Loved the circle tour! Went in December had to watch for shaded icy spots, was a great ride! My favorite was from Angel Fire to Taos, lots of curves and minimal ice.
Owing to lousy time-budgeting on my part, our experience with the Enchanted Circle Drive was confined to segments close to Taos. We did see enough of this scenic drive to convince us we should return for more. We’ll look forward to doing the entire loop, plus the Angel Fire and Taos Ski Valley spurs, the next time we’re in this area.
The communities are nice but the road is very long. The locals say that wildlife is plentiful at dusk.
The drive is only about 1 1/2 - 2 hours with just one town for stopping, food, etc. but nice turnoffs for hikes. We preferred the High Road to Taos that goes from Santa Fe via Trunchas and Chimayo to Taos.
Since we were staying in Angel Fire, it was an easy drive for us. We set out looking for a ghost town that we never found, not knowing we were on the Enchanted Circle Drive. Each small town has its points of pride. We were there in late October, so many of the leaves had already changed and fallen. I imagine it is much prettier in the spring. The landscape was interesting but not "enchanting."
We just happened upon the drive leaving the hot springs. Breath taking scenery, vista and valleys. what a unexpected treat
This is a terrific drive for locals as well as tourists! A must for anyone! Be sure to stop in Red River if you want some old time culture. I remember going there as a child and it really hasn't changed much since then. Still the old "Western, Mining town it always was. I like all the seasons but winter can be a bit difficult. Spring and summer allows for great hiking!
Disappointing drive. My wife renamed it boring circle. Some of the mountain passes were passable if you'll pardon the pun but we felt it was a waste of cheap petrol.
Filled with wonderful scenery and amazing views, the Enchanted Circle Tour is something everyone should experience when visiting the Taos or northern New Mexico area.
We found ourselves in our rental car alone on this lovely highway that truly wasenchanting. We drove through an old abandoned mining town, passing by lakes and forests and lovely mountain ranges. We took a break by stopping in Red River, whichwas so charming. As I was getting out of the car and looking past the old school house, adeer was staring at me. Snow was on the ground. It really was a winter wonderland. The trip took about 2- 3 hours with stops along the way. It was great that we had givenourselves plenty of time to explore.