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!

Carson covers a lot of land. We drove one way round the Enchanted Circle up to Angel Fire and the…read moreother way to Ojo Caliente from our crib in arroyo Seco. We reached 9,000 feet, it was cool and the Aspens had almost turned during early November. Still beautiful and so deserted we had the road to ourself. A bit nippy for hiking for us softies but we saw a few parked cars.

Always beautiful w vast wonders. It's a wonder and as you drive you realize Carson is everywhere…read moreand everything around you. You live within it.

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.

My husband and I came here to look at the Kit Carson grave because we had extra time on our hands…read more Plus, I have a thing for old cemeteries. First off, it was very confusing as to how to get into the cemetery. We had to pass through the park, which is under construction and just looked very rundown. We had to use the porta potty and it was horrible. Urine covered the floor. The small cemetery, itself was pretty rundown. The only thing that made my visit worthwhile was that there was some vandalism that reminded people that heroes did not rest here but rather thieves against indigenous people. It was obvious that Kit Carson's grave had been restored after many years of vandalism.

Muddy walkway's, dilapidated tennis courts, poorly landscaped cemetery, couple of baseball fields…read more An eyesore in the middle of Taos "Arts" culture was a surprise.

This park is home to a KT boundary exposure. It's labeled as, the iridium layer. The park itself is…read moredisappointingly derelict in unmaintained.

An excellent hike for novices, families, and even more advanced hikers…read more This is a two trail system with multiple entry points, easy to find and well-marked trails, lots of parking, and wonderful views that you hardly notice you are climbing a mountain to see. There is an East Loop and West Loop Trail, both are under 2 miles so they could be combined for a longer hike. The trail is narrow and definitely only for single file hiking , but it is incredibly well maintained and so delightfully curated it almost seems like it is intentionally landscaped. Someone has taken a lot of trouble to line the trail with the many perfectly sized pieces of sandstone in the area and a variety of cactus scrub Oak and Pines lead the way winding up the side of a mountain to lovely views of Raton and the surrounding Countryside. All in all a very nice hike right in the middle of town!

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.

Visiting is a little more complicated than some other parks/monuments, but if you just read the…read morewebsite you'll get it figured out! The key is that reservations are required, both from the NPS and from the Cochiti Pueblo. Get the NPS reservation first, and only then get the Cochiti Pueblo one (link to that is on the NPS site!). Don't drive to the trailhead, drive to the Cochiti Pueblo visitor center first, check in there, then follow the guide car (runs pretty much continuously all day) to the NPS entrance. The trailhead has multiple pit toilets, all of which were well maintained. The hike through the slot canyon and up onto the ridge is absolutely stunning. There really aren't words to do justice, nor do the pictures really convey things either. The hike into and through the slot canyon isn't steep, although there are some pretty big steps required to clamber over some rocks here and there, and it can be narrow and is often sandy. There's not a lot of elevation change though until you get through the slot canyon, then you just switchback straight up a couple hundred feet onto the ridge. That section isn't terribly long though, and the views from the top are well worth it. The first third of the hike and the last third are pretty exposed to the sun, so make sure you apply that sunscreen and bring plenty of water!

Incredible. Reservation was easy. Gov Rec Ticket and Cochiti Tribal Pass, so two tickets. Worth…read moreevery penny. We got our tickets about 5 days out from visit. Check in at Visitor Center on arrival to check off your name on the list. Visitor centre has good restrooms, snacks and a few gifts and some very pleasant staff. Next Line up behind the white pilot vehicle and he will guide you in for a few miles where they will check your pass. After that its another few miles to a small carpark with restrooms and then off your go. We did slot canyon. Half a mile walk through amazing scenery/narrow passages through the stone and some climbing over rocks. I found it quite easy but do go before the sun comes out. We started at 9.30 am. After this section, which took us about 40 minutes due to lots of photo ops you will see another sign saying 1 mile to overlook. We almost gave up as the first climb looked hard - its not, just go on. We are in our 60's with dicky knees and it was not issue, just use your bottom when you have to. A light pair of garden gloves would be handy for when your hands scrape the boulders. All practical stuff here, the views speak for themselves. it's stunning and because of the limited access you meet few people along the way. As always with State Parks, check the website for any passes required or closures.

