This is the most awesome RV park we've been in in many, many states. It is right across the street…read morefrom the eagle nest lake state park. We arrived with a serious electrical problem, and Nathan - the owner/manager - promptly helped us by re-wiring temporarily, so we could have air-conditioning and electricity for our two days stay. He then called Albuquerque, New Mexico - which will be passing through after we left this location - and ordered us the electrical component to fix our RV. Because we would be arriving there on a Saturday, he also made arrangements with a mobile RV tech to install that part! Everything you want is at this location; from a wonderful restaurant, to laundry facilities, to conveniently located for the recreation facilities nearby, and a wonderful store. Nathan would not take a penny from us, for helping us!!! I cannot tell you how my wife and I, and dog, appreciated all he did for us, to make our stay just fabulously wonderful!!!! If you could give six stars to this nice place and the wonderful owners, they deserve it!!!

My wife and I arrived at Golden Eagle RV Campground at about 9:15 pm in the evening and I was…read morepleasantly surprised to find a young man by the name of Nate still up waiting for me to arrive. He had me follow him to our site and then continued to help us get situated. I found this to be pretty much the standard as Nate was always helping someone in the campground. We fell in love with Golden Eagle the year before when we met Bruce and Bridgette (Nate's parents) who told us they would be passing the campground on to Nate and Lisa. Sometimes you worry when you get that kind of news. But we found that nothing has changed in the warm and professional atmosphere, and the changes that Nate HAS made to the facilities are awesome. It's a fun and unique place to visit. Always something to do with local vendors showing up on one day with their homemade wares of jewelry, fresh bread, jams and beef jerky and then some really great musicians and singers on another evening. (Take some time to look at their events page.) And don't miss the evening movies. Just prepare to enjoy the fun. One of the nice surprises for me was their Grill where you could enjoy a delicious breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. I started with breakfast and the sausage was the best I had ever eaten - and I'm a Cajun boy. I had a great cheeseburger for lunch and my wife had, she said, one of the best chicken salad sandwiches she had ever had - but were not able to stay for the beef brisket special for that week. Hopefully it will be back when we return. (I believe you can see a copy of their menu on their website, but the specials change weekly.) In any event, we had a great time and will be returning in a few weeks for the balloon launch. I can't really add anything to some of the other nice reviews that give you more detail about the facilities, but Nate and Lisa were great and always accommodating - just good people and a joy to be around. We look forward to seeing them again. Do yourself a favor and spend some time at Golden Eagle RV Campground in Eagle Nest, New Mexico.

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.

My family enjoyed the scenery in this park. Driving along, there were places to stop and take in…read morethe view. Tried unsuccessfully to do some fishing, but that didn't stop us from having a nice time. Sat in the shade, enjoyed the sound of the water, and ate a picnic lunch from our cooler. Would come here again!

This weekend we decided to venture in to the Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the…read moreSan Isabel National Forest to enjoy the wildflowers and try our hand at fishing. The headwaters of the rainbow trout-stocked Purgatoire River run through Purgatoire Campground and we were lucky enough to pitch our tents just a few paces from it this weekend; the crashing and tumbling water providing a surprisingly perfect "white noise" each night for slumber. The area surrounding the river is absolutely stunning with wildflowers and dense aspen and conifer growth everywhere. And, as is usually the case, it isn't until after we experience a place such as this that I become curious about its history. This weekend was no exception. Just 30 minutes of research this morning revealed an intriguing irony: the attraction and abundant life that characterizes the Purgatoire River is shrouded in historical mystery, hardship, and death: "It was once thought that Spanish explorers, namely a party led by Francisco Leyva de Bonilla in 1593, were the first to visit the Purgatoire River in the sixteenth century. An attack by Native Americans killed all but one of the Bonilla party at some point after it left New Mexico and reached the Great Plains. The attack was initially thought to have occurred on the Purgatoire; the river was so named because of the unblessed Catholic souls that were allegedly sent to el purgatorio--purgatory--along its banks. The name stuck (its current version is French), but the river may be named for the souls of men who never reached it--the location of the Bonilla expedition's demise remains uncertain." (Ref: https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/las-animas-county) At any rate, it is well worth the 2-1/2 hour drive from Colorado Springs to visit this alluring area and imagine what it was like before paved roads, iPhones, and grocery stores. To get there: Purgatoire Campground GPS coordinates are: (Latitude, Longitude): 37.2525, -105.10917 37°15'9"N, 105°6'33"W From La Veta, Colorado, take State Route 12 south for 25.3 miles to Purgatoire campground sign. Turn right onto gravel Route 34. Go 0.2 miles to "T" intersection. Turn right and drive 4 miles on rough gravel road to campground. The campground is very clean and monitored by camp hosts, Helga and Larry. I recommend Site 4, in particular, because it sits on the river and is sandwiched in between just one other campsite to the right and open space and the 5-mile North Fork Trail trailhead to the left.

