Southeastern New Mexico - September 2015

After my enjoyable trip to SW New Mexico and the Ode Blitz last month, I was primed to take another trip to look for new dragonfly species in the southeastern part of the state. I hoped to time my trip to attend the Dragonfly Festival at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, then continue farther south to the Carlsbad area. I wanted to check out Dog Canyon in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, as I'd heard good things about it. Then I'd return home after a quick survey of the Sacramento Mountains where I'd never been.

Remember, to view larger images click on any photo - highly recommended.

Part 1 of 2:

Pecos Basin and the Guadalupe & Sacramento Mountains

Sunday, September 13th

Bitter Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Roswell

I'd delayed driving down to Roswell for the annual Dragonfly Festival as the weather forecast had been for clouds and rain on Saturday. Odonates depend upon direct sunlight to see, as their vision is tuned for polarized light. Consequently they don't fly, and are therefore hard to find, when it is overcast.

Bitter Lakes NWR

I arrived late morning and was disappointed to find the Visitor Center was closed; I'd hoped to replace my dragonfly mug that fell off my kitchen counter and shattered. The tours were ongoing, but the facility was closed.

Bitter Lakes NWR Visitor Center overlooking one of the lakes.

Bitter Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is popular with birders and hosts migratory water birds in winter, such as Ross & Snow Geese, ducks, and a large Lesser Sandhill Crane population. Though near the Pecos River, much of the water here comes as artesian flows from the mountains far to the east. Of course the many dragonfly species is what generates interest in the annual festival.

Desert Whitetail at Bitter Lakes

My last minute plans precluded me from reserving a place on any of the official festival tours, but I did run into one old friend and caught up, but missed my other buddy. It was hot and I checked a few spots in the refuge for odes on my own, but didn't find much.

One of the highly saline lakes at the south end of the refuge colored by algae.

Lea Lake Outflow Wetlands

Lea Lake Outflow Wetlands with storms building on the horizon

I drove over to the Bottomless Lakes State Park area to check the Lea Lake Outflow Wetlands, which is on BLM land. By the time I got there the wind was picking up and gusting - not good for dragonfly photography. Worse, before long a thunderstorm rolled into the area. This is not what the forecast had promised. Bummer!

Bleached Skimmer at the Outflow Wetlands.

It was way too hot to camp at the state park, so I returned to Roswell and got a motel room. I'd researched motels via Google maps before I'd left home, just in case, and chose the moderately priced one rated 4 stars. The stars didn't lie, it was very clean and comfortable. I was able to relax in the air conditioning and watch baseball on TV.

Monday, September 14th

After breakfast at the motel I drove down to Carlsbad. I stopped at the National Park Service office to check status of Dog Canyon and ask about the roads. Then I stopped at the Lincoln National Forest district ranger station to get the latest info on the areas I hoped to visit and to purchase a map for the northern two districts.

Black River

The Black River as it flows under the county road. Cool dragonflies were found here.

South of Carlsbad I turned onto Black River Village Road to see if I could find a way to access the Black River and look for dragonflies. There were no locations or records that I could find from this area, but it looked promising on Google maps satellite view. About half-way between the US highways the county road dips and crosses the (small) river. I later learned that this spot is called Harkey Crossing. There were places to turn off on the south side of the highway. The river backs up a bit here, enough to form swimming holes and party spots for the locals, who left a lot of trash, unfortunately. But on the positive side, I was able to find several interesting dragonfly species, including two I'd never seen or photographed before, a Swift Setwing and a Flag-tailed Spinyleg that is not often seen in New Mexico.

Swift Setwing along the Black River

Rattlesnake Springs

From there I drove back to US-180 and south to the turn off to Rattlesnake Springs. The artesian pond and adjacent picnic area are administered by Carlsbad Caverns National Park. This location has been known as a birding hotspot for many years and now with the increased popularity of finding and photographing Odonates, a hotspot for us as well.

The artesian pond at Rattlesnake Springs - here be dragons.

