Navajo Lake State Park, NM: Memories of a Time Lost

Navajo Dam spillway, New Mexico

A few years ago, on a trip out west, I got lost and ended up in Colorado instead of New Mexico. I distinctly remember going past the Navajo Dam and the lake and thinking, "Ooh, pretty place, I should come back here some day, but for now I don't know where I am and it's getting dark, and I won't be able to see, and I'm lost. Oh my." (Back then, I couldn't see well at night, but now I can.) I'd started the day in Monument Valley and I was headed east; I don't remember now what my destination was, but I know it wasn't Durango, Ignacio, or Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I ended up spending the night in Ignacio, by the way.

San Juan River valley, low side of Navajo Dam, New Mexico

I couldn't have imagined then that I'd come to live in New Mexico for a year. It was satisfying to swing by here again.



  

Navajo Lake State Park, Part 2: Cottonwood Day Use Area

 

Navajo Lake State Park, Cottonwood Day Use Area, New Mexico.

The Cottonwood Day Use Area of Navajo Lake State Park is along the San Juan River.

If I weren't so lazy, I'd carry around with me various field guides that would tell me the names, habitats, and stories of the flora and fauna that I encounter. But I am generally lazy in such areas, so all I can say about the red-twigged bushes are .... "oooh, pretty."

But I will go the extra mile to try and identify odd-looking effluvia from animals: 

Navajo Lake State Park, Cottonwood Day Use Area, New Mexico.

My first guess was that it was an owl pellet, but unsure, as this was kind of long and the contents loose rather than compact. (Did you know you can buy owl pellets?) ... but a more knowledgeable person told me that it's likely coyote or fox scat, the excretory remains of an eaten rabbit.

Navajo Lake State Park, Cottonwood Day Use Area, New Mexico.

Navajo Lake State Park's Cottonwood Day Use Area attracts fisherfolk. The campground, though not filled to capacity, had plenty of overnighters.

Navajo Lake State Park, Cottonwood Day Use Area, New Mexico.

It's very close to the town called Navajo Dam, which seems to exist primarily to support fishermen.

Navajo Dam (town), New Mexico

Navajo Dam (town), New Mexico

Navajo Dam (town), New Mexico

Below is part of the ride on Highway 511 between the Cottonwood Day Use Area and Navajo Lake. At :20 on your left is the scene of the photos atop this post.

 

Navajo Lake State Park, Part 1: On the Road

Highway 173 - or 511 - between Aztec and Navajo Lake State Park, New Mexico

I've got to get in the habit of noting which highway I'm on when I take road pics or videos. The photo above is a good example of this need - it could be either Highway 173 or Highway 511. 

Whichever - it's between Aztec and Navajo Lake State Park, New Mexico.

It was pleasing to be behind the silver, Airstream-like, retro RV. An iconic 60s kind of photo of Being On The Road.