The fort was initially set up to support the fur trade, offering goods and services to trappers, traders, and Native American tribes. Located at the confluence of the Laramie River and the North Platte River, it became a central hub for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. The area around the fort saw interactions between various Native American tribes, such as the Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho, and the European settlers or traders.

In 1849, Fort Laramie was officially designated as a U.S. Army post after the United States government took control of the fort. Its purpose then shifted to serving as a military outpost designed to protect settlers traveling along the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails. Fort Laramie also became a key staging point for military campaigns during conflicts with Native American tribes, such as the Indian Wars. The fort was expanded significantly over time, with the construction of stone buildings, barracks, and fortifications. It became a focal point in the U.S. government’s efforts to enforce treaties with Native American tribes and maintain order as settlers moved westward.

Fort Laramie’s significance diminished after the 1870s, as the railroad expanded and the military focus shifted to other regions. The fort was officially abandoned in 1890, and its structures were either repurposed or left to deteriorate. Today, the site of Fort Laramie is a National Historic Site.

Just west of the fort is the town of Guernsey. There you will find two interesting sites related to the westward migration of settlers, pioneers, and travelers, specifically along the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails.

The Guernsey Ruts are deep, weathered tracks created by the thousands of covered wagons that passed through the area during the 19th century. These ruts serve as a reminder of the difficult journey faced by those heading to Oregon, California, and Utah. They are located in an area where the wagon wheels cut into the soft sandstone, creating deep grooves in the landscape. The ruts are visible to this day, and they can be seen etched into the rock, often stretching several feet deep in some places. The ruts are a rare physical manifestation of the history of the westward migration. While similar wagon tracks are found in other parts of the country, the Guernsey Ruts are particularly well-preserved, making them an important site for historical study and education.

Register Cliff, also in the Guernsey area, is best known for its large, smooth sandstone cliffs that were used by these same pioneers as a place to carve their names, dates, and messages. These inscriptions, left by thousands of emigrants, are a testament to the trail’s importance during the westward expansion of the United States. Unfortunately, before the area became protected, many more recent visitors also carved their names and messages into the cliff.

This area was a great day trip from Wheatland Wyoming in June 2024.

All of the non-totality pictures were taken with my cell phone with only a filter on the lens. The totality ones were taken with our “good” camera on a tripod and no other special equipment. Imagine what you could take with several $1000’s of dollars of equipment!

While a few camp sites have electricity, most are primitive. The primitive sites are situated just adjacent to the rock formations for an up close and personal experience. We only visited for the day so we didn’t experience camping in the park. I bet the view of the stars at night is spectacular! In fact there is a small observatory on site.

Eleven Mile Canyon cuts through the plain holding the South Platte River in its rocky bottom. As the river is unleashed from the dam above, its twists and crashes against huge boulders lining the canyon floor. A canopy of large trees provides a screen of shade that floats across the canyon with the moving sun. Eleven Mile Canyon is an unexpected paradise. Activities here include camping, climbing, picnicking, hiking, fishing and swimming to name just a few.

Camping — 4 campgrounds are located within the park: Cove Campground, Riverside Campground, Spillway Campground, and Springer Gulch Campground. Reservations are required. Dispersed camping is not permitted anywhere in the park.
Climbing — Experienced climbers can select from trad and sports routes that include moderate to hardman. Low-angle domes are found on select routes.
Picnicking — There are 4 specified picnic areas within the park: Eleven Mile, Idlewild, Messenger Gulch, and O’Brien Gulch. These areas are maintained by the park and offer family-friendly recreation.
Hiking — You can spend the day hiking the Hard Rock Interpretive Trail or Overlook Trail. Both trails are on the shorter side and accessible to people of all ages and skill levels. Those looking for something more challenging can explore a range of other trails within the area.
Fishing — A popular fishing destination, the Canyon holds rainbow, brown, cutthroat, kokanee and pike. Fly fishing is also popular here. You can throw your line out from the shore, or enjoy some quiet time on your boat

The Eleven Mile Canyon Recreational Area is located off of County Road 96 in Lake George, off of US Highway 24. After getting off on County Road 96, travel 2 miles until you see the fork in the road. Veer right, and it will lead you into the canyon.