As soon as I parked and walked over to the outflow canal from the pond I saw two interesting dragonflies, which I later identified as an Eastern Ringtail and one of my target species for the trip, a Yellow-legged Ringtail. They were more concerned with each other and not me, so was able to sit on the lawn and take lots of photos. One more new species for me.

Less than two weeks before, a Thornbush Dasher dragonfly, a species that had never before been recorded in New Mexico, was seen at this pond, so I began a slow walk around the pond to see if it was still there. About half-way around I spotted it perched on a stick toward the middle of the pond. I took some photos, but it was not very close and was facing the other direction. I continued to walk around the small pond.

Suddenly at my feet were literally dozens of Desert Firetails busily going about the business of insuring future generations. This was a damselfly I'd spent two days looking for last month at the Ode Blitz and only got once brief chance at a photo that entire time. Needless to say, I took many photos.

Desert Firetail at my feet

A bit later, I found the Thornbush Dasher again. This time it was perched perfectly in the sun, posing for my photographic pleasure not too far from the edge of the pond. I took lots and lots of photos of this gorgeous bug with its metallic blue eyes which made me very happy.

The prized Thornbush Dasher at Rattlesnake Springs

• If you are interested in viewing photographs of all the Odonate species I photographed on this trip, click this link.

Dog Canyon

From there I drove back to Carlsbad for a very late lunch and headed southwest on NM-137 to Dog Canyon. This campground and ranger station is part of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It is so remote that, although it is in Texas, the only way to drive in is via New Mexico. The last time I'd visited GMNP and hiked McKittrick Canyon, the folks I'd met told me what a beautiful place it was. It is a long drive along the state highway, up onto the plateau of the national forest, down the other side, then south to the very end of the road.

As you drop off the plateau, this magnificent vista of the Guadalupe Mountains opens up.
Dog Canyon sits at the head of this basin. The photo is looking south.

Well, it certainly has the rugged beauty of high desert mountains. The tent sites at the campground are quite nice, nestled in among the trees. The campsites for truck campers and RVs is a grassy parking area in the full sun with no trees. The grass was green and level and there were picnic tables, but if you desire to visit this area, I'd recommend going during the cooler months. Nonetheless, with the elevation and low humidity, it cooled off fairly quickly as the sun dropped below the mountains to the west, so was very comfortable in the evening and for sleeping. There is running water and flush toilets, but no showers.

My campsite at Dog Canyon in the RV parking area.
The tent sites are located under the trees you can see in the background.

The stars were amazing as there was no moon and no lights of civilization for many, many miles. The Milky Way was easily seen and admired. I thought about digging out my tripod for some night sky photos, but noticed there wasn't a moment when there were not at least three commercial airliners, and frequently several more, crossing the sky with their blinking lights. One sky photo with a jet streaking across is interesting, a photo with several a novelty, but I figured having every photo cluttered with streaks was not what I wanted. This remote spot must be under several very busy air traffic corridors.

Tuesday

Dog Canyon continued

I woke up very early in the morning. It was still dark with no hint of dawn. Still, I was wide away, so started the coffee and breakfast. I had intended to hike this morning and an early start, so I could finish before the heat of the day, sounded like a good plan.

The lower section of the Bush Mountain Trail

I started my hike just after dawn with the sun still behind the eastern mountains. I hiked up the Bush Mountain Trail. I'd read the hike up to the overlook and back was a bit under 5 miles and rated moderate.

A little farther along the trail cuts through grasslands.

There were lots of "pointy" things growing along the trail. Those rocks are the trail.

From my observations I'd say this area has suffered drier than normal conditions for several years, although I believe the current year was closer to normal. The Piñon pinecones were bursting with nuts.

View from where I turned around. I don't know if there was a formal overlook, but I'd hiked far enough.

This manzanita tree was just hanging on to life.

There was lots of wind and I was glad I had my hat with a chin strap to keep it on my head. The upper reaches of the trail were very rocky, so I made up a little joke to keep my spirits high - "Why is the trail so rocky?" "To keep it from blowing away." [bada-boom]

A Northern Shrike, a predator, watches over his hunting grounds

A couple of pines straddle a wash across which the trail traverses

A small Short-horned Lizard

A Paintbrush flower in the grasses as I near the campgrounds.

