New Mexico's National Parks and Monuments celebrate 100th anniversary

By Wren Propp

With 10 of its monuments, four parks and one preserve in New Mexico, celebrating the year-long 100th anniversary of the National Park Service beginning August 25 means you won’t have to go far to find the party.

You could go north to Aztec Ruins National Monument in the northwest corner, or south to White Sands National Monument near Alamogordo. Or find a common thread to explore over a set of two or three, such as following your own “bat tour” between camping near Grants at the El Malpais National Monument’s volcanic cones and the tourist-friendly bat flights at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico. 

There’s also ancient culture – from Chaco Culture National Historic Park near Nageezi to Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos to Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque – or nature-made wonders like Capulin Volcano National Monument in the northeast corner of the state and the Valles Caldera outside of Jemez Springs. 

Explore New Mexico’s military history at Fort Union National Monument near Watrous or its world-changing contribution at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Los Alamos.

Visitors interested in New Mexico’s inherent recognition of the sacred may find it at the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument near Mountainair. Or seeking the more down-to-earth? Try El Morro National Monument near Ramah.

Nearly each one of the National Park Service properties in New Mexico features walking or hiking trails in order for the visitor to fully enjoy the entire educational aspect of each monument, park or preserve.

The celebration, which includes free admission to any fee area included in the National Park Service from August 25 through August 28, goes on for the entire year, so you’ve got time to complete your own ‘trail,” be it holes in the ground created by volcanos or beautiful, human-touched places, like Pecos National Historical Park outside of Pecos or the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument outside of Silver City.

If you’ve already seen it, done it, and bought the t-shirt, why not find one of the National Park Service national historic trails and hike for a bit, weather permitting. It may get you wondering about the roads traveled by those seeking broader landscapes and wider skies as New Mexico’s role in the West predates statehood. The historic trails include the Old Spanish with locales preserved in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. And then there’s the Santa Fe, with locales in New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Finally, El Camino Real del Tierra Adentro sites will help you understand how all roads apparently lead to Santa Fe.

Don’t forget your hat, pilgrim.

Some of the trails mentioned above are part of the National Park Service’s program of Heritage Travel – with itineraries to uncover the interconnectedness of the national parks and history. Read about it at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/heritagetravel/discover-our-shared-heritage.htm

Here’s more information about each monument, park and preserve in New Mexico:

Aztec Ruins National Monument near Aztec has something for everyone, from the first-time ruin visitor to the veteran looking for their next mind-blowing “wow.” Fishing, hiking, camping nearby. Contact: nps.gov/azru.; 505-334-6174

Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos attracts locals and lots of tourists, domestic and international. The reasons include that it’s accessible, beautiful and fun. There are places in New Mexico where ruins must only be viewed from behind the cordon. At Bandelier, however, you’ll have a chance to climb around the landscape a bit. The history is right at your fingertips. There’s also camping, ranger talks, dark skies appreciation. Contact: nps.gov/band; 505-672-3861

Capulin Volcano National Monument near the tiny town of Des Moines in northeast New Mexico offers hiking and the startling remains of a volcano. Contact: nps.gov/cavo; 575-278-2201

Carlsbad Caverns National Park near Carlsbad never disappoints because every time you go, you notice something else. Wildlife, desert landscape, the huge cave called Big Room filled with well-lit geological wonders. Last time we were there, it was the WPA-era stonework and architecture on the surface that caught our eye. If you are there when the bats fly, don’t miss it. Contact: nps.gov/cave; 575-785-2232.

Chaco Culture National Historic Park near Nageezi offers extensive viewing of sites abandoned by the Anasazi thousands of years ago and wonderfully preserved in the high desert plateau. Hiking, biking, ranger talks and dark skies appreciation. Contact: nps.gov/chcu; 505-786-7014.

El Malpais National Monument near Grants is one of our favorites because it’s like Carlsbad Caverns, but without all the people. Caves, camping, dark skies appreciation. Contact: nps.gov/elma; 505-876-2783.

El Morro National Monument near Ramah is one of those places that we always visit  when we’re in the neighborhood because it’s a reminder of a common theme in New Mexico as a crossroads, where travelers and locals left their mark through the eons. But, please, a selfie suffices for all of us now. Contact: nps.gov/elmo; 505-783-4226.

Fort Union National Monument near Watrous provides a look back at New Mexico’s role in the expansion of the United States between 1851 to 1891. Ranger talks provide much insight. Contact nps.gov/foun; 505-425-8025.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument near Silver City was an ancient settlement that modern-day people can now appreciate. Camping, fishing, hiking are all nearby. Contact nps.gov/gicl; 575-536-9461.

Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Los Alamos is still in the development stage, although there is a site in town that provides much of the history of how, when and where the development of the atomic bomb during World War II occurred. The once homey history museum is closed now, but locals are excited about the forthcoming expansion. Hiking, camping, skiing in the winter, dark skies appreciation. The Bradbury History Museum and a nature center are within easy driving or walking distance of the town center. Contact: nps.gov/mapr; 505-661-6277.

Pecos National Historical Park in Pecos presents the history of the intertwining of Spanish Colonialism and Native American cultures in one spectacular locale. It should be on the list of any newcomer or first-time visitor for a comprehensive primer on important aspects of New Mexico’s colonial period. Camping, fishing, hiking, nearby. Contact: nps.gov/peco; 505-757-7241.

Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque on the West Side. If you want to know about petroglyphs – images and symbols carved by humans hundreds of years ago – this is the place. Nearby is heavily urbanized. Contact: nps.gov/petr; 505-899-0205.

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (Gran Quivira, Abo and Quarai) near Mountainair is made up of three historic churches now beautifully open to the sky. The sites offer an earthly awareness of New Mexico’s harsh conditions and strong faith. This belongs on your list. We’re going back soon, ourselves. Contact nps.gov/sapu; 505-847-2585.

Valles Caldera National Preserve near Jemez Springs/Los Alamos is a beautiful bowl with a stream running through it. In New Mexico, there are 50 ways to say “wow” and Number 2 is “Valles Caldera,” (see Aztec Ruins for Number 1).  Most entry is by reservation and prior arrangement, but access is increasing. Elk, bear and other wildlife call this place home, tread carefully. Contact: nps.gov/vall; 575-829-4100.

White Sands National Monument near Alamogordo is a beach of white gypsum that just goes on and on and on – without an ocean. The amazing sand will spark your imagination for fun, including sledding and biking. This natural wonder could be part of a “desert ellipsis” trail including Carlsbad Caverns and Salinas Pueblo Missions. Heck, go to the Gila while you’re at it. Contact: nps.gov/whsa; 575-479-6124.

Adobe Belle Resort at Conchas Lake is Back in Business

By Wren Propp

The historic Adobe Belle cottages at Conchas Lake in New Mexico are available for rent again under new management with upgrades and improvements.

The Conchas Lake-area resort, made up of eight southwestern style cottages designed and constructed as a Civilian Conservation Corps project during the Great Depression, is open again after a four-year hiatus. The new concessionaire lease-holder is Buster Adair Enterprises LLC dba Adobe Belle Resort.

The cottages – or cabins -- have been carefully updated to retain their historic features, but also provide modern conveniences from the new operators of the resort, said Machelle Adair. The cottages, which include exposed vigas, hardwood floors and kiva-style fireplaces also feature kitchens and the resort staff provides cleaning service, Mrs. Adair said. The dam and the site is on the National Register of Historic Places.

“I call it an `historic oasis,’ and all you need to bring is you,” and food, she said.

The Adairs

The Adair family members have been long-time visitors to the popular lake, dam and cottage compound. The former operators of the Adobe Belle Resort, the Cables, retired about four years ago. The owner of the property, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, had been working on repairs and developing a business plan for the next agreement. Since the fall of 2015, the Adair family and the Corps have been working together to get the seven-acre property into running order – removing dead trees from an orchard and replacing roofing – while the Adair family began refurbishing the interiors of the cottages with southwestern style furnishings.

The result is a solid thumbs-up from visitors since the Adobe Belle opened for reservations the last week of May, according to Mrs. Adair.

“I hear visitors say `wow!’ when they walk into the cabins,” she said.

Machelle and husband, Greg, are the on-site managers for the Adair-family operation. The Adair family, including Buster, his wife, Betty, and Buster’s brother David, who is Greg’s father, has memories of visiting the lake and the cottages. Those memories are in part what drives their desire to offer hospitable, eye-pleasing surroundings to visitors.

The family members appreciate the historical aspect of the locale, she said.

Since the re-opening of the resort, they’ve met former residents who recalled growing up in the small town that developed while hundreds of workers and their families from around New Mexico came to the site to work during the Great Depression.

Each cabin has two bedrooms and houses a maximum of eight people. The current rate is $170 a night with a $40 cleaning fee. Reservations are available via the Adobe Belle’s Facebook page, or at http://www.conchaslakeadobebelleresort.com/. No smoking and no pets are allowed. You may also reach them by calling 575-868-0300.

