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OPEN with COVID protocols. Georgia O'Keeffe Loved Ghost Ranch-You Will Too! There is so much to discover here. You can spend days exploring two museums, hiking trails, horseback rides, paleontology tours (kids love dinosaurs!), the Georgia O'Keeffe Landscape tour, high and low ropes courses, archery, numerous classes/workshops and retreats year-round at this spectacular location.  There's no place on earth like Ghost Ranch...

Website: https://ghostranch.org

Address: HC77 Box 11, Abiquiu, NM 87510   MAP

OPEN with COVID protocols in place. Call for hours and more info.

Cafeteria is open for an hour at breakfast, 7.30 - 8.30am, lunch 12 - 1pm, and dinner 5.30 - 6.30pm

Here's a sample of some of the great new tours and activities at Ghost Ranch.(Remember to bring plenty of water and dress appropriately for your chosen activity.) Georgia O'Keeffe Landscape Tour: Ride our tour bus to the restricted area of Ghost Ranch and see through your own eyes the scenes and actual locations of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 1:30pm & 3pm(1 hour) $25. Walk in Georgia O'Keeffe's Footsteps: 1.5 miles along a private road through what Georgia called her "red hills". Learn the history, geology, flora and fauna, and culture of the area. 1.5 mi. Friday 9-10.30am $35. We also offer: O'Keeffe Trail Tour by Horseback, Trail, Wrangler and Buckaroo Rides, Movies at Ghost Ranch, Ghost Ranch History Walk, and Paleontology & Archaeology Tours.

Please call us or check our website for more details, rates & times.

Read my blog post about Ghost Ranch Revisited.

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Visiting Ghost Ranch in New Mexico

Ghost Ranch (U.S. 84, 505/685-1000), a 21,000-acre retreat owned by the Presbyterian Church, is best known because Georgia O’Keeffe owned a small parcel of the land and maintained a studio here. In the science world, it’s also known as the place where, in 1947, paleontologists combing the red hills discovered about a thousand skeletons of the dinosaur Coelophysis (“hollow form,” for its hollow, birdlike bones), the largest group discovered in the world.

Visiting Ghost Ranch

The grounds are open to day visitors ($5 suggested donation) for hiking. The best trek, which takes about two hours round-trip, is to Chimney Rock, a towering landmark with panoramic views of the entire area. Don’t be daunted—the steepest part of the trail is at the start—but do slather on the sunscreen, as there’s no shade on this route. Box Canyon is an easier, shadier, all-level walk that’s about four miles round-trip. Kitchen Mesa Trail, which starts at the same point, is much more difficult, requiring some climbing to get up the cliffs at the end (though you could hike the easy first two-thirds, then turn around).

Visitors can also see the Florence Hawley Ellis Museum of Anthropology and the Ruth Hall Museum of Paleontology (both 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 1pm-5pm Sun., $5), which display the local finds, including remnants of the prehistoric Gallina culture from the ridge above the valley and an eight-ton chunk of Coelophysis -filled siltstone in the process of being excavated. In summer, both museums are also open 1pm-5pm on Sunday.

Guided tours (various times, $25-35) of the ranch grounds run mid-March-November, on various topics, from local archaeology to movie settings. One walking tour visits O’Keeffe’s painting spot in the red Chinle hills behind the ranch. Horseback rides ($85) are another option, visiting various spots key to O’Keeffe’s painting life.

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Ghost Ranch

From 1934 onwards, before she made her home in Abiquiú, Georgia O'Keeffe lived and worked for extended periods on a dude ranch amid the colorful bluffs 15 miles northwest. Now a retreat center run by the Presbyterian Church, Ghost Ranch welcomes visitors and overnight guests . Most visitors come here for the hiking trails, the most famous of which is the 3-mile round-trip climb to Chimney Rock. Pick up a trail guide at the welcome center.

This distinctive landmark is visible from the highway, but the steep hike up to reach it, which takes around 40 minutes each way, is truly superb. Stupendous views unfold the higher you climb, while Chimney Rock itself, an enormous pillar breaking off from the mesa-top, is breathtaking.

Other activities at Ghost Ranch include guided tours covering themes such as Georgia O’Keeffe or the various movies (such as City Slickers ) that have been filmed here, as well as horseback riding for riders of all levels ($95). Two small and unremarkable exhibits on local anthropology and paleontology are on display at the ranch museum. Review the website before visiting so you can maximize your time once you arrive.