Nice to walk along the frozen Santa Fe River and see so many unique art installations. The earthy…read morecarved wooden images of an oversized fish and Native Americans make a sharp contrast with the very modern Brickface HOPE linking past and present together.

Take a walk, y'all! What a joy to take this easy stroll across the primo Santa Fe pedestrian…read moredistrict. A sweet little path abuts the sweet little canal, with lovely trees and seating areas, and seamless transition to Plaza window-shopping. Parking opportunities line the walk (at least where we were), some by the plaza, metered, but others farther off are free. Honestly, it was a delightful way to spend 4 miles and a leisurely Tuesday afternoon in Santa Fe. You should take a walk too!

Great park! Very clean and close to shops and food. Also have nice public bathrooms inside the…read morebuilding next to the park. A+++

The staff here is rude and act like they are doing you a favor by letting you pay them $20 to see a…read morefalls, the view of which is ruined by the dam, clearly built above it. I do not recommend.

BEWARE OF LONG-HAIRED WOMAN/RANGER !!! MEAN GIRL…read more Amongst other things, a simple Google search regarding Park Ranger Etiquette will reveal the following: "Park ranger etiquette emphasizes respectful interaction with visitors and wildlife, .... This includes being approachable, informative, and enforcing rules with fairness and understanding...." Here's a more detailed breakdown of park ranger etiquette: Interacting with Visitors: -Be approachable and friendly: THIS WAS NOT THE CASE! THE LONG-HAIRED RANGER PERSON/WOMAN, WAS VERY ILL-TEMPERED, IRATE, AND RUDE. THE MOST DISRESPECTFUL SERVICE ONE COULD BE GIVEN. BE CAREFUL NOT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHY YOU ARE THERE AT A PUBLIC INSTITUTION IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO BE BELITTLED, DISRESPECTED, AND ANNOYINGLY QUESTIONED OVER AND OVER AND OVER ABOUT YOUR VISIT. KINDA GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF GOOD OLD FASHIONED PREJUDICE OR EXTREMELY HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!! Google further says "Park rangers should be welcoming and helpful to all visitors, creating a positive experience in the park. Be informative and knowledgeable: Rangers should be able to answer questions about the park's history, natural features, and regulations, according to the National Park Service (.gov). -Be patient and understanding: NOT THE PENCIL HAIRED/IRATE POCAHONTAS. Visitors may not be familiar with park rules or etiquette, so rangers should explain things clearly and patiently. Be firm but fair when enforcing rules: Rangers have a responsibility to uphold park regulations for the safety and preservation of the park, but they should do so with courtesy and understanding, according to the National Park Service (.gov). Communicate effectively: Use clear and concise language, and be mindful of visitors' needs when providing information or assistance. Respecting Wildlife and the Environment: Maintain a safe distance: Park rangers should lead by example in observing wildlife from a distance and avoiding actions that could disturb them, according to CheapOair. Never feed wildlife: Rangers should educate visitors about the dangers of feeding animals and ensure that food is stored properly to prevent wildlife encounters, according to gestalten. Promote Leave No Trace principles: Rangers should encourage visitors to minimize their impact on the environment by staying on designated trails, packing out all trash, and respecting natural features, according to the National Park Service (.gov). Be aware of weather conditions: Rangers should be prepared for changing weather patterns and advise visitors on how to stay safe during storms or extreme temperatures, according to the National Park Service (.gov). General Professionalism: Maintain a professional appearance: Rangers should wear their uniforms properly and maintain a neat and tidy appearance, according to the National Park Service (.gov). Be punctual and prepared: Rangers should arrive on time for their duties and be prepared to address any issues that may arise, according to a Reddit thread. Respect park resources: Rangers should use park resources responsibly and avoid wasting time, energy, or materials, according to the National Park Service (.gov). -Be mindful of personal conduct: NOT POCAHONTAS Rangers should be aware of their actions and words, as they represent the park and its values. By adhering to these principles of etiquette, park rangers can create a welcoming, safe, and enjoyable experience for all visitors while also protecting the natural and cultural resources of the park. YOU ARE LOVED AND FORGIVEN, MA'AM.