Relief from the long-term drought means that lake levels are up and the surroundings are green, making Conchas Lake a haven for hiking, camping and fishing enthusiasts, said Steve Peterson, Lake Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

The lake levels supported a bass fishing tournament prior to Memorial Day. While camping at the developed campground is the purview of the State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, the USACE offers tours of the historic dam Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Corps also offers a large group shelter that is available for reservation. Use of the America the Beautiful Golden Age Pass to all federal properties is encouraged, offering access to a group shelter in the Day Use Area with picnic tables, grills, two horseshoe pits, a six-hole disc-golf course and a volleyball court. Reservations for larger events to use the group shelter are required.

State Parks offers two separate campgrounds with new amenities for tent camping and some recreational vehicles, according to its website.

All agencies, both public and private, are supporting the New Mexico Game and Fish Department’s efforts to prevent invasive species. Boaters are urged to comply with requests of boat inspectors from the Game and Fish Department.

Other events coming up this summer include a Fourth of July Boat Parade sponsored by the local Legion Unit, which also has a fireworks display, barbecue and live music, says, Toni Brown, Project Assistant with the Corps of Engineers.

For more information about the cabins including plenty of photos and videos check out the Adobe Belle's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/adobebelleresort/?pnref=lhc

You may reach the USACE at http://www.spa.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Recreation/ConchasLake.aspx, or by calling 575-868-2221.

You may reach Conchas Lake State Park at http://newmexicostateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/conchas-lake/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NM&parkId=430007 or by calling 575-868-2270.

Adobe Belle Resort at Conchas Lake Restored and Ready to Reopen

Conchas Lake is an oasis on the sunny plains of eastern New Mexico where once again vacationers will soon be able to rent an historic cottage for a cozy getaway.

The Adobe Belle Resort at Conchas Lake has been closed for the last three years while making repairs to the historic cottages built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers during the Great Depression.

Now much of the structural work and upgrades have been done, the process of picking a new concessionaire is underway and the resort should be back in operation soon, maybe even by this summer, says Steve Peterson, lake manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Steve Peterson at the Adobe Belle Resort, Conchas Lake NM.

The Adobe Belle cottages have long been one of state’s best kept vacation secrets.

It’s a place where guests can lounge on a lawn under a big shade tree while enjoying a  cool breeze and the view of the immense lake.

Each two-bedroom cottage features hardwood floors, exposed vigas, thick adobe walls, kiva fireplaces and tiled bathrooms.  Each has an enclosed patio, shaded carport and plenty of seclusion too.

Under renovation

The four duplex, rental cottages are tucked away in a secluded neighborhood under a canopy of shade trees behind the Army Corps offices at the dam.

The rental cottages are a big draw for those who like to fish the lake for its bass, walleye, and other warm water species. 

Recent monsoon rains and decent winter snows have helped the lake recover from years of drought and the fishing is now reported to be some of the best in the state, says Eric Frey, sport fish program manager for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

A good clue as to where the fish might be.

Other recreational activities at the lake include swimming, water skiing, sailing or simply playing on the sandy beaches.

But if its history you’re into, then Conchas lake is a really a great place to visit.

Built primarily as a public works project to provide jobs to New Mexicans at a time when half the state was unemployed back in the 1930s, the dam provides flood control, irrigation and recreation today.

It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in part because of the Spanish/Pueblo Revival architectural style used throughout the project.

The Adobe Belle cottages.

While crossing the dam one might notice the bronze doors and wrought iron lantern fixtures built into the structure.

A stop at the Corps office will reveal paintings by artists employed during the Depression that document the dam’s construction.

And the visitors’ center is stocked with interpretive and historical displays and a video of the dam’s history.

But what one can’t see any longer is the town that was carved out of the desert on the Bell Ranch just downstream of the dam to house some 2,500 workers and their families while the project was underway.

The view from the Adobe Belle cottages.

Ninety percent of the workers on the project came off the relief rolls, earning between 25 to 45 cents an hour.

The town known as Conchas City consisted of 36 dormitories, 132 stand-alone homes, multiple offices and workshops; all built from handmade adobes or carved sandstone, according to published accounts of the project’s history.

There was a mess hall to feed 1,500 workers a day, a 24-bed hospital considered one of the best in the state at the time and related businesses including a gas station, drug store, restaurant, pool hall, grocery store, barber and tailor’s shops.

