Bummer news out of Northern New Mexico where Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area will not open for the 2026-27 winter season following what its owners describe as the worst winter in the ski area’s 40-year history.
“This winter would have been Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area’s 40th season. Unfortunately, the combination of low snowfall, fewer trees thanks to the “big wind” of 2021 and an unseasonably warm winter has meant we have been unable to open for groomed cross country skiing.” -Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area
Owners Ellen Miller-Goins and Geoff Goins announced the closure this week citing years of declining snowfall, warmer winter temperatures and the recent collapse of a planned sale of the business. Enchanted Forest relies almost entirely on natural snow to operate.
The owners said continuing even limited winter operations would require renewing the ski area’s liability insurance. After borrowing money the previous year to cover insurance, repairs and other expenses, they said they no longer have the financial resources to take on another winter. The closure comes as the owners continue efforts to sell the property which encompasses 640 acres of Forest Service land.
Owners Ellen Miller-Goins and Geoff Goins Announcement Letter:
An important update from Enchanted Forest
Dear Enchanted Forest friends,
We have some difficult news to share with you.
After 40 years, Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area will not open for the 2026-27 winter season.
This was not an easy decision. Enchanted Forest has never been just a business to us. It has been part of our family for four decades, and we know it has become part of many of your families, too.
My parents, John and Judy Miller, started Enchanted Forest in the winter of 1985-86 after falling in love with groomed cross-country skiing and realizing that the rolling terrain on Bobcat Pass was perfect for it. Geoff and I bought the business from them in 2010 and have done our best to carry that dream forward.
Through the years, thousands of you have learned to ski here, brought your children and grandchildren here, stayed in the yurts, snowshoed through the forest, skied by candlelight during the Luminaria Tour, eaten far too many calories at Just Desserts and returned winter after winter.
That is what makes this so hard.
The last several winters have been increasingly difficult, and 2025-26 was the worst winter in Enchanted Forest’s history. We weren’t able to open for groomed cross-country skiing at all. We managed to offer some guided snowshoe trips and yurt stays, but that wasn’t enough to sustain the business.
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.
After last winter, we simply can’t take that financial risk again.
So, unlike last winter, we will not offer skiing, guided snowshoe trips, overnight yurt stays or other operations during the 2026-27 season.
But we don’t necessarily believe this is the end of Enchanted Forest.
The ski area remains for sale. Enchanted Forest encompasses approximately 640 acres of Forest Service land on Bobcat Pass, with its established trail network, day lodge and yurts. We believe someone with the resources, energy and imagination to expand its year-round possibilities could write a wonderful next chapter here.
We very much hope someone does.
Most of all, we want to say thank you.
Thank you to everyone who has bought a trail pass, rented skis, stayed in a yurt, brought a friend, introduced a child to cross-country skiing, joined us for Luminaria, volunteered after the 2021 windstorm or simply stopped at the lodge to say hello.
Thank you to the employees and volunteers who have given so much of themselves to this place through good winters and bad. And special thanks to Mike Ritterhouse, Bob Blair, Shane Clawson, Harry and Martha Frank, Larry McConnell and Anna McConnell.
You helped make Enchanted Forest what it is.
The trails are still here. The yurts are still here. The forest, history and community are still here. We hope this announcement reaches the person who looks at all of that and sees a future we no longer have the resources to pursue.
If you know someone who might be that person, please share this email with them. Serious prospective buyers or others interested in discussing the future of Enchanted Forest can reach us at info@enchantedforestxc.com.
Thank you for being part of Enchanted Forest for all these years. It has truly been a labor of love.
Ellen & Geoff
Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area
Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area Sale Overview
• Asking Price: $250,000 (Seller motivated; offers considered)
Total Asset Value (FMV 2024): $383,943
• Status: Turnkey sale, includes all real and personal property, brand, goodwill, and digital assets.
Location
• Situated 3.5 miles from Red River, NM, at the top of scenic Bobcat Pass in the Carson National Forest.
• Permit Area: ~560 acres under U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Special Use Permit
Private Land/Buildings: ½ acre base area (parking, lodge, support buildings, yurts)
Adjacent 11-acre parcel available separately (not included in sale), ideal for expansion
Improvements & Assets
• Trails: 33+ km groomed Nordic ski trails; 18 km snowshoe trails; 5 km dog-friendly trails
Structures:
• 850 sq. ft. base lodge (office, rentals, retail).
• Four ski-in/ski-out overnight yurts (wood stoves, bunks, furnishings).
• Warming yurt (rented as an overnight yurt in summer, but ideal for retreat, yoga classes, etc.) and outbuildings.
• 40-car parking lot.
Equipment:
• Snowmobiles (all but one owned outright), grooming equipment, rental fleet (150+ skis, 30+ snowshoes,
fat bikes), maintenance tools
Digital Assets:
• EnchantedForestXC.com, EFXC.com, EnchantedForest.ski, reservation software, customer database,
marketing goodwill.
Trademarks/Name:
• “Enchanted Forest” and associated web assets included.
Operations
• Winter Season: Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, yurts, retail & rentals.
• Summer/Fall Uses: Hiking, mountain biking, trail running, wildlife viewing, weddings, events, stargazing.
Staffing: Typically 5–8 seasonal winter employees, part-time summer staff.
Ownership Structure: Organized as a New Mexico LLC.
Forest Service Special Use Permit
• Authorization ID: QUE52. Term: Expires 12/31/2053.
Area Covered:
• 560 acres (Carson National Forest).
Fee Structure:
• Currently a percentage of gross revenue (1.5% quarterly).
Transferability:
• Permit is not transferable; a new buyer must apply for a new permit. The USFS issues new permits
following a vetting process (financial & technical capacity).
Uses Authorized:
Human-powered recreation (skiing, snowshoeing, biking, hiking, yurts, disc golf, etc.).
Growth & Development Potential
• Master Development Plan (2015) outlines expansion opportunities:
• New base lodge or retreat center.
• Expanded overnight accommodations (yurts, cabins).
• Summer adventure uses (zipline, canopy tours).
• Parking, entrance, and infrastructure upgrades.
Adjacent 11-acre parcel presents opportunity for private lodge construction, septic, and well.
Key Considerations for Buyers
• Permit Renewal & Compliance: USFS requires annual operations plans and inspections; permit compliance history is strong.
Financials: Income, expenses, revenues, and historical visitation data available only upon execution of NDA.
• Nonprofit Potential: Sellers note that converting to a nonprofit ownership structure is possible.
Health & Transition: Sale is motivated by owner health and the need to pass operations to the next generation
Contact info@enchantedforestxc.com or DM
• Location: 29 Sangre de Cristo Dr., Red River, NM 87558
