 Taos, population 4,700, is located in northern New Mexico, 70 miles northeast of Santa Fe, on the high mesa valley next to the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. Taos calls itself the "Town of Taos" and was incorporated as such in 1934. Being located close to Taos Pueblo, the Native American village and tribe from which it takes its name, it is also the county seat of Taos County. The name also refers to the nearby ski resort of Taos Ski Valley.
The word "Taos" means 'red willow' in the Pueblo people's Tiwa language. Hundreds of years of rich cultural interaction among Spanish explorers, Native Americans and American immigrants has created a diverse climate of understanding. The pace is slow, the air is clean, the water clear, all contributing to a trusting small-town feeling of hospitality. Many people in Taos have experienced what is termed the Taos Hum, a low-frequency noise whose source and nature are still a mystery and for which a variety of theories have been advanced. The lore of this phenomenon has become part of the appeal of this unique community.
At an elevation of 6,952 feet, Taos experiences 300 sunny days a year and 300 inches of snowfall annually, endless skiing, rafting and year-round outdoor adventure. This includes; camping, fishing, golfing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and even hot air ballooning. |
