El Santuario de Chimayo

Built in 1816 of hand-packed adobe, the church sits inside a walled courtyard at the center of the small village of El Potrero, a settlement within the broader Chimayó community. The twin bell towers and carved wooden doors are recognizable from the parking area, which puts riders steps from the entrance. The site is a National Historic Landmark and draws close to 300,000 visitors a year — a volume that reflects something genuine: this is an active parish and a living pilgrimage destination, not a preserved relic. The interior mixes Spanish Colonial and Indigenous decorative traditions, with 19th-century religious folk art, santos, and frescoes lining the nave.

Off the main altar, a small adjoining room contains el pocito — a pit of soil that pilgrims call sacred healing dirt and that many take away in small containers. A second room is lined with abandoned crutches, canes, handwritten notes, and photographs left by those who believe they were healed here. The site has drawn pilgrims from well before its current structure was built; the Tewa people regarded the location as a place of healing long before Spanish settlement.

For riders on the High Road to Taos (NM-76 corridor), the stop is a natural break — parking is close, the grounds are walkable in under an hour, and the village has artisan weavers nearby. Chimayó has a long weaving tradition in the Spanish Colonial style, and several family-run weaving businesses operate in and around the village. The surrounding road is narrow and runs through a tight canyon approach, so watch for pedestrian traffic, especially during Holy Week when foot pilgrims share the route.