Navajo Lake State Park… and bad roads

I spent the last week at the Navajo Lake State Park east of Farmington, NM.

First, some negative…
The roads getting into this state park are TERRIBLE! Once you get into the campgrounds, the roads are TIGHT! This place was NOT built for large motorhomes.

That sort of sets things up…
I came down from my mountain hideaway near Salida, CO driving south on Highway 285 and then Highway 160 cutting thru Del Norte, CO, Pagosa Springs, CO (stopping at the Walmart, of course), then down highway 172 which becomes 511 in NM. All of this was quite wonderful until the New Mexico border, then the road went to pot. It is always interesting to me when you see the state line sign and you can see the line thru the road where it goes from good to bad. Of course, driving on bad road irritates me so I missed the turn into the state park BEFORE the Navajo Dam.

So, across the dam and down logging trail 539 I go – desperately looking for a place to turn around a big rid. They are very few and far between!!

Ok, back to the state park and I make a pass thru the campground. Not only is it tight but it is nearly full!! I certainly did not expect that in October. So, I cruise down the road to the next camground loop. This one I knew had no hookups/services which usually means it is for smaller rigs and tent campers – of course tight!

Boy, I was right – it was TIGHT!!!

Nonetheless, I was able to find a spectacular spot and jamb my rig into it.

I spent a really nice week in this spot with a view of the lake and much quiet.

Sadly, the weekend arrived. With it came the campers with the yapping dogs and guys that like to scream at each other over the fire pit.

So… I left.

If the state of New Mexico would fix the roads and trim the trees back in the campgrounds, it would be a really fantastic place – if you can get there when nobody else is around. Until then, I’d suggest steering clear if you have a coach that you don’t like to drive on rough roads or is anywhere near as large as mine. However; the Verizon 4G cellular signal was very good and I did not even need to use an amplifier.

To stick with the bad roads theme, I headed west out the park on Highway 511 and then 173. Don’t do that. They too are bad roads. Why did I turn onto 173 you ask. I do not know and I cannot think of a reasonable excuse.

Anyway, I made it to Shiprock, NM. I was headed for Bluff, UT. Friends told me to take Highway 491 and not 64 (also known as 504). What did I do??

Given all the above griping about bad roads, my choice has got to be obvious….

I stayed on 64.

Guess what kind of road Highway 64 is?? Yup…. Really bad…

Thankfully, it was not a busy road. So, I could plod along at 40 MPH trying to avoid the craters.

That worked but turned a short drive into a really long drive.

HOWEVER!!!  In spite of all this negativity…

I LOVE this part of New Mexico/Utah.

The Canyonlands, Monument Valley, Bluff – all VERY beautiful!