enchantedforestxc.com

No. According to the official announcement on enchantedforestxc.com, the Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area will not open for the 2026-27 season. The area is closed for that winter, and the longtime operators, Geoff Goins and Ellen Miller Goins, will not be running it.

What the Official Notice Says

The notice on the site is direct: "This season, 2026-27, the Enchanted Forest will not open." The operators describe years of effort — grooming trails, maintaining equipment, and keeping the yurts and lodge running — before deciding to step away. They state plainly that they will not be operating the ski area this winter.

Key Facts at a Glance

What This Means If You Were Planning a Trip

• Do not plan on skiing, snowshoeing, or fat-tire biking there for the 2026-27 winter based on the current notice.
• A reopening is possible but not guaranteed. The notice says there is "real hope that a new owner will step in and reopen it, maybe even this year," but confirms the current operators will not be the ones to do it.
• Check the official site before making plans. Because the property is still for sale, the operating status could change. The website is the authoritative source for any update.

Background on the Area

The Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area sits on 600 acres of the Carson National Forest above Red River, New Mexico, and has offered year-round activities including biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Its winter operation included groomed trails for classic and skate skiing, plus yurts and a lodge. The closure notice marks the end of the Goins' chapter operating the area, not necessarily the end of the property's use if a buyer reopens it.

Bottom Line

For the 2026-27 season, treat Enchanted Forest as closed. If you want to visit in a future season, confirm current status on enchantedforestxc.com first, since a sale could lead to a reopening under new ownership.

Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area groomed its trails with a Ginzu from West Yellowstone Track Systems, setting tracks for both classic and skate skiing when there was enough snow or when the snow was not too icy. If more than a few inches of new snow fell, the crew packed the trail first before finishing it. That grooming routine belonged to the area's original operators, Geoff and Ellen Miller Goins, who have announced that the Enchanted Forest will not open for the 2026-27 season.

The grooming method, step by step

The area's own trail-care notes describe a two-stage process that depended on what the weather had just done to the snowpack.

1. Check snow depth and surface. Grooming only made sense with adequate snow coverage and a surface that was not locked up in ice.
2. Set classic and skate lanes together. Using a Ginzu groomer from West Yellowstone Track Systems, the crew would set both a classic track and a skate lane in the same pass when conditions allowed.
3. Pack first after a heavy snowfall. If more than a few inches of snow had fallen, the crew packed the trail before setting the final track, rather than trying to groom it in one pass.

The Ginzu is a pull-behind grooming implement, so the sequence matters: packing fresh, deep snow first keeps the tiller and track-setter from cutting through to bare ground or leaving a soft, uneven surface.

What the grooming notes tell you about snow conditions

The grooming description doubles as a short lesson in when cross-country skiing works at all. Two conditions had to line up:

• Enough snow. Without sufficient base, there was nothing to set a track into.
• Snow that is not too icy. Ice resists grooming and produces a hard, unforgiving surface, so the crew treated icy conditions as a reason to hold back.

Deep new snow was not a blocker, but it changed the order of work: pack, then finish. That is why a trail can look freshly groomed and still feel soft right after a storm.

Why this matters for the 2026-27 season

The grooming details describe how the Enchanted Forest operated in past seasons, not a current service. In the operators' own announcement, Geoff and Ellen Miller Goins wrote that the ski area will not open for 2026-27 and that they will not be operating it this winter. The 600-acre area sits in the Carson National Forest above Red River, New Mexico, and remains for sale, with the operators saying there is hope a new owner could reopen it, possibly even this year.

So if you are planning a winter trip around Enchanted Forest, the practical takeaway is:

• Do not count on groomed trails there for 2026-27. The area is closed for the season under its longtime operators.
• Watch for a sale or reopening announcement if you want to ski those trails again under new ownership.
• Treat the Ginzu grooming routine as historical practice. A future operator could groom differently, or not at all.

Quick reference

For anyone who skied there, the grooming notes explain why some days felt fast and others soft: it came down to how much snow had fallen and whether the surface had turned to ice before the Ginzu went out.