Located about 10 miles from Taos, NM stands this majestic bridge!…read more While on vacation, we decided to come see the gorge, the Rio Grande River, and the bridge that spans it. And what a sight it was to behold! We parked in the Rio Grande Gorge Rest Area. The bridge & gorge are viewable from here. There are sheltered picnic tables and restrooms here. In 1963 the bridge was started and was completed in 1965. It is part of the US Highway 64. There are three spans connected to create one bridge 1,280 feet long (two 300-foot-long approach spans with a 600-foot-long main center span). September of 2012, the bridge underwent a $2.4 restoration which included structural steelwork, a new concrete deck surface, new sidewalks, ramps, curbs, and gutters. We were unable to walk out onto the bridge, but we did walk out to the rim. The dirt path was easy to navigate. Once near the rim, it becomes rocky and there is no barrier to keep you safe from falling off the edge, so watch your step! Since I am not very steady of my feet, I didn't go out as far as I would have liked to. A few more steps and I would have had a better view, but I stopped. Sadly, the bridge was closed to pedestrians in Sept. 2025 due to suicides. I feel that by not getting to walk across the bridge, my experience was hindered. I would have loved to get a full head on view of the gorge! For me, having the view from here would have been safer and more ideal! You've probably seen this bridge since it has appeared in a few movies including Natural Born Killers, Twins, White Sands, She's Having a Baby, The Signal, Paul, Vacation, Wild Hogs, and Terminator Salvation. Locals call this bridge the "High Bridge" or the "Gorge Bridge". It is the seventh highest bridge in the U.S. It is located in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. If we make it back here in the future, I hope we will be able to walk to the center of the bridge!

Nice bridge to look at and very easy to get to. There's lots of shielded tables so you can bring…read morethings and relax with a nice view. Nothing to go out of your way for, but still a nice area nonetheless. Pets also enjoyed the area. I saw some people walking the bridge and I would've liked to do that if we had more time. Would've been fun to see the what view you get from the bridge itself (not driving).

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.

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.

I have to say that this camp was the BEST staff camp I checked out while trekking throughout…read morePhilmont Scout Ranch in Philmont, New Mexico. Porch Talk: Very informative, I learned a lot and it really made me want to come back to Philmont (I don't remember the guy's name, but he had Belle on his nametag). DOM IS BOSS SAUCE and if by ridiculous, you mean AWESOME, then yes. The camp itself is fairly spread out, from the campgrounds all along the hills you trek by, to the other side of the lodge, to the program area where you rocklimb and repel. The staff here were some of the best staff I got to hang out with. They were there playing monopoly deal, card games, and volleyball. I enjoyed all of their company and their time, because they all were really enthusiastic and wanting to engage with you while you were there. The awesome gym there is spectacular and a cool place to hang out when you have some free time. It's indoor, they have shoes for you so you don't ruin yours, and you can climb awesome paths. There's a traverse wall there which you can climb and if you climb all the way around it, you get a bag of donuts! There's a volleyball court and I reckon you should definitely challenge the staff. It was so much fun playing them and like EVERYONE came out to watch it. I have never seen so many people watch volleyball at camp before. On top of it, you get to rock climb and repel. Although you do get there and basically sit and do nothing for a bit, you do get a chance within the three hours you are there to do both. Turtle's head and Don't Touch the Tree are some fun climbs, not too difficult, but they do offer a challenge if you don't understand how to climb effectively. Around here as well is a nice looped hike you can do called Hidden valley. I didn't get to go personally, because I needed to attend to one of the scouts who injured himself, but I heard that it is definitely worth hiking through. I haven't even gotten to the best part: HOT SHOWERS and LAUNDRY! This was something great because I had this two days before I was finished with my trek. I finally got a chance to clean off all of that dirt, clean my oily hair, and also just relax a little bit. Overall, this really topped my Philmont memories. Thanks Dom, Dan, Matt, Shane, Russ, and all the others who I don't remember their names -___-

Our visit to Capulin Volcano National Monument was absolutely fantastic--an unexpected gem on our…read moreroad trip! This place is not only rich in natural beauty and history, but also super family-friendly. We were especially thrilled to get in for free thanks to the Every Kid Outdoors program--our daughter is in 4th grade, and the monument participates in the initiative, which made the experience even better. Driving up the volcano was both scenic and a little thrilling with winding roads and sweeping views. Once at the top, the views from the rim were absolutely breathtaking. You can see miles across the surrounding landscape--plains, mesas, and distant mountains--all from the rim of an ancient volcano. It made for some truly stunning photos, especially with the big New Mexico skies as a backdrop. We took the short walk into the crater and around part of the rim trail. The trails are well maintained, and there are plenty of signs to help explain the geology and history. It's a great mix of education and outdoor adventure, especially for kids. There were also picnic areas and clean restrooms, which made the stop convenient as well as memorable. This was a perfect family outing and one of the best photo ops of our trip. Highly recommend stopping if you're anywhere nearby--beautiful, unique, and surprisingly fun for all ages!

enjoyed a beautiful afternoon rest stop from Colorado with Cory.. the MX-5 was getting…read morecrampy...Cory eas napping and slow to go down into volcano. the rest area was clean and not crowded. the volcano was beautiful as well as the overlook site .. the memory will always bring a smile to my face...if your passing by, takea rest stop here and create your own memories...0n the way stop at Indian gift shop along side road...we picked out bufalo nickel leather necklace... to hang on mirror as a reminder

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.

We stayed one night on our way into Durango. And one night on our way out. We didn't actually spend…read moremuch time there, but I was BLOWN away by the cleanliness of the bath house. Plenty of stalls, free showers, and room to get dressed/ready if you need to with outlets. Washing machines, vending machines, and a water fountain. I was blown away. Would love to stay again.