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505-685-1000

https://​www​.ghostranch​.org​/

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17 Reasons To Include Ghost Ranch In Your New Mexico Vacation

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• Activities and Interests
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The stunning canyon and cliff country of New Mexico’s Ghost Ranch has ensnared some of the greatest artists of the 20th century for good reason. Ansel Adams captured the landscapes on his large-format cameras. The most famous female artist of the 20th century, Georgia O’Keeffe, made the ranch her home for the last decades of her life.

I could see why she found the space so inspiring and why filmmakers continue to gravitate toward locations in the area. While I was there a short time on a press trip, it was long enough to experience the power of the scenery and get a sense of adventure. I’d like to join those who return often to learn in workshops and rejuvenate at retreats. Here are 17 reasons to visit Ghost Ranch during your New Mexico vacation, inspired by my press trip experiences and subsequent research.

a. v. ley / Shutterstock

1. Follow Georgia O’Keeffe’s Footsteps

Georgia O’Keeffe painted the hills, bones, and stone walls relentlessly and over decades at Ghost Ranch. She said that she worked at her home in Abiquiú but Ghost Ranch was where she lived. Fleeing the pressures and distractions of New York City, Georgia first visited friends who lived in New Mexico and then returned often.

This broad and barely accessible land gave her the space to focus on drawing and painting. Inspiration sprang from long walks exploring the canyons, rock formations, and distant mountains. I found that the very things which drew O’Keeffe to the remote landscape remain for the rest of us to enjoy. The current owners work to preserve both her legacy and the country that captured Georgia’s heart.

2. Immerse Yourself In Local History

Ghost Ranch wasn’t always so tranquil. At one time in the early 1800s, it was feared as Rancho de los Brujos (Ranch of the Witches). People disappeared in the recesses of the stone formations that tower over the broad plains of the region. However, the frightening reputation was more by design than nature. Two bandit brothers, violent to their dusty boots, stole livestock and horses from nearby ranches then hid the animals in nearby Box Canyon until they could be sold. Anyone who came looking for their missing animals went missing themselves.

The subterfuge lasted until one brother was murdered in anger and his wife fled to the nearest village. She inspired a posse to find the survivor. Hanging Tree, which still stands over a small cabin in the center of the ranch, earned its name before the villagers returned home.

Carol Bishop Stanley eventually opened the acres to the public as a dude ranch and changed the name. Other families came and went until Georgia O’Keeffe landed there. By the time she passed, the dude ranch had become a retreat and adventure center. The energy of peace and contemplation still reigns over the rugged acres.

3. Enter The Georgia O’Keeffe Landscape

My introduction to Ghost Ranch was with a guide and motorbus ride to actual locations of O’Keeffe’s paintings. The enthusiastic guide expertly pointed out O’Keeffe’s favorite spots. It was thrilling to get off the bus and stand close to the same vistas framed in O’Keeffe’s masterpieces then get a glimpse of her home from a distance. There was ample time for questions as well.

Our guided walk took me through O’Keeffe’s backyard and past many of her painting locations. This activity is limited to eight guests, which makes it easy to learn about the history, plant life, geology, and culture of the area. I was glad to be wearing my walking shoes and to have filled up my water bottle before the trek. A fountain with filtered water is available inside the Visitor Center.

4. Spend A Wednesday With O’Keeffe

One of the highlights of this area is a chance to see O’Keeffe’s home in Abiquiú. There are Wednesday tours with pre-registration which start at the O’Keeffe Welcome Center near the Abiquiú Inn. While I couldn’t take pictures inside, it was still a thrill to walk through O’Keeffe’s Abiquiú house and have lunch before joining the O’Keeffe Landscape tour at Ghost Ranch. The tour returns to the Welcome Center, which has a great gift shop and screens a historical video.

5. Make The Most Of Art Intensives

Clay, glass, and other artistic workshops are offered as seasonal Art Escapes at the ranch. I spent a few hours one evening learning about painting and pastel with local artist Diane Arenberg and wished I was staying longer for her immersives. Most of her sessions run from a weekend to a week long. Other classes include Composition, Plein Air work, and critiques that culminate in a Masters’ Show. The classes are held in the ranch’s Art Center. For more information, check the Ranch schedule .

