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Blazing a Trail from Canada to Mexico Entirely on Public Lands |
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Click on a state label for recreation info.
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This website is brought to you by the nonprofit Public Lands Interpretive Association. Revenues earned through sales support the Association's efforts to promote responsible outdoor recreation on America's public lands. |
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Exploring New Mexico's Rio Grande del Norte National Monument
Leaving Colorado, the Rio Grande slices its way into northern New Mexico, creating a dramatic 600 foot deep canyon. This canyon, known as the Rio Grande Gorge, is now protected as part of the new Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Along the northernmost 35 miles of the river the Monument includes a large portion of the Taos Plateau, a high sagebrush and desert rangeland, dotted with several dormant volcanoes. Recently, we were able to spend some time exploring this area.
After crossing the John Dunn Bridge, west of Arroyo Hondo, a good, dirt road climbs out of the Gorge and up on to the west rim. At the top, we turned north on to BLM Road TP130. A brand new sign announces the distance to the Colorado border...35 miles. The main roads are good and well marked, but high clearance vehicles are a must. Travel is not recommended in wet or snowy weather. Make sure you have food, water, a full tank of gas and are equipped to make routine repairs as the nearest supplies can be as much as 50 miles away.
While the southern third of the plateau is covered in sagebrush, there are many large stands of old growth pinyon in the higher elevations and along the west rim. We took a rough track east off the main road and reached the rim, where we found several primitive campgrounds under tall, healthy pinyons, with dramatic views of the Gorge in both directions. Be on the lookout for pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and elk in this area. Driving further north, we noted a dramatic change in vegetation into a vast, treeless, short-grass, high desert. Pretty soon we came across a lonely intersection. At this point BLM Road TP130 continues north into Colorado, and BLM Road TP120 branches to the west meeting US Highway 285 north of Tres Piedras. Here, in the middle of it all, it was just us, a two track road, and something rare…solitude. We spent all day out there and didn't see another soul.
After this trip we were hooked, and we promised to return and explore more of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.
(William Tefft)
Click here for road map (5.03 MB)
List of activities May-June |
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Rio Grande del Norte NM, Latir Peaks (William Tefft)
High Desert, Rio Grande del Norte NM (William Tefft)
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Camping and Fishing in Northern Arizona
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Free National Landscape Conservation System Map
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of BLM's National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS), National Geographic Society, in partnership with the NLCS, produced this beautiful, bilingual (English/Spanish), full color map of America's newest conservation system. The map is free but regular shipping charges apply. Click on the link to order up to 2 free NLCS maps from PLIA's online public lands bookstore. If you need more than two maps, please call us toll free at 877-851-8946
Click here for free map |
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10th Anniversary Map
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Free Endangered Species and Other Pins
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