Sugarite Canyon

Sugarite Canyon State Park is located six miles northeast of Raton, NM. The park stretches about three miles from the visitor center to Lake Maloya on the Colorado border.

We will explore the park from that lake southwest to the visitor center.

In June, 2011, a fire consumed almost 80% of Sugarite's 4000 acres. In the photo below you will see how it looked when I visited in October 2010.

The mountain in the background has recovered nicely in the intervening years, but you can still see evidence of the burn.

The lake is very popular for fishing and is regularly stocked with large trout.

There is a well maintained boat ramp available.

Heading a mile back down the road is the turnoff to Soda Pocket Campground.

The road is dirt but is suitable for all vehicles.

There are 23 first come first served sites here, with vault toilets but currently no water available. In 2016 Freddy and I stayed in site one.

Below is site one this year and other examples of this beautiful campground.

An amphitheater provides evening programs in the summer.

The Gambel Oak group camping area offers shaded and open sites.

You will also find the Ponderosa horse camp along the dirt road.

There is even a volleyball court where the horses can play at the end of the day.

Right across from there is a nice view of the canyon.

We headed southwest on that road and stopped next at Lake Alice Campground.

16 sites can be found here and they break down like this: Sites 1-12 have electricity and sites 6-9 add sewer hookups. Also, numbers 4-7 and 10-16 can be reserved.

Here they are in order.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

There is a quaint restroom and water spigots.

Across the road is Lake Alice and some hiking trails.

We wrap up our visit at the Visitor Center. Almost. See, across the road from the VC is a most wonderful thing. A modern restroom with wonderfully warm showers. Yippee!

But there is a lot more to see and do than camping, fishing, and hiking.

From 1912 to 1941, hundreds of families moved here to mine Sugarite coal. The Visitor Center was originally the Post Office and contains a plethora of cool stuff.

This photo is of the Coal Camp.

A cast of a T-Rex footprint, the only one ever found.

A trail leads to the remains of the town, although not much is left. But the interpretive signs help to envision the past.

This was the community oven.

Freddy and I enjoy visiting parks that house a bit of history. It is neat to walk the grounds and imagine the folks that lived there. We give it two paws up.

Regards,

Greg and Freddy