Northeastern New Mexico

A little hiking, a lotta driving (6,680′ <-> 9,820′ elevation)

Staying in Raton, New Mexico, at 6,680′ elevation, just 8 miles south of Raton Pass, the highest point of the Historic Santa Fe Trail (and border with Colorado). Getting here we found ourselves driving on the actual historic route quite often. We came to visit Capulin Volcano, but found so much more! Fascinating geology…canyons, high mesas, volcanos. Fascinating history…cowboys, coal mining, gold mining, the Colfax County War, outlaws, big trainyards built & dismantled, the first proof that humans had been in North America longer than 3,000 years (Folsom Man), and the Boy Scouts!

Visit to 1 new National Park Site:

• Capulin Volcano National Monument (#364), part of the 8,000 square mile Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field, showcases the volcanic geology of northeastern New Mexico. The views are spectacular, day or night, although our chance for a sunset visit was canceled for weather (you do NOT want to be on an iron mountain with lightning threatening.) You can see 4 different states from the volcanic rim and it has one of the darkest night skies in the country. We arrived early on Friday, hoping to beat the heat and were partially successful. We drove the narrow, 2-mile road to the rim, where we walked into the crater and the 1-mile trail around the rim (high point 8,182′). Back down to the base, we hiked the 2-mile Boca Trail. Limited recent hiking, the heat, and the altitude really slowed Gail down, such that it took 2 hours and some recovery time. (Felt a bit like altitude sickness.) So, we didn’t hike the 1-mile Lava Flow Trail until we returned yesterday to finish up the last of the 5 miles of trails in the park.

Sugarite Canyon State Park

Saturday we had a lovely day visiting nearby Sugarite Canyon State Park. The park is a stream valley flanked by basalt cliffs with Bartlett and Little Horse Mesas to the west and Horse Mesa to the east, and features historic coal camps, two scenic lakes, fishing, camping, and spectacular vistas. We started out by hiking 2+ miles to visit the remains of the old Sugarite Coal Mining Town. Then we drove to the north end and did a little hike along the shore of Lake Maloya. Last stop was a 2-mile drive up a dirt road to the Observation Point.

We did get back to town in time to visit the Raton Historic Museum, where we got another private tour. Fascinating artifacts and lots of local history. Our guide actually worked in one of the local coal mines for 15 years in his “youth”.

Cimarron & the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway

Sunday, after breakfast at Sage Coffee, we drove west to Cimarron (along the Santa Fe Trail), where we spent some time visiting the National Scouting Museum. Then we continued west through beautiful Cimarron Canyon State Park to Eagle Nest, where we visited their small history museum.

Eagle Nest is where we started driving the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, counter-clockwise. The scenic route circles Wheeler Peak, the highest natural geographic point in New Mexico at 13,161′.

After going over Bobcat Pass (elevation 9,820′), we stopped for lunch and a little walk in Red River (elevation 8,750′). It was “cool”, a balmy 72^o. Next stop was Red River Trout Hatchery. By the time we got to Taos, it was getting on in the day, so we only stopped for ice cream for dinner. One more short stop on the Byway was at the Vietnam War Memorial near Angel Fire.

The drive back east through Cimarron Canyon State Park was just as beautiful as earlier in the day, slightly different due to direction and the recent thunderstorm that had come through.

Wrapping things up on Monday

After our return to Calupin Volcano, we went to the Folsom Museum, where we got another private tour. Fascinating story of George McJunkin, born into slavery in Texas, largely self taught, successful rancher, prize winning rodeo (and real) cowboy, who found the evidence of Folsum Man. Also, a recognition of an unsung female hero, Sally Rooke. She was a telephone operator who stayed at the switchboard warning people of the impending 1908 Dry Cimarron Flood, and one of only a few she didn’t save (the same flood that unearthed the Folsom Man evidence). Her body was found ~8 miles downstream, with a phone still in her hand. OH! And Black Jack Ketchum, bank robber, whose head came off when they finally caught him and hung him. Leaving Folsom, we took the longer, more scenic route back over Johnson Mesa.

And now…we are back in Colorado, heading to Mosca!

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