Angel Fire

Angel Fire is a small resort town in North Central New Mexico. The town is situated in the Moreno Valley on the Enchanted Circle scenic drive about half an hour east from Taos on the other side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The town is dominated by a ski resort, with a base elevation of 8,410 feet (2100 meters) and a summit of over 10,000 feet, but offers four-season activities and is also well known for being the home to a Vietnam Veterans memorial.

Get in
US 64, a well-maintained but mountain road, passes through Angel Fire between Taos and Cimarron. NM 434 junctions at 64 just north of Angel Fire and continues in a north-south manner to the town of Mora and provides an alternative route in/out of the town. A small county-run airport in the town handles private planes. The nearest airports with commercial scheduled service are Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The nearest Amtrak railroad station is in Raton, 80 miles to the east on US 64.

Get around
The Resort and a few other local businesses maintain shuttles; otherwise transportation is by foot, horse, ski, snocat, or private car. In the winter Resort shuttles act almost as buses, taking skiers and snowboarders between the different parking lots and the resort, and occasionally making stops at some condos (usually if notified ahead of time). On days with high winds, shuttles will take skiers and snowboarders to the top of the mountain or the base of the backside.

See
Surrounded by mountains that rise as high as 13,000 feet, Angel Fire is intrinsically scenic. Numerous hiking and mountain biking trails complement the well-marked scenic routes for automobiles. From the top of Agua Fria Peak (the mountain owned by the Resort), you can see Philmont Boy Scout Ranch, Wheeler Peak, parts of Colorado, and the eastern end of the Cimarron River valley. The top of the mountain is at 10,800ft in elevation though, so be careful of altitude sickness and sunburn. The chairlift ride takes about 20 minutes and gains (or loses, if you ride it down) about 2,000ft in elevation in that short amount of time.

In the summers, Angel Fire hosts Music From Angel Fire, a multi-week music and art festival that celebrates New Mexican musicians and artists from primarily the Northern New Mexico region. It really is a hidden gem of the region.



Do
Angel Fire Resort is the town's main draw, and has a near-monopoly on activities in the town, owing that the Resort owns the mountain and ski resort, the country club, and a lake to the south. As Angel Fire is primarily a resort town, this section will be separated into activities that can be done during the Winter Season (usually mid-November to early March or April, depending on the snow) and the Summer Season (May to early October when the first snows fall). Usually in the off-seasons most restaurants and activities are closed.

Winter Season

In the winter the mountain is turned into a ski and snowboarding resort with three chairlifts on the front side and one on the back. Included on the mountain are terrain parks for both skiers and snowboarders, glade runs, and occasionally (if the snow is good) some light cross-country skiing (more like hiking) to get to some Black runs that are squirreled away on the backside. The Resort also offers a ski school for children and the occasional adult beginner, and has a bunny slope with its own lift for practice runs. Information about ski school can be found on the Resort's website and must usually be booked in advance.

Parallel to the bunny slope is a tubing hill, where people with tubes (which can be rented - usually for kids) can ride a small conveyor belt and then tube down the hill.

The Angel Fire mountain contains numerous Green, Blue, and Black runs, and all are usually easier than their counterparts at resorts like Taos Ski Valley or Ski Red River. This makes Angel Fire an ideal place for people just learning how to ski or snowboard, or who haven't done so in a long time. All Green runs contain snow makers and some Blues on the front side also contain snow makers, so in times of low natural snowfall there will still be some runs guaranteed open. Usually the Blacks at the top of the mountain (the steepest and rockiest runs) do not receive enough snow and are closed but occasionally the town will get dumped on and those runs will be open as well. At night, the wide Blue run on the front side and the bunny hill are illuminated and offer night skiing until about 8 or 9pm.

Off the mountain, the Resort turns the Country Club into a Nordic Skiing park, where cross-country style skiing can be done, following (for the most part) the flow of the golf course. Numerous shops in town offer ski and snowboard rentals, as well as boot rentals, but you can also bring your own skis or boards.

Private individuals also offer services in the region, such as snowmobile rides or the occasional horse-drawn sleigh.

