New Mexico — Ski Rio is one of the largest abandoned ski resorts in the U.S. and among the most mysterious. Closed since 2000, there aren’t many videos of its skiing days or of what it looks like now. Aside from one Black Crowes video, we haven’t seen much footage of it in recent years.
In a 2025 video by traveling YouTuber Nik Jones, she explored parts of the abandoned ski resort. The experience was made possible by house-sitting at a nearby home, which allowed her to connect with the owners. She secured a snowcat tour that took her on the old runs, with stops at the old mid-mountain lodge and the upper-mountain chairlift’s base and top terminals. The mid-mountain lodge is now the owner’s residence and features a huge trail map poster.
While its not the most detailed exploration, it gives you an idea of what remains.
About Ski Rio
Operated from 1983 to 2000, Ski Rio had a short yet drama-filled history. The scope of Ski Rio was impressive, with 83 trails across 910 skiable acres and six lifts. There was potential for future growth, with a terrain expansion shown on later trail maps. Unfortunately, Ski Rio’s history was marked by debt, lawsuits, foreclosures, bankruptcies, multiple owners, and closures. Being near two major ski resorts, Angel Fire and Taos, likely didn’t help its longevity either.
The next iteration of the development was Endless Blue Resort, which offered overnight stay options but no lift-serviced skiing. Since 2000, a good portion of the skiing infrastructure has been removed. Access is now extremely limited for the public. While private mountain rentals are reportedly still available, it costs lots of money. At this point, it’s basically just the owner’s private residence.
Image/Video Credits: Nik Jones, Skimap.org
