Wild Rivers Recreation Area, Red River, Questa, and Back to Taos -- Day Eight, 12 August 2010

Day Eight -- Red River Road Trip -- 12 August 2010: Friend Dave and hostess Annie suggested a day trip to the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grande at the BLM Wild Rivers Recreation Area north of Taos. It sounded great, so we saddled up and rode up there -- in the 4-Runner. On the way from Annie's house out to NM HWY 68, several things caught our eye. The first were the mountains behind Arroyo Seco that we could see in the rear-view mirror as we drove away.

Mountain Northeast of Arroyo Seco NM

Annie spotted a great-looking Appaloosa on the Taos Pueblo reservation side of the fence that runs along the road to Arroyo Seco, and I stopped to get a shot of it.

Reservation Appaloosa

While I was taking a photo of the horse, I saw a Damselfly motionless just over the fence line.

Reservation Damselfly (Argia nahuana)

To continue the trip we went up NM HWY 68 to the junction of NM HWY 522 to Questa and west to Wild Rivers Recreation Area. It was a sunny, warm, but not too hot, day. Perfect.

Headed North out of Taos on NM HWY 68

Drive Into the Wild Rivers Recreation Area NM

The Rio Grande or "Great River" has sliced an 800-foot deep volcanic canyon through the high plains of northern New Mexico, rich with history, rugged beauty, and exciting recreational opportunities. This natural wonder is intensively used, yet 90 percent remains in a natural condition; the other 10 percent is developed for concentrated recreational use. The Wild Rivers Back-Country Byway, a 13 mile loop, winds its way along the rim of the Rio Grande gorge and offers access to spectacular overlooks, including the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grande at La Junta Point -- possibly the most dramatic vista statewide, and it is wheelchair accessible. The canyon ecosystem descends 800 feet from rim to river, creating a unique diversity in plant and animal life. Ancient pinon and juniper forests are home to 500 year-old trees. Watchable wildlife opportunities include mule deer, red-tailed hawk, mountain blue-bird, and prairie dog. The climate is semi-arid with summer thunderstorms common in July and August, and snow possible from November through March. Summer temperatures range from 45 to 90 degrees F and in winter from -15 to 45 degrees F.

Guadalupe Mountain South from the Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Ecosystem Explanation

The Rio Grande Gorge at this point is rimmed with basalt formations, and pumice-like volcanic rock is scattered along the rim. Everywhere there are twisted pinon pines in sculptural shapes. Cactus grows amid the rocks and logs.

Log, Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia phaeacantha) and Basalt

Story of Basalt

You can drive along the gorge rim to a spot called La Junta Point where you have a great view both up and down the gorge. From there you look down into the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grande.

Looking Upstream into Rio Grande Gorge

The Trail at La Junta Point -- As you can see from the photo above there are trails through the gorge, in addition to white water opportunities and fishing -- brown trout in the Rio Grande, stocked rainbows in the Red River. Louise walked down the trail to the bottom for a ways just to get a better view. The trail starts at La Junta Point and descends into the Red River canyon side of the confluence.

Louise on the La Junta Trail above the Red River

At the confluence, the Red River comes in from the left, the Rio Grande from the right, as seen in the photo below.

Confluence of the Rio Grande and Red River from La Junta Point

Rio Grande River Near Confluence

The plants along the rim were diverse and a little surprising, except for the cactus -- it was very arid.

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia aristata)

Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia phaeacantha) on the Edge of Rio Grande Gorge

Everywhere around were interesting shapes and textures.

Volcanic Pumice at Rio Grande Gorge NM

Looking down into the canyon bottom, you could see a few quiet spots in the Rio Grande.

Rio Grande Ponderosa Pine and Basalt Rubble

Splintered Wood on the La Junta Trail

Worm Log on the La Junta Trail

And more views.....

Detail of the Rio Grande Gorge Rim

To get to the Wild Rivers Recreation Area from Taos, follow NM HWY 68 north seven miles. Continue north on NM HWY 522 approximately twenty miles to Questa. Three miles past the stoplight in Questa turn left onto NM HWY 378 and follow the signs about twelve miles west to Wild Rivers Recreation Area.

North to the Town of Red River NM -- After a few hours walking along the rims, we went back to Questa and then headed east on NM HWY 38 to Red River for lunch before continuing our adventure through the mountains above the town.

NM HWY 38 Through Red River NM

After lunch we headed out of Red River on Carson National Forest Road 54/597 that took off near the middle of town and headed up into the mountains -- with the idea we'd eventually end up back over in Questa. The road was gravel and a little rough, but no problem for the 4-Runner. We were again surprised at all the wild flowers in the canyon as we headed up to a pass on the road -- a lot of them for August. But then we remembered the elevation. The town of Red River itself is at over 8,600 feet.

Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) Above Red River NM

Scarlet Gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) Beside the Road

Red Berries Above Red River NM

White Flowers Above Red River

Paintbrush (Castilleja) Above Red River NM

As we climbed higher, we started to get some more panoramic views, looking down onto the Red River ski area. The peaks beyond the ski area were beautiful as well -- we imagined what they would have looked like with a snow covering on them.

Dave and Annie Look over Red River Ski Area

Peaks Above Red River Ski Area

Dumped Jeep Blocks Our Route -- As we got closer to the top of the pass on the way to Questa, we came around a corner and saw a small group of people standing around in the road. As we got closer, we saw a rent-a-jeep laying on its side in the road. Two guys on motorcycles were part of the on-looking crowd. One came down to tell us the jeep driver had lost control on the curve and drifted backwards until the jeep flipped on its side. Nobody hurt, thank goodness, but the rent-a-jeep patrons were very weirded-out waiting for a tow truck from Red River to come slowly up the twisty gravel road to set things aright.

Tipped Jeep with Helpful Motorcycle Guy

We couldn't get past the jeep and had no idea how long it would take a wrecker to arrive, so we turned around and headed west to Questa on Carson National Forest Road 134. rather than east over the pass at Greenie Peak.

We drove past a gate that captured our fancy -- mostly because of a 1975 grade-B movie we loved in college made in Montana called Rancho Deluxe written by Tom McGuane and starring Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston, (a cattle rustler in a pre-Law and Order role) and Elizabeth Ashley -- sound track featuring "Livingston Saturday Night" by Jimmy Buffet. Locals say it was the beginning of the end of Livingston as a small quaint Montana railroad town and the selling off of nearby Paradise Valley to Hollywood types. The movie tag line: Oh, give me a home, with a low interest loan. A cowgirl and two pickup trucks. A color TV, all the beer should be free. And that, man, is Rancho Deluxe.

El Rancho Deluxe on Carson National Forest Road 134

As we reached the outskirts of Questa, we saw a scattering of buildings that provided examples of adobe construction that were interesting in the evening sun.

Construction Technique in Questa NM

Before we hit NM HWY 522 in Questa again, we came across an amazing old church, Iglesia de San Antonio, that was in danger of collapse, but was still quite lovely from the front in the fading light.

Iglesia de San Antonio Church in Questa (Est 1820)

(Update, 2018: the church is in the third year of repairs started after we visited) We left Questa and headed back to Arroyo Seco. As we got near, we saw the familiar mountains up behind Arroyo Seco hit by low sun.

Mountain Beside Dave's Place in Late Sun

Once home, we kicked back on the patio and enjoyed the waning day. I watched amazing light filtering through the sunset clouds -- especially as it hit some of Annie's lovely plantings around the patio.