Taos, United States
Watch this spot We email you when Taos is worth the trip.
About Taos
Village 2,848 m. Facts: verified.
A ski resort with its village at 2,848 m and its top at 3,603 m. It has 43 km of runs and 14 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap. The runs drop 753 m, from 3,603 m to 2,850 m. For beginners and families: 63% of the km of runs are green or blue (beginner to intermediate). For experts: 15 km of advanced, expert and freeride runs. It is usually in season from December to April. The snow is usually deepest in March, about 0.4 m at the top (3,603 m). The town to stay in is Taos Ski Valley.
Taos Ski Valley is a village and alpine ski resort in the southwestern United States, located in Taos County, New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, Taos Ski Valley had a population of 77. Until March 19, 2008, it was one of four ski resorts in America to prohibit snowboarding. The Kachina lift, constructed in 2014, serves one of the highest elevations of any triple chair in North America, to a peak of 12,481 feet (3,804 m) above sea level.
From the Wikipedia article Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico, shortened. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.
The ski area
Runs from 2,850 m to 3,603 m: 753 m of vertical. 43 km of runs and 14 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap for Taos Ski Valley.
| Beginner | 0.5 km |
|---|---|
| Easy | 17 km |
| Intermediate | 10 km |
| Advanced | 14 km |
| Expert | 1.0 km |
| Not graded | 1.2 km |
| Gondolas and cable cars | 1 |
|---|---|
| Chairlifts | 9 |
| Magic carpets | 4 |
Measured along each mapped run, so it can differ from the resort's own figure. Ski area data © OpenSkiMap.org and OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
For families
63% of the km of runs are green or blue (beginner to intermediate).
No public pool, ice rink, leisure centre, ski school or childcare is mapped within 5 km of the village. That may mean nobody has mapped them yet.
The Family filter counts these. Check opening times before you go.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 8 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to SAF, direct.
See flights ORD → SAF · Skyscanner from about £160 returnAdGetting there. 3 h 10 from the airport to Taos.
Accommodation.
Stay in Taos Ski ValleyAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Taos Ski Valley (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Taos Ski Valley 1 min by car · rooms from £80 a night · where Taos stays
Places to stay in Taos Ski Valley · Booking.com AdAngel Fire 48 min by car · rooms from £80 a night
Places to stay in Angel Fire · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire, lessons and lift passes.
Ski lessons in Taos Ski Valley · GetYourGuideAdSki and board hire · SkisetAdLift passes · Resort website
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury 
Where it is
Taos on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Live webcam
Webcams belong to their owners.
Lifts closed for the season. They usually open about 25 November.
Forecast
The score, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Fresh72 h | Depthtop, mid, base | Coldestat top | Windat top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -1°C | wind, 7 knots |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 0°C | wind, 8 knots |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -1°C | wind, 9 knots |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 0°C | wind, 5 knots |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 4°C | wind, 6 knots |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 3°C | wind, 9 knots |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 1°C | wind, 5 knots |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | 0 cm | 0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -3°C | wind, 14 knots |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to.
Snow by month
| Month | Base2,848 m | Mid3,226 m | Top3,603 m | Coldestat the top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec | 0.1 m | 0.1 m | 0.1 m | -12°C |
| Jan | 0.2 m | 0.2 m | 0.2 m | -14°C |
| Feb | 0.3 m | 0.3 m | 0.3 m | -13°C |
| Mar | 0.3 m | 0.4 m | 0.4 m | -10°C |
| Apr | 0.1 m | 0.3 m | 0.3 m | -4°C |
Typical snow on the ground in the village, halfway up and at the top: the middle value over 2016 to 2025, from ERA5-Land reanalysis at the grid cell nearest each height. Not a forecast, and not the groomed pistes: resorts make snow lower down.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to SAF, then 3h 10 by road. About 8h door to door
- Tue 20 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Wed 21 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Thu 22 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Fri 23 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Sat 24 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to SAF, then 3h 10 by road. About 8h door to door
Rough cost
About £1,905–£2,985 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to SAF, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £160–£335 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Transfer | shared airport transfer, return | £70–£120 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £215–£360 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £260–£480 |
| Lift pass | 5 days | £1,000–£1,350 |
| Ski hire | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £165–£275 |
| Total | £1,905–£2,985 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Taos Ski Valley
- The Blonde Bear TavernEuropean · 0.3 km from the centre
- Hondo Restaurant and BarAmerican · 0.4 km from the centre
- Rhoda's RestaurantAmerican · 0.5 km from the centre
- Phoenix Grill0.4 km from the centre
- The Blake at Taos Ski Valley0.4 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Airport to resortAd
Transfers · Hoppa (ad)Lift passes
Lift passes · Resort websiteLinks marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.