Saturday, October 24, 2026
Saturday is starting partly cloudy and cool in Red River, near 38 degrees this morning after a 7:17 AM sunrise, but this is a day to plan wildlife and scenery around the weather. A Flood Watch is in effect from 6 AM today until 6 AM Sunday, thunderstorms are expected by midday, and the high will only reach about 49, with rain very likely through the afternoon and evening and a low near 36 tonight. Sunset comes at 6:13 PM. The best window for being outdoors is this morning, in waterproof layers, before the storms build.
Late October is the tail end of fall color on the Enchanted Circle. The aspens around Wheeler Peak, at 13,167 feet the highest point in New Mexico, peaked in early to mid-October, and the high groves are now dropping their leaves, while cottonwoods in the lower canyon and along the river hold gold longer. Elk are still the headline wildlife act: herds drift through the valleys and meadows around Eagle Nest Lake and the Moreno Valley, deer graze at the forest edge, and eagles and hawks work the skies over the water. The elk bugling rut peaked in late September and early October, so listen, but expect quieter herds now.
The 84-mile Enchanted Circle loop, from Red River over Bobcat Pass to Eagle Nest, Angel Fire, Taos, and Questa and back, is the classic Saturday scenery drive, and 2,400-acre Eagle Nest Lake, stocked with rainbow trout and kokanee salmon, is one of its best wildlife stops, with elk, deer, bear, and eagles all possible in the area. Between Questa and Taos, the Rio Grande corridor is also a reliable place to look for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep on the rocky slopes, especially early in the day. Pull completely off the pavement, stay in the car where shoulders are narrow, and give every animal plenty of space.
Closer to town, the Red River itself will be running high and loud after this rain, rushing white through the rocky pinches of its canyon, and a short stroll on the in-town paths or the Red River Nature Trail between showers is a fine way to take it in. Trails higher up will be muddy, so let them drain, wear waterproof footwear, and stay clear of swollen creeks while the Flood Watch is in effect. Our shared morning radar showed heavy rain around Las Vegas on Interstate 25, scattered showers south of Taos, and widespread heavy rain across the Texas Panhandle and eastern Colorado, so drive-in routes will be wet today as well.
If the weather allows, balloons are part of the scenery this weekend too: the free Taos Mountain Balloon Rally runs today and Sunday on Albright Street in Taos, and the Rio Grande Sky Fiesta is under way at Los Luceros Historic Site near Alcalde, with a Saturday morning ascension, trick-or-treating on the historic grounds, live music at 4 PM, and a balloon glow at 6 PM, all weather permitting. Looking ahead, Red River's free Halloween Carnival is Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 7 PM at the Red River Conference Center. Come for the morning quiet, watch the elk from a respectful distance, and let the rain do its work on the mountains.