Overview

Taos has a mystical allure, an indescribable something that draws people in and holds them.

Taos is old GMC pickup trucks and rutted roads begging to be explored. It is centuries old dwellings and transplanted artists who came, were captured by the sunsets and magic of the Sangre de Cristo, and put up their easels. Taos Mountain stands guard over the valley, where the air smells of pinyon smoke and sagebrush. Old adobes are mute evidence of the town's early history and its exploration by Native American and, eventually, Spanish conquistadors who also liked what they saw and stayed.

Taos, (population roughly 6,500) sits on a sprawling mesa at the base of the Sangre de Cristos. There is an artful district of galleries, boutiques, and restaurants in town. North of town, at the base of Taos Mountain, is the land of the indigenous Tiwa-speaking Native Americans who have called the area their own for centuries. Known as the Pueblo, the land and its settlements predate the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s and hold a mystical attraction over those familiar with its history and ways.

About four miles south of town is Ranchos de Taos, a farming and ranching community settled by the Spanish. Ranchos is home to the San Francisco de Asis Church, a massive earthen structure that has drawn artists and seekers for generations. The church's graveyard and grounds have been the subject of painters and photographers since the 1920s and is one of the most heavily photographed sites in the country.

Taos has plenty to do in summer. Art galleries open and festivals flourish; visitors take horseback rides into the mountains.

Lodging is available in and around the town and at the world famous ski resort. There are condos and hotels, homes and haciendas. Some are new, and some are historical adobe-style, B&Bs, typical of the area.

Artists love Taos. And if you love art you'll love it, too. There are nearly 100 art galleries in the area, art schools are well-attended and artists thrive. Painters first discovered Taos and its attractions in the 1920s, and either stayed put to capture the area year-round or make regular pilgrimages.

Taos is in the northern, middle part of the state, in the heart of the southern Rockies. From the airport, catch one of these local shuttle services to your destination: Faust's Transportation, (888-830-3410 or 505-758-3410; http://www.newmexiconet.com/trans/faust/faust.html) or Twin Hearts Express, (800-654-9456 or 505-751-1201).

The scenic driving route is 135 miles from Albuquerque; 230 miles from Colorado Springs, and 300 miles from Denver.