Southern and Central New Mexico Exploration

[ttora4runner]

Two weekends ago I made the trip to southern New Mexico to do some exploring around the Fort Stanton Historic Site and the surrounding area then down to White Sands National Park and then to central New Mexico Quebradas National Back Country Byway.

Fort Stanton, New Mexico: https://www.fortstanton.org/history

Photos are in order as to how I toured the site, unfortunately the buildings where locked due to COVID so I couldn’t explore them.

 

[ttora4runner]

 

[ttora4runner]

Physicians House

 

[ttora4runner]

Physicians House

 

[ttora4runner]

This building had somewhat of a creepy feel to it for some reason.

 

[ttora4runner]

The building on the left was the Occupational Therapy Building and the building on the right is the Power Plant (building in 1935, was the 2nd one building on site and one of the oldest in New Mexico).

Down the road from the fort is the location of the Fort Stanton Cemetery.

 

[ttora4runner]

View from the cemetery

After exploring the cemetery I head out on some of the forest service roads in the area to do some exploring, had the trail all to myself.

East Mesa Trail

 

[ttora4runner]

Overlook – there’s a campground to left down in the valley with one camper (Cave campground, there is cave in area you can explore which I didn’t do on this trip).

From the East Well Trail

Gypusm Spring Canyon – nothing left of the lake besides the structures.

I was tempted to walk out on this but opted not to.

 

[ttora4runner]

One of the trails in the area that you can hike and bike and from what could tell they don’t get much use.

White Sands National Park on the 2nd day, a park which I don’t ever recall visiting on family vacations growing up. Recent snow storms added to the whiteness of the park. I think it would be fun to return and camp in one of the backcountry campsites for a night.

 

[ttora4runner]

After tooling around the park and the visitor center I was off to the Quebradas National Back Country Byway in central New Mexico before heading home (trip was to be long but due to a personnel issue I had to call the trip a day short).

 

[ttora4runner]

Despite having to call the trip short it was nice getting out and exploring more of New Mexico.

 

[BLand Cruiser]

Nice pictures. Thanks!!

 

[Ace Brown]

Your posts are always interesting and packed with history. I visited Fort Stanton once but it was closed on a Federal Holiday.


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[NMBruce]

Great pictures

I did the White Sands trail many years ago, started around 8:30-9 in the fall and it still got hot before I could finish.

 

[ttora4runner]

Great pictures

I did the White Sands trail many years ago, started around 8:30-9 in the fall and it still got hot before I could finish.

It was around 18*F when I got there.