6. Pay Your Respects At The Pack Memorial

One morning, I took a short walk from my comfortable lodging along the mesa trail behind the Ghost House to a stone memorial dedicated to Arthur and Phoebe Pack. Arthur Pack owned the ranch in its early days and negotiated with Georgia O’Keeffe on the sale of his first house. He bequeathed the ranch to the Presbyterian Church in 1955.

GUILLAUME LECLERC / Shutterstock

7. Take To The Trails

There are nine trails that crisscross the ranch campus. I wandered the land before the day’s activities began. On my return trip, I’ll be certain to take the Kitchen Mesa Trail, a challenging five-mile loop with 600 feet of elevation. It rises to a lookout with views of the Piedra Lumbre basin and Mount Pedernal in the distance. Box Canyon Trail is an especially tempting four-mile round-trip trail that rises 500 feet while winding back and forth across the property’s central stream. The most popular trail to Chimney Rock is a challenging three-mile round trip walk that rises about 600 feet to the sculpted pinnacle.

8. Experience Retreats And Landscape Meditations

There are two labyrinths on the Ghost Ranch site. I found the main labyrinth near the central road along a path that begins at the Arts Center Building. The stone spiral is a tool for contemplation drawn from many traditions across the world. It was a lovely practice as the dawn’s light illuminated Orphan Mesa. There’s a second labyrinth at Casa del Sol. It weaves uniquely in and out of the Piedra Lumbre landscape. I also passed a ceremonial water wheel set along the trail between the Arts Center and the main labyrinth.

9. Enter A Karesansui Garden

As a fan of Japanese landscape design, I was thrilled to hear about this garden created of rock, gravel, and stone, which abstractly represent water and the elements. Typically, this type of garden is found near residences of Zen abbots. This Karensansui space is not allied with a residence but set independently near the main labyrinth at Ghost Ranch.

Monastery Of Christ In The Desert

10. Visit A Monastery

The Monastery of Christ in the Desert is an autonomous abbey following the Benedictine traditions. It’s a quiet space with a guesthouse for private retreats. Both men and women are welcome to join the monks at Mass in the Abbey Church. Religious and artistic articles are available in the gift shop. The monastery is 15 miles northwest of Ghost Ranch.

11. Explore A Mosque Near Abiquiú

For over 40 years, Dar al Islam, a non-profit Islamic organization, has been committed to cultivating understanding, compassion, and empathy among non-Muslims and Muslims alike. The campus, which is near Abiquiú, hosts retreats and meetings in buildings designed by the world-renowned architect Hassan Fathy. Visit Dar al Islam’s website to arrange a visit. I was thrilled to discover that the Dar al Islam property contains The Black Place and The White Place , two paintings by O’Keeffe.

12. Tour The Ruth Hall Paleontology Museum At Ghost Ranch

Perhaps the ancient monsters that frightened the first inhabitants of Ghost Ranch were dinosaurs. Georgia O’Keeffe created notable paintings from more recent bones she collected at the ranch, and just north of the property is one of the best-known digs in the Northern Hemisphere. I could imagine joining one of the dig workshops and discovering remnants of creatures over 200 million years old. One new species, a small archdinosaur, was named Effigia (O’Keeffe’s Ghost). Even if you can’t join a dig, it’s exciting to get close to the bones and equipment inside the ranch’s small museum.

13. Anthropology Comes To Life In The Ranch Museum

The Florence Hawley Ellis Museum of Anthropology , adjacent to the Ghost Ranch Visitor Center, is named for the woman who led a group of students to the world-class discovery of the largest collection of Gallina artifacts in the world. The museum displays other artifacts from Paleo Indian people who lived here 10,000 years ago in addition to current creations. It’s a small exhibit, but I was excited to learn about the ladies of the canyon via vintage pictures and artifacts from local pioneering women, including Ghost Ranch founder Carol Bishop Stanley.

14. Take A Trail Ride

Two ranch rides are inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe — the Landscape Trail Ride and the Sunset Trail Ride. Riding a gentle steed through the low brush was a quiet joy. We stopped for pictures with the cliffs behind us and rode past O’Keeffe’s low adobe home. Our guide filled us in on the area’s history and colorful stories as we loped along. I’d love to return for a private ride up into the foothills one day.