I got back to camp a few minutes before noon. After breaking camp and a quick bite, I headed back up the highway into New Mexico and points north.

Sitting Bull Falls

Picnic shelter built from native stone. Commemorative plaque is dated 1940

I wanted to stop at Sitting Bull Falls, a scenic spot and picnic area administered by Lincoln National Forest. One drives several miles off the state highway down into a small, yet dramatic canyon, to get to the site. I'd tried to visit there a few years before, but it was the off season and the gates were locked. I hiked the short ways to the falls and took a few photos. It was hot!

Sitting Bull Falls

Pool and canyon below the falls.

Fortunately, I didn't need to hike the 3 miles up Lost Canyon to look for Yellow-legged Ringtail dragonflies, as I'd found and photographed one the day before at Rattlesnake Springs. Whew!

From there I took the state highway back to US-285 to Artesia. I stopped there for gas and for (another) late lunch. I had BBQ at Henry's, a place I'd stumbled upon during a previous trip. I love their green chile pulled brisket. From Artesia, I drove due east on US-82 toward the Sacramento Mountains.

Sacramento Mountains

I was very glad I had thought to pick up a map in Carlsbad the previous day, as it was after 5pm when I passed the District Ranger Station in Cloudcroft. I was even happier that a friend had passed along suggestions for camping and site-seeing in the area. Those tips served me well.

Dispersed camping along Benson Ridge Road

I found a beautiful camping spot along Benson Ridge Road, FR-223. There were a number of dispersed camp sites along the road, but I kept driving until I found one I liked with grass, not dirt or mud, and a level place to set up. I also saw several elk along the drive, including a majestic bull with an amazing rack. Unfortunately, I was slow with the camera and only got a photo of elk rump, ha ha. I did get camp set up in time for the amazing sunset. It was delightful to hear the elk bugling during the evening.

As the sun slowly sinks in the west...

...the gorgeous sunset

Wednesday

Sacramento Mountains continued

After breaking camp, I headed back to the Sunspot Highway, NM-6563, and south. I took the turn to Bluff Springs. This is where the spring-fed Rio Peñasco drops off a travertine cliff. It is not much of a waterfall, but in New Mexico we have to revere every little one. There is camping at the springs and farther along the road, but those sites are susceptible to being coated with dust from the road.

Falls and flowers at Bluff Springs

There are also a number of overlooks along the Sunspot Highway where you can view the Tularosa Basin and White Sands. It is quite a view!

The Tularosa Basin and White Sands

The highlight of the day was visiting the observatories on top of Sacramento Peak at Sunspot, NM. This is the location of a major facility of the National Solar Observatory and also of the Astrophysical Research Consortium Apache Point Observatory.

As this may be of limited interest to those not science geeks, I decided to make these photos and the related commentary into a separate blog post, but include one photo here as a sample. Read about it and see the photos here.

Apache Point Observatory

After visiting the observatories I drove a little farther down the highway just to get a flavor of what it is like. I then retreated back to Cloudcroft, then off the mountain down to Tularosa Basin and north, home to Albuquerque.

Thanks for reading along.

"Spring" in Southeastern New Mexico

The plan was to take a week for some early dragonfly hunting (with my camera) in southeast New Mexico. My resident expert said the last two weeks in April and first two weeks in May should be ideal and not too hot. Sign me up!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Got a good 7am start, filled up at $3.08/gal, drove east on I-40 to Clines Corners, then south on US-285 to Roswell. Nice drive, mild winds, unlike last trip! Antelope are frequently seen along here, but not today.

Roswell

Topped off the tank at $3.04/gal. in Roswell! The gas station attendant came out of his armored booth to say, "I just realized. Does the roof of your camper lift up? How high does it go?" "High enough for me to stand easily inside," I replied. He asked a couple other questions, then as he headed back to his duties, he said, "That's the coolest thing I've ever seen!" I agreed, but just said, "Thanks."

