A Week of Rest at Heron Lake State Park

ptjiftqvizWe are presently at a gorgeous state park (7000 feet high) among the tall Ponderosa pines of the Chama Valley in northwest New Mexico. In the distance, from our perfect campsite, we can experience the sunsets over Heron Lake. As we entered the park on Sept. 16, we learned that the volunteer campground host had just departed Site 25. It is one of the few with full hookups; the ranger assigned it to us for the next seven days. She knew that we had volunteered for three months two years ago in another NM state park. What’s more, we had a certificate from our 2006 City of Rocks experience for a week of FREE camping. Our cell phones work (with a bit of coaxing) as does our satellite TV. We even have a metal canopy covering our concrete patio. Campfires are permitted, and last night as we roasted hotdogs, the sunset created great silver linings and many colors in the abundant clouds. We are surrounded by myriad colorful wildflowers that are a vivid purple, yellow and white. Insects are few. The temps are moderate, the breezes are gentle, and the nights are chilly. The sun shines brightly in the mornings and evenings, and during the afternoons we usually get a welcome hour-long shower often followed by an awesome rainbow. The high desert flowers seem to smile in response.

We have given ourselves an entire week of catching up on writing, reading, hiking, etc. There are warning signs to not wander around after dusk or before sunrise, as there have been a few cougar sightings, but all we have seen are a couple of deer. We manage to take at least one long hike each day. On Saturday, we moved the truck for the first time to take a drive around the lake and visit three small neighboring towns. Before leaving the lake area we had coffee and delectable apple pie at the quaint old Stone House Lodge near the dam. Firewood, bakery items, Native American gifts and guided fishing trips are available there. The lodge is located near the Apache Indian Reservation. There are neither sizeable population centers nor department stores near here. Los Ojos is a run down little town that once had thriving businesses to include wool processing. However, the big sheep ranches are no more. The Catholic Church and post office are about the only buildings that are maintained. Nostalgic remnants of old adobe buildings are still present. Tierra Amarilla, the Rio Arriba County Seat, appears void of prosperity, but the two government buildings and juvenile detention center are well maintained. Chama, located 15 miles from the park, has a Dollar Store, Laundromat, several gift stores, a few motels, and several restaurants and saloons, half of which are no longer operating. We had a wonderful dinner at the rustic High Country Restaurant. The biggest attraction in Chama is the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, which is funded by the states of CO and NM and managed mostly by a volunteer group. The scenic ride is 65 miles long and costs only $75 per person. Since we had just done the Durango ride, we passed this one up, but it is on our to-do list for 2010.

Granite that pushed up through the surface thousands of years ago formed huge cliffs of various interesting, craggy profiles around Heron Lake. All of this majesty by the Creator makes this an ideal haven for campers, boaters, hikers, swimmers, and fisherman. The big lake is fed by Colorado snowmelts, which are collected behind a 1250-foot dam. There are few cars on the main road leading to Heron Lake, and the air is fresh and clean. Life does not get much better than this! Most campsites here are huge, and 70 of them have water and electric, so put this one on your RVing itinerary. We may come back here to be campground hosts for six weeks beginning late April 2010 on our way to Gillette, WY for the International Airstream Rally.