This Dreamy Road Trip Will Take You To The Best Fall Foliage In All of New Mexico

If you are a New Mexico leaf peeper, it pays to plan ahead, no matter what time of year! When fall is on the way and the leaves are already starting to turn in the northern part of the state, you'll want to get out there and hit up the best spots. This road trip to the best fall foliage in New Mexico will help you do exactly that.

Get the prettiest views of the colorful leaf changes by road-tripping along the Enchanted Circle, one of New Mexico's scenic byways. This 85-mile loop connects Taos, Questa, Red River, Eagle's Nest, and Angel Fire. The Enchanted Circle is always a pleasure to travel, but drive this road between mid-September to early October for the best views.

The Enchanted Circle is both a New Mexico Scenic Byway and a National Forest Scenic Byway.

You can see this doubly-good scenic byway totally by car. If you are in a hurry, you can do the 85-mile drive in about three hours. However, there is a lot more to see along the way than leaves. Make a day of it. Plan on getting out of the car, (or off the motorcycle), and exploring some of the stops along the way on foot.

The byway is an easy-to-navigate circle but the road names change throughout.

Here's the route: (A) From Taos, take Highway 522 North to Questa (B). At Questa, catch Highway 38 East to Red River (C), then Elizabethtown (D). Continue on Highway 38, south to Eagle's Nest (E). From Eagle's Nest, head south on Highway 64 to Angel Fire (F). From Angel Fire, stay on Highway 64, back to Taos (G).

Start your foliage tour in Taos.

Though you can join the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway at any of the mountain towns on the route, Taos is a popular starting/ end point. Before or after leaf-viewing, head into the town and take advantage of their shops, restaurants, and noted art galleries.

Questa is the gateway to The Río Grande del Norte National Monument.

Near Questa, another short detour takes you to the Rio Grande del Norte, one of the newest national monuments in New Mexico. It includes approximately 242,500 acres of public land. Even if you miss the foliage here, the views, especially of the Rio Grande Gorge, are worth the stop.

Drive the Red River Canyon.

As you head toward Red River from Questa, the byway climbs a bit and offers some of the most lush vegetation along the way. Known for being a ski town, Red River is a year-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts of all types.

Explore the ghost town at Elizabethtown.

Between Red River and Eagle's Nest, you'll find Elizabethtown. In the 1870s E-Town town was a roaring gold mining village with more than 7,000 residents. Today, only a few walls of the original structures remain.

The byway circles Wheeler Peak.

Wheeler Peak, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is New Mexico's tallest point. Near Eagle's Nest, you should be able to scan the vistas and spot the 13,161-foot peak towering in the distance.

Look for the Palisade Sills cliffs along Cimarron Canyon.

At Eagle's Nest, you can take a detour and follow the Cimarron River (along Highway 64 East) to the Cimarron Canyon State Park. Look out for the Palisade Sills cliffs along the canyon. The pullout across from the cliffs makes a good picnic stop.

In Angel Fire, visit the first major Vietnam memorial in the United States.

Pause here for reflection. In addition to a visitor’s center and chapel, the 30-acre park includes the Veteran's Memorial Walkway. Each brick in the walk honors a Vietnam veteran.

Taos Ski Valley is the perfect capstone for your Enchanted Circle tour of the best fall foliage in New Mexico.

On this added leg of the drive, the elevation again climbs, leading you to stunning alpine views. The town also has a number of restaurants, making it a good place for a casual dinner or an apres-drive beverage. Find Taos Ski Valley about 20 miles northeast of Taos, on Highway 150.

Have you ever driven the Enchanted Circle during the fall months? Planning to make the drive this year? We'd love to see your photos of fall foliage in New Mexico on Instagram. Tag us (#onlyinnewmexico) and we'll share some of the best. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more leaf alerts from Only in New Mexico.