Family RV Ski Destination: Angel Fire, NM
- Whitney
- Mar 5, 2022
- 10 min read
When most people think of snow skiing in the western US they think of Colorado or Utah. They may even think of Jackson Hole in Wyoming, Big Sky or Whitefish in Montana, or Sun Valley or Schweitzer in Idaho. New Mexico is not typically one of the first ski locations to come to mind. However, there are several ski resorts in the state with good runs and fair prices.
I grew up snow skiing one week per year and, although I was an athlete who loved all sports, I developed a love for snow skiing that far surpassed any sport I played. So when my husband and I got married, I introduced him to that love, and he quickly fell in love with it, too. We knew we wanted to introduce the kids to it.
As full-time RV travelers we were on the hunt for somewhere we could take our 43’ class A motorhome in the winter to ski. Mountain passes, the need for 4-wheel drive, and parking availability limited our options. In my search in 2019 I happened on some information about Angel Fire, NM, that had a nice campground with full hookups available all winter. So in February of 2020 we started making our way there.
We only skied three days that time, but it was one of our favorite trips to date. In 2022 we decided to return to Angel Fire, this time trying out a different campground.
So what makes Angel Fire such a great option? Why do we think you should add it to your list of places to visit? What options are there for lodging, food, and transportation? What is the best way to drive in during the winter months? How much does it cost?
Read on, because we’re about to break it all down for you!
WHERE IS ANGEL FIRE?
Northern New Mexico has an area known as the Enchanted Circle. This scenic byway includes Taos, Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest, and Angel Fire. The entire circle is amazing! We grew fond of Red River when we accidentally ended up there on a spur of the moment New Year’s road trip in 2009/2010.
We returned with our kids in January 2017.
So when we learned that Angel Fire was only 30 miles away, we figured we would like it, too.
Angel Fire sits at an elevation of 8406 feet, and it rises to 10,677 feet at the summit.
The beauty of its location is that Angel Fire is an easy drive from Texas and Oklahoma, making it a great option for residents of those states.
HOW TO GET THERE While there are several options, I want to first address the best choices for RVers.
The RV Park where we stayed in 2020 advised us to come in from the east, despite the GPS guiding us in from the south. Let me say, we were SO thankful for their advice! After exploring in the Jeep once we got there, we learned that the “state road” the GPS tried to guide us on was actually a gravel road with steep hills and tight curves. There’s no way we would have made it in our bus.
We went north to Dumas, TX, from Amarillo. (For you RVers, Dumas has a nice WalMart that allows overnight parking.) From Dumas we took highway 87 to Clayton, NM. We then hopped on Highway 412 west to I25. We went north on I25 for a few miles, then we exited onto NM-58, and we took it west to Cimarron.
There is a sign at the Village of Cimarron that says “Where the mountains meet the plains.” And for that reason we decided to unhook the Jeep there on our second trip to Angel Fire because the NM DOT website showed some ice patches on a nine-mile stretch west of Eagle Nest. We figured the bus could handle it better if it wasn’t pulling the weight of the Jeep. We continued west on US-64 until we arrived at Angel Fire.
While I don’t recommend coming from the south if you are in an RV, you could come east from Taos on US-64. Just be aware that there are some steep climbs and sharp curves, and in our experience people do not obey traffic rules on that stretch. Also, if there has been a recent snow it may be difficult to navigate in an RV.
FLYING
Angel Fire does have a small airport, so flying in is definitely an option. We saw a decent sized private jet take off from the airport. As of now, they do not have commercial flights in and out of the airport. But private and charter flights come and go regularly.
You can also fly via Taos Air to the Taos airport. If you’re staying at the Angel Fire Resort, they offer free shuttle service to and from the Taos airport.
For larger commercial flights, Santa Fe and Albuquerque are your best bets.
WHERE TO STAY
Again, I’m going to address RVers first.
We have stayed at two different RV parks in Angel Fire, so we can compare the two. Other than those, you really only have one other option in an RV. There is NO OVERNIGHT parking at the slopes, so you’ll have to be sure you reserve a spot at a park.
