Angel Fire Resort – RV Camping + Ski Resort Tips
Angel Fire Resort is one of three ski areas that resides along the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway in northern New Mexico. (Red River and TAOS are the other two.) It’s really a four-season resort that also offers summer activities, including lift-served mountain biking, golf, and more.
While the local resort town of Angel Fire is pretty teeny, you can find lodging, a luxury RV resort, and fine dining. And Taos is only 40 minutes away if you’re looking for a more vibrant scene.
Also, Angel Fire supposedly has one of America’s longest ski lifts at just over 2 miles long and a 2,000-foot elevation gain – Chile Express.
Here’s everything we’ve learned about Angel Fire after two visits in our van:
Trip report: February 2020
I was most excited about Angel Fire of three New Mexico resorts we planned on skiing, including Pajarito and Sipapu. Angel Fire receives more snow annually and has more terrain than the other two mountains.
While Angel Fire only averages about 210 inches annually, we were able to time our visit for powder. Conditions were perfect for exploring all of their advanced runs. The hikeable area was practically untouched, and I could even find powder on their ungroomed blues all day.
When you think of the Southwest, you might imagine warmth, even during winter. It was not the case at Angel Fire. My feet kept freezing, and I might’ve taken more pictures of the mountain if my fingers didn’t instantly go numb upon taking off my gloves.
I skied a long groomer from the top of Chile Express back to the base after returning from the backside. My body was so cold I pointed my skis toward every bit of sun the whole way down. I had intended to take one last ride up Chile Express that day, but I thought I might become a popsicle. I walked back to the van instead.
I appreciated Angel Fire’s quiet ambiance. And not just the ski resort, the town as well. There are small developments of primarily older, modest condos that you can snag for as little as $50,000. And we didn’t spot any mega-mansions. I’d like to go back and check out what it’s like during the summer.
Trip report: January 2024
New Mexico was one of our favorite discoveries when we hit the road back in 2018. We were so excited to be back after 4 years, and Angel Fire was our starting point upon returning to the Enchanted Circle.
Since we picked up Ski Cooper passes for the 2023/24 season, and Ski Cooper now participates in Powder Alliance, we get 3 days of skiing at Angel Fire. We ended up using 2 of our 3 days.
When we chose to visit Angel Fire, we knew that they didn’t yet have all of their trails open. Most US ski areas were lacking snow, so it didn’t really matter.
We were super happy with our timing though. Angel Fire received a few inches on the morning of our first day, just before and after the lifts started spinning. I was worried about it being a dust-on-crust, but the older layer underneath was forgiving. And most of their advanced runs were open. Rocks and tree tops were generally easy to avoid on those ungroomed trails.
We spent a sunny day skiing at Red River before another storm blew in, and we returned for a powder day at Angel Fire. We made the most of it in The Steeps and gladed runs, and were surprised when our final run of the day ended up being the best. Glory Hole was untouched aside from a sweep by ski patrol.
There were still plenty of fresh lines to be found around the mountain after noon.
Website, address, contact info, and hours
angelfireresort.com
10 Miller Lane, Angel Fire, NM 87710
(800) 633-7463
cenres@angelfireresort.com
Lift hours: 9 am to 4 pm daily, night skiing 4 pm to 7 pm on select nights
Pass affiliations
Angel Fire mountain stats
- Average annual snowfall: 210 inches
- Skiable terrain: 560 acres
- Vertical drop: 2,077 feet
- More stats
Driving to Angel Fire
US-64 from Taos to Angel Fire is a two-lane highway with very few turnouts. It’s only mildly curvy until you get to Palo Flechado Pass.
Upon approaching the pass, there will be signs warning of curves and a steeper grade as you descend to Angel Fire. If you want to pull over for faster moving traffic, the largest pullouts will be on the left and right of the pass.
I don’t particular care for the 2 miles beyond the pass when it’s snowy. We’ve driven it before the roads have been sanded or salted and it’s a little nerve wracking.
Once you get into Angel Fire, the highway flattens out.
For more information, see Angel Fire’s Driving Directions.
Parking at Angel Fire
There are three parking lots near the base area – Green Lot, Blue Lot, and Black Lot. Green is the closest just below The Lodge at Angel Fire Resort.
I’ve never seen parking fill past Green Lot, even on a powder day. Maybe it happens during a holiday or Spring Break.