15. Enjoy Water Fun

When the lifeguard is on duty, ranch guests can escape the desert heat in the immense, unheated pool next to the dining hall. I was there for cool fall days, so the pool wasn’t open. If I were there during the summer months, it would be such fun to kayak or canoe Abiquiu Lake. Swimming lessons and hikes can be arranged as well.

Wikimedia Commons ( CC BY 2.0 )

16. Challenge Yourself On A Ropes Course

As I entered the Ghost Ranch Property, we passed a loose grid of tall posts slung with ropes. High- and low-rope and wall-climbing activities are available during the summer when staffing allows. It’s easy to imagine how fun teamwork and problem-solving adventure courses can be.

17. Indulge In Self-Care And Body Work

Ghost Ranch’s nationally certified and licensed massage therapists offer integrative bodywork, massage, and spa treatments daily. Appointments must be made at the Welcome Center in advance. The treatments would make a welcome conclusion to long hikes and adventures at Ghost Ranch.

From a pure country experience to an artful retreat, I can see returning again and again for a Ghost Ranch vacation.

Elaine of Trip Well Gal has been jumping into travel and living in the most unexpected places for decades -- from suburban Southern California to a cold-water cabin in SE Alaska. While others were planning retirement, she took every chance to explore, taste, meet, and share her discoveries. Ever curious about life and the world, Elaine founded Trip Well Gal nearly ten years ago as a commuting yoga teacher and used her public radio experience to produce the Indie-Excellence Award Winning audiobook, Drivetime Yoga and then Flytime Yoga .

As a freelancer, she focuses on finding the stories underneath issues and those who can tell them best. She’s written for Hidden Compass , Edible San Diego , San Diego Home and Garden , Luxury Living International Magazine , Trivago , Roam Right , Hipmunk and other online outlets. Enamored with the storytelling possibilities of video, she’s an obsessive photographer and filmmaker for her YouTube channel with over 50k views. The blog has evolved to focus on helping Boomers get out into the world and do it well with consciousness and care for the planet and our neighbors.

Portrait Photography Amid Nature’s Beauty with David Rider – G25040501

What role does the human portrait play in today’s visually saturated culture? Why do we photograph another person, allow ourselves to be photographed by others, publish selfies, or examine portraits of strangers on Instagram? Have you ever photographed a friend, only to be disappointed with the results? This workshop harnesses the mystical beauty and splendor of Ghost Ranch to create compelling and engaging portraits. 

Each day combines sunrise and sunset photoshoots with group discussion and image peer review. We will balance technical skill development with exploration of issues like portraiture and human agency; portraits and spirituality; and self portraiture. We’ll explore Ghost Ranch’s beauty as our setting, learning to manage intense light while embracing shadows and merging portraits with landscape photography.

Each day includes two extended photoshoots with companions, workshop peers and others as our models. We’ll use the first and final daylight hours–known as the golden hour and twilight–to manage light as it brightens or dims. Depending on your hiking ambition and mobility, you might take a photo buddy along far flung trails or use nearby built structures of Ghost Ranch as backdrops. This gorgeous and vast landscape will challenge you to examine your subject’s place in the unique color, scale and terrain of our space. The genres of portrait and landscape photography find common ground in their management of light and shadow. 

At midday, we’ll go inside for discussion, skill review, and sharing of new images. We will learn to give and receive constructive feedback as we expand our vision. We’ll share our five strongest images in the final session.

Workshop leader David Rider will distribute brief notes for each day’s topic. He will introduce themes and tease out insights, facilitating discussion and assuring that all voices are heard. Together, we’ll ground our work with insights and collegiality that build during the week.

David Rider works as a professional photographer and educator with a passion to visually capture the human spirit in its range of texture and emotion. He works primarily in portrait, maritime, street, and sacred-space photography with a multicultural focus. David’s portraits take place amid natural or cityscape backgrounds to amplify the subject’s personal story.

David teaches photography at the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement (HILR). Classes include Street Photography and the Decisive Moment; Portrait Photography in Cultural Context; and, most recently, Advanced Photo Critique. All classes combine discussion of select topics with peer critique of each other’s photos.

As contract photographer for the national Episcopal Church, David recently completed a 5-week national assignment to capture outreach ministries with unhoused people, the food-insecure, and Borderland migrant families.

See David’s portfolio at https://davidrider.photoshelter.com.

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