Found a good parking spot in the shade next to the civic center, as it was now approaching 90F. Walked down to and back along the Spring River, which is one of the good dragonfly spots in the area, but not today. 

Had a great lunch at Martíns on 4th Street, just west of Main. Carne Adabo enchiladas made with blue corn tortillas and covered with both red and green chile. Yummy! Super to have a fridge in the camper for the go box. 

Color on the pond at the bird sanctuary 

Next I tried the two ponds at the J. Kenneth Smith Bird Sanctuary on the west side of town for odes, again no dragonflies. Though I did see a few damselflies, including a Double-striped Bluet, which was a new species for me. 

Double-striped Bluet damselflies mating in the "wheel" position. The male is bright blue.

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Drove about eight miles east of town to the wildlife refuge. They had water in many of their pond areas, which was good to see as this is an important stop for migrants, especially shorebirds. Saw a bunch of very cool Wilson's Phalaropes in breeding plumage feeding in dizzying circles like they do, but no odes. 

One of many Wilson's Phalaropes. Also seen were a good number of Black-necked Stilts & American Avocets.

This is a great place for migrating birds, such as Sandhill Cranes in winter. They also host a Dragonfly Festival in early September.

On the Road

It was earlier than I'd planned to camp, the wind was kicking up and there was construction on the highway to Bottomless Lakes State Park, so time to innovate. Thought I'd head to Sitting Bull Falls in the Lincoln National Forest, which was recommended both for its beauty and the possibility for finding dragonflies. However, when I turned off the main highway between Artesia and Carlsbad, there was a sign by the road advising me of the recreation area's hours. I stopped and called the forest district office to confirm, and sure enough out of luck. It is only open Friday through Monday from noon to 6pm. 

Lincoln National Forest

After much driving found a plain dispersed camp spot in the national forest just west of the tiny village of Queen. Not a real exciting spot in the sparse juniper forest, but the nicer looking areas seemed to already be hosting range cattle.

Camp site among the juniper - at least it was level.

The cacti were blooming in the area.

I'd heard that Saturn was close to earth and easy to see this week, so had brought my spotting scope. I used the SkySafari app on my phone to locate the planet and, sure enough, I could see the rings around the planet and, I think, one of its moons. Very cool! I tried to use my digiscoping camera, but had no success taking a photo. I then turned the scope to Jupiter and found it and three of its moons all in a diagonal row. 

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Rattlesnake Springs

Drove to Carlsbad to refuel, $3.29, then checked out Rattlesnake Springs which is part of Carlsbad Caverns NP, though the turn-off is 5.4 miles south of the main entrance. No odes, but a few camera shy birds. Backtracked the short distance to the caverns. I'd only been there twice in my life; once when I was maybe 6 years old and again in high school.

The Ocotillo were blooming all through the desert in SE New Mexico.
This is just outside the Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center with the eastern plains visible on the right.

Carlsbad Caverns

I decided to do the self-guided tours. First I walked down the natural entrance. Wow! Sure a long way down. That route is not as scenic as the Big Room, that I walked next, but puts the whole cavern in context. The Big Room is amazing! I'm going to have to return and take tours of some of the other areas you can only see with a ranger. Tried various techniques to photograph the interior, some of which seemed to at least produce an image. It is impossible to discern the scale of the objects in the photos, however, due to that natural fractal thing.

Carlsbad Caverns Photo Gallery

Rechecked Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area before I left the area. It was still hot and the picnic area did have many large trees for shade where I could while away a little time. There were a few more birds, but no odes. 

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Drove south to the Guadalupe Mountains NP. Didn't time it as well as I'd hoped. I guess I spent too much time in the shade at Rattlesnake Springs. I'd intended to arrive before dusk, but got to the Pine Springs Campground just at dark. Pine Springs is the only campground in the park unless you are a dedicated backpacker. I was amazed at all the campers. Lots of tent campers and the RV lot was almost full, and most of it is just that, a parking lot. 

