From the Rio Grande Gorge to Historic Taos
June 2021
Navigating Carson Forest to the Rio Grande Gorge
- June 20, 2021
- 0.82 mi
- 18:21 min
- 81 °F
On our way to Taos, we wanted to stop at the breathtaking Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, one of the highest bridges in the United States. So, we drove through the vast and empty Carson National Forest, a drive that became quite an adventure, since we didn’t have a GPS signal here and had only 25% gas left in the tank. Thankfully, we still had a paper map in the car that helped us in the right direction, guiding us safely onto U.S. Route 64 (US-64).
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is known officially as the “Most Beautiful Steel Bridge”, an award given by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) in 1966. Looking down from 600 feet above the canyon floor, the mighty Rio Grande looks like a tiny creek flowing through the gorge. The gorge itself is the heart of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, a 242,500-acre volcanic landscape designated by presidential proclamation in March 2013.
Revisiting Taos’s Ancient Adobe Charm
- June 20, 2021
- 0.82 mi
- 1.03 hrs
- 86 °F
We first explored Taos’s downtown area with our youngest son back in 2010 during a road trip to California. I remembered the unique charm of the historic Taos Plaza, the cultural heart of the town since the late 1700s. We strolled under the magnificent trees, past the artisan shops and iconic Pueblo-revival adobe architecture.
Afterward, we stopped at Alley Cantina, situated just off the plaza in the oldest standing building in Taos. The earliest parts of its adobe structure date back to the 16th century, when it was established as an early outpost along the Chihuahua Trail. Over the centuries, it served as an outpost, residence, and trading hub. We enjoyed our lunch in the inviting atrium, which offered the feeling of dining outdoors while keeping us cool within the rustic, historic interior. After lunch and filling up the car, we drove back home along the scenic Highway 68, following the bends of the Rio Grande. This time, with our car filled up, I could relax and truly enjoy the ride!