How to Get There
From Taos (40 mi): Take US-64 E toward Eagle Nest and continue along the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway until reaching the park entrance along the Cimarron Canyon.
Overview
Cimarron Canyon State Park is a state park of New Mexico, located 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Eagle Nest in the Colin Neblett Wildlife Area. The park extends for 8 miles (13 km) along the Cimarron Canyon between Tolby Creek and Ute Park. The Palisades Sill forms spectacular cliffs above the Cimarron River here.
The park includes numerous trails, which are used for hiking in the summer and snow shoeing in the winter, the most popular being the Clear Creek Trail, which follows the Clear Creak and offers views of several small waterfalls. Throughout the year, you can expect to see deer, elk, bear, turkey, and many species of birds. Self pay stations are located throughout the park at all campgrounds and some day use areas.
Fishing
The park is popular for trout fishing in the Cimarron River and its tributaries, Clear Creek and Tolby Creek. Stocked trout include rainbow and brown. The river is maintained by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish at a trout density of approximately 3,000 fish per mile, although water flow can vary between 2 and 50 cfs. Fishing season is busiest during the summer months. There is also popular fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes within the Maverick Campground.
Camping
Cimarron Canyon State Park boasts three full campgrounds, which are located along the river between the villages of Eagle Nest and Ute Park. These include the Maverick, Tolby, and Ponderosa campgrounds, as well as Black Jack Tent Area. All three campgrounds offer numerous individual sites for RV or tent camping.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cimarron Canyon State Park", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0