Taos Ski Valley
HeyTaos ยท Free Guide
Taos Ski Valley
A historic mountain village 19 miles north of Taos, built around one of the steepest ski mountains in the country and surrounded entirely by Carson National Forest. Founded as a ski area in 1955, it remains a year-round destination today, skiing in winter, hiking and mountain biking in summer.
In the 1800s, present-day Taos Ski Valley was the site of a small copper mining town called Twining. Ernie and Rhoda Blake founded the ski area in 1955, and the first lift, a J-bar, went in a year later, serving a single run named Snakedance. The Blake family ran the resort for decades before selling it to conservationist Louis Bacon in 2013, who owns it today.
The village itself sits at 9,321 feet, one of the highest municipalities in the United States, with Wheeler Peak, New Mexico's tallest mountain at 13,161 feet, rising above it. Carson National Forest surrounds the entire village.
The Mountain, By the Numbers
Winter and Summer
Winter
Known for steep, expert terrain and dry powder, with around 300 inches of snow a year. The mountain has expanded its beginner and intermediate offerings over the years, including a gondola lift service, so it isn't expert-only anymore.
Summer
The same slopes turn into one of New Mexico's mountain biking destinations from early summer through mid-fall. The village also offers hiking toward Williams Lake and Wheeler Peak, pickleball, and free lawn programming at the Eis Haus Lawn.
The Village
Today the village is home to 40-plus merchants, with casual dining, lodging, shopping, and outdoor outfitters built around the European-style mountain tradition the Blake family established decades ago. It's about a 30-minute drive from Taos Plaza up NM-150, through Arroyo Seco and the canyon.
The Mountain
Plan Your Visit
Free Guide. Taos Ski Valley is featured editorially by HeyTaos because it's one of the defining destinations in the region, not because of any paid placement. Confirm current lift tickets, hours, and conditions directly with skitaos.com before you go.