Taos E-Bike Tour: Local History & Hidden Gems

Ride through four centuries of Taos on electric power

A three-hour e-bike tour of Taos led by a local guide, covering the plaza's 1796 founding, La Hacienda de los Martinez from 1804, the Taos Art Museum in Nicolai Fechin's hand-built home, and a Spanish Colonial church. Pedal-assist bikes let you cover ground without the strain, and the tour includes water, ice cream from Taos Cow, and all gear.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Taos historic and cultural sites

• Visit Taos Plaza and learn history
• Tour La Hacienda de los Martinez
• Explore Taos Art Museum
• See New Mexico's most photographed church

The experience

The Taos Plaza is where this tour starts: the fortified settlement the King of Spain granted to 63 families in 1796, designed with homes in large quadrangles and a central gate to protect livestock and trade. Most of what stands around it today dates from the 1930s, but the layout and the stories underneath are older. Your guide walks you through how the plaza became the heart of the Taos Historic District, now home to live music, farmers markets, and galleries.

From there, the e-bike takes you to La Hacienda de los Martinez, built in 1804 as a rare example of a northern New Mexico "Great House" from the Spanish Colonial period. The 21 rooms wrap around two courtyards, and the hacienda was once a trade center and home to Padre Antonio Martinez, who founded New Mexico's first coeducational school and brought the first printing press to Taos. You'll see traditional arts and crafts demonstrations that show what frontier life looked like in the 1800s. The pedal-assist motor handles the hills, so the focus stays on the history and the architecture, not on your legs.

The Taos Art Museum sits in the home Nicolai Fechin designed and built by hand after he arrived in 1926. A Russian-American painter, Fechin and his family remodeled a two-story adobe over five years, working from a cardboard model and bringing in masons from Taos Pueblo to shape the place into exactly what they wanted. The museum shows his work inside the rooms he created. You'll also pass the Spanish Colonial church built in the 1700s, one of the most photographed in New Mexico. The tour wraps up with ice cream from Taos Cow, included in the price.

What’s included

• Pedal-assist e-bike with helmet and safety triangle.
• bottled water.
• rear bike compartment bag.
• ice cream from Taos Cow.
• three-hour guided tour with local perspective on Taos history and art.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDeparts at 08:30Last departure this season: 31 Oct

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (15 to 75 years) · Under 15: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Heritage Inspirations

Is this one for you?The tour starts and loops through downtown Taos, so you don't need a car to reach the plaza or navigate between stops: ideal if you're staying in town or arrived without transportation.

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Top questions

What does the Taos Plaza look like now, and why does it matter?

The Taos Plaza was founded in 1796 as a fortified settlement with homes arranged in large quadrangles around a central gate to protect livestock and trade. Most of the buildings around it today date from the 1930s, but it remains the heart of the Taos Historic District, hosting live music, farmers markets, galleries, and shops.

Who was Padre Antonio Martinez, and what did he do?

Padre Antonio Martinez lived at La Hacienda de los Martinez in the 1800s and was a key social reformer who founded New Mexico's first coeducational school and introduced the first printing press to Taos, making him a pivotal figure in the region's intellectual history.

How did Nicolai Fechin build the Taos Art Museum building?

Nicolai Fechin, a Russian-American artist who arrived in Taos in 1926, remodeled a two-story adobe house over five years using a cardboard model as a guide and working with masons from Taos Pueblo to create his ideal home and studio, which is now the Taos Art Museum.

Do I need to be an experienced cyclist to do this tour?

The e-bikes have pedal-assist motors that handle the hills, so you don't need cycling experience. Just a moderate level of physical fitness and a minimum age of 15 to participate.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes use of the e-bike with helmet and safety triangle, bottled water, a rear bike compartment bag, and ice cream from Taos Cow. Gratuity for the guide is optional and arranged at checkout.