El Rito Best Now

El Rito was formally settled around the 1770s–1790s as a placita (small plaza settlement) by Spanish families from Abiquiú and other nearby genízaro settlements. These were often genízaros — detribalized Indigenous people (Plains captives) who spoke Spanish and adopted Hispanic customs, serving as a buffer against nomadic raids. The village’s name comes directly from the stream that provided irrigation for subsistence farming.

El Rito is essentially what Taos was 100 years ago: quiet, Spanish-speaking, and unbothered by the outside world. El Rito

For the outdoor enthusiast, is the gateway to the El Rito Canyon and the El Rito Wilderness Study Area . El Rito was formally settled around the 1770s–1790s