The community hosted a grammar school and high school, a 700-seat movie theatre that was the envy of the area and even tennis courts and a golf course.

Electricity was provided for the town by generators powered by natural gas obtained through a pipeline laid by workers to Tucumcari, some 32 miles away.

The town was later dismantled when the 235-feet high, 1,250-feet long dam, $15-million dam was completed after four years of construction. Many of the same materials were later reused by CCC workers to create the Army Corps’ offices, workshops and the cottages at the dam. 

The dam at Conchas lake.

A history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District by Michael E. Welsh provides in-depth details about the dam project including ethnic tensions, political scandals and other issues that arose and may sound familiar today.

For example, primary contractors on the job brought in Mexican Nationals from their Los Angeles base of operations who were deemed more competent and learned in the ways of heavy construction than the relief roll workers, of whom 60 percent were poor, local Hispanics from farming and ranching backgrounds, according to Welsh’s book.

This led to ethnic tensions during the project which still exist today for many New Mexicans.

And a prominent U.S. Senator, Dennis Chavez, was at the heart of allegations that he had placed relatives and family members inside the public relief system who pressured relief workers statewide to make campaign contributions to the Chavez political machine or face transfer from their hometown relief jobs to the remote project at Conchas Dam, according to Welsh’s book.

This earned the Conchas Dam project the nickname “Devil’s Island” among some workers who were forced to toil there.

Today the construction town is gone but the lake remains with several campgrounds to enjoy, a couple of boat ramps, a marina and other amenities that make the state’s third largest lake a great vacation destination. And it’s just a two-hour, very scenic, drive from Las Vegas.

For more information about Conchas Lake can call themCorps at 575-868-2221 or 575-868-2421 or visit their website at http://www.spa.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Recreation/ConchasLake.aspx.

New Mexico's Oasis on the Plains - Mills Canyon.

Hidden deep in an unseen canyon far out on the prairie of New Mexico lies a tranquil, riverside campground where the history, scenery and solitude make for an exceptional stay.

Mills Canyon is on the Canadian River near the small farming and ranching community of Roy where mountainous clouds loom over a seemingly endless spread of grassland.

It’s may not be one of the Forest Service’s bigger draws but it’s a great little campground for those venturing out onto the plains to see the Kiowa National Grasslands.

“It’s this totally unexpected jewel out there in the middle of the prairie,” says Mike Atkinson, 58, District Ranger for the Kiowa and Rita Blanca Grasslands of the U.S. Forest Service’s Cibola National Forest. “And you’d never know it was there until you see the tops of those ponderosa pines.”

Visitors follow NM 39 north out of Roy to the well marked turnoff at Mills for a seven mile jaunt along a good gravel road stretching out across the plains. 

Then with the suddenness of falling off a cliff the road turns a corner and drops steeply into the canyon.

The rocky, narrow road traverses a few tight curves, some switchbacks and a couple of slight dips during its three mile descent and is unsuitable for most recreational vehicles, travel trailers and touring buses.

Visitors in larger vehicles can stay up top at a convenient campground found just off the road at the canyon’s edge.

Those headed down to the campground below will pass under towering Ponderosa pines and see scrub oak, juniper and pinon pine on the hillside.  

Visitors will find several wide spots on the road where interpretive signs have been placed that explain the canyon’s history, geology, wildlife and other interesting information.

From these spots on the road visitors can also see the pea green river sparkling below and the red faced cliff walls fringing the canyon.

“It’s a breath taking drive in,” Atkinson says.

Once down below visitors can pick one of 12 camp sites either hidden among the trees by the river or a little further back along the road with a clearer view of the sky.

This is a primitive campground with no running water, electricity or trash collection so visitors must pack out what they brought in.

The recently upgraded camp sites each feature a picnic table and fire ring and the camp ground boasts two brand new outhouses.

The canyon itself features stands of cottonwood and juniper trees, wide pastures and the still standing rock walls of abandoned buildings with more interpretive signs.

Visitors will learn that what nature has now reclaimed and hidden was the once thriving, turn of the century agricultural empire operated by Melvin Mills, a shrewd businessman, district attorney and legislator whose mansion in Springer still stands.

Mills had consolidated family homestead holdings within the Canadian River canyon now named after him and created a progressive farming and ranching operation complete with a complex irrigation system, numerous fruit and nut orchards and solid stone buildings, according to published historical accounts. Read more about the history of Mill's Canyon at http://hardingcounty.org/mills.html.