White Sands is truly magical sight to see with endless rolling white dunes with a backdrop of the San Andres Mountains to the west. This is our second visit in 2 years and February was a better time to visit because of smaller crowds and the weather was sunny but cool which allowed us to hike further into the rolling dunes. Also, the sand was so cold to the touch and to walk on! We read that the dunes move 15 feet per year with the winds off the mountains blowing the gypsum. A couple of the pictures below show the dunes trying to take over the road that the park rangers have to plow daily to keep it passable and in a few areas it was very narrow for two cars to pass.

After visiting White Sands we drove into Alamogordo. Located here is Holloman Air Force Base and is the site of the testing range where the first atomic bomb was exploded in 1945. Also, this is part of the Chihuahuan Desert, sits at 4336′ elevation and is one of the larger cities in NM. It really is a barren desert city with the beautiful Sacramento Mountains bordering on the east, and so different from the White Sands only 20 miles away. After eating lunch we had to go the the famous McGinn’s PistachioLand and see the World’s Largest Pistachio! After spending lots of time tasting ALL the different flavored pistachios inside the store we could not agree on a favorite so we had to buy 3 different packages; dark chocolate, red chili, and sriracha honey roasted. YUM!

Another fun and memorable day. Thanks for visiting our site and enjoy the pictures!

We were late making reservations to camp in the park so unfortunately Big Bend was completely booked along with all the RV parks in the small towns just outside the park. We found out that spring break is the busiest time for Big Bend likely due to the milder temperatures that time of year. We ended up staying in Marfa about an hour and a half north and taking a long day trip.

As we drove into the park we were immediately greeted by amazing balanced rock formations. After stopping by the Panther Junction visitor center, buying a t-shirt of course, we drove through the beautiful Chisos Basin then followed the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive through the west part of the park. You’ll see all the beautiful pictures we took but they cannot capture the stark beauty, depth, and colors of the mountains. We liked stretching our legs and hiking into Burro Mesa Pouroff, Tuff Canyon and Santa Elena Canyon. The Santa Elena Canyon Trail was our favorite! Sheer cliffs of 1500′ cut thru by the Rio Grande River was amazing, peaceful and a wonderful oasis in the desert. Hopefully next time we visit the park I would like to return to Santa Elena Canyon with a canoe or kayak to enjoy this peaceful canyon even more.

We had made a memorable summer trip here 25 years ago while on summer vacation when our kids were young. At that time, we stayed in a cabin at the Chisos Mountains Lodge. We had a black bear pay a curious visit then later a herd of javelinas walked by. Another great memory was when we paid a young man to a ferry us across the Rio Grande River into Boquillas, Mexico. While there we enjoyed walking around and meeting the friendly people and we sat outside at a small house/restaurant to enjoy a bottle of coke before we crossed the river back to the United States. It was so great remembering that trip and looking through some of our old pictures.

New Mexico has an abundance of trails that are open to the public and most are only accessible by 4-wheel ATVs like theirs. There are many rocky, steep and narrow areas that most normal vehicles even with 4-wheel drive could not navigate. We were amazed that they could follow all the trails without getting lost!

Our trip took us into the mountains and up to several old abandoned mines. The views of the desert valley on the way up were spectacular and we were even surprised to find sand dunes and red dirt way up there.

At each mine, there were opportunities to search in the discard piles for amethyst, quartz and other rock specimens. Anna took home quite a few smaller rocks hoping to make jewelry out of them at some point in the future. One of the mines we visited had partially collapsed inside and was clearly not safe but we were able to go several hundred feet inside another. It was interesting to imagine how difficult it must have been to mine here with mostly hammers and chisels. At least they had spectacular views of the valley below when they emerged from the mine!

