Fall 2020 – New Mexico, USA – Taos, Sante FE, & Bandolier National Monument
10/12/2020: Next Stop – Taos, NM
After a windy day in Great San Dunes yesterday we got off to an early start today. (The wind is usually lighter in the early part of the morning we have found). The drive down to Taos, NM was absolutely beautiful. It was not a long drive and we arrived at Taos Monte Bello RV Park with plenty of time to enjoy the afternoon.
Our site at Monte Bello RV Park – Taos, NM
The proprietor for the park is a very organized, retired Sergeant Major, who is a wealth of information. The pride he has in his park is very special. Once set up we drive a few miles down the road to check out the famous Rio Grande Gorge Bridge; a National Monument. It was an amazing site and after we walked across it we found a great “hike” along the rim. You can hike nearly 9 miles if you want though it is an out and back. We didn’t have the time nor the stamina to attempt this so we walked about 3 miles of it.
New Mexico’s Rio Grande Gorge Bridge…
Afterwards we took a drive through downtown Taos and a stroll through town. It is a very old town and not much was open because of Covid restrictions but it was fun to look in shop windows and get the feel of the town. We did come across the Taos Mesa Brewery , just before turning around and stopped for a sample-flight followed by a favorite pint from our sample coupled with one of their amazing pizzas…!!
We don’t usually do so much on a drive day but we only had two nights reserved so had to pack a bit more in than originally planned.
10/13: Taos Ski Area – Williams Lake Hike
Mike has always wanted to ski at Taos so it goes without saying that he wanted to drive up to the ski area to check it out. It was not a long drive from the campground and the owner of the RV park told Mike about a great hike past the ski area called Williams Lake. Once up to the ski area we wandered around a bit but there was still a lot of construction going on to prepare for the winter. When we spoke to a shop owner about how this ski season would be different because of Covid, she said everyone must make a reservation to ski. They are only allowing a certain number of skiers in and the cost of lift tickets will be triple what it was last season-Ouch!
Taos Valley Ski Area…
The road up to the Williams Lake trailhead was just horrible for our small, low clearance car. Again we put the mini to the test and thankfully she got us there and back!
Williams Lake – Elevation 11,040 whew….
The Williams Lake hike is labeled moderate and it was every bit of that! At only 4.6 miles roundtrip combined with an elevation over 11,100 ft. you definitely will get some huffing & puffing going for the heart… Also, there are a lot of rocks and roots to navigate along with the elevation. The pay-off at the top was crystal clear at a glacier fed lake to rest by. Along the path we found several very impressive, large rock slide/avalanche areas. Our rest at the top included watching an interesting bird swim/fish while taking in the breathtaking mountain vistas….
We always feel so good after a great hike!
Williams Lake Trail – Taos Valley Ski Area…
As we closed out Taos we again found ourselves wishing we had more time here. We loved it! We had other things we wanted to do like visit the (Taos Pueblo) but some things were still closed because of Covid?.
10/14/2020: Traveling to Santa Fe, NM:
As we drove from Taos to Santa Fe, NM you get views of the Rio Grande most of the trip. Another beautiful drive! Driving at this time of year has been gorgeous with the foliage and it often feels like it is New England.
The campground we have reservations at in Sante Fe will be the most expensive one we will have stayed at this entire year. $56.00 per night. The girl at the desk assured us this is the going rate and as we called around discovered it is true. Big tourist area and often October is their busiest month because of the famous Alburquerque Balloon Festival annually except for this Covid cancelled year.
When we first arrived at Santa Fe Skies RV Park we got assigned a site that would not fit our camper- even though we had told the receptionist when making our reservations the size of our rig and that we have slides on either side. We tried our hardest to get into the site, as it had great views and a lot of privacy. Unable to open our slides, get level, or even reach the connections area we headed back to the office for help… The front desk person (Holly) was nice and found an alternate site which might end up with 2 campers in it end to end. She assured us she would try her hardest to keep the other site open, which she did. Thanks Holly! The new site was OK, but not as private and the dogs on adjacent sites barked constantly. The nights were chilly here so we didn’t sit out after dinner with a fire. We could hear coyotes yelping all night- which both of us like because it reminds of our home in CT!!
Sante FE Trail…
10/15/2020: Santa Fe – The Historic District
There is a lot of unique architecture in The Historic District of the city. With the information Holly gave us at check-in there was a step by step direction guide describing how to drive into the Historic District and where to park. This proved very helpful. Parking was $10.00 for the day. We weren’t sure we would stay the entire day so she let us pay $5.00 for 4 hours. It was easy, safe, and one block from the Plaza.
Although Joanne had listed a lot of historic buildings to see, we didn’t really have a walking pattern for seeing everything efficiently. We wanted to get to visit the information center hoping someone could provide some guidance on a “walking tour” to see the stops Joanne had highlighted. We actually walked in circles for about 45 minutes before we stumbled on the information center that was actually open!!
The woman at the information center was very knowledgable and passionate about her city and provided us a better map and plan for our day. First stop was St. Francis Cathedral, then around the corner is Loretta Chapel (The oldest house in the USA) San Miguel Mission (the oldest church in the country), and the the Palace of the Governor’s. Once we finished taking pics and reading about each of these historic places, we headed over to Canyon Road where all the art galleries are. We spent the entire afternoon wandering through the art galleries admiring the incredible talent that calls this area home. A great afternoon! Definitely needed more time here. As we wandered back around the Plaza, we found a great second floor patio overlooking the green where we could people watch and enjoy a beer and some nachos.- A Perfect ending to our day in Sante Fe, NM!
