If you choose Ohkay Owingeh for its culture, you can plan your trip around three themes: Owe’neh Bupingeh, local art highlights, and specific dance dates. When planning, consider public access as well as the calendar, since events and places on tribal land are at the community’s discretion. Confirm dates and visits directly.

Pueblo History and Adobe Architecture

Owe’neh Bupingeh is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The complex consists of four earthen-floored plazas surrounded by interconnected, hand-built adobe houses with adobe plaster. Adobe thus defines both the plazas and the houses and their plaster; the plazas and connected structures are also described as an integrated complex.

Ohkay Owingeh also has a documented historical role: Oñate declared Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo) the capital of New Spain. Another historical reference point is the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail. Its U.S. section stretches 404 miles between San Juan Pueblo in New Mexico and the present-day U.S.-Mexico border near El Paso, Texas. The local history and this far-reaching route provide different ways to understand the area’s history.

Art and Cultural Events

Founded in 1968, the Oke Oweenge Crafts Cooperative showcases art from the eight northern Pueblos. Ohkay Owingeh’s artistic highlights include redware pottery, weaving, and painting. These represent two different scopes: the cooperative showcases art from several Pueblos, while the three art forms identify local specialties. Check the cooperative’s current operating details before visiting.

Ohkay Owingeh holds the St. John the Baptist Feast Day annually. Deer dances take place on a Sunday in mid-February. On June 24 and 25, the program includes a Matachines Dance; a Turtle Dance takes place on June 26. The dates therefore fall within different time periods: a Sunday in mid-February and the days from June 24 to 26. If you want to plan your trip around an event, confirm the specific date directly.

Access, Location, and Activities

Public access to events and places on Ohkay Owingeh tribal land is at the tribal community’s discretion; access policies may change. Call ahead before planning your visit, as schedules can change at short notice. For dances and Feast Day activities, contact the Pueblo directly at least two days before your visit to confirm that they are taking place. These program items may be changed or canceled.

Ohkay Owingeh is 25 miles (40 km) north of Santa Fe on U.S. 84/285 and five miles north of Española on N.M. 68. Check road conditions separately when planning your drive. Fishing is permitted year-round at San Juan Lakes with a permit. Check the current permit requirements in advance to make sure this activity and the associated permit fit your plans.

Discover more destinations: Dixon, Chama, Chimayo, Vallecitos, La Jara, Abiquiú.

Return to the county travel overview: Rio Arriba County.