Thursday, October 29, 2026
Thursday morning arrived fair and cold in Red River, with the thermometer at 33 degrees, light west winds, and a mostly clear sky over Main Street. Today stays dry and partly cloudy, climbing to a high near 54 before falling back to about 29 tonight, with west-southwest winds picking up to around 9 miles per hour this afternoon. Sunrise came at 7:22 AM and sunset is at 6:07 PM, so the useful daylight is shrinking fast. The shared Enchanted Circle radar is clear over northern New Mexico this morning, with only a small shower far to the southeast, just north of Clovis along one of the drive-in routes.
On the mountain, this is the quiet heart of the in-between season. Red River Ski & Summer Area, which sits right in town at 8,750 feet, is closed between seasons, with no lifts turning and no trails open. The nearest snow sensor read zero inches of snowpack and bare ground on Wednesday, and there has been no new snow to report. Opening Day is Wednesday, November 25, twenty-seven days from today, and the countdown now runs on cold nights: every freeze this week helps the ground hold whatever the sky delivers next. On Bobcat Pass, Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area will not open for the 2026-27 season after forty years, so visitors should not plan on its groomed Nordic trails, snowshoe trips, or yurt stays this winter.
For walkers, today is the best trail day of the next several. The Red River Nature Trail, an easy three-mile out-and-back along the river that stays open year-round, is a fine late-morning choice once the sun reaches the valley floor. Higher routes toward the alpine lakes are at the very end of their usual June-through-October season, so treat them as late-season outings: start early, carry layers and water, expect cold shade and slick spots where frost lingers, and be ready to turn around if the weather moves in. Aspens in the sheltered side canyons are at the tail end of their gold, and the drive around the 84-mile Enchanted Circle is dry and clear today.
The weather turns as the weekend arrives. Friday stays partly cloudy with a high near 52 and a low near 31, with a chance of showers late that could mix with or change to a little snow overnight, on the order of a tenth of an inch. Saturday cools to the upper 40s with a chance of showers, mainly early, and Halloween evening looks mostly cloudy and cold. Sunday is the wet day: rain is likely, with a high in the mid-40s, turning to rain and snow showers Sunday night just as the clocks fall back an hour. Early next week runs colder still, with snow possible on Monday. Anyone driving Bobcat Pass or the Enchanted Circle late in the weekend should expect wet roads, check conditions before setting out, and allow extra time.
Through it all, town keeps its friendly pre-season rhythm. Families in town for the weekend can warm up Saturday at the free Halloween Carnival, from 5 to 7 PM at the Red River Conference Center, where donations at the door support ski days for local kids. Until the snow arrives, these are good days for a quiet Main Street stroll, a hot meal, and watching the mountain: bare today, but with winter clearly on its way.