Much of the bounty from Mills’ cattle and agricultural operations was hauled to nearby railroad depots in Springer and Wagon Mound to help supply the railroads’ Harvey House hotels.

Mills also built a hotel to service vacationers brought into the canyon by stagecoach and his operation thrived as a vacation resort.

But in 1904 a massive flood brought on by unseasonably heavy rains roared through the canyon, wiping out his empire and burying much of it under several feet of silt and debris.

Mills never recovered and abandoned the canyon to help build the town of Mills back up on the plains.

But despite his many successful business efforts, the man is said to have died penniless and dependent upon the generosity of others.

Meanwhile the town of Mills and the surrounding plains prospered as homesteaders flocked to the area and took up farming.

But once again nature and fate stepped in to put a halt to man’s best laid plans.

The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl conspired to drive many off the plains and all that remains now of the town of Mills is a couple of ranch houses and a desolate windmill.

In the end, federal government was forced to step in to save this area of the prairies from any further losses.

The national grasslands are the remains of those efforts, four tracts of federally managed grasslands with two in New Mexico. About 78,000 acres around Mills Canyon and another 57,000 acre tract near Clayton.

Both are administered by the Forest Service’s Kiowa and Rita Blanca grasslands office in Clayton. For more information visit the Cibola section of the U.S Forest Service Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r3/cibola or call the ranger office at 505-374-9652.

Back down in Mills Canyon, visitors can explore the remains of Mill’s stone-built, two-story hotel, relax in the cool shade of the carved sandstone cliff walls or wander among remaining stands of orchard trees.

And the river is said to even harbor a good population of catfish to keep anglers happy.

During the summer months visitors will find the temperature here rises quickly but with plenty of shade and maybe a spray bottle of water for swamp-cooler like relief one can easily ride out the afternoon comfortably.

Be aware of the potential for encounters with snakes and other wildlife and take preventative measures to limit risks.

The campsites here are free to use and visitors supplied with plenty of water, ice and insect repellent can enjoy a very leisurely stay due to its remote location.

Visitors can find most everything they’d need for an enjoyable outing to Mills Canyon in the nearby, tidy little town of Roy. The town boasts a bar with package sales, a 24-hour gas station, a diner, bank, grocery/hardware store and even a little old fashioned motel.  Buy your camping and other supplies here and help keep the rural economies thriving.

IF YOU GO:

From Las Vegas head northeast on I-25 to Wagon Mound and turn east towards Roy on N.M. 120. At Roy take N.M. 39 toward Abbott and about 10 miles out of town turn west on Mills Canyon Road and follow for about seven miles to the canyon rim. 

Clayton Lake Fishing Derby One of NM's Best

Roger Martinez shows off a nice stocked rainbow trout he caught at Clayton Lake State Park.

 It’s said to be New Mexico’s biggest and best fishing derby drawing thousands of visitors from neighboring states to Clayton Lake State Park where the top prize of a fully equipped bass fishing boat is a big draw.

“It’s just a good, ole fashioned, family affair,” says Charles Jordan, longtime manager of the park for New Mexico State Parks. ”Everyone loves it and it just seems to get better every year.”

The park outside of Clayton has played host to the event for going on 15 years now.

Many of the event’s guests camp out at the park and turn the weekend into a real family friendly holiday with lots kids running around and people visiting each other at their campsites, Jordan says.

“We show folks some real down-home New Mexico-style hospitality here,” Jordan says.

Clayton Lake State Park is an oasis out in big sky country on the plains of eastern New Mexico.

Camping reservations go quick as the event draws near but park staff make every effort to accommodate folks and there’s also a KOA campground and several hotels including the historic Eklund to stay at in town.

This year’s annual derby is scheduled for the weekend of June 13 and 14 and will feature up to $10,000 in prizes including a fully equipped bass boat and top cash prizes of $1,500 and $1,000, says Leroy Montoya, town trustee and fishing derby committee board member.

Another winner collects a check at the Clayton lake fishing derby. Photo courtesy of Clayton Chamber of Commerce.

Anglers can also earn cash prizes for catching the best trout, catfish, bass or walleye.

Four state record walleyes have been caught at Clayton Lake since 1981 with the current record of a 32-inch, 16 pounds 9 ounces caught by G.L. Peppers back in 1989.

Eric Frey of New Mexico Department of Game and Fish shows off one of the big walleyes one can find lurking in the depths of Clayton Lake.

The lake is heavily stocked by the state Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) which owns also the property and built the dam back in 1954 to benefit migratory waterfowl.

