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| Tolby campground |
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| Toby Creek, a trout fisherman's paradise |
Cimarron Canyon State Park is located just east of Eagles Nest, CO. in the Sangre De Cristo mountain range, spanish for blood of Christ. Toby campground is the head quarters for the park located high up in the foot hills of the mountains at about 8,000 feet. The days in the summer here are pleasantly cool with highs near 80 and lows at night in the mid to upper 40's. The park is nestled in a river valley with abundant trout fishing opportunities for campers that love to fish.
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| Cinarron Canyon State Park visitors center at Tolby campground |
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| Trout fishing is popular in the parks rivers and lakes |
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| The Palisades Sill formation in Cimarron Canyon State Park |
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| Sun flower enjoying the high mountain rays of the August sun |
During our visit we took a drive through the park to the old western town of Cimarron, NM, located on the Santa Fe wagon trail. We enjoyed the many historic buildings and museums in town including the St. James Hotel. Many a gunslinger of the likes of Doc Holiday and Jesse James spent time at the hotels saloon drinking and playing poker. The St. James is haunted and is the subject of many a TV show featuring ghost hunters how explore many of the known haunted places around the country. For the brave visitor rooms are available for an over night stay. The food is excellent at the St. James as it was founded by the chief for President Lincoln back in the day. The tradition continues to this day of good food and drink. The rooms are themed and named after the hotels many famous visitors who passed through this area during the hay day of the old west back in the eighteen hundreds.
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| The haunted St. James Hotel in Cimarron, NM |
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| Lobby of the St. James Hotel |
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Bat Masterson lower left and Wyatt Earp upper right,
famous guests at the St. James |
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A ghostly image can be seen in the window to the far right.
We discovered this image after reviewing my photos on our way back home. |
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| Jesse James another famous guest at the St. James |
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The original bar and saloon at the St. James.
Many a gunslinger meet their maker at the St. James |
While in Cimarron we also stopped at the Aztec Grist Mill which is now home to a museum that chronicles the areas history. This building is also haunted according to the volunteer who was on watch the day of our visit. He mentioned that he heard plates and cups clanking in the chuck wagon at times along with other strange happenings at unexpected times. I guess many a story can be told regarding the lives and unfortunate deaths of the many hard scrabble folks who came through here on the old Santa Fe trail.
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| The Old Aztec Grist Mill which is home to the historical museum |
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| Original Chuck wagon used on the Santa Fe trail |
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| Two headed calf |
While walking around town observing some of the historic buildings in town I spotted a male deer with a good set of antlers near a apple tree that attracted him to the area. I love this picture as he is look right at me not far away.
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| The deer are at home in Cimarron |
New Mexico has a lot of western appeal and is a great place to see a variety of landscapes from the deserts in the south to the mountains surrounding Taos and Santa Fe. It is truly the land of enchantment.
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| Eagles Nest Lake |
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| The town of Eagles Nest, New Mexico |
Cimarron Canyon State Park
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