As the weather warms, campers who like to take advantage of recreation opportunities in the Jemez Mountains will have more options. Three popular campgrounds in the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest that have been closed for two years are reopening for the 2015 season.
The Redondo Campground near La Cueva is open for the season on a first-come/first-served basis for a fee of $10 per night per vehicle. A little further off the beaten track, the Paliza Family Campground (first-come/first served; $8 per night per vehicle) and the Paliza Group Campground (reservations only) are expected to be ready for campers by May 15.
“We know there are many families in New Mexico who have used these campgrounds for generations,” Jemez District Ranger Erik Taylor said. “We are very happy that we have been able to open them again for the 2015 season.”
The Jemez District hired two students from the Forest Service Job Corps for the summer to help district staff maintain recreation facilities. Job Corps is a national program that provides educational, social, and vocational training to eligible youth through conservation and investment in local communities.
See the following list for the current status of all developed recreational sites on the Jemez Ranger District.
Picnic Areas
· Spanish Queen (open)
· Battleship (open)
· La Cueva (open)
· Seven Springs (open)
· Las Conchas (expected to open mid-May)
· Jemez Falls Group (expected to open May 10) Reservations only
Campgrounds
· Vista Linda (open) First-come/first-served only
· Redondo (open) First-come/first-served only
· San Antonio (expected to open May 10) Reservations only
· Jemez Falls (expected to open mid-May) First-come/first-served only
· Paliza Family (expected to open by May 15) First-come/first-served only
· Paliza Group (expected to open by May 15) Reservations only
Fishing Accesses
· River Bend (expected to open in mid-May)
· Rincon (open)
· Dark Canyon (open)
Trailheads
· Battleship Rock to East Fork Trail (open)
· East Fork to East Fork Trail (open)
· Jemez Falls (expected to open mid-May)
· Las Conchas (open)
The Jemez District is also open to dispersed back-country camping. Visitors to the Santa Fe National Forest are reminded that motor vehicles are restricted to roads designated as open to public use on the 2015 Motor Vehicle Use Map. Maps are available free to the public and can be obtained at any Santa Fe National Forest district office or at the Forest Headquarters in Santa Fe. The 2015 Motor Vehicle Use Map can also be downloaded from the Forest’s website.