1 Day Trip From Santa Fe: The High Road from Santa Fe to Taos

Kevin and I have been loving our time exploring Old Town Santa Fe. But we were ready to hit the high road from Santa Fe to Taos for a big road trip adventure. This is a full-day excursion with 7 total stops mapped out every 45 minutes or so. Meaning…Kevin, no, you won’t get to sleep much on this trip!

But you won’t want to miss all the gorgeous views of the New Mexico landscape along the route. By the end, we both agreed that this was our favorite part of our trip in New Mexico. Now that’s a big statement, especially as many of you know how much we pack into our itineraries. So hit the road and follow our full Santa Fe to Taos adventure below —

Stop #1:  Start Your Day Trip From Santa Fe to Taos at the Birthplace of the Atom Bomb in Los Alamos

Located 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, Los Alamos is a picturesque place. It’s hard to imagine it was ground zero for the development of the world’s most deadly weapons including the creation of the nuclear bombs dropped in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.

The history surrounding Los Alamos and its involvement in the Manhattan Project is pretty heavy stuff. But the Bradbury Science Museum, located in the heart of downtown, does a great job telling the story of the town’s infamous lab that designed and fabricated the first atomic bombs. The free museum covers a lot of ground including the history of the infamous nuclear laboratory, its national security mission and the latest technology and research taking place.

The most interesting part to me was learning about the great lengths officials took to ensure Los Alamos would remain a secret enclave cut off from society. First, there is the overall geographic isolation, which is what made the site so appealing to Dr.  J. Robert Oppenheimer, a former director of the laboratory. The site had multiple security checkpoints that were guarded by military police 24-hours a day. And something tells me there was little room for secrets in this town — every letter was opened to ensure that no secrets would get out. The museum hours are Tuesday – Saturday from 10 AM  to 5 PM and Sunday – Monday from 1 – 5 PM.

Stop #2: Feel the Healing Powers of the Santuario de Chimayo

The Santuario de Chimayo, a National Historic Landmark, is just a 45 minute drive north from Los Alamos and is worth a quick stop whether you’re religious or not. Every Easter and other holy holidays, thousands of Roman Catholics show up — some as far as over 100 miles away — to visit the sanctuary and seek relief from the healing powers of the dirt. The legends of the sacred dirt and its source of energy are many, and they date back to the time of the Tewa Pueblo Native Americans. Long before the Spaniards and their religion showed up, the Tewa Pueblo Native Americans told stories of healing spirits in the hot springs in the Chimayo area. Many people believe the earth retained the healing energy when the springs dried up.

But where do you find this mysterious dirt? This was the big question Kevin and I had since we couldn’t seem to find it anywhere! After we nudged our way inside one of the many gift shops on site, we were able to ask a worker who said it could be found to the left side of the alter through a door in the main church. We joined the long line and watched as several people scooped up the dirt and placed it into at least a dozen containers. We spent about 45 minutes wandering the grounds here and taking it all in. The site is open from 9 AM – 6 PM from May to September. It closes an hour earlier from October to April at 5 PM.

Stop #3: Shopping Time! Quick Detour to Ortega’s Weaving Shop

Besides the famed sanctuary, Chimayo is also known for its hand woven tapestry wool products. The stop at Ortega’s Weaving Studio is just minutes away from the sanctuary and as we pulled into the parking lot, Kevin joked that he wondered how much I would buy here. “What? ME?” I answered with an ever harsh, accusatory tone. Well, I guess Kevin knows me well, since yeah, I basically had a stack of items that I figured would look great in our condo after just a few minutes inside.

Ortega’s Weaving has been at this same location since 1900 with the art passed down through the generations. The live weaving demo even had one of the grandchildren learning the craft. Kevin clearly had a lot of questions about the process. And okay, MAY have distracted the weaver who had to basically re-do several rows of weaving. Seriously, it’s like we had to buy something now! Or maybe that’s just me coming up with a way to justify my shopping habits? Ortega’s is open from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Saturday (and closed on Sunday).

