We needed one overnight stop to break up the trip from Navajo Lake to Great Sand Dunes National Park, but I’d been unable to get a reservation anywhere. So we set out for the Rio Grande National Forest, hoping to get a first-come first-serve campsite at one of the several campgrounds scattered along the Conejos River. We were just hoping for any campsite but boy, did we find one at Aspen Glade!
Beautiful site, right on the river, plenty of shade and trees for Russ to hang his hammock from (he’s become very fond of sleeping out in his hammock, while I don’t mind getting the whole bed to myself and Moe).
Alas, it was only for one night—it actually was a reservable site and someone had booked it the next day. Our second spot wasn’t quite as spectacular, but by this point we were enjoying the shade and the cool breeze so much that we decided to skip Great Sand Dunes altogether and spend two more nights there.
Shortly before we arrived, a big Ponderosa pine fell across this site, bashing the picnic table. But it was almost on the river and we had shade. When we weren’t relaxing and enjoying the cooler air, we were hiking along the Conejos River and taking pictures of the spectacular scenery.
The other great thing about Aspen Glade was the birds. On top of Western Tanagers—vivid yellow and black birds with bright orange-red head and Steller’s Jays—big, boisterous, bold birds much like their Blue Jay cousins, but with striking blue and black coloration—both of which I’ve seen before, I actually added three new birds to my life list! I was delighted to spot Juniper Titmice, Mountain Chickadees, and a lone Pygmy Nuthatch. Broad Tailed Hummingbirds often flashed by, hovering in front of anything colorful—pink shirts, blue waterbottles, even Moe’s red collar, which left him alert but confused.
We made the right choice, according to our neighbors, who visited Great Sand Dunes only to be hit by a sandstorm. The campgrounds, they said, had no shade at all. Three nights well spent cooling off after our very hot visit to New Mexico. It was worth it, even though it made a long trip to our next campground at Eleven Mile State Park.