Discover El Prado

El Prado can be understood as a destination through a variety of very different experiences: a working Earthship, art and cultures of the Southwest, a concert venue with mountain views, and the route of the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. If you’re looking for a hotel in El Prado, consider which of these priorities you want to shape your trip. Options range from a self-guided Earthship tour to a museum visit or mountain biking sessions. This lets you choose the destination based on the themes that matter for your stay.

Earthship Experiences in Two Tour Formats

The Earthship Visitor Center by Earthship Biotecture offers a self-guided tour where you can experience a fully functioning Earthship. The two-hour Community Guided Tour, by contrast, includes the Visitor Center as well as several homes and buildings in the community. The self-guided tour focuses on the Visitor Center; the Community Guided Tour adds other homes and buildings and lasts two hours. Tour arrangements may change; confirm availability and, in particular, the format of the Community Guided Tour before you arrive.

Art and Ceramics at the Millicent Rogers Museum

The Millicent Rogers Museum in El Prado presents art and cultures of the Southwest in fourteen galleries. Its collection includes more than 7,000 objects; the number may change as further acquisitions are made. Notable holdings include an exceptional collection of ceramics by Maria Martinez and her family from San Ildefonso Pueblo. Visitors can choose between two approaches: a broad look at the art and cultures of the Southwest, or a more focused interest in the ceramics of Maria Martinez and her family. The museum is located at 1504 Millicent Rogers Road.

Taos Mothership: Concerts and Views

Taos Mothership is located at 20 ABC Mesa Road in El Prado and includes a brewery and restaurant. As a concert venue, it offers mountain views; there are also opportunities to enjoy sunsets and the starry sky. Compared with the museum and Earthship Center, the focus here is on concerts, views, and dining. That’s a different emphasis from art collections or a tour of a working Earthship. Dining options, programming, and operations may change, so check the details of your visit before you arrive.

Scenic Drive and Mountain Biking Sessions

The Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway runs along NM-522 through El Prado. Unlike the museum or Visitor Center, the byway describes a route and places the town along a scenic drive. For outdoor activity, the Field Institute of Taos in El Prado offers extracurricular mountain biking sessions. They focus on adventure, natural sciences, and local culture. Alongside visits and the scenic drive, these sessions offer another option, combining mountain biking with these themes. Program dates may vary; check the schedule if you plan to include the sessions in your trip itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Arroyo Hondo, Taos, Valdez, Red River, Taos Ski Valley, Costilla, Questa, Ranchos De Taos

Go to the parent travel guide: Taos.