Overview
Chimayó is a small town in North Central New Mexico. At the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Chimayó is most well-known for its famed church that has a reputation for delivering miracles. Originally a Spanish farming settlement, Chimayó is part of a string of villages along NM 76 that haven't changed much over the course of time, offering a unique look at life in such a setting.
1 sights · 1 places to eat · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Chimayó
Santuario de Chimayo
More completely named "El Santuario de Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas," the Santuario is a church that dates to the Spanish mission period with a remarkable reputation for miracles, including healing the sick and lame. It's…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Wettest: Jul and Aug. (climate data from nearby Santa Fe)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SAF Santa Fe Municipal Airport, Santa Fe — 28 mi away. Directions
- TSM Taos Regional Airport, Taos — 34 mi away. Directions
- ABQ Albuquerque International Sunport, Albuquerque — 77 mi away (major hub). Directions
Albuquerque is the nearest city with a major airport, although Santa Fe has off-again, on-again commercial jet service as well. Chimayó is reachable from Santa Fe on good and scenic 2-lane roads, but be a bit careful driving on them in the winter, as this is high country and mountain snowstorms can make a nasty mess out of a good road in remarkably short order. NM 76 east from Española or NM 503 northeast from Pojoaque will bring you to Chimayó.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
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Get in
Albuquerque is the nearest city with a major airport, although Santa Fe has off-again, on-again commercial jet service as well. Chimayó is reachable from Santa Fe on good and scenic 2-lane roads, but be a bit careful driving on them in the winter, as this is high country and mountain snowstorms can make a nasty mess out of a good road in remarkably short order. NM 76 east from Española or NM 503 northeast from Pojoaque will bring you to Chimayó.
Taking the free bus service of the NCRTD involves riding route 150 (Monday-Friday) from either Española (go here if coming from Santa Fe) or Las Trampas (connections with the 330 from Taos).
See
See Santuario de Chimayo
More completely named "El Santuario de Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas," the Santuario is a church that dates to the Spanish mission period with a remarkable reputation for miracles, including healing the sick and lame. It's located on the outskirts of the small town, just off NM 503 on the south side of the village, and can be visited for free during daylight hours, although donations are appreciated. The Santuario is quite famous among the towns of the mountains and is the destination for a unique pilgrimage during the week before Easter (see below under Do).
Do
- Santuario de Chimayó is the destination for pilgrims who hike (sometimes for several days and many tens of miles) along the highways from the surrounding area as a gesture of faith and also in the hopes of taking advantage of the church's reputation for miraculous cures. If you're Catholic and have some time leading up to Easter, consider joining the throng; if you're just driving in the area then, be extra careful of pedestrians.
Buy
- Chimayo blankets, textiles superficially similar to Navajo rugs but woven by descendants of Spanish settlers and much less complex; $50 will buy a good example. Weavers of the Cordova family are considered particularly proficient, and their work can be a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for.
Eat
Eat Rancho de Chimayo
Definitive "New Mexican" cuisine (stuffed sopapillas, red and green chile, etc.) in a gorgeous setting.
Sleep
Stay safe
Chimayó has a lamentably well-founded reputation as a center for narcotics trafficking, being on the "pipeline" for drugs coming into the United States from Mexico. Mind your own business and you won't have any problems, but this is a place where you do not want to interrupt a drug transaction, even inadvertently. Keeping a low profile in town (which mainly means sticking to the main road) is a very good idea.
Go next
Española is just to the west on NM 76 and serves as the primary commercial center for the immediate area, with more dining and lodging options. Chimayó is situated near the base of the High Road to Taos, a set of roads that lead through several historic and predominately Hispanic villages along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Española and Taos. NM 76 continues northeast from Chimayó, climbing a steep and winding road to the village of Truchas, where you will get a spectacular view over the valley and the surrounding mountains. From there, it continues into the mountains through several more villages before reaching Taos; detailed directions for the route can be found on the North Central New Mexico page.
Nearby
Española
City / town · 14 listings · 8 mi away
Pojoaque
City / town · 5 listings · 9 mi away
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Rural area · 3 listings · 19 mi away
Santa Fe
City / town · 149 listings · 21 mi away
Abiquiu
City / town · 13 listings · 26 mi away
Bandelier National Monument
Park · 3 listings · 27 mi away
Pecos
City / town · 5 listings · 33 mi away
Mora
City / town · 5 listings · 34 mi away
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