Following the Rio Grande

[Barko1]

In Creede, Co right now, report coming, heavy frost this AM!

 

[MarkBC]

In Creede, Co right now, report coming, heavy frost this AM!


I love in-progress trip reports!

 

[Hittheroad]

In Creede, Co right now, report coming, heavy frost this AM!


Crede is a great place - don't leave too quickly. But north of Crede is great too - just have full provisions.

 

[Barko1]

Crede is a great place - don't leave too quickly. But north of Crede is great too - just have full provisions.


Good point, at the Lost Trail Campground down FR520 it is about an hour to get any provisions. Just got back today after spending a great day just West of Wolf Creek Pass on FR 725. Having some trouble attaching, think they are too big but here is one picture from yesterday. This is just off US 160, several waterfalls, a few nice campsites, free , and good roads for the atv and bike.

Two more, Southern NM and headwaters

 

[Barko1]

Path of the Rio Grande

Where I live, just outside of Las Cruces NM, the Rio Grande is a tightly controlled waterway who's primary mission is the storage and delivery of water for the chile, cotton, pecans that grow in the Valleys. It's brown and is choked to a trickle when the irrigation season finishes near the end of summer. The Rio Grande is well know, has a rich history, but when it comes to moving volumes of water is is far down the list. Years ago my mother visited from Chicago and of course had always heard of the Rio Grande from books, history lessons, and cowboy movies but was she disappointed in the lazy brown stream that I showed her.

The Rio Grande runs from the San Juan Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, TX stretching nearly 1900 miles and is the 4th or 5th longest in the US and the 22nd longest in the world. I have seen it through the canyons of Big Bend, at the Amistad Reservoir, and as far East as Laredo but this trip is about the Rio Grande from Las Cruces at the Southern most point in New Mexico @ 3900' to the headwaters Northeast of Creede, CO and the continental divide at Stony Pass, 12,600'. It flows 175 miles in Colorado and 470 miles in New Mexico.
At Radium Springs, 40 miles from TX and Mexico.

And a bit further North at Hatch, NM. Chile capital of the world thanks to the brown waters.

Here it is at work

As you head North a monument to the Camino Real, the Royal Road of commerce and exploration over 400 years ago. It stretched from Mexico City to Santa Fe. There is a state monument, the Camino Real International Heritage Center, that we stopped to visit but in spite of what they posted they were closed on Sunday Ah New Mexico, complaint registered.

So heading North we cross again just South of Albuquerque, looks about the same.

Are we there yet?

As you get North of Santa Fe the character starts to change, this is by our campsite just up river from Pilar, NM. Here is some history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilar,_New_Mexico

Next we head to the Gorge.

 

[Hittheroad]

Your pictures bring back great memories. Can't wait to get back. If you get tired of roughing it and need to lighten up on the cash supply try The Antlers for dinner.

 

[Steve Scearce]

Nice report! Love the headwaters of the Rio.

 

[Hittheroad]

Also don't miss Wheeler Geological area if you are up for real adventure. We hiked in (about 14 hours round trip) and were told that is much easier than taking the ATV trail.

 

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

Thanks, Barko. It's fun following your report on the Rio Grande!

Stew

 

[Steve Scearce]

Also don't miss Wheeler Geological area if you are up for real adventure. We hiked in (about 14 hours round trip) and were told that is much easier than taking the ATV trail.


Wheeler is very cool. We hiked it as well to avoid the spleen-rattling road. Nice Bryce-like formations at even higher altitude.

 

[SunMan]

Looks like beautiful country...and you've got some pretty happy dogs riding along too...thanks.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Interesting, Barko-

Hoping to get out there again, soon...

You're pickin' me up purty good.

 

[Barko1]

Your pictures bring back great memories. Can't wait to get back. If you get tired of roughing it and need to lighten up on the cash supply try The Antlers for dinner.


Where is Antlers? I am not above some good dining when all camping dirty. What I often do is go the the best lodge in the National Park and have breakfast, Zion, Glacier, Grand Canyon. Enjoy the lodge for cheap .

On to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_Gorge_Bridge This bridge was in Natural Born Killers and Wild Hogs! It is a cool bridge in a great setting. I love coming towards Taos from the South, mountains, high desert, the Gorge all together. If you come through Taos a good place to eat is Michael's Kitchen on the main drag, North end of town.

After checking out the bridge we headed North to the Rio Grande Gorge Recreation area a bit past Questa, it is a BLM area with several campgrounds along the edge of the gorge. Pretty basic, not very populated.

The confluence with the Red River.

And heading North again we leave NM and get into CO and the next time we hit the river it has just left the Gorge and has changed character again. This is on CO142 South of Alamosa on the Southern edge of the San Luis Valley http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Luis_Valley The valley is rich with water so the front range/Colorado Springs wants to pipe it over the mountains, bit of conflict here. Back in the truck, maybe I need some more space?

Here the gorge has died out, first chance for early settlers to cross

Next the river heads into the mountains and its' origins.

 

[MarkBC]

Great stuff, Barko! Really cool to see a trip report unfold more-or-less as it happens

.
Thanks.

 

[simimike]

Very nice report Barko. I like the theme of fallowing the river. You've given me some ideas.

mike

 

[highz]

Enjoyed reading your report, Barko. I have a few new spots along the Rio Grande to go see.

 

[Barko1]

Once you get to Southfork on US160 you are up to 8000' and the river is looking a bit tastier

A little exploration, truck goes 10 mph, bike ........

There is a nice elk down there

Forest rat

Now we are getting to the start of the river. This is at the Lost Trail FS campground. No fee, only one other of the 6 sites was occupied, no water, pit toilet, beautiful views, frost in the AM.

My doggies loved it, the brown guy, he's the hunter. Chased three deer, keeps them on their toes, he finds his way back to camp after about 20 minutes, very happy guy.

Heading back down you come to the Rio Grande Reservoir, note the fog hanging over it, very cold that morning.

We never made it to the absolute source. Came to a big pond over the road, the ATV made it and I probably would have on the bike but the consequences of killing the bike were to big for me so we headed back. I took the F250 and Grandby over Stony Pass before but not a lot of fun.

Pole Creek on the way up to the top of the river basin, gets too deep in the Spring.

Bad picture, I was driving solo here and a bit busy but you can see how tight the road is, tough when you meet any traffic. I was of course the only truck camper around

Once we got as far as we did we enjoyed the environment and headed back towards home.
This is a spot on FR725 just off US160. Beautiful waterfalls right there and a great view of a large falls across the highway.

It was a great week long trip, used the dutch oven for the 1st time and tested out the new Coleman/Stirling Fridge and Wave 3 heater as well as the 60w of solar on the roof. Batteries stayed full, food stayed at 37 and the heater kept things warm. Since the Rio runs right past our home and stretches to an area I love it was a natural to follow it to the source. Plus it has such a rich history, culturally, socially, geologically, it was really cool. I'm sure there are other great rivers out there, the Mississippi comes to mind , the Missouri, the John Day is pretty nice too!

Next stop, Newfoundland/Labrador