Carson is a small, low density, rural, residential and unincorporated community situated at about 7,000 feet (2,200 m) elevation, on a mesa between Santa Fe and Taos in central north New Mexico, in the southwest of Taos County, New Mexico, United States.
Carson’s original center is here, about half a mile east of the Post Office, the Carson Store and the junction of SR 567 and S Carson Road, which forms the current center. Carson is located about 25 miles west of Taos, 18 miles east of Ojo Caliente, and 68 miles north of Santa Fe. You can view Carson on various map options here. The What3Words location is “lumpy.feasts.ahead“.
Carson was founded in the spring of 1909 when the area was opened for homesteading. Founder William Kyle Shupe, named his settlement after frontiersman and Taos resident Kit Carson.
As we wait for the release of 2020 Census Data, the 2000 census gave the population as 158, with 114 housing units, a land area of 35.03 sq miles, a water area of 0 sq miles, and a population of 4.51 per sq mile.
Carson has attracted new residents from around the country, and around the world. Over the years, there has also been a steady attrition in the population as a few people die each year and some move away. The 2020 data will reveal the change in population characteristics.
Carson is well situated for many attractions in the vicinity including the Ojo Caliente Hot Springs, Taos Pueblo World Heritage Site, Rio Grande Gorge, and the historic town of Taos, as well as for the recreational opportunities offered by nearby Rio Grande del Norte National Monument and Carson National Forest.
The Carson Post Office is where residents pick up their mail and occasionally catch up with neighbors.