Best Things to Do in Pie Town

Pie Town is a tiny community along U.S. 60 best known for one thing: pie.

The town traces its name to the 1920s, when an early settler began selling pies to travelers passing through the area. Today, it’s a quirky and worthwhile stop on the long drive between Socorro and western New Mexico, especially if you’re visiting the Very Large Array or crossing the state on U.S. 60.

Eat Some Pie

You don’t come to Pie Town without eating pie!

Several small businesses have carried on the tradition over the years, with pies ranging from classic apple and pecan to New Mexico-inspired combinations featuring green chile and piñon. The Pie Town Pie Company is a popular bakery known for its wide variety of pies.

A Town Built Around Pie

Pie Town developed along the old Coast-to-Coast Highway in the 1920s and later attracted homesteaders during the Great Depression. In 1940, Farm Security Administration photographer Russell Lee documented the community in an extensive series of photographs. His images of ranchers, homesteaders, families, farms, and community gatherings became some of the best-known photographic records of rural New Mexico during the era. The town never grew very large, but its unusual name and remote location helped keep it on the map.

Continental Divide Trail

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail passes through the Pie Town area, making the community an important resupply and rest stop for long-distance hikers and cyclists. Pie Town has developed a particularly strong trail culture, including residents who have become known for providing food, lodging, supplies, and other help to travelers. The famous Toaster House became part of that tradition as a donation-based hostel for Continental Divide Trail hikers.

Pie Town Pie Festival

The biggest day of the year is the Pie Town Pie Festival, held on the second Saturday in September. The community celebration includes a pie-baking contest, pie-eating contest, live music, games, vendors, horny toad races, and plenty of pie for sale! This event is the best time to visit Pie Town, attracting visitors from across New Mexico and the US.

Visiting Pie Town

Pie Town is about 85 miles west of Socorro on U.S. 60.

You don’t need long here. Plan around an hour to stop for pie, look around town, and stretch your legs. Pie Town works especially well as part of a U.S. 60 road trip connecting Socorro, the Very Large Array, and western New Mexico. Just don’t drive through without getting a slice!