El Vado Lake is tucked away and does not get a lot of spring time visitors. Partially because it is so far out to the lake. Coming from HWY 84/64 turn onto Hwy 112, you go about 10 miles then turn right onto the Park entrance road and travel another 4 miles before entering the park.
When we pulled into this lush green park-there was only one other camper.
We found a perfect spot with a fantastic view of the lake. It actually was a shared site-however one half was being redone and no one was or would be working on it-so we had the whole area to ourselves.
Upon entering the park, we needed to fill our tank with water. As Brian was busy doing this I was checking out other sites-just to make sure the one we picked was perfect. As I’m checking it out-here comes a 5th wheel in.
Now being older and not in shape-I make a fast dash to the car, and go park the car on our future site. Whew-just in the nick of time, because that 5th wheel had the same exact spot in mind.
That site become ours for the next few weeks. At one point we were the only campers in the park. Occasionally we would see maybe one or two other campers coming in but only for a night or two.
Springtime at El Vado lake is very slow. The lake isn’t big, however it’s the only lake near Chama that anyone can take a boat and run it wide open. Therefore we have been told that come summertime the lake is very, very busy with all types of boats, pontoons, jet skis-you name it-if it’s got speed it will be on the lake. While there-we were lucky to only see one or two boats on the lake.
Again we were fortunate because by summertime-the grassy fields will burn up and turn more brown than the lush green that we had the pleasure of enjoying.
Half of the campground was closed and only the main area (Elk Run) was open for business. Elk Run has two full hook-up sites that are generally used for volunteers. Otherwise sites had water and electric or were totally primitive. Pinion Beach and Shale Point have no electric or water on sites.
Compare this park to Navajo it’s by far a smaller park run by only two rangers and was by far in much better condition. Once entering the park you go from paved road to gravel roadways. The main area (Elk Run) is more solid pack than Pinion Beach or Shale Point. All sites in Elk Run gave you plenty of space for large rigs to get in and move around and you were not on top of one another. Several sites were share sites-each having their own electric and water.
No large trees to hit on, all were trimmed back to give the big rigs plenty of room. Shale Point is not large rig friendly and there really is only a few sites down that way. A smaller unit could get in there if they choose too.
Being this park is more in the High Desert of the mountain area-there wasn’t really any big trees to speak of. Lots of Juniper and Pinions.
Pinion Beach is large rig friendly, however, the road is not gravel pack as the main area was. If no heavy rains are predicted, you could get in and out with out any mishaps. Some sites were very secluded and close to the lake. We wish this was open when we were there-maybe another time.
The shower building does not open until about a week or two just before Memorial Weekend. There is a pit toilet near the boat ramp and one or two in the two areas that were closed.
As for wildlife viewing; many osprey's were nesting in the closed area. And from afar we discovered a pair of eagles that were also nesting. We came across some mule deer and enjoyed watching them romp around the rabbit brush.
One of the reason’s of wanting to stop and spend time here was the trail that links El Vado Lake to Heron Lake-The Rio Chama Trail. According to research it would be a perfect place for hiking and viewing wildlife.
We didn’t realize that part of the trail crosses over to the Wild Life Management Area and therefore was closed on the El Vado end. We were told by the lake manager the reason the trail was closed was so that hikers don’t disturb the wildlife as they are with their young ones. It would open again on Memorial Weekend. Now in the same breath he then claims that Turkey hunting was allowed in this exact area that are closed to hikers! Now-that made absolutely no sense what-so-ever! It’s not okay to hike-where we are quiet and there only to view, not to hunt. Hunters are there to hunt….What is wrong with that picture???
We took a quick tour over to Heron-and the Trail is open at that end…..no-it makes no sense at all to us…wonder if I need to contact someone about that situation and what kind of response I would get????
All-in-all we did enjoy our quiet time there at El Vado Lake. But it was also starting to get boring since the trail was closed and so it was time to move on a little sooner than planned. That’s why we love not being on any kind of schedule.
We decided to only go a very short distant-Heron Lake. Here, there are three intertwining trails-including the Rio Chama Trail-that is open from this end. More to look at, to see and to hike!
When we pulled into this lush green park-there was only one other camper.
We found a perfect spot with a fantastic view of the lake. It actually was a shared site-however one half was being redone and no one was or would be working on it-so we had the whole area to ourselves.
