Chasing the Cumbres & Toltec

Rio Chama

August 18, 2022

too many horse trailers

We crept north to Chama in the pouring rain, not even stopping to hang out at the train station. When we reached our intended camping spot at Archuleta Corral, we found it not only flooded, but packed with horse trailers and ATVs.

lovely campsite

We ventured up the dead-end road and found a wonderful dispersed site.

start of Rio Chama Trail

On the only truly sunny day of the entire trip, we were very fortunate to find ourselves on the Rio Chama Trail.

view of Rio Chama Valley

The first mile-and-a-half was, essentially, flooded, and badly torn up by horses and ATVs.

higher ground

Finally we reached higher, drier ground.

coneflowers

Coneflowers.

Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel

Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel.

strange mushroom

There were mushrooms everywhere! This is the strangest one I've ever seen, and I haven't been able to ID it.

Police Car Month on a Coneflower

Police Car Moth on a Coneflower.

Lunch spot beside the river.

Scarlet Gilia

Scarlet Gilia

Richardson's Geranium

Richardson's Geranium

Parry's Gentian

Parry's Gentian

Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel

I can't stop photographing these guys!