Coyote Creek State Park Area

We had plans to go to Fenton State Park, but a hot shower and electric called our name. Fenton has neither so we decided to go to Coyote Creek. We usually stay just up the road, but with a state park pass making a night at the park with electricity $4 it was a no brainer. We stayed at the park.  First night the good sites were taken so we took one in the line. 

I enjoy a cauliflower crust pizza made in our electric pizza maker. It was yummy. Even dh agreed the crust was good. 

Next morning we grabbed one of the first come

First serve sites. It also had electric, but was a much nicer spot. Surrounded by trees, bushes and birds.  

Dh caught his limit on trout in the stream below camp. Then we took one of our favorite drives.  

If you are tracking on a map head up the canyon towards Angel Fire. It is a paved narrow highway up the canyon to the top. Once on top you get the option of left to Angel Fire or right to .... well eventually Wagon Mound.  Bet you can’t guess which way we went?  It is paved for a ways. Then it comes off the mountain as a dirt toad. Not a bad road, narrow at times lots of switchbacks. We hit pavement and kept going. Saw lots and lots of pronghorns.  I didn’t take pictures because I was going to get them down another road. 

We took the road off the interstate to Ft Union. 

Not because we wanted to visit the fort. Been there done that. It is worth a visit or two. We like the drive and use to have friends that worked on the ranch and lived in the ranch house near the fort. There were few pronghorn finally found this guy

 

We came back across the backroads to Mora, but all pavement!  Then back up to the State park.

When we left yesterday morning I took this picture below Mora heading out. There was a field full of Canadian geese. These took off and flew beside us for a long ways. 

Canjilon Lakes

This says it best and you can link to it if you want to camp I n the high country. 

http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/BOATINGWeb/CanjilonLakes.html when we slowly drove up there Sunday there were two other campers. 

One was packing up and the other was on the other side of the campground so we don’t know when he left.  It was cool windy, sprinkling along and thundering. All but the wind and cool passed. At dark temps fell. Being at almost 10,000 feet it was soon cold. We did have a camp fire that night. There was lots of wood laying around that made having a fire easy. 

Morning was cold 45.  Once it warmed up I walked to the upper lake. Even found service form my phone.  I wasn’t looking just got a text. So I too a few minutes to share some pictures on Facebook. Then back to my walk. A mile uphill at almost 10,00 feet then another mile down hill back to camp.  Beyond that I  took wildlife pictures and just chilled. It was a nice time. Colder still the next night at 44. We headed out of the high country the next morning once it warmed enough to break camp. 

Chama New Mexico

Beautiful drive across about 1/2 the state to Chama. RV park we stayed at wasn’t impressive to me right and full.  The shower house looked gross from outside so I didn’t bother checking inside.  

First day was spend on Dh bucket list of a guided fly fishing trip. He had a blast even if it did rain a bit. 

I followed along with my coffee cup and crochet. 

We road the train!  Seriously this is an amazing trip. Don’t buy the more expensive seats, staying in the open car most of the time is more fun. If you can get on the right side of the car. The most stunning views are on that side.  They provide a meal about 1/2 way it isn’t a town and it is a quick eat and get back on the train meal. You ride the train across the mountains then they bus you back to Chama. I would say doing the all day trip is to much for Littles. Besides they couldn’t see out of the open car. The walls are probably 4 ft solid. 

I took lots of train pics as the engine was rounding curves. There are LOTS of curves!  

Bring a jacket as it cool at the pass. Check out the elevation!

When I wasn’t taking train pictures I took scenery pictures but they fell so

Short of how amazing it really was. 

At the noon stop we had another train come

In behind us that I got cool locomotive pics of. 

Chama was a great place to visit, just stay at a different RaV park in my opinion. 

Sugarite Canyon State Park, New Mexico

Beautiful!!!! If you are willing to camp with no electric or running water then this is the place for you. Stay at the upper campground. The one with electric and water is crowded and tight. Upper is beautiful with amazing views. 

We saw lots of mule deer and turkey. Dh caught a nice size trout in the lake.  He had fun fishing.  The hiking trails were about 2-3 miles long ending at lakes so he would drop me off and go fish. Worked well I walked 2-5 miles every day. Some of the beauty I saw on my daily walks.  Hiking makes me think of moving much faster than I walk on the trails. 

This was our first excursions using solar panels. I am impressed. Our RV comes equipped with a solar plug. Since the heat works without electric I talked Dh into considering dry camping. Dh bought a solar panel to use.  Being careful with the lights, which or led anyway it showed we still had 3/4 of our batteries. Dh set the solar up and in minutes they were full again.  So it became more relaxing using it. The only thing we needed to watch was tanks filling or our fresh water running out.  We had filled 4 seven gallon water jugs with RO for drinking.  We just needed flushing and dish washing water out of the tank. It has been fun and we get to camp more remote. Our first dry camp was a success!  Off to Chama.