I was lucky as I found a spot at the very end of the lot which had a buffer between me and the van next door, plus no neighbor at all on the far side - with great views. I guess it is a cheap night for many with those enormous fifth-wheels as most of them rolled out early in the morning. 

Pine Springs RV Campsites with the fabulous view which greeted me in the morning.

It was warm and breezy, but not too bad. 

May, 1, 2013

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

I met a couple of folks in the campground in the morning on my way to the flush toilets. They were advising their fellow campers of big changes in the weather ahead. Extremely strong northerly winds that evening and a large drop in temperatures. They decided they'd stay at Pine Springs and batten down, but were going to day hike McKittrick Canyon. I said I was hiking there, too, and maybe I'd see them on the trail.

McKittrick Canyon

After packing up, drove to the McKittrick Canyon trailhead. I didn't get the chance to explore here on my previous visit. Clear skies and it was already getting quite warm. The first part of the trail is desert, but after you get up canyon a ways the vegitatation changes and then the stream appears (then disappears and reappears and disappears.) But the areas of water must persist through the seasons as they are full of life, including beautiful little Rainbow Trout. Scrub gives way to juniper to piñon to pine and Madrone. It is dramatically scenic and I recommend the hike, though be aware about half of it is essentially on natural gravel and is a chore to walk through.

I made it up to the 2.4 miles to the old Pratt Lodge where the folks I'd met from the campground caught up with me. We shared a few stories and they shared a bit of their lunch with me... very nice people. Pretty hot walking out - take lots of water if you go. Saw only the same damselflies I'd been seeing all week, plus a Flame Skimmer and another very dark red dragonfly I cannot identify. 

McKittrick Canyon Photo Gallery

I was very glad to get back to the (unmanned) visitor center at the trailhead. I wet a kerchief and draped it over my head to cool down.

Lincoln National Forest

On my drive back north I took a detour to check below Sitting Bull Falls in the trickle of water there for odes, but nothing. On my way north to Roswell I could literally see the cold front coming from the northeast. I looked for eats in Artesia. Stumbled upon Henry's BBQ on Main west of downtown. Good food and the chopped, green chile brisket was delicious. 

Bottomless Lakes State Park

Pulled into the Lea Lake campground at Bottomless Lakes right at sunset after fighting the winds since just before Artesia. Forecast for dangerously high winds and plummeting temperatures was coming true and I became quite chilly in my shorts and t-shirt as I set up camp. I'd found a site with a little shelter downwind of a Salt Cedar. The camper got thrown around pretty good all night by the winds, but held up well. 

Campsite at Lea Lake with a scraggly tamarisk as a wind break.

May 2, 1013

Bottomless Lakes State Park

It got down to 39 according to my thermometer. Still windy. At least they have electric hookups and WiFi here. If I left today I'd fight very strong headwinds home. If I leave tomorrow I'm supposed to have good tailwinds and have a chance to look for dragonflies if the weather does improve. 

I was able to download from the library website Nevada Barr's first novel, Track of the Cat, which is set in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. I will lay up here reading, listening to satellite radio and let my feet and legs recover from my hikes. I don't recall how I first found her murder mystery series, but the accounts of a fictional law enforcement ranger for the park service, written by an actual law enforcement ranger are compelling. Her love and respect for the stark, unforgiving, yet beautiful land of Guadalupe Mountains NP was the cause for my first visit to this park in far, far west Texas. My visit yesterday made me want to revisit the novel. (She has written many more excellent mysteries featuring the fictitious Ranger Anna Pigeon as she is transferred to other National Parks. Recommended!)

My first propane bottle became empty late this morning. The furnace turned on then off again after only a minute, but that didn't really register. However, when I went to heat up some lunch and the stove would not light I finally figured out what had happened. The camper has two 10 pound propane bottles and it is very easy to move the hose from the empty to the full bottle. I just need to remember to fill the empty before my next trip.

The weather improved some, though it stayed windy all day, and was able to take a couple of short walks. Took some photos of Lea Lake and found a few damselflies including a Variable Dancer. 

