Taos Trail Runners build community, one trail at a time
By Ellen Miller-Goins
On any given Wednesday evening in Taos, a small group gathers at a trailhead — sometimes near the Rio Grande Gorge, sometimes in the foothills above town, sometimes farther afield in the mountains. There’s no starting gun, no sign-in sheet and no formal membership.
Just people showing up to run.
Some are seasoned endurance athletes training for long-distance races. Others are new to trail running altogether with a preference for a more manageable walk-run. Most fall somewhere in between.
They call themselves the Taos Trail Runners.
“It’s whoever shows up,” said Cameron Little, who helps coordinate the group’s weekly runs. “We post where we’re going, and people come run together. That’s kind of it.”
What began roughly three years ago as an informal meet-up has grown into a consistent community get-together — a reflection of both Taos’ outdoor culture and the accessibility of trail running as a sport.
The Taos Trail Runners are not a formal club. There are no dues, no board and no official structure.
Still, they meet every week.
“We’ve had at least one group run every week for over three years straight now,” said Aisha Little, Cameron’s wife.
The main run takes place Wednesdays at 6 p.m., typically drawing around 15 participants, with a larger pool of regulars who join when they can. Routes rotate across public lands in and around Taos — from well-known trails like the Rift Valley system to forest roads and lesser-known routes nearby. Distances vary, usually offering both shorter and longer options so runners of different abilities can participate.
Runs are designed to be social and inclusive.
For some participants, the weekly run is part of a training routine. For others, it’s a way to meet people and spend time outside.
“There’s a big range,” Aisha Little said. “There are people who are doing 50- or 100-mile races … and then there are people who just come because this is their one social activity for the week.”
The variety of terrain around Taos is part of what keeps the group moving. Favorite routes include Devisadero, the Rift Valley trails and higher-elevation runs like Palo Flechado Canyon. Other outings venture to places like the D.H. Lawrence Ranch area or Columbine Canyon, depending on the season and conditions.
“We try to rotate where we’re going,” Cameron Little said. “There’s a bunch of different trails.”
In addition to weekly runs, the group organizes occasional outings to trails outside the immediate Taos area. Each run typically includes a shorter route of about three miles and a longer option closer to six, with runners regrouping at intersections or at the finish.
Over time, the Taos Trail Runners have expanded beyond weekly meet ups. Full moon runs bring the group together for evening outings followed by potlucks.
A smaller Friday morning run for women (“Women, enby, trans, gender expansive folks of all paces please come!”) meets for some fun, easy loops on the walking trail at UNM-Taos.
The group has also taken on a stewardship role. Through a partnership with the Enchanted Circle Trail Association, members volunteer on trail maintenance projects, including work on the San Cristobal Canyon Trail.
“We’re one of their adopted trail partners,” Cameron Little said, adding in 2025, the group logged the most volunteer hours of any partner organization.
For many runners, the group serves as a starting point. Some arrive with no racing ambitions at all. Others gradually build toward larger goals.
“There are people whose big goal is to do the Up & Over,” Aisha Little said.
Up & Over celebrates 20 years in 2026
Held each August at Taos Ski Valley, the Up & Over Trail Run has become one of the region’s most recognizable trail races. This year the race marks its 20th anniversary. The signature 10K course climbs more than 2,600 feet from the base of Taos Ski Valley to nearly 11,800 feet before descending through technical alpine terrain. To mark the anniversary, organizers are adding a new 20K race, increasing the elevation gain to roughly 4,700 feet.
The weekend also includes the VerticAL’s VertK and a youth fun run.
For Taos Trail Runners, the event is both a challenge and a gathering point.
“A lot of folks from our group participate,” Aisha Little said, noting that others volunteer if they’re not racing.
Despite Taos Trail Runners’ growth, the group has remained intentionally simple. There’s no formal membership, no required commitment and no cost to participate.
“It’s a social group more than anything else,” Cameron Little said.
For visitors to Taos, the group offers a way to experience the landscape firsthand.
Whether someone arrives looking for a training group, a social outlet or simply a reason to explore, the Taos Trail Runners offer an open invitation.
“People come for different reasons,” Cameron Little said.
And whatever their reasons, they keep coming back.
Check out @taostrailrunners on Instagram to connect with the trail runners.
Taos Trail Runners’ website features lists of trails with maps and elevation profiles, a calendar with weekly scheduled runs, plus the group’s work days on the San Cristobal Trail, taostrailrunners.com.