Take a tour of one of the most perfect cinder cone volcanos located in an 8,000 square mile region called the Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field. This volcanic field is home to over 125 volcanic features which include massive shield volcanos, many cinder cone volcanos and volcanic ridges. You can even stake a short hike down into the main vent. You will also get a short tour of the town of Capulin including the area where old trailers go to die.
Fort Union was a major component of the wester expansion of the United States. If was a key supply depot, not just for travelers of the Santa Fe Trail, but also to all of the southwestern forts to whom it supplied the guns, ammo and armaments for their protection. It was abandoned in 1993 when the arrival of the railroad system curtailed traffic on the Santa Fe Trail and provided a more efficient distribution of supplies. The fort was saved partway through demolition to become a historic national monument.
It's May 5th and we are leaving Fort Union and heading 75 miles to Santa Fe, one of our favorite hangouts. We like to stay at the Santa Fe Skies RV Park which is our favorite RV parks. One of the owners is an artist and there is all kinds of kookie statuary and old farm equipment scattered around the park. While we were in Santa Fe, we visited the Ojo Santa Fe Spa, Ghost Ranch and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. And, of course, we had some fabulous food at Tomasitos and Jambo Cafe. Both our on our list of favorite Santa Fe restaurants.
Carlsbad Caverns is located in southern New Mexico just miles from the Texas border. As you hike down over 1,000 ft into the cavern you pass through giant rooms filled with numerous cave 'decorations' including stalactites, stalagmites, popcorn, drapes, helictites, flowstone, soda straws and cave pearls. Adrienne not only hiked down into the cave but we also hiked back to the top on the natural entrance trail. Of the ~10 cave hikes we've been on in the USA, this was by far the best so far!
It's May 11, 2025 and we are traveling to the Guadalupe Mountains in the Chihuahuan Desert of Northwestern Texas. These mountains are actually a barrier reef system that was formed 270 million years ago when this area was covered by a shallow tropical sea called the Delaware Sea. It is composed of algae and other organic substrates that were layered on top of a calcium carbonate base. We did several hikes in this harsh and beautiful landscape but McKittrick Canyon was jaw dropping with flora that should never exist in a desert environment.
May 13th and we are heading to Santa Fe to visit Bandelier National Monument. We have been here in the past but we had Toby with us which really limits what you can do at a National Park. This time we left Toby in the camper while we visited Bandelier and go to dinner. What he did for revenge was pretty astonishing!
The last stop on our road trip is a short stop in Colorado to visit Royale Gorge. We did a hike out to the rim of the gorge so that Toby and we could get some much needed exercise and take in the sights. After that it was a trip on the Royal Gorge Route Train. The train travels through the heart of the gorge where you see sweeping vistas of the gorge, the Arkansas River and the wooden aqueduct that was built the the prisoners at the Colorado Territorial Prison to supply water to Parkdale. Oh, and we get to drink a flight of beer samplers along the route!