Taos

Town and administrative headquarters of Taos County, northern New Mexico, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, on a branch of the Rio Grande, 89 km/55 mi northeast of Santa Fe; population (1990) 4,100. It is one of the oldest white settlements in the USA, dating back to the 1660s. Art, tourism, and farming and ranching contribute to the local economy.

The Taos area has been home to many artists and writers since the late 19th century, including the English writer D H Lawrence, whose ranch is preserved.

Taos Pueblo (also known as San Gerónimo de Taos; population (1990) 4,700), just northeast, is home to a Tiwa-speaking people. Ranchos de Taos (population (1990) 1,800) is to the south. Taos Ski Valley to the north, near Wheeler Peak, is the best known of a number of nearby mountain resorts.