Lea Lake Photo Gallery

A can of soup filled my belly for dinner, but I really should put more effort into it and get creative since I have a refrigerator for fresh food. 

May 3, 2013

Bottomless Lakes State Park

It was 25 degrees when I finally climbed out of the sleeping bag at 6:40am. That must be the magic number, as every trip I've taken so far, it has dropped that low at least one night. Fortunately, this cannot go on much longer!

It took a while to warm up, so I stayed inside either on the Internet or reading my novel, which I finished before lunch (combination of being a fast reader, a quick read, and the time to put those to aspects together.)

The wind had dropped to almost nothing, even though still cool, and I was able to walk around to check the dragonfly areas. Lots of those Variable Dancer damselflies, but only a couple of glimpses of a dragonfly too fleeting to really count.

Roswell, then on the Road to Home

I packed up in the early afternoon, checked the Spring River in Roswell one more time without success. I was really looking forward to filling my tank at the station with $3.04/gal. gas, but it had gone up by 15 cents/gal. Darn! Oh, well that was no higher than anywhere else in town. I then set off for home. Luckily as forecast, I did indeed have tailwinds most of the way home.

Three Rivers and the Valley of Fires

This will actually be part one of a three part post... sort of. This post will be the trip report text and a few illustrative photos. I will post photo galleries of Three Rivers Petroglyphs and Valley of Fires very soon after I publish this report. Of course if you stumble across this later, you may have actually seen the two photo galleries first due to the way blog posts are organized with the latest at the top.

Let me also apologize for how my writing changes unpredictably between past and present tense. As I sit to write each day's log, some part is reflection, some relates current events. I'll try to iron this out as I gain more experience blogging.

Wednesday, April 17, 2012

On The Highway

Wind, wind, wind! The weather forecasters said it would die down by Wednesday, but were they ever wrong. The plan had been to drive down to the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site in south-central New Mexico. I'd take photos of the ancient rock art and stay in the BLM campground there tonight. Tomorrow I'd go a bit farther up the road to the Three Rivers campground run by the forest service and hike the trail up the mountain. But as they say, "the best laid plans..."

Fighting the headwinds down to Socorro on the Interstate was slow going, but not that bad. I stopped for a Buckhorn Burger at the tavern in San Antonio. But then on the trek east on US-380 it was truly awful and only got worse. I could see towering clouds of white sand off to the south... yes, those White Sands. I knew if I kept to my plan then at Carrizzo I would need to turn south right into the dust and wind, so I thought I'd pull off the highway to evaluate the situation. 

Valley of Fires BLM Recreation Area

The air is full of dust blown up the Tularosa Basin by strong southerly winds.

I stopped at the Valley of Fires BLM Recreation Area just a few miles west of Carrizozo. I'd never stopped before. It is quite nice, situated on a ridge overlooking the lava flow. They have a full campground with RV hook ups; ramadas; showers; very cool, secluded tent camping area; visitor center & bookstore; and an interesting looking interpretive trail. I didn't avail myself of any of those amenities (other than the restroom) due to the ferocious winds, but it looks ripe for a return visit. High summer would not be the time to do that, however. (Spoiler: I returned later on this very trip.)

My buddy Mark had mentioned in a phone call how beautiful Lake Bonita near Ruidoso had been when he'd camped there many years ago, so I thought that would be a good alternative to fighting the wind. It is located within the Sierra Blanca mountains, so might have less wind and blowing dust than the petroglyphs which are right on the plains. 

Sierra Blanca Mountains - Lincoln National Forest

Driving into the Lincoln National Forest I was quickly and harshly reminded of the large forest fire they suffered only last year. I hadn't paid it as much attention as it deserved, as I was preoccupied with the large forest fire closer to home in the Jemez Mountains. The "Little Bear" fire north of Ruidoso was enormous and although it apparently didn't burn directly at Lake Bonita, according to the map I got later at the ranger station, the subsequent floods devastated the lake and surrounding area. [update: the fire burned 44,300 acres and 254 buildings, making it the most destructive wildfire of human structures in the state's history.]

