Favorite Campsites

Do you have a favorite campsite that you really enjoyed? Maybe it is one that you heard about and maybe had reservations for. But for me, my most favorite campsites are the ones I didn't know about and happened upon them by chance or circumstance.

 Such is the case here at site number 19 in Heron Lake State Park, New Mexico. It is a large campground with a few loops. When I pulled into the park Wednesday late morning, my first objective was to find the sanitary station which I found easily. While I was taking care of business, the campground host pulled up in his cart and introduced himself as Rusty Irons. Yep. That is right.

A view from my front porch. Can you see the lake?

He was most accommodating telling me sites that are available for me to use and he told me today is a good time to come in because the weekenders were gone and there were several good sites that I could use. I was still clueless about what I wanted and so he suggested #19. He said you won't be disappointed. He said drive through the whole area and come back and let me know where you finally settled but I took his earlier advice and said sign me up for #19.

camouflaged!

When I finally approached the site, I knew I was finally home because it really was the perfect site for me. Water and electricity, a clean shelter, plenty of pull through space with lots of room for adjusting the camper if needed. It was flat which was nice, too. Plus, lots of trees and brush for privacy and wildlife. I could not have asked for anything more.

Rusty and his wife came by my camp a couple of time to see if I was enjoying my stay and if they could do anything to help out. What great folks to come check on me during my stay. I had the feeling they were doing the same thing for all the campers.

I enjoyed several nice thunderstorms from this campsite.

I liked my little space here at #19 so much that I found myself adding to my stay several nights as time went on. It was a great home base for the many day trips and hikes I enjoyed during my stay in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

It was a very quiet couple of days before the weekenders came into the campground. It was very busy with crowds, noises, barking dogs, loud motors, etc., but by Sunday afternoon, they had all cleared out and there was peace and quiet again.

I have plans to someday return to this park but I wonder if I will want to stay at the same camp spot. You know what I mean: sometimes when you return to a favorite campsite, restaurant, or other unexpected favorite spot, it doesn't have the same feel as the first time you were there. But who knows, maybe it will have the same comfort as it did the first time. We shall see.