Upon entering the park, we needed to fill our tank with water. As Brian was busy doing this I was checking out other sites-just to make sure the one we picked was perfect. As I’m checking it out-here comes a 5th wheel in.
Now being older and not in shape-I make a fast dash to the car, and go park the car on our future site. Whew-just in the nick of time, because that 5th wheel had the same exact spot in mind.
That site become ours for the next few weeks. At one point we were the only campers in the park. Occasionally we would see maybe one or two other campers coming in but only for a night or two.
Springtime at El Vado lake is very slow. The lake isn’t big, however it’s the only lake near Chama that anyone can take a boat and run it wide open. Therefore we have been told that come summertime the lake is very, very busy with all types of boats, pontoons, jet skis-you name it-if it’s got speed it will be on the lake. While there-we were lucky to only see one or two boats on the lake.
Again we were fortunate because by summertime-the grassy fields will burn up and turn more brown than the lush green that we had the pleasure of enjoying.
Half of the campground was closed and only the main area (Elk Run) was open for business. Elk Run has two full hook-up sites that are generally used for volunteers. Otherwise sites had water and electric or were totally primitive. Pinion Beach and Shale Point have no electric or water on sites.
Compare this park to Navajo it’s by far a smaller park run by only two rangers and was by far in much better condition. Once entering the park you go from paved road to gravel roadways. The main area (Elk Run) is more solid pack than Pinion Beach or Shale Point. All sites in Elk Run gave you plenty of space for large rigs to get in and move around and you were not on top of one another. Several sites were share sites-each having their own electric and water.
No large trees to hit on, all were trimmed back to give the big rigs plenty of room. Shale Point is not large rig friendly and there really is only a few sites down that way. A smaller unit could get in there if they choose too.
Being this park is more in the High Desert of the mountain area-there wasn’t really any big trees to speak of. Lots of Juniper and Pinions.
Pinion Beach is large rig friendly, however, the road is not gravel pack as the main area was. If no heavy rains are predicted, you could get in and out with out any mishaps. Some sites were very secluded and close to the lake. We wish this was open when we were there-maybe another time.
The shower building does not open until about a week or two just before Memorial Weekend. There is a pit toilet near the boat ramp and one or two in the two areas that were closed.
As for wildlife viewing; many osprey's were nesting in the closed area. And from afar we discovered a pair of eagles that were also nesting. We came across some mule deer and enjoyed watching them romp around the rabbit brush.
One of the reason’s of wanting to stop and spend time here was the trail that links El Vado Lake to Heron Lake-The Rio Chama Trail. According to research it would be a perfect place for hiking and viewing wildlife.
We didn’t realize that part of the trail crosses over to the Wild Life Management Area and therefore was closed on the El Vado end. We were told by the lake manager the reason the trail was closed was so that hikers don’t disturb the wildlife as they are with their young ones. It would open again on Memorial Weekend. Now in the same breath he then claims that Turkey hunting was allowed in this exact area that are closed to hikers! Now-that made absolutely no sense what-so-ever! It’s not okay to hike-where we are quiet and there only to view, not to hunt. Hunters are there to hunt….What is wrong with that picture???
We took a quick tour over to Heron-and the Trail is open at that end…..no-it makes no sense at all to us…wonder if I need to contact someone about that situation and what kind of response I would get????
All-in-all we did enjoy our quiet time there at El Vado Lake. But it was also starting to get boring since the trail was closed and so it was time to move on a little sooner than planned. That’s why we love not being on any kind of schedule.
We decided to only go a very short distant-Heron Lake. Here, there are three intertwining trails-including the Rio Chama Trail-that is open from this end. More to look at, to see and to hike!
Hi, I'm the hiker you met last week at Willow Creek/Blanco campgrounds when you were scoping them out. I didn't realize you were coming from El Vado -- I moved the opposite way on Monday (time was up at Heron Lake).
ReplyDeleteI talked to the ranger in the office and he said *everything* opens May 15: showers, Rio Chama Trail, and the two outlying campgrounds. The campground host should arrive by then as well.
I see from your previous posts that you're heading east to other NM state parks after Heron Lake. Be aware that the eastern parks, both north and south parts of NM, have terrible Verizon connectivity. e.g. Villanueva has zero signal and at Sugarite you need to go four miles back down the road to get a decent connection. If you use a different cellular company you may do better.
Best wishes on your travels!