Trip #5H. Elephant Butte Lake State Park (Truth or Consequences), NM (25 -31 Mar 2018)

New Mexico a new state for our RV adventuring

 

Long drive about 330 miles from Davis Mountain SP to Elephant Butte Lake State Park, but so well worth the change in plans. The park is more about water recreation which is really not are thing. Maybe, not a place we would stay for an extended period. However, there were some great benefits: the campsite was very nice and scenic; crazy multipurpose trail for hiking and mountain biking that travel north-south paralleling the like; a short drive to the Gila National Forest for an alpine trail, and enjoying the near by Truth or Consequences natural hot springs.

We arrived on Sunday after a pretty long drive with a recovery day needed A change for this camping experiences was managing the winds which typically started before noon and lasted until after dark. In our campsite, we were seeing 20-30 mile and hour sustained winds. 

Elephant Butte Lake State Park

Views from around our campsite
 
Incredible deserts sunsets/sunrise
 
 

Pippy in the foreground with a bit of an ominous looking sunset

West Lakeshore Trail (10.5 miles one-way): The trail winds through the desert hills above the lake, with panoramic views. The trail is typically 6’ wide with a gravel surface. There are some sections of uneven surfaces and deep sand. The unimproved trail, usually through sandy arroyos, is marked only with sign posts. The northern most trail started in our campground. The trail was great for some short evening strolls. Also, we used the trail a couple of time for biking. The trail initially looks pretty flat, but many short climbs and descends with challenging riding through sandy washes.

 

Gila National Forest

After mountain biking on Tuesday, we decided to head for the mountain. The trip included passing through Hillsboro and then onto the eastern section of the Gila in an area called the Black Range. The trail we decided on Black Range Crest (5 miles one-way)  follows the crest of the Black Range offering spectacular views of rugged canyons, the Rio Grande River valley to the east, and the Gila Wilderness and Mogollon Mountains to the west. The trail started at an elevation of 8,220 feet with a climb to 9,100 feet. We hiked a good part of the trail totaling 6 miles. It's a beautiful hike however this area had been ravaged by fires in 2013. New Mexico is effected by sever drought.

 
 

Riverbend Hot Springs (Truth or Consequences, NM)

We had been on the road for almost two months.... soaking in a hot springs just sounded like an incredible thing to do. And it was

A little background: Long considered sacred by the Apache and Mimbres tribes of southern New Mexico, the natural, mineral rich water of Riverbend Hot Springs has been relaxing and rejuvenating warriors and peace-seekers alike, for centuries. Now we bring you these legendary waters from our gorgeous riverside locale in the historic downtown district of Truth or Consequences (formerly Hot Springs, NM).