Enchanted Circle

The next day we took the highway called the ‘Enchanted Circle’ that went up higher yet (we are already at about 8000 ft) and into the ski resorts and high country. We stopped at the town and ski resort of Angel Fire and found a laundry and it is nice to have clean clothes again. At Eagles Nest we dropped down into Cimarron Canyon to check out a state park there. The cliffs of granite along the canyon were spectacular and worth a stop but the campground was right on the road and noisy. We decided to return a few miles over the pass and back to the Enchanted Circle where there were, according to our map, at least 8 Forest Service camps. The highest pass we went over in this group was 9800ft. And it dropped steeply right down into Red River, a very ritzy ski resort. Every single Forest Service camp we came to over the next 25 miles was closed … or rather not yet open. We are two weeks early for them at this 7000-8000ft level . So we ended up in Taos and found a BLM office and got a map with 5 campgrounds in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area just south of Taos and right on the Rio Grande River. It is perfect. Not only is it a little more sheltered in the canyon from the ever incessant wind but the campsites have shelters, the place is open and sunny and warm, the coyotes howl at night under the stars, and they have showers! The bonus is that my ½ price senior pass makes it only $3.50 a night. Almost feels like stealing. The only drawback is that there is again no cell service.