Eighty-five miles northwest of Taos on US-64 - which crosses the dramatic Rio Grande Gorge Bridge - beyond Abiquiu and the red rocks around Ghost Ranch, tiny
CHAMA
is the base for trips on the
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
(June to mid-Oct; tel 505/756-2151,
), an exhilarating high-mountain ride, following the course of the Los Piņos Gorge. Daily excursions run through the High Brazos mountains on the border with Colorado; you can either take a motor coach to Antonito, Colorado, and return by train (depart Chama 8.30am; $60), go by train and return by coach (depart Chama 10am; $60), or take a round-trip for the day by train to a point halfway along (depart 10am; $40).
Modern timber lodges like the
Elkhorn Lodge
(tel 505/756-2105; $50-75) line the river south of town, while the
Gandy Dancer
is a three-bedroom B&B in a purple-clapboard mansion, near the station at 299 Maple St (tel 505/756-2191 or 1-800/424-6702,
; $75-100).