In 2020 we stayed at the Angel Fire RV Resort. It is a very nice place to stay, and the people were wonderful. We arrived the end of February and stayed for two weeks. We were some of the only people there at the time. However, it began filling up as we were leaving because spring break was about to begin. We were blessed to spend some of that time next to a family who quickly became some of our dearest friends we’ve met on the road. (Here comes my shameless plug for them). He’s an awesome singer/songwriter from Texas. If you like old school country, check out his music! They’re such a precious family!
benmcpeakmusic.com Angel Fire RV Resort is very easy to get into even with the biggest of rigs. It’s a beautiful park, and they have a hot tub, large laundry room, general store, meeting rooms, and more. Because it is connected with the Angel Fire Resort they have free shuttles to and from the slopes.
In 2020 the stay was more affordable. However, as COVID brought a massive influx of people into this lifestyle, the demand for campsites skyrocketed. The current rate of inflation has added to that increase, so Angel Fire RV Resort just wasn’t a practical option for us in 2022.
For about half the cost of Angel Fire RV Resort we were able to stay this time at Monte Verde RV Park. It is closer to the slopes, but it doesn’t have the amenities of the fancier park across town. The owners were very accommodating, though, and helped make our stay there wonderful! Monte Verde is a smaller park. The sites are not as big, and it isn’t quite as easy to maneuver with a big rig, but it definitely can be done. We stayed 7 nights in a 50amp full hook-up pull-thru site for $50/night. They do have long-term rates if you’re looking to stay for a month or an entire season.
Check out the view of the slopes lit up for night skiing from our campsite at Monte Verde.
ANGEL FIRE RESORT
At the base of the slopes is Angel Fire Resort. If you’re skiing, the convenience is very worthwhile. If you have some in your group that are not skiing and some that are, it’s also a good option because the people who are not skiing can sit at the base and enjoy a drink while watching the skiers. You can walk to most things you would need. We have walked through it a couple of times, and it seems like a nice hotel.
CONDOS AND HOUSES
There are quite a few condos and houses for vacation rental on the mountain. Not many are ski-in/ski-out, so we took note of some that are to help you plan your vacation if that is something that matters to you. Compared to places like Colorado, these are very reasonably priced. If you go with a group, other couples, or multiple families and split the cost, it makes these even more affordable.
We made note of three that we passed while skiing down Heading Home (the primary long run heading down from the summit).
The first is a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home that sleeps 6-8.
The next is more expensive, but if you split the cost between families it could be very affordable. It is a 6 bedroom, 6.5 bath that sleeps 30. It also has a theater room for evening movie time and a hot tub for relaxing those muscles after a long day on the slopes.
The final one we noted while skiing is a 2800 sq ft cabin with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and a 2 car garage. It has a huge deck overlooking the slopes and a treehouse for the kids to play outside when not skiing. It isn’t on AirBnB or VRBO. You can find it at it’s own website: bigredscabin.com
We found this last one while driving the mountain. It is in an excellent location! It is a 5 bedroom, 4 bath house that can sleep 14 guests. It has a hot tub, sauna, and excellent views of the ski resort.
Please know, we have absolutely no connection to any of these. We have never stayed at them. We have only stayed at the two RV Parks previously mentioned. We are simply trying to share information on locations that caught our attention.
FOOD
There are a handful of restaurants in town, as well as one at the summit. The Summit Haus has a limited menu, but it makes a great place to rest and grab a hot chocolate or beer and a hot dog or Frito pie. The deck at Summit Haus also makes for a great photo op!
The only grocery store in town is quaint, but it’s nice. Every time I have been in there it has been stocked with good fresh foods. Just be aware that you can expect to spend more there than you will at a larger grocery store in an easier-to-get-to location.
COST OF SKIING
If you own your own ski equipment you can save money on rentals. But I know that most people who do not live near the slopes do not own their equipment. If you don’t, you’re in luck! There are several rental places in the area.