All lots are within walking distance of the base area, but you’ll be walking uphill. I don’t think the hill looks intimidating, but by the time you walk up the street and a few flights of stairs to reach the ticket window and Chile Express (the main lift), it can be pretty exhausting. It’s a great way to warm up at about 8,500 feet.
If you don’t wish to walk, Angel Fire offers a free shuttle. The shuttle stops should be obvious as there are large signs and buses are often waiting. From what I observed, I don’t think anyone has to wait for more than 5 minutes.
See their Shuttles & Parking page for more information.
How to use your 2023/24 Powder Alliance benefits at Angel Fire
Bring your season pass with Powder Alliance benefits and a photo ID to the ticket windows next to Chile Express. An Angel Fire employee will likely guide you to the best ticket window.
You’ll be given a printed lift ticket and a zip tie. You must return to the ticket window each of the three days you intend to ski/ride.
If you’ve never been to Angel Fire, it will likely take several minutes for the ticket agent to enter you into their system.
Lift & trail navigation tips
How to find The Steeps
Getting there is a little confusing. If you’re looking at the Trail Map, The Steeps includes the following runs:
- Minder Binder
- Charisma
- Hari Kari
- Nice Day
- Hell’s Bells
- Angel’s Plunge
The easiest way, especially for a snowboarder, is by riding through the Liberation Park. You’ll see the entrance to the left when you unload from Chile Express. If you’re unloading from the Southwest Flyer lift, ski toward the top of Chile Express and you’ll see the entrance to the Liberation Park to the right.
If you go through the park, just make sure to follow proper park etiquette. If you don’t know what proper park etiquette is, don’t go in there.
The alternate route is to take the run directly adjacent to the park called Alley. Follow the rope that separates Alley from Liberation Park. It should be to your left as you ski down Alley. When it opens up, hang a left to get to The Steeps. You’ll want some speed as the slope goes uphill at that point.
After going left, the trail will fork and trail signs will be there to direct you. Here are the options from easiest to hardest.
- Right fork – Minder Binder
- Middle fork – Charisma, Hari Kari, Nice Day
- Left fork – Hell’s Bells, Angel’s Plunge
Angel’s Plunge was not open when we were at Angel Fire in January 2024. When you look at the trail map, you’ll notice that it’s the outermost run. When you ride up Southwest Flyer, you might think that the very obvious trail that you see to the far right would be Angel’s Plunge. However, it’s Hell’s Bells.
Angel’s Plunge is hiding, but if you look hard through the trees from the lift, I’m pretty sure you can get a glimpse of it. We weren’t quite sure how to get there after you pass the top of Hell’s Bells. It almost seems like you’d have to do some major hiking. We’ll see if it’s open next time we’re there.
Cell service at Angel Fire
We had very strong AT&T cell service in Angel Fire’s parking lot and throughout the town.
If you’re spending time in Taos, AT&T works well there to.
Service can be spotty on the drive between Taos and Angel Fire.
Crowd factor
We’ve never seen the first parking lot (Green Lot) fill to capacity and they still have two other lots (Blue Lot and Black Lot).
We’ve rarely shared a chairlift with anyone and have never spent more than a minute in line.
Trails have never felt congested to us unless you’re on a cat track or as you get closer to the base area. If you’re doing advanced runs, there’s a good chance you won’t see anybody. We have generally only seen ski patrol.
Angel Fire overnight RV camping
Angel Fire Resort does not allow overnight RV camping.
In January 2024, I inquired at the ticket window. While the person I asked didn’t know the right answer, she suggested that I check the parking areas for signs.
In the Green Lot closest to The Lodge at Angel Fire Resort, there is a sign that says “NO CAMPING IN LOT”.
Angel Fire has a Resort Camping page on their website, but I’m pretty sure this is referring to summer camping only. We drove by the camping area at the southwest corner of Vail and Squaw Valley, and there was more than a foot of hardened snow in the parking lot. It was not possible to camp there.
I also tried reaching out to Angel Fire through their website’s chat feature. Here is our conversation:
Other winter camping options near Angel Fire
Angel Fire RV Resort – 10 minutes in Angel Fire
Angel Fire RV Resort is one of our favorites, but it’s important to note that they are not within walking distance of the ski area and there is no shuttle. Plus, services like Uber and Lyft don’t operate in Angel Fire.
