BLM Campground Review – Orilla Verde Recreation Area, Pilar, NM

Rum n' coke with a view at Pilar Campground

A simple, but lovely BLM camping area set beautifully in the middle of the Rio Grande Gorge just south of Taos in NE New Mexico.

Link to campground here: Orilla Verde Recreation Area, NM
Link to map location here: Orilla Verde Recreation Area, NM

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   There are 7 separate campgrounds in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area all set along the Rio Grande. Since you are inside a gorge surrounded by cliffs all the campgrounds are small (typically ~9 sites each), fairly close to the road and sites fairly close together, but traffic and visitors are light. Only the first two have RV hookups (all pull-through, 50Amp & water) and these are probably the best suited to big rigs, with 9 RV sites in the first (Pilar) and 4 RV sites in the second (Rio Bravo). Both campgrounds have river access and very nice sites especially for BLM. They are long, dirt, nicely flat with picnic table, fire-pit and grill.
   -> The first campground (Pilar) is mostly for RV’s, with no shade but pretty views of the canyon and generally very quiet. The arrangement is a single longish, narrow dirt road with pull-through RV sites on either side and a slightly sharp turn at each end of the loop, but overall decent access (we even saw a tag-axle get in here).
   -> The second campground (Rio Bravo) has the advantage of shade trees but is a mix of tent/RV sites including a large group area so it does get more crowded/noisy.
   Most of the remaining campgrounds have no shade or hookups and are better suited (in size) to smaller rigs. We saw a couple of big-rig-potential sites for the more adventurous -> one gorgeous water-view site in Arroyo Hondo, one back-in at Petaca (on the left with nose to the road) and a couple of nicely separated sites for those willing to drive into the primitive area at the end (do the drive in your toad and have a look before you pull-in the rig. There is space to turn around at the end of the right-hand spur in the primitive area, but the road getting in is narrow)
2.  Facilities = 3/5
   Very decent facilities for a BLM area. There are flush toilets at Pilar, kept nicely clean and pay showers at Rio Bravo. Access to the river at all campgrounds and several day-spots along the road. No dump station (nearest dump in Taos at the private campground).
3. Location = 5/5
   This is a really superb location in our opinion. You are deep in the gorgeous Rio Grande Gorge with access to water activities and hiking, yet you are only ~16 miles from Taos with plenty of shopping, galleries, art and food. Lots to see and do in the surrounding area with wineries, mineral baths, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and ski areas.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Perfect area for doggie. Lots of hiking trails in the gorge including right from the campground, plus daily walks across the road to splash and play in the lovely Rio Grande River.

Overall Rating = 4.25
BONUS ALERT = Camp right by the water, deep inside the Rio Grande Gorge

Summary: The Orilla Verde Recreation Area is a simple, but gorgeous setting right inside the Rio Grande Gorge just SW of Taos, NM. There’s a single paved road going through the valley with 6 campgrounds set along the river and one primitive camping area in the back. The first two campgrounds have RV hookups (50Amp+water) and very nice sites with good “sitting areas” and decent access. The remaining campgrounds are more suited for smaller rigs, although we did see a couple of big-rig accessible sites for the more adventurous (see above). Since you’re in a gorge the campgrounds are small in size, fairly close to the road and sites closer together, but visitation and traffic is light. All campgrounds have easy access to the river. LOTS to do in the surrounding area including art, food and museums in Taos only ~16 miles away, mineral baths at Ojo Caliente, wineries in Dixon, and hiking/biking, rafting/kayaking and fly-fishing along the Rio Grande itself. Apart from Memorial Day Weekend the place was practically empty and we had lots of space to ourselves. We’re still here for a few more days and absolutely love the area and easy access to hiking and water. This is a spot to keep on the list.

 Extra Info:  No connectivity here with either Verizon smartphone or aircard BUT we were able to get a usable data signal using our external antenna/amp at Pilar Campground. Sites cost $15/night for 50Amp/water, $7/night for non hook-up, $5/night for designated primitive. All sites first-come-first-serve. NO dump station.

Note/ Since all our time was spent at Pilar campground most of my pics are of that area, but I’ve included “arial” photos of 2 other campgrounds just as an overview.

View of our site (#7) at Pilar. The central campground road is in middle and site #8 is on left.

Typical pull-through site at Pilar (#8 shown)

View from back of campground "loop". RV site #3 on right (with #5 behind it) and sites #4,6,7 on left front to back (you can see us in #7 at back)

View of "sitting area" in front of RV sites. This is from site #4. Site #6 is right behind it and we're in #7 at the back.