To make a long story (and many miles up and down mountain roads) short, I ended up camping along FS 127A in a dispersed camping area. It was quiet, with pines and firs, but not totally unscathed by the fires and flooding. There was a small herd of wild horses that paid no mind to me as I stopped to take a few photos. Nonetheless, the winds were strong, gusting well into the night even down in the canyon, so no exploring, just cowering in the camper. I hope they were right at the ranger station that the winds will not be as bad on Thursday when I hope to loop around and get to Three Rivers at last. 

I took this photo out my truck window. The horses could have cared less, especially the hungry little one.

Thursday, April 18, 2012

Lincoln National Forest - Forest Road 127A

It was extremely windy for most of the night. Many of the gusts shook the camper violently; some were incredibly powerful. The camper held up very well, I'm happy to report. I thought some animal had carried away my door mat during the night, but discovered it had only been blown about 15 feet way.

Dry camping in a dry canyon north of Ruidoso.

I had been warned that it was going to get down to 25 degrees this morning in the Ruidoso area. Up here in the canyon it got down to 20 according to my thermometer.

It is now 8am and the sun is shining, though not directly on the camper, yet it is still freezing - 28 degrees.  Looks like the winds have come way down. I'll pack up and get on the road so I can hopefully get to the petroglyph area before the afternoon winds, if they indeed come back up. 

On the Road

Driving back into the Ruidoso valley. Wow! The area sure looks lovely when the atmosphere is not filled with dust... like a whole other place. I worry about Ruidoso though, what with the low amount of snow the last few winters and now with the Little Bear fire closing so many of the summer recreation areas, too. Nice drive to Mescalero, where the elevation drops and the forest ends. I can see White Sands to the west. 

There seems to be some wind, but it is not kicking up the dust like yesterday, which is encouraging. I can see some dust in the plains, not the towers like yesterday. Turn north at Tularosa on highway 54. Turn right at Three Rivers Road. It is a paved road to the site.

County highway on the way to Three Rivers with the Sierra Blanca in the background.

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site

The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, operated by the BLM has a very nice, but somewhat barren, picnic area with shaded tables and a full-time host manning an information booth. Camping is available here, too. He provided me with a trail map, information brochure and suggestion to explore off the trail, as there is more rock art off the path than along it. Over 21,000 petroglyphs have been catalogued at the site. Fortified with an avocado and swiss sandwich I set off with my camera to explore. 

The petroglyph I personally call The Three Rivers with the BLM picnic/campground below.

For those unfamiliar with our petroglyphs in the southwestern US, ancient peoples created figures and symbols on the rocks by scraping or pecking (using one rock as a chisel and a second as a hammer.) They chose rocks, usually volcanic in origin, where the outer layer of the rock had oxidized over the years to form a patina (outer coloration) that is darker than the interior of the rock. This allowed the art to stand out and be seen. This also means that over a long period of time their creations will slowly lose contrast and ultimately disappear.

Some of the petroglyphs are obviously birds, beasts and insects the artists encountered in their daily lives. Cloud and mountain symbols were also created. Other figures appear human; some may represent gods. There are other symbols that we in the modern world can only speculate about, as no one really knows the intent of the ancient artists.

I could wax eloquent for pages on just how amazing and wonderful this place is. As you climb these unassuming rocky hills you begin to see the figures and symbols pecked into the rocks. The number and density is unprecedented in the southwest US. These "hills" are apparently the cores of volcanic vents. The remains of fissures can be seen in the surrounding area. And flows, such as cap the nearby Godfrey Hills. 

The vista from the trail is magnificent. To the east the grasslands and scrub give way to the piñon and juniper of the foothills of the Sierra Blanca, with the eponymous peak as their crown. To the west, across the Tularosa Valley, lie the San Andres Mountains and between here and there the White Sands Missile Range, whose white sands can be seen in the distance to the SW. Lucky for me the skies are clear and the winds moderate. The temps are cool, but my little secret is that I am comfortable as I never took off my long underwear this morning!

