stones" and it's a tiny settlement at the crossroads of U.S. 285 and U.S. 64. Admire the strange, melted rock formations in the area. Eat at The Diner - it's worth it. Chama - Narrow - gauge steam locomotives pull passenger cars and flatbed viewing platforms from Chama to Antonito, Colorado every day from late May to October. Visit the Edward Sargent Wildlife Refuge. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge- on US 65, about 12 miles NW of Taos. The steel bridge stretches across the Rio Grande Gorge, 650 feet above the river (the third highest in the US). Many park on the side to take photos and to stare down at the dizzy depth. Parks - Kit Carson Park and Fred Baca Park are two local favorites. At Kit Carson, you can walk the trail around the park while the children ride their bikes, play volleyball at the sand court, climb, slide and hang at the play structure or just throw a Frisbee at the grassy field. Fred Baca Park has a walk and jogging trail, play structures, large field for kicking a soccer ball, picnic tables for a nice lunch, basketball court, tennis courts (don't forget your high-altitude tennis balls), and, the kids' favorite - a wetlands nature walk where you can view wildlife in their habitat. The bike trail is the perfect spot for those that are on training wheels or just graduated to two wheels and a horn! Spring/Summer Recreation and Outdoor Activities in Taos White Water Rafting and River Trips The spring run-off is great and the season is just beginning. Taos is home to the Rio Grande Gorge, with scenic rapids ranging from class I through V. Choose from the Taos Box, Race Course or Orilla Verde to fit your comfort level. Call: Los Rios River Runners - 776-8854, 800-544-1181 www.losriosriverrunners.com Far Flung Adventures- 758-2628, 800-359-2627 www.farflung.com Big River Raft Trips 575-758-9711 or 800-748-3760. www.bigriverrafts.com Native Sons Adventures-Rafting 575-758-9342 or 800-753-7559 www.newmex.com/nsa Rio Grande Rapid Transit-Rafting. 800-222-7238 Cottams Rio Grande River Trips 758-2822, 8003228267 www.cottamsoutdoor.com Hiking and Trekking Whether you’re on two feet or four, opportunities abound for getting out in the wilderness. Carson National Forest Ranger Station-Maps for hiking, campground information, etc. 208 Cruz Alta Road. 505-758-6200. Hondo/Stagecoach Hot Springs-Natural hot springs, 98 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). 505-758-3873 or 800-732-8267. Cowboy Evening-Dutch oven cooking on Two Eagles Ranch. 575-754-2769. AA Taos Ski Valley Wilderness Adventures. Trail rides & cowboy camps with unsurpassed mountain views 575 751 6051 Bobcat Pass Wilderness Adventures 575 754 2769 Taos Indian Horse Ranch – Horseback riding in Indian Country and High Desert Mountain Terrain. www.taosindianhorseranch.com 575 758 3212 or 800-659-3210 Horseback Riding at Shadow Mountain Ranch-800-405-7732 www.smgr.com Horse Rides, Jeep Tours, Fishing, Wildlife Viewing Adventures-575-758-7332. Llano Bonito-Stables. 25 miles south of Taos on N.M. 518. 575-587-2636. Rio Grande Stables-575-776-5913. www.lajitasstables.com/taos.htm Shadow Mountain Guest Ranch-Stables. 6.5 miles east on U.S. 64, turn left at marker 261, drive 2.5 miles on forest road. 505-758-7732. www.smgr.com El Paseo Llama Expeditions—Llama trekking day hikes and llama packing treks for wilderness adventurers, hikers, backpackers & families with small children. 800.455.2627 Wild Earth Llama Adventures-Explore New Mexico’s Pristine Wilderness... Without a Heavy Pack! Educational Single and multi and multi-day wilderness adventures in the Southern Rocky Mountains, near Taos and Santa Fe. 800-758-LAMA (5262). www.LlamaAdventures.com Biking There is both great road riding and mountain biking to be had in the Taos area. If you’re hitting the pavement (so to speak) there’s the option of short loops to lengthy out and backs. Mountain biking options are also varied, although right now you’ll have to stick to the lower routes. Rides along the Rio Grande Gorge are always popular, not least for the great scenery. Alpine riding can be as steep and technical as it gets, so plan your route carefully. For rentals of road, mountain, hybrid and children’s bikes, as well as the best advice from local riders, check out any of the below bike shops. Gearing Up www.gearingupbikes.com 575-751-0365. Taos Cyclery www.taoscyclery.com 575 758 5562 Cottams Ski and Outdoor 575 758-2822, 8003228267 www.cottamsoutdoor.com Bird and Wildlife Watching Tres Piedras State Wildlife Area-3,30 acres of high prairie for big game. Between Tres Piedras and Taos. Wildlife viewing. 25 miles northwest of Taos on U.S. 64. Orilla Verde Recreation Area-Southern end of Rio Grande Wild/Scenic River area. Campsites, fishing. 12-13 miles southwest of Taos via N.M. 68. 505-758-8851. Ballooning If you think Taos is breathtaking from the ground, you should see it from above. Take a balloon flight over Taos and enjoy the company of some well-informed and highly entertaining guides, not to mention a champagne breakfast to celebrate your flight. Not cheap, but worth every penny. Eske’s Paradise Balloons - 575-751-6098.www.taosballooning.com Pueblo Balloon Comnpany - 575-751-9677. www.puebloballoon.com Rio Grande Gorge Enjoy breathtaking (and scary) views of the Rio Grande Gorge from a bridge that crosses 650 feet above the river. Get there early enough to watch the ballooners dipping down into the river below. Observation platforms and picnic area, 11 miles northwest of Taos on U.S. 64. Fishing Northern New Mexico is a great place to take kids fishing. Never tried Fly Fishing? Then give one of these guides a call and they will hook you up. Streit Flyfishing - 575-751-1312. www.streitflyfishing.com Solitary Angler – 575 758-5653 www.thesolitaryangler.com Golf and Disc Golf Hit a bucket of balls or go the entire 18 holes. Taos Country Club – 575 758-7300 Angel Fire Resort - 575-377-3055 Valle Escondido – 575-758-3475 Disc golf shares the same joys and frustrations of traditional golf, whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway. It's free; you can rent discs at the base area in Taos Ski and Boot. For more information, please call TSV Chamber of Commerce at 575-776-1413 or visit www.tsv.org. Mountain Climbing Taos is home to world-class rock climbing, from bolted sport climbing routes on steep basalt to long classic routes in the mountains. Mountain Skills Rock Climbing guides offer guided trips to the best rock climbing destinations in Taos and Santa Fe. Whether you are a first time beginner or a seasoned veteran, you will be led by our professional, friendly, and experienced guides through an enjoyable experience where you can relax and climb with safety confidence. www.climbingschoolusa.com 575 776 2222 If you need to get geared up for any of these outdoor activities, try one of these local retailers for great equipment and friendly advice. Taos Mountain Outfitters, located at 114 South Plaza. www.taosmountainoutfitters.com (great online resource for more information on local outdoor pursuits). 575 758 9292 Mudd 'n' Flood 575 751 9100 103A Bent Street Cottams Ski and Outdoor 575 758-2822 207 Paseo del Pueblo Sur www.cottamsoutdoor.com Taos Youth Soccer League - With 700 kids strong in this organization, the soccer league in Taos is kicking. Check out www./taosoccer.com for more information and schedule. Opening day for the new season is Saturday April 17. Little League Baseball - Opening day is April 24th at Kit Carson, so grab your mitt and head out to the fields for all the mitt action www.eteamz.com/taosbaseball/
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