Last week we camped at Datil Wells Campground, NM and visited the Gila, Apache, and Cibola National Forests. It was another good trip: It was almost all new territory for us; Beautiful and nice people. 

Sunset from our campsite.

One of our visits was to Pie Town, NM on the Continental Divide Trail. So we got to see a little more of the CDT and eat some great pie.

It was very kitschy in Pie Town.

Apache Creek canyon.

Woodpecker.

Hawk along the road (HA! Yeah sure it was a road.) to Fox Mountain Lookout.

The northern edge of the Gila NF, about 8 miles south of Old Horse Springs, NM. We drove about 60 miles of gravel road that day, averaging about 10mph. Some of the road was even part of the CDT and we met 4 backpackers along that section.

Mike at the last phone booth in America. 

This was at the entrance to the Negrito Work Center, which is a fire-fighting station in the Mogollon Mountains, and just across the road from the cleared field that serves as a heliport for fire-fighters. 

Scorched tree trunk. 

Autumn plants.

Pinyon Jay. 

The last time we saw a Pinyon Jay was at the Grand Canyon two years ago. Here we apparently were near either a roost or their migration. There were hundreds of them, and they were all very active and noisy. This was the only one that paused long enough for a photograph. 

Multicolored lichen on rock. 

Scorched pine cone.

Plants among the rocks.

An Enormous Grasshopper!

Dennis and Mike at Rocky Point.

Dennis at a trailhead.

Moonrise at our campground.

Early morning at the Very Large Array (Radio Telescope) on the Plains of San Agustin, west of Socorro, NM.

Surrounded by mountains that protect it from outside radio-wave interference, the VLA consists of 27 antennas arranged in a huge "Y" pattern, about 22 miles across. It is otherworldly, especially if you come upon it driving on the gravel road coming north out of the Gila NF. 

Moonset over the VLA.

We had a plan all set to spend the week exploring on the north end of the Gila National Forest near Datil, NM. But, at the last minute, it became clear that the weather was not going to cooperate. So we adjusted and went to the South Monticello Campground at Elephant Butte and did day trips into ghost-towns, wildlife refuges and isolated canyons. It was a good trip. Hope you will enjoy the pictures. 

Welcome to New Mexico. This is the West.

The view from the South Monticello Campground over the Rio Grande and towards the Fra Cristobal Mountains. There was rain around us for much of the week. 

And this is the Rio Grande near our campsite - with rain to the north of us. 

Western Kingbird

Abstract Impressions in Truth or Consequences, NM 

And Sunset from our campsite.

San Mateo Mountains

Winston and Chloride New Mexico 

Sky turning to rain in the afternoon

Pelicans flying through the stormy sky.

Fragment of a rainbow rises over the Fra Cristobal Mountains.

A male Phainopepla. We've only seen these once before, and this fellow was the first bird we saw at Bosque del Apache.

Great Blue Heron and a Swallow

. . . and the Turkey jumped over the moon . . . 

We have also posted a video of Wild Turkeys at Bosque del Apache:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc-aaFO5vGE

Pelicans and a Great Blue Heron

A female Red-winged Blackbird in the Cattail reeds

Black Phoebe

Roadrunner

Kestrel

Sunflowers and multi-colored grasses

Knotweeds

San Lorenzo Canyon is about five miles down this gravel road, and then another two miles driving down a dry creek-bed. The dry wash is very intimidating, but it's worth the effort. 

In San Lorenzo Canyon

Back at the campground: Sunset over the Rio Grande