Summer Season

In the summer season the mountain is turned into a world-class mountain biking facility. The chairlifts are modified to fit bikes, and bikers can ride down the mountain on trails of varying difficulties and with varying styles of design (some are designed to look more artificial and include more wooden ramps and curves, while others are designed to look more natural and contain fewer man-made structures). These trails criss-cross the ski runs so as not to cut into the runs needed for the winter and so as not to have bikers ride straight down the mountain. All bike trails are downhill only except for one that starts near the El Jefe restaurant, which rides about half-way up the mountain and then pops the rider out for them to go back down. That trail is only uphill for bikers because the half of it riders can be on is shared with hikers going either direction (up or down the mountain), so for safety reasons bikers can only go uphill. The Resort owns a fleet of mountain bikes that can be rented, and the ski school building turns into a bike repair shop, so any accidents or malfunctions can be easily fixed (and a rental bike can be obtained if needed).

There is no official minimum age for riders of the chairlifts; however the Resort maintains a rule that all riders must be able to sit on their own (i.e. not on someone's lap), effectively creating an age threshold against younger children and pets.

Hikers on the mountain have three options: a 4.5 mile hike runs from the base of the mountain (it starts by the El Jefe restaurant) to the chairlift at the top, a 0.8 mile loop runs around the top of the mountain and offers some of the best views of the valley and Wheeler Peak, and a medium length trail (about 1.2ish miles) follows the disc golf trail (actually, it is the disc golf trail). Dogs are not allowed on the chairlift but you can hike them up on the 4.5 mile trail if you can get them back down. Off-mountain exists a network of trails in the area, ranging from simple loops like the Solar Loop around the Cieneguilla creek that runs through town, to longer trails through the woods.

At the top of the mountain is an 18-hole disc golf trail; discs and scorecards can be rented at the ticket booth at the base of the chairlift at the bottom of the mountain. Do not worry if you accidentally fling a disc into the woods, but use utmost care with them. The disc golf course takes you around the top of the backside, along the hiking trail that would be used to access some Black runs that are hidden away when there is enough snow in the winter.

Golfing is popular given the course's scenic views of Wheeler Peak and Agua Fria Peak (the mountain with the Resort) and the thrill of playing golf at 8500 ft above sea level. The Country Club also has a putting green and a driving range, and nearby is a public park with some play forts for kids. Also located at the Country Club are the tennis and pickleball courts; the Resort maintains a Tennis Pro who can coach you on all your tennis needs. Located in the lower level of the Country Club building is the Pool, which has specific times for adult-only and children-only swims. As with most activities in the town, Resort Members get discounts, but non-members also have access to all the activities that members have, just usually for a higher price.

Private individuals may also offer other activities, such as horseback rides in the region. Events may also introduce activities for the duration of the event, such as an annual hot air balloon festival usually held in the fall that offers balloon rides. Also in the summer farmers' markets appear near the grocery store on the weekends.

Farther south than the Country Club is a lake owned by the Resort that offers water activities such as boating and paddle-boarding. Swimming is not allowed in this lake. In the town of Eagle Nest to the north of Angel Fire is Eagle Nest lake, a public lake that is much larger and offers fishing, boating, and other water activities. Swimming is also not allowed in that lake.

Buy
Angel Fire has a few gift shops and art galleries, and a small grocery market, along with numerous real estate agents. Usually ski shops sell the most 'touristy' items such as hats that say 'Angel Fire' on them or other active-wear trinkets. The ground floor of the Lodge at the base of the mountain has a cafe and gift shop that is probably the only 'real' gift shop in town.


 * Angel Fire.JPG

Eat
Angel Fire boasts about two dozen restaurants, all in moderate price ranges. Restaurants occasionally change year to year, especially since the Covid-19 Pandemic hit the region, so this list may change. Almost every restaurant is closed on Mondays in Angel Fire, and in the summer the restaurants in the Lodge are not open except on select occasions for private groups.

