Sunday, June 7, 2015

El Vado Lake State Park, New Mexico

In a stunning display of spontaneity, we changed plans and headed north to El Vado Lake State Park.

Because we're cunning campers, we pulled into our chosen spot and checked internet reception before committing to a long (>2 hours) stay. 4G! Just at that moment, a Skype call came in, closing the deal. How about three days to start? Yes! We took a walk to the pay station and dropped in our coins.

If you've been here before, you're already laughing because you know the storyline. That was the last 4G we enjoyed at El Vado, and the last internet of any duration we had for the next three days.

Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, El Vado Lake is a beautiful and underused (guess why?) New Mexico state park. The temperatures were perfect. Besides the main campground, there are two other sections of secluded campsites; some are lakefront.





















Osprey!











If you check the map, it looks like there's an easy way over El Vado Dam over to Heron Lake State Park. The map doesn't tell you that there's a stretch the locals call Suicide Hill. The signs warn against taking the road in inclement weather in any vehicle, and never in a rig 30 feet or longer.

The map also shows a shortcut through El Puente over to Heron Lake State Park. The map does not include photographs of what a 36 foot motorhome might look like on that one-lane road. Learn from the mistakes of others.

The last few days have been rumbly, loud, and obnoxious ... and then there's the weather. 




12 comments:

JO said...

NM should pay you for your representing that State so beautifully! the shots of the osprey are great.

Jodee Gravel said...

Beautiful pics - that sky is SO blue!! Sounds like each new person gets just enough signal to lure them to the coin box for multiple nights.......brilliant. Thanks for the heads up on the elevations :-)

The Good Luck Duck said...

Jo, New Mexico is a modest show-off. It knows one glimpse of its glamour and you'll be won over.

We speculated for three days about the conspiracy, Jodee.

our awesome travels said...

Love the Osprey pictures.

The Good Luck Duck said...

I was pretty excited to get a few you could tell were birds, George.

Karen @ Sock Monkey Trekkers said...

Is this the Osprey nest on the big pole along the highway as you head toward Chama from Tierra Amarilla?

Karen @ Sock Monkey Trekkers said...

Is this the Osprey nest on the big pole along the highway as you head toward Chama from Tierra Amarilla?

Karen @ Sock Monkey Trekkers said...

Is this the Osprey nest on the big pole along the highway as you head toward Chama from Tierra Amarilla?

The Good Luck Duck said...

Karen, this is the one inside the park, around on the other side of the inlet.

Karen @ Sock Monkey Trekkers said...

Great shots of the Osprey

Karen @ Sock Monkey Trekkers said...

Great shots of the Osprey

Karen @ Sock Monkey Trekkers said...

Great shots of the Osprey