September 8, 2026 - Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area in Red River, New Mexico, has announced that it will not open for the 2026-2027 season and that it remains up for sale.

After 40 years of operations the ski area suffered its worst winter last year, which follows a succession of difficult snow years, and increasingly warm winter temperatures. In addition, the planned sale of the business recently fell through.

Low snowfall and unusually warm temperatures last year meant they were unable to open for groomed cross-country skiing, although they did offer some guided snowshoe trips and overnight yurt stays.

Owners Ellen Miller-Goins and Geoff Goins announced the closing via a press release on Facebook.

“We had hoped a sale of Enchanted Forest would give the ski area a new beginning, but that sale recently fell through. Continuing even limited operations this winter would require us to take on the considerable cost of liability insurance and other expenses before knowing whether we will have enough snow to operate,” reads the press release.

The ski area was founded by Miller-Goins’ parents, John and Judy Miller, in the winter of 1985-86. It encompasses approximately 640 acres of Forest Service land on Bobcat Pass and includes an established trail network, day lodge and yurts.

“We kept thinking we just had to make it through one more bad year,” Miller-Goins told Taos News. “At some point, you have to ask whether these are still individual bad years or whether the nature of winter itself is changing. We simply don’t have the financial or emotional reserves left to gamble on another winter.”

The owners hope announcing the closure will also help connect Enchanted Forest with a potential buyer.

“We would love nothing more than for someone else to look at Enchanted Forest and see possibilities that we no longer have the resources to pursue,” Miller-Goins added. “Enchanted Forest is still here. The trails, yurts, history and community are still here. We hope someone else can carry it into its next chapter.”

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