Fort Stanton State Monument - Sat., June 2, 2018

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE FORT STANTON VOLKSMARCH ON JUNE 3: Sunday afternoon's forecast calls for a 60% chance of severe thunderstorms starting at 2:00 p.m. which can bring flash flooding, large hail, and damaging winds. Please start your walk early (can start as early as 7:00 a.m.), check the weather forecast, and be aware that conditions can change rapidly. We would like everyone to be off the trail by noon so we can take down the checkpoint. