Photos: Off the grid in Taos, N.M.

Visitors watch the sunrise over the Taos mountains from the bridge spanning the Rio Grande Gorge in Taos, N.M.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The majestic Rio Grande Gorge in Taos, N.M.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The Bus Stop Ice Cream & Coffee Shop operates out of an old yellow school bus.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Earthship Biotecture of Tres Piedras is a planned sustainable community with 75 homes, five of which are available as nightly rentals, in Taos, N.M. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are shown in the background.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The Earthship Biotecture Visitor Center at the Greater World Community in Tres Piedras. The structures are built of natural and recycled materials, with thermal solar heating and cooling, renewable energy and integrated water systems.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Detail of an Earthship that is part of the Reclamation Project at the Greater World Community in Tres Piedras in the Taos area.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A greenhouse at Lonetree II Earthship.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The kitchen area at the Phoenix Earthship at the Greater World Community in Tres Piedras.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Living room area at the Phoenix Earthship at the Greater World Community.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Bathroom and back door at the Phoenix Earthship at the Greater World Community.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Detail of an Earthship at the Greater World Community in Tres Piedras.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Phoenix Earthship at the Greater World Community.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

An Earthship structure at the Greater World Community, in Tres Piedras in the Taos area.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Among the Bent Street offerings in Taos are FX18, which features locally made gifts and accessories; Chocolate + Cashmere; and Coyote Moon, which offers colorful Mexican folk art and Indian jewelry.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Coyote Moon, a Mexican folk art and Indian jewelry shop at Bent Street in Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Common Thread shop at Bent Street.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Taos Mesa Brewing company in El Prado, Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Taos Mesa Brewing is housed in an old converted airplane hangar, four miles east of the bridge on 64.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A beer sampler at Taos Mesa Brewing company in El Prado, Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A gorgeous sunset over an adobe home in Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The historical Taos Inn and Adobe Bar on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Burning Joan’s folk rock duo playing in the Adobe Bar at the historic Taos Inn on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A visitor walks by the Logan Wannamaker Pottery on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte in Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Scene in front of Ed Sandoval Gallery and World Cup Caffe on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Alaskan totem pole in the Kiva Coffee shop at the Kachina Lodge on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte in Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The side of an adobe building in Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

World Cup Caffe on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Taos Inn and Adobe Bar on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Detail on the entry door of the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, which was founded by her family in 1956 and contains her considerable collection of Spanish and Native American art and jewelry.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A picture of Millicent Rogers graces her namesake museum in Taos.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A hulking turquoise necklace by Zuni artist Leekya Deyuse that Millicent Rogers bought in 1947 at the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, N.M. It has 294 irregularly shaped pieces of blue and green turquoise and a huge pendant, weighing a total of 4 pounds.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Pueblo jewelry, part of the Millicent Rogers collection.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Motorcyclists riding on Kit Carson Road. The first Dennis Hopper Day was held May 17 in Taos, featuring a bikers rally at the site of Hopper’s 2010 funeral at Rancho de Taos, plus an “Easy Rider” ride and a screening of the film.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Kit Carson Home & Museum on Kit Carson Road.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Inside the Caffe Tazza on Kit Carson Road.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A woman passes by the window of the Horse Feathers western store on Kit Carson Road, where vintage cowboy boots can be found.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Julian Robles’ “Santa Clara Harvest Dance,” oil on canvas, seen through the window of Parson Gallery on Kit Carson Road.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A visitor needs to duck to walk through a doorway at Parson Gallery on Kit Carson Road.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The entrance gate to The Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos. You can stay in the white adobe structure, now a bed-and-breakfast, or you can just stop for a quick visit and a cup of coffee.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The living room at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Photos of actor Dennis Hopper are on display in the living room of the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, which was Hopper’s home for a time.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The gateway of San Geronimo Chapel casts a shadow on the courtyard in Taos Pueblo.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The Taos Pueblo’s multistoried structures are impressive against the backdrop of the wide sky.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Detail of hummingbird hovering over a birdfeeder next to decorative dried red peppers in Taos Pueblo.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The San Geronimo Chapel, originally built in 1619, was destroyed in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt against the Spanish, rebuilt and then destroyed again in 1847. The chapel was rebuilt in 1850.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The Taos Pueblo is a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

An old cemetery in the Taos Pueblo.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The Taos Mountains from Paseo Del Pueblo Norte.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)