An Afternoon Well Spent !!…read more It has been many years since I've been to the Raton area and typically whenever I was in the area it was just a quick to use the bathroom or get gas. On this visit, it was on a Friday afternoon and I had a few hours to kill and wanted to actually see some of the area. I remembered from years past that there were some lakes up in the mountains that I had always wanted to see and now was my chance. The Park is only about 20 miles from Raton and the roads were not that busy. The drive up is really nice as you see mountains, hills ranches, and some great scenery. On the way to Lake Maloya I stopped at one of the smaller lakes, Lake Alice and spent about half an hour checking it out. There really isn't access to that lake but you can tell its frequented by anglers. It is a nice small scenic lake. I then made my way up to Lake Maloya which is a reservoir for the area and right on the Colorado border. The lake is magnificent!! On a nice warm summer day, there was a nice breeze and no bugs. There were boaters on the lake, some people canoeing and some campers but it was not that busy at all. I spent a good two hours stopping and driving farther up the lake until I came to the gate that takes you to Dorothy Lake ( for another time). The views are just amazing, I suggest bringing a canoe or kayak and spending a good day there. I'm not sure if there is swimming since I didn't see anyone swimming in the water. Next up was Sugarite Canyon, and when you stop at the main entrance they use the honour system where you pay, so please pay!!! I made my way to the visitors center and got a map of the trails. The canyon is a great place to hike and I saw no one else on the trail and felt like I had the place to myself. I can't describe how nice it was walking through the canyon, and all there is to see. I highly recommend hiking with a buddy since it is in a remote area and I saw a few different animal tracks as I made my way through the trails. In short, this area is worth a visit, you can spend a few hours there or a few days, its truly part of the magnificence that is New Mexico.

Google know all about this place but not yelp? We are fixing…read morethat right now. As the parks service says "The nature enthusiast will appreciate the abundance of wildlife, birds, butterflies, and wildflowers among the lakes, creeks, forests, and meadows. Nearly all outdoor recreation activities are possible: Fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, and camping." All true. This is a huge park. Full of lakes, trails & wildlife. We took a 6 mile loop trail starting at the dam yesterday and saw NO ONE else. Lots of scat indicate there lots of moose and bear around, so be aware. There are numerous other trails as well add the aforementioned activities. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Great Lake with camping spots and Beautiful views. A little on the windy side. The lake is long so…read moregood for wakeboarding or tubing. Bathrooms are clean and have lots of toilet paper! South shore camping is known to have more nature. There was a mountain lion spotted in the area before our arrival. There are critters so make sure food is secure when you leave the site for the day. Not good if you want your dog off leash. Even well behaved dogs, they are very strict.

We stayed at this campground, in Colorado but close to the New Mexico border, for one night in our…read moresmall Class B camper van in late April, 2024. We actually had reservations further along at a national park but decided to shorten our driving distances for the day. We were able to make our reservation online. This is a very nice campground, with sites nicely spaced out and some nice amenities. We were in the Carpios Ridge campground which has 63 sites for RVs, trailers, and tents on a ridge 150' above the lake. We're actually pleased that our mapping app took us on an indirect route to the campground as our site did not have a water-view and we might have missed the lake otherwise! My understanding is that this is an Army Corps of Engineers (COE) campground that is managed by the state of Colorado. In April, 2024, the seven sites with full hookups were $41, with only 50 amp electricity: $36, and basic: $28. You also need to purchase a state of Colorado daily vehicle pass for $10. (This is expensive as we've stayed at other COE campgrounds for 1/2 off as holders of the NPS interagency senior pass, and without the need for a vehicle pass. $46 with state of Colorado management vs $18 were it COE management -- plus we had already paid for a site at Zapata Falls Campground that we wouldn't be using. The campground has clean restrooms and free showers (for campers only), as well as laundry facilities (in theory) and a book exchange. There are shared water spigots, as well as walking trails in the vicinity. There is also a shared dump station. The Visitors Center was already closed when we arrived and wasn't open yet when we left the following morning but we were able to buy our vehicle pass at a kiosk. We saw rangers patrolling the area. Only two concerns are worth noting. First, as already mentioned, the discrepancy between pricing of state and COE campgrounds. Also, the washing machine ate my $2 without the machine starting. More than the irritation of losing the $2, we really needed to do laundry after having been on the road for few week.

