Las Trampas is a village that is easy to ride through and very much worth stopping in. Its centrepiece is the church of San Jose de Gracia, a big adobe building with twin bell towers, built in the second half of the eighteenth century and still in use. It is regarded as one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial churches in the United States, and the simplicity of the building, with its thick walls, wooden beams, and carved details, has a power that more elaborate churches often lack.
The village was founded in the 1750s by families who took up land on the frontier between the Spanish settlements and the Plains. They were exposed to raids and the hardships of high-country life, and their descendants have stayed here for centuries. The fields are small, the irrigation ditches, or acequias, still carry water in the old way, and the houses are low adobe with tin roofs. It is a place that has changed slowly and has its own rhythm.
The High Road to Taos passes right through. New Mexico 76 here is a narrow, slowly climbing road with long curves, orchards and pastures on the lower slopes, and the mountains near at hand. It is a gentle ride, with enough bends to keep a rider interested, and the scenery is the real point. Watch for children, dogs, and the odd tractor in the village itself, and treat the speed limit with respect. In winter the road can be icy, especially in shaded corners, and spring brings a lot of grit and loose stone at the edges.
Do not expect services here. The village is small, and fuel or a full meal will be found elsewhere: Española is about thirty kilometres away on the valley road, and Chimayo is nearer but also small. If the church is open, step inside quietly, and remember that it is an active place of worship, not just a monument; visitor hours can be limited, and it is reasonable to ask in the village before assuming. Take water, and plan your day so that you are not hurrying the corners in the long, low light of late afternoon. Autumn light on the adobe is exceptional.