"Just Desserts" Eat & Ski is a winter event at Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area in Red River, New Mexico, that combines skiing or snowshoeing with tastings of local dessert favorites. However, as of the 2026-27 season, the ski area will not open, so the event will not be held this winter unless a new owner reopens the area.

What the Event Involves

According to the ski area's website, "Just Desserts" Eat & Ski invites visitors to "Ski or Snowshoe and indulge on local dessert favorites at the same time." In practice, that means:

• Activity: Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing on the area's trails
• Food: Desserts sourced from local bakers or businesses
• Format: A self-paced outing that pairs trail time with sweet stops

The event is described as a winter-season experience, which fits the area's broader identity as a year-round destination for biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing across 600 acres of Carson National Forest above Red River.

Current Status: Not Running for 2026-27

The event's availability depends entirely on whether the ski area is operating. The site states plainly:

"This season, 2026-27, the Enchanted Forest will not open."

Owners Geoff Goins and Ellen Miller Goins announced they will not operate the ski area this winter after years of grooming trails, maintaining equipment, and keeping the yurts and lodge running. The ski area remains for sale, and the site notes "real hope that a new owner will step in and reopen it, maybe even this year."

What this means for "Just Desserts":

How to Get Details If It Returns

The event page includes a "Learn More" link for full details. If the area reopens under new ownership, that page would be the place to confirm:

• Exact dates and times
• Whether reservations or tickets are required
• Pricing and any purchase options
• Whether the event runs alongside regular trail access or as a separate ticket

The site's pricing signals reference a "purchase" option, but no specific prices, payment platforms, or booking links are listed in the available information — so treat cost and registration details as unconfirmed until the area publishes them.

Practical Considerations

• Location: Red River, New Mexico, in the Carson National Forest
• Season: Winter only, tied to snow conditions
• Trail grooming: The area grooms for both classic and skate skiing when snow allows, packing first after heavy snowfall
• Alternative: If you're planning a winter trip to Red River for 2026-27, check whether any other local operators offer similar food-and-trail events, since Enchanted Forest itself will be closed

Bottom Line

"Just Desserts" Eat & Ski is a ski-or-snowshoe outing paired with local desserts at Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area. It is a winter event, and because the ski area is closed for the 2026-27 season, it will not take place this year. The area is for sale, so a reopening — and the event's return — remains possible but unconfirmed. Check the official website for any change in status before planning a trip around it.

Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area is a 600-acre, four-season outdoor area in the Carson National Forest above Red River, New Mexico. It has offered cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter and biking and hiking in other seasons. The important caveat for anyone planning a visit: the operators have announced that the area will not open for the 2026-27 winter season, though the ski area remains for sale and could reopen under a new owner.

Where it is and what it offers

The area sits on 600 acres of Carson National Forest land above Red River, in northern New Mexico. Its own description sums up the appeal as "year-round fun in Red River, New Mexico," and the activities named on the site are:

• Cross-country skiing — both classic and skate skiing on groomed trails
• Snowshoeing
• Biking
• Hiking

Winter grooming is snow-dependent. According to the site, when there is enough snow — or when the snow is not too icy — trails are set for both classic and skate skiing using a Ginzu groomer from West Yellowstone Track Systems. If more than a few inches of fresh snow falls, the crew packs first before setting tracks.

Beyond the trails, the operation has included yurts and a lodge, and it has hosted themed events such as "Just Desserts" Eat & Ski, which combines skiing or snowshoeing with local dessert favorites.

Who runs it

Enchanted Forest has been a family-run place, operated by Geoff Goins and Ellen Miller Goins. In their own words, it has been "more than a business" — a life's work and second home. They describe decades of watching families learn to ski, children see snow-covered pines for the first time, and regulars return season after season.

That history matters if you are trying to understand what kind of place it is: not a large corporate resort, but a small, community-oriented area where the same people showed up every weekend and made it a tradition.

