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Imagine waking up in the morning and basking in the supreme luxury of absolute silence, punctuated by birdsong or the wafting tune of the nearby creek; this is just one of many great pleasures at El Rito Canyon Retreat. Watching the dance of snowflakes from the view room, or a thunderstorm from under the front porch, having dinner as the sunset paints magnificent against the canvas of the towering afternoon clouds, or stepping out into the brisk dawn for a dip in the hot tub, watching the sun illuminate the canyon ridges, you can fill your days here with splendor without ever getting in your car.
Our beautiful two-story adobe home offers 2,100 square feet of lovingly built and delightfully appointed rooms, each with its own character and appeal. In the spacious kitchen and the tranquil living rooms you will feel the distinct charm of the massive adobe walls and viga ceilings; in the sunroom you can sip your coffee while soaking in the morning sunshine, or upstairs you might recline in the view room and simply watch the sky, day or night, for hours.
Each of the two upstairs bedrooms features steep-pitched ceilings and dormer windows, a luxurious queen sized bed, and views of the beautiful surroundings. The huge bathroom sports a view that will keep you flossing much longer than usual. With an extra double and twin bed on the first floor, the house can sleep seven altogether.
Outside you might wish to sunbathe on the deck, sit in the shade of the maple tree and watch the hummingbirds, watch the stars from the hot tub, or walk down the driveway to the lush green oasis on the bank of El Rito Creek for a picnic and a dip in the water. Hiking begins out the front door, as the National Forest boundary is but a few hundred yards from the house. From the house at 7,300 feet elevation, the terrain rises from pinon/juniper and oak into stately ponderosa and aspen woods at 9,000 ft. plus elevations, offering unlimited possibilities for hiking, bicycle or auto touring, and cross-country skiing in the winter, as well as fishing and hunting. El Rito Canyon is truly beautiful.
Three and a half miles downstream is the lovely little town of El Rito, featuring historic San Juan Nepomuceno church (completed in 1832, with 5-foot thick adobe walls as a fortress against Indian raids), and the world renown El Farolito Restaurant (see Editor’s Picks in the 2004 Rand McNally Road Atlas). I highly recommend the Chile Verde Burrito and a couple of sopaipillas with lots of honey.
The town of Abiquiu, made famous as the perpetual subject (and home) of the great painter, Georgia O’Keeffe, is but a 20-minute drive to the west, and the Ojo Caliente Mineral Hot Springs Resort is 20 minutes to the east. Santa Fe, Taos, and Los Alamos, and 5 Indian Pueblos, are all about an hour away, with the great diversions they offer in easy reach.
If you are looking for a quiet place to immerse yourself in the stupendous natural beauty of northern New Mexico high-country, you simply couldn’t do better than staying at the El Rito Canyon Retreat. |
Pet Friendly: Pets are welcome for $5/night per pet.