You can absolutely rent at the base of the mountain in the resort. The convenience makes it nice. That is where we rented in 2020. This year Tim and I had our own equipment, so we only had to rent for the kids. We chose High Country Ski Rental, and we were very pleased! The kids rentals cost $18 per kid per day, but that included boots and skis. It was a much better deal than many places we’ve been. The boys both had brand new, never before used skis. (Kids don’t use poles while learning, and ours had their own helmets.)
Adults can get complete packages starting at $30.
Lift tickets are what usually make skiing so expensive, and Angel Fire is no different. However, it is much more cost efficient than other places we’ve skied.
As of February 2022, lift tickets at Angel Fire Resort when purchased online (there’s a discount for purchasing online) were:
$90 per day for adults (18-69)
$80 per day for teens (13-17)
$70 per day for juniors (7-12)
$42 per day for seniors (70-74)
$10 per day for children (6 and younger)
$10 per day for 5th graders
$10 per day for super seniors (75+)
Angel Fire does offer a military discount for active duty and retired that knocks $15 off adults and $10 off teen and junior.
If you plan to be there for an extended period, buying a season pass would be the best way to go!
As for the cost of lift tickets, there are a few other destinations in New Mexico and Arizona that have much lower prices. I will share about them in another blog entry.
SKI LESSONS
If you have never skied, I highly recommend taking lessons. This is especially true for children. Learning correct technique makes a huge difference in the amount of enjoyment.
While ski lessons at Angel Fire are expensive, they are the best we have seen anywhere! The cost rivals many other locations, but they last all day. Children’s group classes begin at 8am and last until 3:30pm. They are fed lunch and a snack while there, and it is included in the cost. Their lift tickets for those days and rentals are also included in the cost. They put a GPS tracker on each child that is worn all day. At the end of the day the parent receives an email showing everywhere the child went that day as well as how your child progressed. The student-to-coach ratio is low. In fact, it often stays below 4:1. This allows for the best learning for your child.
We put our kids in for two days in 2020, and we would have done more if we could have afforded it. This year it just wasn’t in our budget. So what does it cost?
Ski lessons when purchased at least 72 hours in advance are $299 for 3-12 year olds, and they are divided in age groups (3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12). Snowboard lessons are the same price.
Yes, that is per day. When you have three kids it adds up quickly, which is exactly why we just couldn’t do it this year. But we will make every effort in the future to at least do one day because they learn so much!
Adult group lessons and private lessons are also available.
WHY CHOOSE ANGEL FIRE?
So why do we think you should add it to your list? There are so many reasons.
Angel Fire is big enough to enjoy good skiing, but it’s still small enough to feel personal. It’s not fancy. There isn’t a ton of shopping. It’s rugged and sweet. It has what you need to enjoy it without too much extra.
It’s close to Red River and Taos Ski Valley for day trips. We always make it a point to go to Red River for a special meal and a little shopping. You could do the same with Taos Ski Valley.
It is excellent for beginners! While there are plenty of advanced runs, this is one of the best places I’ve seen for beginners. If someone in your group wants a tougher challenge, they could head to Taos Ski Valley or Red River for a day.
It's the only place in New Mexico with night skiing! They open it up so you can ski at night on the weekends and holidays.
The people are so nice! We always encounter such wonderful people there!
It’s an easy drive for those in the south.
There is so much other fun nearby. From snowmobiling to horse-drawn sleigh rides you’re sure to find plenty of fun for the entire family!
NOTE: Because they do not get the amount of snow that ski destinations to the north receive, they close earlier. This is important to note if you are planning a spring break trip. The 2021-2022 ski season runs from December 17-March 20.
*****We have received absolutely no kickbacks or incentives from any of this. We have no connections with any businesses in Angel Fire. This is 100% our own opinions based on our personal experiences paid for entirely by us. All links are simply provided for your convenience.
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ADDITIONAL LINKS:
Angel Fire RV Resort
Monte Verde RV Park
All info regarding the ski resort, lift tickets, lessons, and more:
Horse-drawn sleigh rides:
Snowmobiling between Angel Fire and Red River:
Our favorite place to go eat in Red River:
Red River Ski
Taos Ski Valley
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