New Mexico Overlanders

Just as an FYI. We were thinking of going to Bottomless Lakes outside Roswell this weekend. Looks like most state parks now are open, but only Thurs-Sun, 8AM - 5PM. You can thank your state govt for not having resources in place... after being closed for 3 months, and now this. They claim, get this, there are not enough employees to open full time. Did they all die of 'da 'Rona? How can you run full time and open before, but not after? No camping. No fires. No groups larger than 8. Social distancing.

Oh, and the kicker? MASKS ARE REQUIRED in all state parks. Even if you are standing in a lake/river/stream. Useless human governance.

Most folks in this part of the state do not wear masks. Majority of people voting in the primaries last week were not wearing masks.
 
Going stir crazy. Just canceled my RV spot in Roswell for 4th July. They canceled the alien festival plus it’s hot out there. We were over 90 at over 6000ft. Sun is scorching. Anything happening up in Taos or the mountain country? Needing some tree cover stat!!! No AC in the casa....
 
Please stay safe everyone. Be hard on the people who don’t take this seriously and not the governor who has to make tough and oftentimes unpopular decisions to ensure people comply. Let’s keep NM from spiking. State employees have families too.
Interesting selection of words for an overlanding forum...rules for thee and not for me...
 
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Going stir crazy. Just canceled my RV spot in Roswell for 4th July. They canceled the alien festival plus it’s hot out there. We were over 90 at over 6000ft. Sun is scorching. Anything happening up in Taos or the mountain country? Needing some tree cover stat!!! No AC in the casa....

Another option is the Gila - campsites are generally 8k' or higher.
 
3 weeks ago the area in and around the Guadalupe Mtns was hot (still fun exploring and using cow tracks to bypass washed out roads). Concur with Brian’s recommendation.
The Guadalupe were definitely starting to heat up over Memorial Day. Moving north into the Sacramento Mountains was definitely nice.
 
I’m probably the last in this thread to discover this website but Jeeptheusa.com has a list of trails by state (western such as NM) along with gpx files.

Nope not the last. LOL I will go and check it out. I own a big a$$ Ford F-250 so my trails are limited. :( (sometimes wish I didn’t own my RV it limits me so much)
 
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The Carson and Rio Grande NF has been fairly cool to the touch. Not much happening anywhere per se but if you make it happen you’ll have a blast. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad is operating only from the Colorado side and not out of Chama, but 11,000’ elevation does bring respite to the blistering heat below. Northern NM has hovered in the high 70’s and 80’s in town and the 60’s-70’s up high
 
Spent Fri-Tues at Taos Ski Village. 75/42F every day. Its quiet up there since the mountain is closed. A few hotels are open. Arroyo Seca was kinda busy though. Hiked WIlliams Lake trail fathers day. 9,300' to 11,100' in 2.2 miles. Busy trail Sunday but quiet Monday morning. Bumps grocery and Stray Dog Cantina have somewhat limited hours but are open.
 
Spent Fri-Tues at Taos Ski Village. 75/42F every day. Its quiet up there since the mountain is closed. A few hotels are open. Arroyo Seca was kinda busy though. Hiked WIlliams Lake trail fathers day. 9,300' to 11,100' in 2.2 miles. Busy trail Sunday but quiet Monday morning. Bumps grocery and Stray Dog Cantina have somewhat limited hours but are open.

Is the Bavarian open?
 
Is the Bavarian open?
No. Looked like they are ready to when they get the chance. We parked there and started the trailhead form their parking lot. The Edelweiss looked post apocolyptic. Looks as if there was plenty of snow on the ground when they closed. Now it is full of 2' high weeds, snow shovels and lumber laying around. It was weird. We sat on the patio area below it at the base of the lift and had a beer. Quiet and relaxing.
 
Monday I got back from doing the NM BDR. Left ABQ for Cruces on the 15th. The first 2 days were warm but the rest was great. No rain, so no mud. Every day had great scenery. I've got trip report going in the "overland trips now or then" section. The Jemez and the Tusas had so many people camping it looked like the 4th of July. I guess everyone's sick of being cooped up, so they're all going camping (together).
 
Coming from eastern NM, is there really any back road/“off-road” route to get up towards Red River? I looked at the BDR but that seems to cut out west. Just looking for alternative option than a highway drive the entire way.