Also important, their policy online states that they only accept fifth wheels and motorhomes with a bathroom and kitchen. When they say motorhome, I think they mean Class As. However, call (855) 421-0308 to see if they’ll make an exception. They were willing to for our converted 2021 Mercedes Sprinter van.
If you’re driving from Taos on US-64, it will be on your right as the road flattens out after going over Palo Flechado Pass.
Harmony Taos Farm (Hipcamp) – 40 minutes in Taos
If you’re looking for a central place while skiing anywhere along the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, Harmony Taos Farm is an excellent option if your rig is under 25 feet. This Hipcamp is only 5 minutes from downtown Taos, 40 minutes to Angel Fire, 50 minutes to Red River, and 35 minutes to Taos.
Orilla Verde Recreation Area (Lower Gorge) in Rio Grande del Norte National Monument – 1 hour in Pilar
The following campgrounds are open year-round in Orilla Verde and are first come, first served:
- Pilar Campground
- Rio Bravo Campground
- Arroyo Hondo Campground
- Lone Juniper Campground
- Rio Pueblo Campground
The first 4 campgrounds are very close to one another and are 1 hour from Angel Fire. Rio Pueblo is 10 minutes farther.
Campsites range in price:
- Primitive site – $5
- Site with shade shelter – $7
- Site with RV hookups (water and electric only) – $15
In January 2024, we chose the Arroyo Hondo Campground for a view of the Rio Grande. It had a vault toilet and dumpster and was $5 per night.
There were no other campers around aside from a few at Rio Bravo, plus the camp host.
Rio Bravo has showers for $1 (4 quarters) that anyone camping in Orilla Verde can use. Sadly, I found the women’s showers to have filthy shower curtains and colorful, unidentifiable fluids on the floor of each shower. I’d say it’s now in my top three least favorite public showers.
There is no dump station in Orilla Verde.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages Orilla Verde, but I didn’t find their website helpful in planning our time there. I have not linked to any BLM website pages for that reason.
Calling the BLM Field Office in Taos was most helpful – (575) 758-8851.
The people at Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center are also extremely helpful and can provide maps and other free printed material on campgrounds and hiking trails. You can also call them at (575) 751-4899. When the Visitor Center is open, you can access a filtered water station for Nalgene-size bottles.
We could get AT&T cell service at the Visitor Center, but once you start driving down NM-570 to the campgrounds just minutes away, there is no service. I don’t believe other carriers offer service either. Our Starlink worked well at the Arroyo Hondo Campground.
Showers near Angel Fire
Taos Youth & Family Center – 40 minutes in Taos – If you don’t stay somewhere with showers, apparently you can pay $7 for showers here.
Other conveniences near Angel Fire
The town of Angel Fire is very small, but they do have some grocery options.
You’ll find the most conveniences in Taos 45 minutes away.
We like Albertsons Market (A Paseo del Pueblo Sur). If you’re looking for something that’s more like Whole Foods, check out Cid’s. But heads up! Cid’s parking lot is very busy and a tight fit.
If you need service for your Mercedes Sprinter van, Mercedes-Benz of Santa Fe is 2.5 hours from Angel Fire.
Closest ski resorts to Angel Fire
- TAOS (Ikon Pass 2023/24, Mountain Collective 2023/24) – 60 minutes in Taos Ski Valley
- Sipapu (Power Pass 2023/24, Loveland 2023/24, Monarch Mountain 2023/24) – 60 minutes in Vadito
- Pajarito (Power Pass 2023/24, Loveland 2023/24, Monarch Mountain 2023/24) – 2 hours in Los Alamos
- Ski Santa Fe – 2.5 hours in the Santa Fe National Forest near Santa Fe
- Sandia Peak Ski Area (Power Pass 2023/24) – 3 hours in the Sandia Mountains near Sandia Park
Red River is only about 45 minutes from Angel Fire. Great smaller ski area and nice walkable town with a variety of restaurants, bars and shops. Inexpensive lodging next to slopes. Just don’t go during Texas and Oklahoma Spring break in March.
Red River is on our list of ski areas to visit for the first time this upcoming winter. We’re hoping El Nino will be extra kind to New Mexico. Appreciate the tip about Spring Break!