Puye Cliffs comprises two levels of cliff and cave dwellings cut into the cliff face, as well as dwellings on the mesa top. Over one mile long, the first level runs the length of the base of the mesa. The second level is about 2,100 feet long. Paths and stairways were cut in the face of the rock to connect the two levels and allow people to climb to the top of the mesa.

Representing early Pueblo architecture, cave dwellings on the mesa top were part of a single, multi-storied complex built around a large, central plaza. While the total number of rooms is unknown, the south part of the complex had 173 on the ground floor and multiple stories in various places, similar to modern-day Taos Pueblo.

While we heard that reservations would help ensure a tour during the busy summer months we were the only people for the 10AM tour. It was a great time to visit as the temperature was also great (mid 70’s to mid 80’s by the end of the tour) and we had a great time imagining how difficult it must have been for the Indians who lived in these dwellings. Up to 30 or 40 people lived in a single dwelling smaller than our RV, sleeping on the ground and sharing space with a small fire to keep warm in the winter.

Ruidoso lies in the Sierra Blanca mountain range of south-central New Mexico, where it merges with the Sacramento Mountains to the south. Ruidoso is a mountain resort community close to the slopes of Ski Apache, the Mescalero Apache Tribe-owned ski resort on Sierra Blanca, a 12,000-foot mountain. The tribe also operates the Inn of the Mountain Gods resort in the area, which includes a casino, hotel, and golf course. Ruidoso is the largest community in Lincoln County, and serves as the regional economic hub. The village received its name from the Rio Ruidoso (Spanish for “Noisy River”), a small stream that weaves through the city.

At nearly 7000′ elevation, Ruidoso is a great summer destination due to milder temperatures, particularly at night. A lot of frontier history can be explored in and around the area and there are numerous other things to do including exploration of nearby mountain villiages, White Sands, and the White Sands Missle Range to name a few. The Trinity Site, location of the first detonation of a nuclear weapon is also nearby. It was conducted by the United States Army at 5:29 a.m. on July 16, 1945, as part of the Manhattan Project. This site is open to the public two time a year but we have been told it can be difficult to be one of the limited few who manage to get it.

We had the extra treat of having our daughter, Amanda, join us for a few days here then travel on to Albuquerque with us.

Ruidoso Downs

Ruidoso Downs has been the home of the World’s Richest Quarter Horse Race since the All American Futurity was first contested on Labor Day in 1959 with a $129,000 purse. This past summer the Rainbow Futurity and the Rainbow Derby were on track to become $1,000,000 races. It is the only horse track in the United States and Europe that has a separate quarter horse straightaway and oval thoroughbred track giving spectators a unique venue.

We spent two days here enjoying the races and were able to just about break even after we found it was better to bet on longer odds horses who were expected to at least show (come in 3rd place).

Ski Apache

Ski Apache is a ski resort on the slopes of the Sierra Blanca mountains northwest of Ruidoso. It is owned and operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Ski Apache is the only ski resort in New Mexico with its own gondola lift. Ski Apache has nine lifts including the gondola lift, three Quad Chairlifts, and four triple chairlifts. The resort gets an average annual snowfall of fifteen feet. Ski Apache also has 3 zip lines. The longest is 1 mile long and starts at 11,500 elevation.

We took a day trip up to the resort to see some of the mountain views.

White Sands National Monument

We picked a great day to visit White Sands National Monument. It was overcast and about 15 degrees cooler then it had been the day before.

Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world’s great natural wonders – the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world’s largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.

White Sands Missile Range Museum

At the White Sands Missile Range museum you can trace the origin of America’s missile and space activity, find out how the atomic age began and learn about the accomplishments of scientists like Dr. Wernher von Braun and Dr. Clyde Tombaugh at White Sands. Displays also include the prehistoric cultures and the rip-roaring Old West found in southern New Mexico.

Outside the museum is a missile park displaying a variety of missiles and rockets tested at White Sands. These include everything from the WAC Corporal and Loon (U.S. version of the V-1) to a Pershing II and Patriot. More than 50 items are on display.