Looking southwest from the petroglyph trail. The white strip at the base of the mountains is White Sands. There is a dust devil in the middle distance. The trees shield a ranch house and you can also see a cattle pond. The county highway is also visible in the near distance.

I first heard of the Three Rivers site via the Gambler's House blog. The author, a student and volunteer at Chaco Canyon when he started the blog, has for many years written about the ancient people in the southwestern US and especially Chaco Canyon. When he got a job in Alaska the SW coverage has dropped off, but there is a wealth of information in his blog. 

The petroglyphs are unusual here, sure there are the standard symbols and animal icons, but the style of the depictions seems much fuller and fluid to me. There are cross & dots patterns that are unique to here and some abstract designs that are intriguingly mysterious. I strongly recommend a visit to Three Rivers, though it is, admittedly, out of the way. It took me several years (and a camper acquisition) to make it and I live only about three hours away.

I will post a photo gallery from the site very soon. Depending upon when you read this, it may already be published!

Lincoln National Forest - Three Rivers Campground

Leaving the petroglyph site I drive 8 miles farther east to the Three Rivers Campground. It is nestled right at the boundary of the designated White Mountain Wilderness where the eco-zone transitions to pine and fir forest. Most of the sites are screened from the others by large Alligator Junipers. There is a very small stream along the north edge of the campground which babbles most delightfully as I walk alongside.

My site, #4 at the upper end of the campground.

It is forecast to be clear and cold tonight. I take a few photos of the cloudless sunset. 

Sunset from my campsite. There were lots of stars out later. It was so clear I could see a couple of the moons of Jupiter through my binoculars, but it was so cold I didn't stay outside for long.

Friday, April 19, 2012

And it is indeed cold. The outside temp read 24 when I woke at six this morning. As I sit all cosy with the furnace running and with my coffee, my iPad in my lap writing this, it is all the way up to 25 degrees at 7:30 am. It's a beautiful morning outside, but I think I'll linger in the camper a while longer! Thirty minutes later it is 10 degrees warmer. I should be able get out and enjoy the scenery after breakfast. 

This is the view from my camper this beautiful New Mexico morning.

OK, it warmed up for a nice walk along the creek. There were only a few birds out and about, but the few warblers I heard didn't even show themselves enough for me to get my binocs upon, much less to get a photo. Time to pack up and head to the Valley of Fires before the winds pickup.

The trail that leads from the campground up the mountain.
An Alligator Juniper along the trail showing the bark pattern that gives the tree its common name.

Valley of Fires BLM Recreation Area

It was a little chilly and breezy to have a picnic table outside at the Valley of Fires, so ate my sandwich in the cab. It was certainly nice enough to take their nature trail with the sun shining as it was. I didn't take my binocs on the hike, though, and that was a mistake. Turns out there were many birds and squirrels and interesting things to look at; at least I did take my long lens.

Three wide-angle photos stitched together to create a panorama of the Nature Trail as seen from the trailhead.
Click here to see it in a larger size.

Actually the nature trail had far more to see than I had imagined - lots of plants and blooming flowers & cacti, lots of birds, and of course, the varied lava formations. It is a surprisingly diverse ecosystem. The nature trail is an easy walk on pavement and fairly level once you descend from the starting point. I recommend it to all even if you only have an hour and are passing by; well worth the small fee. For the more adventurous they allow you to explore off the trail on your own, but be prepared with excellent boots, water, and perhaps a stout walking stick.

The Hedgehog Cacti were blooming all through the area. Sotol yucca are also prevalent.

The last lava flows were formed only about 1500 to 2000 years ago. The lava spread southward 44 miles and covered 125 square miles. At it thickest point it is 160 feet thick. This may be the most recent lava flow in New Mexico, but it is not the largest. El Malpais National Monument near Grants in the western part of the state is larger.

I will post a gallery of photos from Valley of Fires very soon, just check back. Or depending upon when you read this, it may have already been published.

And the Journey Home

Fortunately, the winds were more favorable on my way home. Thanks for joining me for another adventure.