Sante Fe, NM downtown…
Some of the historic sites of downtown Sante Fe, NM…
Looking up from town center green…
10/16/2020: Bandelier National Monument:
Mike made a mental note to get to this park while in the area awhile back. The drive was about an hour from the RV park and we planned to spend most of the day here. We also wanted to get to Tented Rocks but it was closed due to Covid. We have found New Mexico to be extremely safe with signage and masks but it also means there are still many attractions closed…
Bandelier National Monument…
We hit the visitors center first to “get the lay of the land”. First step: passport stamp! Then into the visitors center to get some history. They only allow one family in at a time but the wait was short and reading about the people that made this area their home so many years ago is fascinating. Joanne had tagged two short hikes that seem interesting and should be able to fit in to the afternoon. We talk about these with the ranger and she describes the hikes in a little more detail. The Pueblo Loop Trail is an easy walk (mostly paved) that takes you through the canyon and past a Pueblo and some cliff dwellings which you can climb into the crevices using a ladder like the natives did. This was awesome! If you choose to hike an extra .5 mile farther you can get to Alcove House and climb up to it. The hike to it is easy but arriving where the ladders begin, we split off; Mike wanting to climb the ladders and Joanne not wanting to climb the ladders! Joanne climbed one leg of the three ladders but then decided it was not for her and waited for Mike to finish, take pics, and climb back down. This is an awesome hike that we would highly recommend! The ladders definitely not for those who are challenged by heights though…
Bandelier National Monument…
Joanne starting up a few ladders…
Pictures from our hiking through Bandelier National Monument…
Tyuonyi Village remains…
Yeah the ladders were pretty steep to Alcove House …
Heading out of the park, although it was getting a little later, we opt to do a one more hike hike in the park called Tyuonyi Overlook. It is an easy 1 mile walk across a mesa to a beautiful overlook of the valley below. Although we still had an hour drive back to the campground we both agreed we are so glad we did opted for this trail before leaving Bandolier. The view was awesome!
The view from the top of the Tyuonyi Overlook Trail…
The view from the top of the Tyuonyi Overlook Trail…
We have been told by many friends along the road that we would love Sante Fe, NM and they were right! Someday in the future when we attend the Albuquerque Balloon Festival we will look to visit here again in a post Covid world.
10/17: Heading South to Lordsburg NM
We know, as we pack up to leave Sante Fe the next couple of days will be long days on the road. On these type of days we try to find some place where we can just overnight for free like a Cracker Barrel, Cabela’s, or last resort Walmart. Our roles are usually Mike driving while Joanne navigates and finds campgrounds. Joanne found 2 spots that might fit the bill- easy on/easy off, free, and safe. Veteran’s Memorial Park, and the Lordsburg Welcome Center/Rest stop were the options she came up with. After exploring more reviews of each of these stopovers, we decided to try The Welcome Center first. This was a great decision! It was a little farther than we planned to drive (original stop was going to be in Deming, NM) but so glad we did! We arrived early and there was one other camper in the lot. Now, mind you, this is just a rest area so nothing more than a parking lot. But once we settled in we did find shade on one side of our RV to put chairs out and have a relaxing beverage. We did try to visit the information center here though it was all locked up due to Covid. Talking to the on-site security guard he said that only the rest rooms were open and you could get good potable water from a spigot he pointed out. The rest stop was clean, quiet and a great place to stop over. Located at Exit 20 off rte 10 in Lordsburg New Mexico if you need a free night along the road we would have no problem recommending it. By the evening (7-9) a few other campers pulled in and several truckers spent the night there as well. The truckers made us nervous, only because they often idle all night long. Fortunately none of these truckers did and we both got a great nights sleep.
Knowing we had all day to drive to Tuscon, the next day, we looked for something to do the next morning to delay our departure so as not to arrive in Tuscon too early. Joanne’s research had discovered a place, only a few minutes from the rest stop, called Shakespeares Ghost Town. It had received many 5 star reviews for a two hour tour. We reached out to the contact # and they said they could give us a tour at 10:00 am in the morning. After a relaxing breakfast we to the Ghost town!
Shakespeare Ghost Town Lordsburgh, NM…
The drive was only 5 mile, but once on the Ghost Town road conditions turned poor quickly with, gravel, pot holes, washboard and rock outcroppings. We were beginning to wonder what we got ourselves into! We took it slow (the poor mini has been through a lot this trip!) and arriving/parking at the property’s entrance gate, the owner/tour guide Dave was there to greet us. Dave was the person in the reviews people raved about and it turns out we were going to have our own private tour. Wow! The tour was awesome and at a cost of $7.00 per adult and we both advised Dave he should raise his prices. This side excursion provided such a great history lesson of the area. Dave’s stories included history, facts, and just entertaining antidotes from days since passed of the Wild West…
Once we made our way back out the Ghost Town Road and back onto pavement Mike had a grueling drive day between the bumpy rt 10 and the wind! But we arrived in Tucson and Freedom RV for service and got settled in the back to camp for the night to be ready for our 8 am service appointment. We have done this before and it works out great. While there is a little bit of road noise and the train that runs all night, it is safe and has worked well for us. We were able to sit out behind the camper for a late afternoon beverage, had a great dinner and then Mike surprised me with ice cream cones just a short drive down the road. A definite perk we love on this continuing Revolutionary Journey….
is known as the Port
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