(Updated 27 November 2022)

Most restaurants can easily cater to vegetarian needs, but most of the menus revolve around meat dishes (including elk steaks) so vegetarian options may be more limited than not. Vegans may have difficulty as most of the vegetarian options use dairy products (such as quesadillas or nachos).
 * The Bakery and Cafe @ Angel Fire - 3420 Mountain View Blvd. A bakery with delicious baked goods and breakfast foods. Usually the only restaurant open during the mornings, and (because the Lodge does not offer breakfast services) usually is where people go to get breakfast foods.
 * Elements Fine Dining, Located on the upper floor of the Angel Fire Country Club (the side you enter from the guest parking lot), probably the finest restaurant in town (no strict dress code but don't show up in a swimsuit and flip-flops), serving everything from pub food to veal & venison to surprisingly fresh (given the location) seafood.
 * El Jefe - 10 5 Springs Rd. A Mexican-style restaurant located just off the entrance to the Chili Express (but outside the mountain proper). A good place to find meals with Hatch chili peppers included.
 * Legends Bar and Grill - Located on the second floor of the Lodge at the base of the mountain. Fancy pub food (burgers, fries, etc.). Ideal for a meal before or after a day of skiing. Only open during the winter season.
 * Mikuna Grill - 48 N. Angel Fire Rd. A Peruvian-New Mexican restaurant and one of the higher-end restaurants in the village.
 * Par & Grill - Located on the ground level (on the side adjacent to the putting green, not the parking lot) of the Country Club. Offers burgers, crinkle fries, and amazing milkshakes. Usually only open during the lunch rush.
 * Summit Haus - Located at the top of the mountain. Not a large menu but provides light food and alcohol and commands a stunning near-360° view. Usually open as long as the Chili Express lift is running. Usually opens a half hour after the lifts open and closes a half hour before the lifts close.
 * Zebs Restaurant and Bar - 3431 Mountain View Blvd. The only real bar in town, shows sports on game nights. Also usually open the latest of all of the restaurants in town.
 * Zebs Restaurant and Bar - 3431 Mountain View Blvd. The only real bar in town, shows sports on game nights. Also usually open the latest of all of the restaurants in town.

Given the limited options of restaurants in town, and their hours of operation, it is also recommended that visitors stop at Lowe's grocery store (not to be confused with the hardware giant) and purchase any foods they might want for their stay. Guests staying at condos, homes, or other non-hotel style lodging are extremely encouraged to do so, given most will have a kitchen(ette) in some way, shape, or form.

Drink
Most dine-in restaurants serve alcohol but it must be consumed on the restaurant grounds. Alcohol can also be purchased at the grocery store but must be consumed indoors.
 * Zebs Restaurant and Bar.

Sleep
Almost all property in the town is owned by the Resort or private owners. However, the Resort does offer tourists the option to rent a house, condo, or chalet for the duration of their stay as an alternative to staying in the Lodge. The limited selection of accommodations includes resort hotel, cabins, B-and-Bs, condo rentals and motels. Many property owners will privately rent out their lodging through apps like Airbnb. Angel Fire Resort also offers a high-end RV park located just outside Palo Flechado Pass (the road to/from Taos). For better choices, some people prefer to stay in Taos. Some lodging exists in neighboring towns like Eagle Nest (a 30-40 min drive north) but not to the degree that Angel Fire offers.


 * Elk Horn Lodge - Near the center of town (just north of the grocery store and Angel Fired Pizza). Offers some lodging for up to 8 people per 'room'.
 * Elk Horn Lodge - Near the center of town (just north of the grocery store and Angel Fired Pizza). Offers some lodging for up to 8 people per 'room'.
 * Elk Horn Lodge - Near the center of town (just north of the grocery store and Angel Fired Pizza). Offers some lodging for up to 8 people per 'room'.

Connect

 * Angel Fire Visitor Center, 866-668-7787.

Go next

 * Taos - the only sizeable population center in the region, located to the west of Angel Fire over Palo Flechado Pass.
 * Eagle Nest - A small village located on the shores of Eagle Nest Lake, popular in the summer due to water activities and provides a launchpad to forays into the Cimarron River valley.
 * Raton - the county seat of Colfax County, located about 3 hours by car east of Angel Fire. Near Raton is the NRA Whittington Center, a gun range open to the public.
 * Cimarron - a small town located on the other end of the Cimarron River valley from Eagle Nest. Popular in the summer for world-class fly-fishing in said river and being near the entrance to Philmont Boy Scout Ranch.
 * Red River - a former mining town turned ski town located north of Angel Fire on the Enchanted Circle. Beautiful town.
 * Mora - the next real town to the south of Angel Fire. Highway 464 can be rough between Mora and Angel Fire though so at times access may be difficult.
 * In the Palo Flechado Pass are numerous small art galleries and hotel-like lodges. They make an interesting day trip from Angel Fire.