September 28, 2019 is is National Public Lands Day! Scroll down to read more about this yearly event!
According to the National Environment Educational Foundation’s website, ” National Public Lands Day 2019 (NPLD) is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands. Held annually on the fourth Saturday in September, it will be on Saturday, Sept. 28 in 2019. NPLD is also a “fee-free day”—entrance fees are waived at national parks and other public lands. NEEF (National Environmental Education Foundation) coordinates National Public Lands Day”.
This is an amazing opportunity to spend time out on your lands and help clean up as well. Organizations from across the country will join together on this 26th anniversary to help protect and restore our public lands.
On my road trip from Texas to Colorado this past August I had been researching Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, lands to camp on on our way in New Mexico. After what seemed like endless research I decided to take myself and my dad to the Cave Canyon Campground just outside of Lincoln, NM.
Read more on The Texas Trailhead
According to the BLM website, ” The Fort Stanton – Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area (NCA) was established in 2009 to protect, conserve, and enhance the unique and nationally important historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational subterranean cave resources of the Fort Stanton – Snowy River Cave system. The NCA was once known as the Fort Stanton Military Reservation. In 1855, the U.S. Army established Fort Stanton as an Infantry and Cavalry post in the east-central New Mexico Territory to protect settlers in the region. Within the NCA is Fort Stanton Cave, at over 31 miles, it is the second longest cave in New Mexico, the 14th longest cave in the U.S., the 62th longest in the world, and the largest cave managed by the BLM. Snowy River is a significant passage within Fort Stanton Cave, and is the longest cave formation in the world. Today, approximately 15 miles of previously unknown passage have been mapped, without reaching the end”.
As someone born and raised in Texas I’ve only recently begun to learn and appreciate national public land space. It is for us to use, us to camp on, us to maintain and to respect.
This campsite offered five different spots with every other one with a covered seating area. There was a pit restroom, trash cans and fire rings at each site, and it was all maintained. Everything was clean and really comfortable.
There was also the aforementioned cave at this site, but unfortunately is accessible by appointment only. I could see a bit from the gate and it looked pretty remarkable.
If you’re into off-roading there was also some great road trails heading into and out of the park area, but in the opposite direction. We decided to drive about five miles and head highway 220, otherwise known as the Billy the Kid Trail.
If you’re ever in New Mexico, Colorado, or any state that offers public lands then I highly recommend that you check them out and spend some time camping or hiking there.