Vallecitos

Vallecitos is a village in Rio Arriba County, north central New Mexico, just over an hour north of Santa Fe and just over an hour southwest of Taos.

Surrounded by the 1.5 million acre Carson National Forest, located in the center of the Ranchos Ring, Vallecitos is rural and rustic. The main activities are ranching and farming, and it is also a quiet, rural home to people who commute to work in nearby towns and cities or who telecommute.

Vallecitos is located in close driving proximity to the world-renowned Ojo Caliente Hot Springs, the Los Alamos National Laboratories, the towns of Española and Taos, the city of Santa Fe, and several small villages. Many scenic areas are also located nearby. It is just over 2 hours from Albuquerque airport, and a scenic drive from Denver, Phoenix, El Paso, and Salt Lake City.

What is the "Ranchos Ring"? The area bounded by U.S. Route 84 to the west, U.S. Route 64 to the north, and State Road 68 to the east and south (see Map). In the past, and still today, this area encompassed many large ranches of cattle and sheep. Farms in the area grow grasses for hay, apples, and organic vegetables. Sounds like Vallecitos is in the middle of a forest. Is there Internet, cell phone reception, GPS, etc.? It is in the middle of the Carson National Forest. Alas, there is no cell phone reception in the area, the closest reception is in Ojo Caliente. There are land line phones. High-speed Internet is available via DSL, and depending on where you are staying, they might also have wireless. There is no cable in the area, and TV signals are generally blocked by the mountains, so TV is by satellite. Thanks to our local Rural Electric Cooperative (Kit Carson Electric), we have electricity. There are no gas lines, but propane tanks provide gas. The Vallecitos Water Department provides water within Vallecitos, but outlying locations have their own wells. Are the roads paved? Do I need a 4-wheel drive? All U.S. and New Mexico roads are paved. County roads may or may not be paved. Private drives and forest roads are generally not paved. If you intend to "stay on the beaten track", you won't need a 4-wheel drive; at worst you'll have some short spans of dirt road. If you intend to drive along forest roads, a 4-wheel drive might be good. TIP: when driving on a dirt road, aim your wheels so that they are on the high spots, not in the ruts; that way you'll be less likely to bottom out the vehicle. Why should I visit or stay in Vallecitos? There are many options for lodging in the Ring Road area. Vallecitos is unique in that:

You can wake up in the morning, open the blinds, and see yourself in a lush pine forest. The other Ring Road villages are in high desert terrain, not pine forest.
There are plenty of camping opportunities in the Carson National Forest, which many people enjoy. "Roughing it" is not to everyone's taste, though. In Vallecitos you can sleep in a comfortable bed, take a shower, and have a breakfast prepared for you, while still being in the middle of the Carson National Forest.
Vallecitos, at 7,500 feet (2,285 meters) and with a small population, has no smog and has virtually no light pollution, making for excellent stargazing. Other villages and the towns and cities are more prone to light pollution and/or are at lower altitudes.

The Ranchos Ring runs along U.S. Route 64 from Tierra Amarilla to Taos, State Road 68 from Taos to Española, and U.S. Route 84 from Española back to Tierra Amarilla. It is bisected by U.S. Route 285 from Tres Piedras to Española.