View from very front of the campground. Site #9 on left. We're in #7 on right. You can see more sites on either side going back.

"Aerial" view of Pilar Campground from the trail. All the RV's are along the left.

"Arial" view of the shaded Rio Bravo campground from the trail. There are 4 RV hookup sites and multiple tenting sites. The RV in front is the host.

"Arial" view of the non hook-up Arroyo Hondo Campground. There's potentially space for one big-rig in here, but it does require some careful maneuvering.

Bloomin’ Wonderful

It's bloomin' gorgeous!

It’s been so bloomin’ wonderful here by the Rio Grande Gorge that we’ve extended our stay. Since Monday of this week it’s been only us and the host, and the great, big wide all-of-it-ours wilderness. We love that kind of peace and isolation, but recently we’ve had some new visitors and it’s all thanks to a few drops of water.

The whole thing started a few days before our arrival. As you may know Texas and New Mexico have had a drier-than usual spring and that’s affected much of the usual cycle of crops and desert blooms. 

Severe drought in the southwest from http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

Over the past two months we’ve passed through hundreds of miles of parched earth and it’s easy to think it’s all dead. The drought is having severe impacts on the area not least of which have been the wildfires, but underneath it all there lies the secret of a thriving life simply waiting for the right moment to rise.

A prickly pear cactus bursts forth in beautiful bud

Here in the great Southwest everything is uniquely adapted to the harsh and extreme environment of the dry and moody desert. Animals evolve ingenious methods of preserving and extracting moisture, while plants exchange leaves for thorns and  wait for the perfect moment to propagate. It’s this latter process which produces one of the most spectacular displays in the Southwest, the spring cactus blooms.

Colors of life in the desert

This year because of the drought blooms have been poor, but right here in the deep loneliness of the Rio Grande Gorge we’ve been blessed with a private show. Just a few days before we arrived the area received a few drops of rain and a chill. That meager drink of water was all it took. Within a week cacti that had been holding back all year burst forth in colorful display, and it just so happens we’re here to see it.

We’ve been watching the show for the past four days in total awe of the color that’s exploding over the landscape. What was merely a beautiful but dry valley only a few days ago is now dotted with pinks, yellows and brilliant reds. This is the show that everyone was waiting for and it’s finally arrived. Oh yeah it’s right-out-to-the-limit, bloomin’ wonderful and we’re very, very lucky to be here!

Delicate pink by the river

Claret Cup cactus shines brilliant red

The Great River of the North – Rio Grande Gorge, NM

Picture postcard perfect. The stunning view from the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

Once upon a time, around 29 million years ago or so the earth moved. Two massive plates, the North American and Pacific scraped and opened up a rift in the earth. Colorado and New Mexico rose nearly 5,000 feet, volcanic eruptions and lava flows covered the earth and the Rio Grande began it’s life. From a trickle in the San Juan Mountains of CO to the gulf of Mexico the 1,896 miles (3,051 km) long river wound its way through the valleys to become the fourth or fifth longest in North America.

Playing on the banks of the Rio Grande

This interesting geological event created a spectacular gorge just West of Taos, NM which is where we’ve been secretly hanging out. Here is the rift that formed the river (rather than the other way around), and you can walk right over it at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, the third highest in the US at 650 feet (200 m).  The fact that the valley came first is obvious once you’re here. Taos lies on a high desert plateau, practically flat apart from the surrounding mountains. From a few miles away there’s nothing to tell you the earth opens up in such a spectacular way, and the gaping jaws of the gorge surprise you as you get closer to the bridge.

"The Bus Stop" provides refreshments and local color at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

We’re camped right in the middle of it all, next to the grand river and surrounded by the beauty of the steep valley walls. Many feet have trodden here and the gorge repeats its history with hidden petroglyphs, hot springs (at Ojo Caliente) and massive remnants of volcanic rock. Wrapping it all in a great, big present is the spiritual play-area of Taos where outdoor enthusiasts combine with artists, history and native pueblos.

But…we’ll come back to that later For now, you may imagine pooch and us hiking the trails and splashing in the water. The weather is perfect (from what our neighbors tell us we just missed the one single week-end of rain of chill they had last week), cacti are starting to bloom, a breeze is fanning the RV and miles of open space are calling our name. That’s what we’re here for, after all.

The rift that formed a river. Another great view of the Gorge.

The top of the Picuris Trail. An old stock trail leading into the gorge.