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🚐 Epic New Mexico Road Trip: Boondocking, Taos Pueblo & Sustainable Architecture in Taos

  • Writer: Switching Gears RV Diary
    Switching Gears RV Diary
  • Jul 25, 2025
  • 5 min read
July 27, 2025

Embark on our final New Mexico road trip episode, where we leave enchanting Santa Fe and head north into the landscapes, culture, and history surrounding Taos. We discovered a five-star boondocking spot near the Rio Grande River Gorge, visited a UNESCO World Heritage Pueblo, saw the regeneration of Earthship Biotecture, and walked through centuries of Spanish Colonial and Indigenous heritage. Let’s dive in 🌄


1. Earthship Biotecture: Off-Grid Innovation Near Taos

En route to our camping spot we drove by the revolutionary Earthship Biotecture movement Las Cruces+4Earthship Biotecture+4Earthship Biotecture+4.

  • Self-guided tours (around 1 hour, ~$9/adult) let you walk through passive‑solar‑designed buildings, water‑recycling systems, greenhouses, and educational exhibits.

  • Guided tours (4 – 5:30 pm, ~$22/adult) expand on sustainable architecture and include additional buildings on site.

  • You can even stay overnight in fully functioning Earthship homes like the famous Phoenix or Unity Atlantis, equipped with modern amenities, hot water, Wi‑Fi, kitchens—and minimal impact on the environment Earthship Biotecture+1Las Cruces+1.


Earthships—made from recycled tires, cans and bottles, with thick adobe walls—use renewable energy, collect rainwater, manage greywater, and even grow food indoors. The concept was invented in the 1970s by Michael Reynolds and has since spread globally, with over 3,000 built worldwide Earthship Biotecture+2Architectural Digest+2The Spruce+2.


2. Boondocking at the Edge of the Gorge

Our adventure began with a perfect free campsite located just off Highway 64 near John Dunn Bridge. Perched on the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge, this spot offers dramatic views, peace and privacy, and space aplenty for RV travelers. The steep switchbacks down into Taos make the drive impressive, but not advised for trailers! Our RV mishap (locked fridge door left open) taught us that eggs don’t travel well upside-down—but hey, at least one survived 🍳😉.

We’ll include the exact GPS coordinates below so you can replicate this scenic overnight experience.


3. Taos Pueblo: 1,000+ Years of Continuous Inhabitation

Our first major stop was Taos Pueblo, just 3 miles northeast of Taos Plaza—the only living Native American Pueblo designated both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a U.S. National Historic Landmark Taos.orgUNESCO World Heritage Centre.

  • Archaeologists estimate that ancestral Pueblo people arrived in this valley between 1000 and 1450 CE, and the two main structures—Hlauuma (North House) and Hlaukwima (South House)—are considered among the oldest continuously inhabited buildings in North America Taos.orgTaos Pueblo.

  • Around 150 residents live within the Pueblo at any time; homes have no electricity or plumbing, honoring ancient traditions Wikipedia+2Taos Pueblo+2National Geographic+2.

  • Constructed from thick adobe walls, the buildings are replastered annually with mud and straw to preserve their integrity and appearance Wikipedia+6Taos Pueblo+6National Geographic+6.


Visitors can take guided or self-guided tours (typically $25/adult, children under 10 often free), explore art studios, jewelry vendors, outdoor ovens (hornos), and learn about the Tiwa-speaking community and its traditions Taos PuebloTaos Pueblo.


4. Exploring Taos’ Historic Core & Art Scene

We then drove into the town of Taos, stopping at the original Taos Plaza, founded in 1796 under Spanish land grant, where fortress-style adobe houses once stood guarding its gates.


Today, the plaza serves as a lively gathering spot surrounded by souvenir shops, native art galleries, and cafés. The smaller streets branching off the plaza—often overlooked—held the most charm and surprises.


Taos has long been a magnet for artists. The Taos Society of Artists (1915) and cultural patrons like Mabel Dodge Luhan helped establish the town as an influential art colony. This legacy is visible in places such as the Harwood Museum of Art, which houses works by Hispanic and Pueblo artists, as well as Taos Society and Taos Moderns painters Explore New Mexico+1Wikipedia+1.


5. The Kit Carson Home & Museum

Wanting to dive deeper into local history, we visited the Kit Carson Home & Museum, once home to Christopher “Kit” Carson, famed frontiersman, scout, and controversial figure of Native and Hispanic policy in the mid-1800s.

  • Built in 1843, the home is a U-shaped adobe Territorial‑style house, open as a museum since the 1930s and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963.

  • Inside, you can explore artifacts and reflect on Carson’s complicated legacy—from guiding western settlers to his role in U.S. Indian policy.

The grounds give a window into mid‑19th‑century Taos life and heritage.


6. Taos Religious & Historical Sites: Mission Church & Cemeteries

Next, we wandered through John Dunn House Shops, originally built as Long John Dunn’s home in 1920, now a pedestrian mall with artisan shops, folk art, and casual eateries—perfect for a leisurely afternoon.


From there we passed the Gov. Charles Bent Museum on Bent Street—though we didn’t tour inside, the home belonged to the first U.S. territorial governor of New Mexico, appointed in 1846.


Later, we visited the Kit Carson Cemetery, a regional state park established in 1847, laying to rest veterans from the Mexican–American War, Civil War, Spanish–American War, World Wars, and early settlers—including Kit Carson and his wife Joséfa.


Our final stop was the breathtaking San Francisco de Asís Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos, built between 1772 and 1815.

  • Known for its sculptural beehive adobe buttresses, twin bell towers, and classic Spanish Colonial adobe construction.

  • Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970, it's among the most photographed adobe churches in the U.S.—immortalized by artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and photographers such as Ansel Adams Wikipedia.


7. Reflection, Culture & New Mexico’s Diversity

Our loop through Santa Fe and Taos not only covered the three most popular towns in New Mexico, but also led us to hidden gems, wildlife sightings, expansive artesian views, and intimate connections with Indigenous, Hispanic, and Anglo traditions.


Though this trip was shorter than our norm—and free of the usual toys and gadgets—it delivered serenity, history, stunning landscapes, and a sense of soulful connection to place.


🎯 Additional Resources & Useful Links


🗺️ Campsite GPS Coordinates


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