Bottomless Lakes SP, NM

We left Texas today and made our way into New Mexico, with the time change of course.  We left the interstate and travelled on state roads.  What a difference! Nice, two lane road with very little traffic.  Just wide open fields, first of oil rigs, wind farms and then cattle ranches. For most of the drive, it was just oil rigs and I’m amazed at the expanse of it.  The pump jacks just went on and on for miles.  Once we got closer to Bottomless Lakes and Roswell, it was mostly cattle ranches, all very flat terrain.

We went into Roswell, the UFO capital of US.  Frankly, I found it a bit cheesy, aliens’ figures around McDonals and Dunkin’, couple of store with UFO theme along Main St, some food trucks with UFO murals.  What was more surprising were orchards of pistachios and pecans trees, I did not think of this area as farmland.  I’ve learn that pistachios need dry climate, though biggest farms are in Alamogordon, NM.

Bottomless Lakes are not really lakes, these are cenotes or sink holes.  There are nine in the park, Lea Lake has the campground and day use area with swim beach. I like the campground, our site was lake front with a nice covered patio, short walking distance to the swim beach.

The lake is about 90 feet deep and crystal clear.  And cold, the water right now was about 65 degrees. How did I know? After driving for few hours and then walking around in 90 plus degree weather, I was ready for a dip.

Alas, we decided to depart early, there are wind warnings for Thursday, our original departure date and Tom does not want to drive the camper, like a big sail, through 50 plus mph gusts.

We are on our way to Santa Fe!