The Legend of Outlaw Hill
The Stakeout at Outlaw Hill has existed since
1976, our bicentennial year, but Outlaw Hill has been here
forever. Located at an altitude of 7,200 feet, the Stakeout
overlooks the Rio Grande Gorge State Park to the west and Taos to
the north.
The Gorge is an excellent summer retreat for
swimming, fishing, rafting, and sunbathing. The single-lane road
down to the gorge is occasionally closed during severe weather in
winter months.
A clear eye can see the Mesa Pedernal, 80 miles
to the south. Tres Orejas, Cerro, San Antonio, and Taos Mountain
are also visible from the restaurant. San Antonio has the largest
square footage at its base of any freestanding mountain in the
United States. The Picuris (Picturesque) Mountains are to the
east, with Kit Carson National Forest and Indian land beyond that.
An interested person can see the Gorge Bridge, which leads to Tres
Piedres and the town of Carson, named after the most famous
trapper, adventurer, and Indian Scout to explore this area. (1809
- 1968)
The Stakeout at Outlaw Hill is situated on the
original Santa Fe Trail, which is the same Pan American highway
that stretches from Alaska to South America. Before the road to
Pilar was cut in and the current highway was made, the Santa Fe
Trail was the major thoroughfare between Taos and Santa Fe.
Outlaw Hill is not a gimmicky name created to
suit a purpose or set a mood at the Stakeout. Outlaw Hill was a
destination where desperados and other on-the-lam types could rest
and be able to see any approaching adversaries in any direction
for miles around. The outlaw's back was 'covered' by the rugged
mountain terrain to the east in the event a sheriff and posse came
to the Hill.
There are two very good avenues of escape from
Outlaw Hill. One is up Stakeout Drive, which leads by horse trail
to Mora, Truchas, and points east. The other is up the next canyon
south, today marked by a rundown logging road. The second canyon
is a box canyon with a mountain peak covering most of its floor.
The idea was for outlaws to enter the canyon at the mouth, follow
the maze around in a circle to the right or left, and eventually
arrive back at the point of origin, at which time the outlaws
could ambush their pursuers or flee. There are also other escape
trails within the canyon which are negotiable but steep.
It is told that the immediate area of Outlaw
Hill is the site of an ancient Taos Indian burial ground thought
to be older than the 800+ year-old Taos Pueblo!
If the magic of Taos mountain has made you
return to Taos or if it compels you to stay, feel fortunate. There
is no finer place to be.
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