El Rito, NM

Tucked into the foothills of the Carson National Forest, El Rito is a quiet mountain village about 25 miles northwest of Española. At nearly 7,000 feet, the town gets its name from the creek running through the valley and still holds onto its deep northern New Mexico roots. Historic adobe houses dot the landscape alongside the iconic 1800s San Juan Nepomuceno Church. It is the kind of place where neighbors wave as you drive by, cattle still graze along rural roads, and wide-open mountain views greet you every morning.

ATTRFletchersparadox / CC BY-SA 4.0

Despite its small size, El Rito has a proud artistic and educational heritage. It is home to a branch campus of Northern New Mexico College, famous for keeping traditional Spanish woodworking and Rio Grande weaving traditions alive. Between annual studio tours, local gatherings at the historic El Rito Library, and easy access to national forest hiking trails, there is plenty of local charm to go around. You will need to head into Española or Taos for major grocery runs, but newcomers who settle here happily trade city convenience for peace, space, and a tight-knit community.