Cimarron Canyon State Park is just a bit east of Eagle Nest, NM…read more Wow, was this beautiful, cooler weather country on August 1, 2026. My old man was driving so of course we didn't stick around long. Lol. I could definitely see myself spending time camping, hiking, and fishing in this area in the future. The river that flows through is the Cimarron. So I did some research... This is mostly dry camping country. I found nothing for RV hookups in this area. There were... + 4 campgrounds (including 94 sites) + reservations accepted + day use areas + angler parking sites + trailheads and canyon trails (hopefully clearly marked) + wildlife management areas + special trout waters + vault toilets + modern restrooms + picnic tables and grills + water hydrants This truly is the Land of Enchantment. Pack it in, pack it out - don't let your friends be litterbugs. I highly recommend you call 575-377-6271 or navigate their website for park alerts before heading there. https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/cimarron-canyon-state-park/

So it's a dry camp. No water. No showers. Gray water dump by hand only. No black water dump. No…read moreelectrical. It's still way better than most RV campgrounds with full hookups. This is why I go camping. Scenery, ample space between the campsites, nice cool weather. It would be a bargain for 5 times the nightly rate. Just don't tell the state of New Mexico.

Decent little marina that carries probably everything you need for the lake here. Plus souvenir…read moreshirt and some other stuff. Some really cool crossbow. Friendly enough staff.

Ok, the other reviews are old and not so great. I can speak to this year 2018. I have spent a month…read moreup in the Eagles Nest area, I have rented boats, bought tackle and bait and just chatted with the folks who run the marina. I could be more pleased with their help and service, Renita is a very sweet lady and her son Tony was very helpful and pleasant. Nothing but a great family run business. I have been in the store when families with children were treated with great kindness and an obvious desire to see that they had a fun time on the lake. I have also seen the old timers treated just the same. Time for yelpers to bury the old owners reviews and give credit to the new folks!

My most recent bucket list adventure was fly fishing in New Mexico. Not to be disappointed I called…read moreand spoke to Van Beacham the man that literally wrote the book 'Fly Fishers Guide to New Mexico'. 575-758-5653. Van set me up with the most patient and and learned instructor for all ages and abilities in Mr. Conner Cooper who is also a middle school teacher of social studies and art and history, play by ear musician, (Upright Bass) and classically trained artist at the Pratt Institute in NYC, and UNM adjunct professor, originally hails from Amarillo, Texas (I knew I liked him for a reason) and now living in New Mexico of course. He has been to Argentina 4 times fly fishing and has studied the fly casting techniques of Joan Wulff ,who at 21 years in 1951, she became the first woman in history to win the Fisherman's Distance Event, casting 131 feet against all-male competition, a truly remarkable achievement. I had only fly fished for Bass in stock ponds or "tanks" as we call them in Texas and had a self taught fly casting technique about as rough as Park road 102 in Kit Carson national forest. (You better have Jeep if you want to try that one. Glad we did cause I told my wife it was short cut, got in trouble for the underestimation of comfort even a Grand Cherokee can provide) What you will learn is the "DRIFT" how to place cast, the power snap, , the double haul and other techniques (don't expect to master these right away it does a bit a bit practice but no worries you not be casting but a few feet most of the time, and to use the correct amount of line, the correct stroke, to use the lanes or clock approach to covering a body of water and rising the line as it comes towards you while only keeping just enough line in the water so your fly or nymph does not speed to fast because you had too much line in the water. Et al. It is those little things that make the difference. It is all about finesse fishing. The art and beauty of the presentation of a perfectly placed lure that nets a catch. Ah.... the essence of the physical beauty of the stroke up and then wait for it then forward right into the lair of the waiting trout! It is truly a gift of motion and fishing and surroundings and the air, the place, the drive in, lunch in the open air, even bottled water tastes better for some reason, the knowledgeable guide, all the tiny techniques if you listen to Conner no matter what you think know about fly fishing, peace and be still and listen to make you a better fisherman a better person, patience enhanced human that takes the day back to the family and celebrates the event as it relates in some way to some area of your life. Look for it and you will find how it has that meaning. WOW - you got all that out of a guide fly fishing day. Yes and more. A lifetime memory that cannot easily be diminished all to the thanks of Conner Cooper teacher of young minds, musician, artist, fly fishing guide extraordinaire. Do yourself a favor. If you have not fly fished and want a guide with the patients of Job (and I don't mean Dr. Job) that can put you on the fish here is the man, the legend, outstanding in the field (but will come inside for dinner) the one, the only Conner Cooper.