State Parks’ leases the lake from NMDGF under an agreement which allows licensed anglers to fish there without having to pay a State Park day use fee.

 Registration for the derby and prizes is $15 per person.

In addition to the big awards, over a hundred door prizes including sporting goods and other merchandise, much of it donated by local businesses, will be awarded on an hourly basis to ticket holders during the two-day event.

There's plenty of door prizes to be awarded at the Clayton Lake fishing derby. Photo courtesy of Clayton Chamber of Commerce.

Visitors will find free coffee and donuts available each morning and free hot dogs, soda and chips at lunch both days, Montoya says.

For kids there’s the dinosaur egg hunt where children can root through a big pile of sand each morning in search of plastic Easter eggs packed with coins. 

Kids can also enjoy riding around the park in a toy train towed by an ATV while others can participate in the horse shoe-pitching tournament, hot dog-eating contest or attend the star party on Saturday night.

Clayton Lake State Park features a fully equipped observatory to view the cosmos under some of the best star-gazing conditions in the country.  It is one of only four sites worldwide officially recognized by the International Dark Sky Association for its incredibly dark skies.

Clayton Lake State Park Manager Charles Jordan stands inside the park's observatory.

The Association bestowed its top honor upon the park in June 2010 for efforts by the state, county and town to preserve the area’s dark skies, reduce surrounding light pollution and provide educational programs.

The park’s $75,000 Star Point Observatory opened in June 2006 and features a 12x16-foot building with a retractable roof that houses a 12-inch, computer operated telescope and remote television monitor which allows for group viewing.

The telescope and monitor is powered by a solar charged battery system.

Volunteers from the local astronomy club play a big role in supporting the observatory, Jordan says.

Views of the moon and the stars from Clayton Lake State park are incredible.

They host regularly scheduled star parties each month on the first Friday of the new moon cycle while also providing impromptu parties for visitors when the park has plenty of overnight visitors.

Hundreds of local school children, scouting groups, astronomy clubs and park visitors have all enjoyed the benefits of the observatory at Clayton Lake State Park.

The park also enjoys a good reputation among bird and wildlife watchers and those interested in paleontology as a large set of dinosaur tracks were found and are now preserved in the earth that forms the dam’s spillway.

The pathway at Clayton Lake State Park allows visitors to see dinosaur tracks up close without damaging them.

The park also features a new visitors’ center constructed of straw bale and recycled steel beams while utilizing the latest in green energy techniques.

The visitor center also features an interpretive display inside which highlights the park and surrounding area’s history and other interesting information.

Clayton Lake State Park's visitor center features is state of the art and eco-friendly.

The park boasts over 30 campsites equipped with shelters, picnic table and fire rings.

There are seven sites with electric and water hookups and two large group shelters.

Showers are available inside the main restroom while numerous vault toilets are located throughout the park.

The annual fishing derby is just one of several successful events that the town of Clayton hosts throughout the year, says Judy Steen, Executive Director Clayton-Union County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism.

Clayton Lake State Park can be found just 12 miles north of town off NM 370 out by Rabbit Ear Mountain.

The town’s annual Fourth of July celebration including a parade, pancake breakfast, rodeo, barbeque, street dance, softball tournament and fireworks show draws thousands every year, she says.

The town also pulls in a big crowd for its Viva New Mexico music festival in mid July featuring street dancing in front of the historic Eklund Hotel to the tunes of performers such as Al Hurricane Jr., Roberto Griego and Tobias Rene.

Then there’s the annual Union County Rodeo in August spanning the course of four days which also brings in plenty of folks from the surrounding countryside, Steen said.

The town’s well attended annual arts festival takes place in October featuring up to 40 arts and crafts booths on display in the Clayton Civic Center. 

And in March up to 120 runners compete in the Dust Bowl Marathon, an event spanning four neighboring states, that ends in Clayton and has become another great event for the town, Steen says.

Clayton is located in the heart of cattle country where folks living on remote farms and ranches can obtain supplies and enjoy the town's many popular events. 

Clayton’s approach to keeping its rural economic engine humming could serve as a model to other agricultural communities seeking to in tap into the state’s booming tourism trade, Steen suggested.

“We do everything we can to keep our small rural community thriving and these kinds of events are an important part of that effort,” she said. 

For more info about Clayton’s events see their website at http://www.claytonnm.org/ or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/clayton.chamber .

 For more info about the derby check out Clayton Lake State Park’s web page at http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/claytonlakestatepark.html. 

And for a nicely done take on the 2011 derby see the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf6NezRUMEo .