Albuquerque to Taos road trip: Drive time, distance & best stops
The distance from Albuquerque to Taos by car is 133 miles, with a 2h21m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Albuquerque to Taos drive are the Sandia Peak Tramway, the Coronado Historic Site and Santa Fe.
Planning an Albuquerque to Taos road trip itinerary
The Albuquerque to Taos drive takes you from New Mexico’s biggest city to one of its most attractive mountain towns.
Fabulous Albuquerque experiences include a sunrise hot air balloon flight, old town ghost walks, nature tours by bike and guided hops between craft breweries . You can also pay a visit to the castle-like Turquoise Museum and old town food tours focusing on New Mexican flavours.
Great Albuquerque accommodation choices include the historic, adobe-style Casas de Suenos and the old town’s art-filled Hotel Chaco.
Mountain town Taos is known for its arts scene and skiing, but the star attraction is the World Heritage-listed Taos Pueblo. Thought to be nearly 1,000 years old, this is one of the finest examples of a native pueblo village in the US. Some of the adobe buildings are up to five stories high.
Other top Taos experiences include white-water rafting, snowshoeing adventures and art scene walking tours that visit the artists’ workshops and include chocolate tastings.
For Taos accommodation with a charm factor, try El Pueblo Lodge or Hotel La Fonda.
Albuquerque to Taos distance and driving times
By car, the distance from Albuquerque to Taos is 133 miles. You can expect a driving time of around two hours and 21 minutes. The quickest route is along the US-25 and NM-68.
The best stops to add to an Albuquerque to Taos road trip itinerary are the Sandia Peak Tramway, the Coronado Historic Site and Santa Fe.
Things to do between Albuquerque to Taos: Sandia Peak Tramway
Just to the north of Albuquerque, the Sandia Peak Tramway is the longest aerial tramway in the Americas. It stretches 2.7 miles with just two support towers, and the upper station on Sandia Peak is at 10,378ft.
Once at the top, you can visit the TEN(3) restaurant and tackle some of the hiking trails. Most are quite content to just take in the views, however.
Albuquerque to Taos drive: Coronado Historic Site
The Coronado Historic Site is where Spanish Conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado entered the Rio Grande Valley in search of the fabled Cities of Gold. He didn’t find them, but he did find 12 Native American villages, which gave him and his men the food they needed to survive.
The main sights here are the remains of Kuaua Pueblo, one of the villages. A series of impressive murals have been salvaged, and are on display.
Albuquerque to Taos road trip attractions: Santa Fe
Santa Fe is one of the oldest cities in the US, and has a huge arts scene. The glut of adobe architecture makes the New Mexico capital highly photogenic. These buildings are best seen on an architecture walking tour.
Fab Santa Fe experiences include history walks covering the city’s past, on-the-move photography classes and New Mexican food tours through the evocative Santa Fe Plaza.
For other options, try small group e-bike tours through lesser-known areas of the city and ghost story tours.
If you want memorable Santa Fe accommodation, try the Hacienda in the Railyard Arts District or the adobe-style La Fonda on the Plaza.
Top tip for Santa Fe
The Canyon Road Arts District plays a huge part in Santa Fe’s distinctive character. But with 80-plus galleries, it’s difficult to know where to start looking. Taking a Canyon Road Arts District tour with an art historian guide helps you zero in on the most interesting works. You’ll also get to chat to the artists and gallery curators. Find out more here.
David Whitley, editor of Best3Stops.
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