Stop #4: Chowing Down on the Best Grilled Cheese Ever Tasted and Carrot Cake

After all that shopping, we were now hungry and drove 30 minutes north to one of the best hidden gems on the trip. Sugar Nymphs Bistro doesn’t look like much from the outside. I could tell Kevin had some doubt as I pulled off the 2-lane highway into the busy dirt lot. But he quickly changed his mind after trying just one bite of the carrot cake. He was totally on board and excited to taste the grilled cheese sandwich that was recommended by the server. Feeling a little guilty by eating nearly the entire giant slab of carrot cake, I chose the somewhat light goat cheese salad for lunch.

Our main dishes arrived and Kevin was ready to try the grilled cheese, which was not only filled with cheese on the inside but also covered with grilled cheese on the outside. After one bite, he couldn’t help but proclaim that it was perhaps the “best grilled cheese he’s ever eaten in his life.” Now that’s some high praise — in the 14 years we’ve been together, I’ve seen him eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches!

Stop #5: The Granddaddy of Pueblos in Taos

I’ve read about Taos for quite some time. And there is always that moment of fear about whether a place will live up to all the hype. And I can clearly say that the Taos Pueblo was so much more than I anticipated. When picking where to travel for the July 4th holiday, I narrowed in on New Mexico primarily to get the chance to see this grand pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Be sure to arrive in time to take one of their informative 20-minute guided tours by a member of the community. Our guide was a young woman who was about to head off to the University of New Mexico as a freshman. She explained that the Pueblo has been the home of the Red Willow People for over 1000 years. And today, it’s still a living and well striving, sovereign community. While most of the Red Willow People have moved to the nearby community just outside the walls, there are still a few residents left. Though, she explained, that many wanted more modern places. Turns out, the pueblo doesn’t have running water or electricity to this day. But despite the blazing sun, the interior of the homes were still very cool inside from the thick mud walls.

Stop #6: Test Your Fear of Heights at Rio Grande Gorge

To begin your journey back on the low road, travel west on US Hwy 64 to reach the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, the second highest bridge on the U.S. highway system. But you’ll need to bring your nerves! This bridge is so much higher than it looks in photos.

The bridge is a quick 20 minute drive from the Taos Pueblo and makes an easy stop. We recommend parking just before you reach the bridge on the left side of US Hwy 64. It’s not so much as a parking lot — but a dirt shoulder. You’ll likely see other bridge gawkers parked there. It was once called the “bridge to nowhere” while it was being built because the funding didn’t exist to continue the road on the other side. If you’re having a déjà vu moment like you’ve seen it before, you might be correct. The bridge has appeared in several movies, including Terminator Salvation, Natural Born Killers and Wild Hogs.

Stop #7: Soak in the Restorative Waters of Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa

It’s the final stop along this full day high road adventure. And what better way to finish up than a relaxing soak in hot springs? Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs is one of the oldest natural health resorts in the country. Upon arriving at the spa’s check-in desk, they gave us a pamphlet outlining it’s long history and the spring’s “restorative powers.” The spa has four different types of mineral water including lithia, iron, soda and arsenic. Wait, did he say arsenic?  “We better not drink that last mineral water…” I said jokingly. Though, my humor was completely lost on the front desk person who said I really shouldn’t drink any of the water in the hot springs. Duly noted!

There are 12 pools total, which was fun for us to try, with temperatures ranging from 80 – 106 degrees. But one of our personal favorite spots of the spa was the mud bath, where we looked more like creatures from the black lagoon than spa goers!

We timed the trip just towards dusk, around 5 PM, which was perfect for taking in a soak as the desert temperatures lowered. We felt like we were out in the middle of nowhere. So it was hard to believe we just had a 1 hour drive back to Santa Fe. Perfect timing to make a late-night movie at Violet Crown Cinema Santa Fe, where you can order food, wine and other beverages and bring it all inside the theater. We had the mac n’ cheese, pizza and chips and queso. You know, all the healthy stuff! But it was oh so delicious.

Planning a trip in the United States to northern New Mexico and looking for other ideas? Be sure to check out our story on the best nerdy day trip from Albuquerque. Or if you’re looking for a little more activity, we recommend doing an Old Town Santa Fe biking tour.