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| Santa Rosa Lake State Park, NM | |
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| | Santa Rosa Lake State Park, NM | | | |
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Santa Rosa Lake State Park, NM
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| no partners | | I haven't been to many of New Mexico's state parks, but the ones I have visited have been very nice. This one was no exception. I have been through Santa Rosa before to visit the well known Blue Hole diving spot in town, but this park is north of town on the Pecos River so I wasn't sure how to get there. When Highway 54 reached US Route 66, I hung a right and proceeded into town looking for a sign to show me the way. There was one at 2nd Street, and I turned left there and proceeded to Eddy Avenue, where a right turn was indicated to get to my destination. A left turn at 8th Street (route 91) got me on the road to the park. Not too hard, but glad there was signage, as I was tired from a long day of driving. 
The road crosses the dam and the main camping area is on the west side of the lake. This Rocky Point CG and has two loops, one of which has electric sites. I was camped in the non-electric loop. There is another designated camping unit (Juniper Park) that is located off the main road closer to the lake before you reach the dam.
There were quite a few people camping there and I think all the sites in the electric loop were occupied. I slept in the truck following a nice peaceful evening enjoying some lightning from storms off in the distance around Amarillo. In the morning I was out with the camera at first light, then it was coffee time, before loading the gear and heading out. Stopped at the observation area near the dam for more photos, then into town to get some gas and ice, before heading to my next destination in Colorado. Took I-40 west to US 84, then up to I-25 just south of Las Vegas and on up over Raton Pass. I had planned on visiting Capulin Volcano National Monument, where I had not been since 1998, but distance and time constraints eliminated this from the trip (ah yes, it's so much more involved when you are actually on the road vs looking at a map  ).
Good trip so far.  |
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