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Red River area campgrounds among the piney-est
N.M. 38 between Questa and Red River offers almost 100 campsites amid tall pines and a fishable river
In what may be one of the most scenic groupings of great places, campers can choose from several locations near New Mexico 38 from Questa to Red River.
These include Forest Service campgrounds with large, mostly private reservable sites nestled in tall pines and smaller first-come, first-serve spots along a fishable river. Be sure your New Mexico fishing license is up to date. You can buy or renew yours at stores including Sitzmark Sports in Red River.
These sites, located in the Carson National Forest, are within 10 miles of Red River, where you can restock groceries or eat in one of the many restaurants or brewpubs.
Junebug Campground with all first-come, first-serve sites is the closest at about 2 miles away along the Red River on the south.
Fawn Lakes Campground is about 3 miles away on the south.
Elephant Rock Campground sits not far, but on the north side of the road. Note the campground sign is just past it, so be sure to slow down when you see Fawn Lakes if coming from Red River.
Columbine Campground is about 8 miles down the canyon.
Goat Hill Campground is the furthest from town at about the 9.5 mile mark.
La Bobita Campground near Elephant Rock is used for groups and overflow, .
On the run up during the recent Fourth of July weekend, each one had sites open along this scenic Enchanted Circle Highway that winds past Angel Fire and Cimarron. With the exception of Junebug, the campgrounds can be reserved at Recreation.gov.
Private campgrounds with full hookups are available in Red River and Questa, both high-elevation mountain towns that stay cool even when Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos are near the century mark.
Though the campgrounds are mere yards from the highway, the trees absorb most of the traffic sounds and smells.
For the more adventurous, dispersed camping exists just north of Red River 鈥 turn at Sitzmark Sports onto Forest Road 597. The gravel road, drivable by any vehicle for the first few miles, offers at least 10 spots with fire rings on FR 597A offshoot. Farther up the road, a few spots at nearly 10,000 feet tempt adventurers to maneuver toward Greenie Peak. As you climb into the mountains and gain elevation, four-wheel drive is needed.
Between campgrounds and easy-to-reach spots, campers can pick from more than 100 sites. The popular drive often fills up on weekends, so arrive early or reserve a spot for overnighting and fishing in the cool mountain air.
A trip to northern New Mexico isn鈥檛 complete without a journey into the Rio Costilla watershed along Forest Road 196. From the south head along New Mexico 522 into Costilla, where you can gas up and get any last-minute supplies. Fire danger has closed the recreation area as of the end of June, but you can still drive the road into the Valle Vidal, which has two first-come, first-serve Forest Service campgrounds that the camp host says rarely fill up except during hunting season.
Carson National Forest鈥檚 Valle Vidal District, with lakes and elk, is worth a trip on its own; be sure to check when its roads and campgrounds are open, as it closes areas for winter habitat protection and spring elk calving season.
Donn Friedman is a roving columnist for The Sunday Journal鈥檚 GO New Mexico section. He is the retired assistant managing editor for technology and production for the 近距离内射合集.
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