Fort Stanton

Established in 1855 as a military post to control the Mescalero Apache Indians, Fort Stanton may be one of the most intact 19th century military forts in all of America today. It is certainly one of the most impressive historic settings of any site in the southwest United States. Although the use of many military forts established during the western expansion diminished by the turn of the century, Fort Stanton continued on in its noble service to New Mexico and the nation well into the 20th century.

In 1861, the Fort was abandoned to Confederate forces in the early stages of the American Civil War. The retreating forces tried to burn the fort, but a rainstorm extinguished the fire. The Confederates completed the destruction when they left after only a month’s occupation. The fort returned to the Union fold in 1862, under the command of the legendary Christopher (Kit) Carson. The Fort was rebuilt after the war. During the 1880s, Black soldiers from Fort Stanton helped pursue Apache bands led by Victorio and Geronimo. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing served two tours of duty at Fort Stanton in the 1880s. After closure as an Army post the Fort served as a Merchant Marine Tuberculosis Hospital, a WWII internee camp, a training school for the mentally disabled and most recently as a low security women’s prison and hosted several juvenile, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.

Smokey Bear Museum

In 1979, Smokey Bear Historical Park was established to honor Capitan’s favorite son, Smokey Bear. Nearly three decades earlier, Smokey was an orphaned little bear cub with burned paws, found in the aftermath of the Capitan Gap wildfire. Smokey Bear rose to fame as an icon for forest fire prevention and he lived in Washington, D.C.’s National Zoo for 26 years. When he passed away, the famous black bear was laid to rest in his hometown. His burial site is a special place within the Smokey Bear Historical Park.

Cloudcroft

Cloudcroft is a wonderful mountain villiage roughly between Ruidoso and Alamagordo. We stopped through on the way back from the White Sands area where it had been about 95 degrees and the temperature in Cloudcroft was a cool 65. We got coffee and pie from a shop downtown – the coffee wasn’t good but the pie was great. We came back another day to eat BBQ at Mad Jacks. Jack came from Lockhart, Texas outside Austin and learned his trade via YouTube and conversations he had with Aaron Franklin of the legendary Franklin BBQ in Austin. We arrived at 10:30 to be in line when the place opened at 11:00. It was 12:30 when we were able to order and not long after they ran out of Brisket. Normally that didn’t happen until about 2:30 per Jack. Go early if you want to visit. The BBQ was great!

Lincoln

The Lincoln Historic Site is a community frozen in time — the 1870’s and 1880’s. The historic site now includes 17 structures and outbuildings, 7 of which are open year round and 2 more seasonally as museums. Most of the buildings in the community are representative of the Territorial Style of adobe architecture in the American Southwest.

Lincoln is a town made famous by one of the most violent periods in New Mexico history. Here you can walk in the footsteps of Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and other famous and infamous characters of the Wild West. You can also trace the events of 1878 through the Courthouse and the Tunstall Store, with their preserved 19th-century atmosphere.

Remarkably, the Tunstall Store contains displays of the original 19th-century merchandise in the original shelving and cases. Continuing on the you will see the El Torreón (a defensive tower built by native New Mexican settlers in the 1850s), the San Juan Mission Church, the Convento, Dr. Woods’ House, the Montaño store and other historic structures throughout the town. The Anderson-Freeman Visitor’s Center & Museum features historical exhibits in a timeline starting with American Indian prehistory and ending with the Lincoln County War.

Inn of the Mountain Gods

We went to the Inn of the Mountain Gods with Anna’s Nephew Sean for the Fourth of July. The inn is a resort run by the Mescalaro Apache Indians and is set on a beautiful lake in the mountains just outside of Ruidoso. They offered shuttle service from the parking lots to the event but by the time we got there we were in the last parking lot. Although it took a while for the shuttle to come we found out on leaving that this was actually the best place to park as traffic was not too bad there. The fireworks were spectacular – probably one of the best shows we have seen. It lasted a full 30 minutes and there were always numerous fireworks in the air at all times. There were probably 8 times where there were so many explosions it felt like the finale but the actual finale was just crazy.