October 23, 2019
I spent my first full day in New Mexico visiting the bridge over the Rio Grande Gorge and and then going on the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. I planned to get to the bridge before sunrise in hopes of a beautiful sky. It was not to be but I ALMOST got to photograph two young men parachuting off the bridge. I also found a little memorial to someone who had died there.
I could not get either of my GPS's to tell me where Rio Grand del Norte National Monument was, so finally had to aim for the town of its address. This is probably because the monument was only established in 2013 from BLM lands. Then it was just a matter of following the signs. It took me a very long time to move very short distances. My first stop was at the Sheep Crossing Overlook. I thought this was in reference to domestic sheep but I saw a herd of at least thirty-four bighorn sheep, down about eight hundred feet down. They were drinking, doing a little grazing, and resting.
I next stopped and read a sign about several trails then started chasing pictures. I found myself on a steep trail that eventually got me to the river, in ten switchbacks. It took me at least an hour. When I got back to the top, I found I had only traveled four tenths of a mile each way.
I was amused by this little shelter. It did have a little fireplace built into the wall of the mountain to the left of the picture. It was about 50 feet above the river with the trail continuing on down and then along the water's edge. But it was impossible to NOT follow many of the rules.
I was REALLY going to just get back up, but the light had changed and I just had to take more pictures.
I had passed the most colorful graveyard I'd ever seen. I stopped for a quick visit on the way back.
I camped out in Cimarron Canyon State Park for two days. I got home from this trip knowing that I was going to get a little snow and then a lot of cold. I planned to leave early the following morning and get to Los Alamos where it would have less snow and be a lot warmer.
But I woke up at 5:30 A and when I stuck my feet out of the tent to get my shoes on, I found a snowbank. The snow was still coming down heavily and ended up being about three inches, rather than the predicted inch. I couldn't make it up the first hill, until a Good Samaritan backed my
car back down the hill and drove it to the top. The snow kept getting heavier until I got to a place where the road to Los Alamos was closed due to a three car wreck. I decided enough was enough, and I didn't plan to camp in the weather that was just going to get colder. So I spent the rest of the day in a motel in Eagle Nest, three miles from my campground. The town had no open restaurants, but did have a Senior Center that served lunch. I was only about a fourth of a mile away so I ate there. AND I enjoyed a long soak in a hot bath.
Now it's Friday and I've been driving from Eagle Nest toward Bandelier National Park for most of the day, even though it is only a two and a half hour trip. But I took lots of pictures stops along the Rio Grand - see them on Facebook - and discovered a Pueblo that Julie and I will visit Sunday morning. when this publishes. I pick her up Saturday and we'll do stuff in Albuquerque before coming back to Bandelier National Monument.
Stay tuned.
I spent my first full day in New Mexico visiting the bridge over the Rio Grande Gorge and and then going on the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. I planned to get to the bridge before sunrise in hopes of a beautiful sky. It was not to be but I ALMOST got to photograph two young men parachuting off the bridge. I also found a little memorial to someone who had died there.
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| The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge |
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| Memorial at bridge |
I could not get either of my GPS's to tell me where Rio Grand del Norte National Monument was, so finally had to aim for the town of its address. This is probably because the monument was only established in 2013 from BLM lands. Then it was just a matter of following the signs. It took me a very long time to move very short distances. My first stop was at the Sheep Crossing Overlook. I thought this was in reference to domestic sheep but I saw a herd of at least thirty-four bighorn sheep, down about eight hundred feet down. They were drinking, doing a little grazing, and resting.
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| Found it |
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| Some of bighorn sheep |
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| These may be all rams - the yearlings seem to split off by sexes |
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| River views from Sheep Crossing Overview - looking upstream |
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| Looking downstream |
I next stopped and read a sign about several trails then started chasing pictures. I found myself on a steep trail that eventually got me to the river, in ten switchbacks. It took me at least an hour. When I got back to the top, I found I had only traveled four tenths of a mile each way.
 |
| River is WAY down there between the cliffs |
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| View of the river about half way down |
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| Longer view of the river |
I was amused by this little shelter. It did have a little fireplace built into the wall of the mountain to the left of the picture. It was about 50 feet above the river with the trail continuing on down and then along the water's edge. But it was impossible to NOT follow many of the rules.
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| Can be use for day or overnight |
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| Many of these rules are not needed here |
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| View from last piece of trail along river |
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| The shelter had its own little beach |
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| And waterfall - the same one in earlier pictures but when I was level with it - it was also the end of the trail |
I was REALLY going to just get back up, but the light had changed and I just had to take more pictures.
 |
| An upstream look from stream side |
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| And these colors were too pretty to miss |
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| The sun was high enough to start lighting the eastern cliffs |
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| And this was the most beautiful of the long views |
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| More cliff details showed up |
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| I met and chatted with two trout fishermen, then snapped them when we were on different switchbacks |
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| I see the sign - I'm saved - as soon as I climb over some tall 'steps' |
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| Details of the trail |
I had passed the most colorful graveyard I'd ever seen. I stopped for a quick visit on the way back.
 |
| Each grave was decorated in unique fashions. Some had regular gravestones and actual fencing around them but all were riotously colorful. |
I camped out in Cimarron Canyon State Park for two days. I got home from this trip knowing that I was going to get a little snow and then a lot of cold. I planned to leave early the following morning and get to Los Alamos where it would have less snow and be a lot warmer.
But I woke up at 5:30 A and when I stuck my feet out of the tent to get my shoes on, I found a snowbank. The snow was still coming down heavily and ended up being about three inches, rather than the predicted inch. I couldn't make it up the first hill, until a Good Samaritan backed my
car back down the hill and drove it to the top. The snow kept getting heavier until I got to a place where the road to Los Alamos was closed due to a three car wreck. I decided enough was enough, and I didn't plan to camp in the weather that was just going to get colder. So I spent the rest of the day in a motel in Eagle Nest, three miles from my campground. The town had no open restaurants, but did have a Senior Center that served lunch. I was only about a fourth of a mile away so I ate there. AND I enjoyed a long soak in a hot bath.
Now it's Friday and I've been driving from Eagle Nest toward Bandelier National Park for most of the day, even though it is only a two and a half hour trip. But I took lots of pictures stops along the Rio Grand - see them on Facebook - and discovered a Pueblo that Julie and I will visit Sunday morning. when this publishes. I pick her up Saturday and we'll do stuff in Albuquerque before coming back to Bandelier National Monument.
Stay tuned.
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