8 Great Places You've Never Heard Of: Dixon, New Mexico

Image Gallery Dixon residents enjoy an abundance of local art. ELMO BACA

The houses and farms in Dixon (about half an hour from Taos and an hour from Santa Fe) were built fairly close together to make use of meticulously maintained acequias — irrigation ditches fed by snowmelt. Community governance is organized around protection of the all-important watershed, under the direction of a mayordomo, or “ditch boss.”

This village, rich in Hispanic and Native American heritage, blossoms the first weekend in November when the annual Studio Tour begins. Since 1981, this is the time when stone sculptors, vegetable farmers, grapevine-wreath weavers, garlic garland braiders, winemakers, chocolate makers and many other artisans open their homesteads to demonstrate how they practice their crafts and honor their traditions. Fine arts and crafts, tortillas, sopapillas and tamales can be sampled and purchased at many of these home studios, but the connection with a community culture at its finest hour is beyond the reach of money. “Lights are burning late into the night before the Studio Tour,” says Lynda Prim, owner of a six-acre farm near the town.

They don’t call this the “land of enchantment” for nothing. But you don’t have to own a second home to experience Dixon — there are some great cabins and adobe casitas for rent by the week.

Do you live in Dixon? Have you visited? Please post your comments below.

Dixon, New Mexico

Population: 1,529
Climate: Mild in summer, erratic in winter. Average January temperature: 31 degrees. July average: 72 degrees.
Median House Value: $220,000
Natural Assets: Confluence of Embudo River and Rio Grande; pastoral countryside of rolling hills, characterized by sagebrush, apache plume, cliffrose and piñon pines.
Sustainable Initiatives: Passive solar architecture; local economy; preservation of land, water rights and watershed.