7 replies to this topic

[bobh]

Trying to escape TX heat and would like to find pretty, shaded spot in NM, hopefully with water and electricity, hopefully not a privately owned campground.  Researched Sante Fe National Forest (campground with hookups) but it is basically reserved  during summer other than for a day here or there.  Would enjoy hearing your suggestions.

[Dutchman]

I can highly recommend Heron Lake state park, about 12 miles south of Chama, NM.  Area lies at 7,000 ft and never gets overly hot, or humid.  This park has two loops with reservable and non reservable spaces, most with shade and W/E. $14/night. There is a dump. There are dozens of non hook-up sites all over this very large park, most with good views along a large lake of the same name. Lake is non-wake, i.e. no noisy jet skies.  Nearby is Vado Lake state park. This park allows jet skies and power boats and attracts the party crowd. Chama is a small town, and the start of the Cumbres Toltec antique steam train run up the mountain into Colorado.  Wifi is non existent in the park, ok on a nearby hill. Otherwise, Chama or near the park in Tierra Amarilla at a local coffeeshop in a restored 1800something home, if it is still there.

 

Other suggestions, Los Alamos, Santa Fe etc, the whole area is beautiful and thus popular in summer. Some folks recommend Cloudcroft, up the hill east of Alamogordo.  I have not been there so can't comment on that one

 

Enjoy your summer,

 

Dutchman

[JerryC]

A couple of  really nice NFS campgrounds near Cloudcroft.  Almost Heaven in August, when the heat and humidity become unbearable.  No hookups, though.  If you're wanting water and electric it would have to be a rv park. Good luck.

[clover]

bobh

 

Desert Hawk on this forum use to have a lot of good travel reports and recommendations. It has been since last year that he has posted on this site. I hope he didn't have some serious health issues again. Here is a post he had in the past on New Mexico sites and camping. It might be useful to you.

 

http://www.casitaclu...wk/#entry194698

 

hope this helps

 

Clover

[bobh]

Thank you for these suggestions.  I will gladly accept any other ideas.

[borderbrae]

I was just going through some of my stash about Utah and came across a nice magazine called Grand Circle. Mine is dated 2014 so I went to the website, www.grandcircle.org and have ordered the 2017 copy. I checked out a few links on the website and it looks like there is a lot of info there with links to lots more. Definitely worth checking out. 

[bobh]

Great suggestion.  That website does have a lot of good information.

[OKCasitans]

Ditto on Heron Lake State Park.  Very peaceful there and good shade trees.  Definitely take the Cumbres-Toltec train excursion out of nearby Chama if you go there.