Current status: closed for 2026-27

The operators have stated plainly that the Enchanted Forest will not open for the 2026-27 season. They cite years of effort across grooming trails, maintaining equipment, and keeping the yurts and lodge running, and say the time has come to let go. Geoff and Ellen Goins will not be operating the ski area this winter.

Two things follow from that announcement:

• The ski area is still for sale, and the operators say there is real hope a new owner will step in and reopen it — possibly even this year.
• Any reopening would be under new ownership. The Goinses are explicit that they will not be the ones operating it.

What this means if you want to visit

Because the status is in transition, the practical steps are:

1. Check the current status before making plans. The 2026-27 season is announced as closed, but a sale could change that. Treat any reopening as unconfirmed until it is announced by the new owner.
2. Do not assume trails, grooming, rentals, yurts, or the lodge are available. All of those depended on the operation running.
3. If you are looking for winter cross-country skiing or snowshoeing near Red River right now, plan around the possibility that Enchanted Forest is not an option this season, and confirm alternatives locally.
4. If you are interested in the property itself, the ski area is listed for sale; the operators' announcement is the starting point for that inquiry.

The short version: Enchanted Forest is a 600-acre, family-run, four-season area above Red River known for groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails in winter and biking and hiking in other seasons — but it is not opening for 2026-27, and its future depends on a sale.

Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area in Red River, New Mexico, maintains a Winter Trail Etiquette section covering how skiers, snowshoers, and fat-tire bikers should share the trails. The core rules are standard cross-country norms: don't walk on or damage set tracks, yield appropriately, and keep dogs and bikes off groomed ski lanes. However, the area is not operating for the 2026-27 season — the owners announced the closure and the ski area is for sale, so these etiquette rules apply only if a new owner reopens it.

Why trail etiquette matters here

The area sits on 600 acres of Carson National Forest above Red River and has historically supported multiple winter uses on the same terrain:

• Cross-country skiing (classic and skate)
• Snowshoeing
• Fat-tire biking

When trails are groomed for skiing, they're set with specific equipment — the site notes that when there's enough snow (or snow isn't too icy), trails are set for both classic and skate skiing using a Ginzu groomer from West Yellowstone Track Systems. If more than a few inches of snow falls, the crew packs first before setting tracks. That grooming investment is the main reason etiquette rules exist: a single set of footprints or bike ruts can ruin a groomed lane.

The general rules that apply

The site's Winter Trail Etiquette section is the authoritative source, but the standard expectations for a multi-use Nordic area like this are:

On groomed ski tracks

• Don't walk, snowshoe, or bike on set classic tracks. The parallel grooves are sized for skis; footprints and tire ruts destroy them.
• Skate skiers use the wide, smooth lane — not the classic tracks.
• Yield to the downhill skier on descents, and announce yourself when passing from behind.

Snowshoers

• Stay off groomed ski lanes where possible; snowshoes post-hole and churn up the surface.
• Use designated snowshoe or multi-use routes if the area marks them.

Fat-tire bikers

• The site lists a Fat-Tire Bikes heading, indicating bikes are (or were) accommodated — but typically on separate or soft-snow routes, not on groomed ski tracks.
• Check current signage before riding; bike access on ski trails is usually restricted.

Dogs

• Most Nordic areas either ban dogs on groomed trails or restrict them to specific routes. Confirm on-site signage.

What to verify before you go

Because the area is closed for 2026-27 and for sale, etiquette rules are only relevant if it reopens. Before any visit:

1. Check whether the area has reopened under a new owner — the closure notice states there's "real hope" a buyer will reopen it, possibly the same year, but nothing is confirmed.
2. Read the on-site Winter Trail Etiquette signage — posted rules override general norms and can change with ownership.
3. Ask about current grooming — the Ginzu grooming described on the site depends on snow conditions and equipment, both of which a new operator would control.

If the area remains closed, the nearest alternatives for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing are other trails around Red River and the Carson National Forest; etiquette norms there follow the same principles: protect set tracks, yield on descents, and keep bikes and dogs off groomed ski lanes unless posted otherwise.