(Los Piños NM)
Boondock camping next to the Río de los Piños was recommended to me by an RVer during my travels. So naturally, I had to go check it out. It was several miles south of Antonito CO, and then down a gravel road, which took me across the stateline into northern New Mexico.
Río de los Piños
There were four spots along the river for camping. I chose one and then scouted the area. The river didn’t have much water, but there were a few nice views. Lots of shade trees and moisture provided conditions ideal for swarms of mosquitoes. So, little time could be spent outside the rig.
Hills beyond River
Rocks in the River
On the other side of the road were some cliffs, and some high ridges across the river. It wasn’t as picturesque as I thought it would be. The bugs made it less comfortable than I wanted. Glad I went to see it though. Perhaps a different time of year would have been better.
Short Drop in the Water
Cliffs across the Road
After a couple of days, I moved on to another camp at a higher elevation. It was still August, so something cooler was more desirable.
Camp: Río de Los Piños Wildlife Area boondock
Scene: River, cliffs
What altitude do you feel is necessary to escape summer heat?
Depends on the temperature at lower elevations. Degrees go down as you go up; by about 3 for each 1,000ft change. So, 90 at 6,000ft could be 84 at 8,000ft. My ideal temps are 75-80; so, I like to stay above 8,000ft in the summer.