Rio Lucio, NM

Rio Lucio is a Taos County census-designated place in the Peñasco Valley, on the High Road to Taos. The community sits at high elevation near Picurís Pueblo and the Carson National Forest, with small farm plots and mountain slopes shaping the view. The 2020 census counted 303 residents. Rio Lucio is part of the Peñasco Independent School District, and nearby Peñasco supplies the valley's larger gathering and service connections.

At the roadside, Sagrado Corazón de Jesús gives Rio Lucio its clearest landmark. The chapel was built in 1920 and remains a mission of the parish in Peñasco, used for family devotions and monthly Mass. The surrounding Peñasco Valley supports high-altitude crops including alfalfa, corn, peas, and apples. New Mexico 75 carries the community through the valley toward Peñasco, Picurís Pueblo, and the mountain country beyond. Rio Lucio is a small place, but its chapel, fields, school district, and high-road setting make the local map easy to read for residents and visitors.