If I could give six stars I would - we fished the Holy Waters with Rick today! It was my first time…read morefly fishing and Rick was so patient with me, funny, and just a blast to hang out with!! I can't wait to go fishing with him again!!!

Pretty little lake. Great for kayaking or paddle boarding. Fission is not bad here either but it's…read moreincredibly expensive. $25 per day per person.

Great little lake with options for pedal boats, SUP boards, canoes, and kayaks with low prices…read more Wonderful area for fishing as well. We had the chance to take the SUP boards for a ride while the other half of the family were able to catch 3 beautiful 16" long rainbow trout. A family of deer came up to us and explored the lake during our time there. Steve at the office was just a ray of joy. We felt like he was part of our family during my brother's birthday trip. I hadn't been on a lake fishing since I was a kid; this experience brought back that nostalgia and I couldn't ask for more. Will definitely make the trip from Albuquerque here again :)

This was a last minute addition to my recent trip to Taos. I was looking for a short, easier…read moreexcursion on my last day in the area and the half day Orilla Verde raft trip was a perfect choice. This section of the river is calmer so its perfect for a relaxing float where you can spot wildlife and enjoy the grandeur of the gorge. You can opt to paddle a "funyak" on your own rather than go in the group raft. It's basically an inflatable kayak and my boyfriend and I chose that. It worked out well since there was only one other person in our group and they also chose a funyak. Check in is easy at the cafe in Pilar, about 20 minutes south of Taos and then you meet your guide at the gorge's visitor center across the street. Zac was our guide and he was a chill, cool guy but also focused on our safety and helped us navigate some shallow areas and one, small, class two rapids. He shared some stories about the river and its people and plant life. We got to see sheep climbing down the gorge to come drink in the river, a great blue heron and lots of ducks. It was a slow pace but that's what I was looking for. The funyaks were a little more challenging to navigate than regular kayaks (to me anyway.) They were lighter and seemed to spin and meander more. It was still a pleasant journey-just took a bit more concentration to paddle-especially with the two person boat we chose. Safety helmets and life jackets are provided and required. At the end, we shuttled back to the visitor center and our cars and Zac brought some apples, cookies and chips for the group. What a fun and memorable way to end my time in Taos. Los Rios is fun, friendly, easy to work with and I'd absolutely go again! Don't forget to tip your guide and also be ready to get a little wet, even on a more mellow trip. Had an awesome time on the river!

Nathan, our guide, was wonderful! Very knowledgeable and fun. Loved the views and seeing so many…read moreotters along the way.

Premiere scout camp in New Mexico from tent city to a deluxe tent you will enjoy I attended a…read moreconference so I was inside most of the time conference facilities need updates but are good. If you do not want to bring sheets and towels order the bed in a box Make sure you visit the scout museum and the shop. If you're going on Trek enjoy camping under the stars or rain do not forget the poncho Very good infirmary on site but try to spend your time on the trails and not with doctor Dan Outside the camp is the town so if you need dollar general a dinner or a coffee you may find what you need but Uber is not an option Getting to camp Drive Fly and Drive 227 miles from ABQ or a train to Raton about 40 miles away Shuttle service is available for a fee 100 from ABQ or 25 from train station one way. Plan ahead. Rental cars are not cheap Also if you drive set cruise control unless you want to find out the cost of a ticket.

It's Philmont. Need I say more? I guess I do or I can't leave a review here. Watch your tent in…read morebase camp. Mine had a unwanted inhabitant.