Fall in the Land of Enchantment: Part One
Story and photography by Rodney W. Roosevelt.
New Mexico is an adventure anytime of the year; in the fall it is truly enchanted. Aspen leaves turn to gold as fall emerges, brisk mornings greet you, and fall light bathes the landscape and adobe in golden aura. Whatever your interest, there is something here for any explorer. Hiking, fly fishing, culture, festivals, and local foods are all there for the fall traveler. The key to traveling New Mexico during this season is adopting a slower pace and being ready to take advantage of the unexpected. In this article, we take a brief look at some of the opportunities in the area surrounding Las Vegas.
Get in hot water
Soak in the hot springs at Montezuma. New Mexico has some fine hot springs, many of which still exist in a non-commercial state. An excellent example is the group on the World College Campus at Montezuma north of Las Vegas. Sitting right off the road with ample parking, several pools are available at variety of temperatures ranging from scorching hot to warm. The springs are maintained by the school and local volunteers. Please observe the posted restrictions regarding clothing and times of use. If you are new to hot springs remember to bring water in an unbreakable container to drink. While in the area, drive up the canyon to the El Porvenir trail head for access to one of the trail heads to the Pecos Wilderness Area.
Area camping: Storrie Lake State Park is nearby, on the north side of Las Vegas. Story Lake has a variety of amenities available. It also features nice lake side views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This is a nice park but beware: they lock the gates early so you might have to park in the outer lot and walk back to your campsite when you get back in the evening. There is also more rustic camping about ten miles up the canyon just beyond the El Porvenir trail head. I personally like this campground a lot. It has water, trash, and pit toilets. At $8 a night it is a bargain. The road from Montezuma is a narrow, twisting mountain road with great views. Be careful, don’t get in a hurry.
Time Travel
Fort Union National Monument is also in the area and worth a visit. Established in 1851 astride the Santa Fe Trail, there were three sites for the fort over its forty year history. Ruts from the wagons plying the trail and ruins of some of the buildings are still visible today. Pecos National Historic Park is an unassuming member of the National Park System. According to the NPS, the park preserves 12,000 years of history spanning ancient pueblo, Spanish mission, and the Santa Fe trail. The park boasts a visitor center, loop trail with access to pueblo and mission church ruins. Come early in the day to catch the best light and plan on spending at least an hour.
Camping is available up the Pecos Canyon at a variety of National Forest Service campsites. Santa Fe is less than an hour away and offers additional lodging and other services. While in the area, the Pecos river canyon offers access to the Pecos Wilderness Area, fishing, camping, and Hiking.
West of Pecos, Glorieta Pass was the site of a Civil War battle.
The next time you find yourself in the Las Vegas area, take a day or two and enjoy the offerings. You won’t be disappointed.
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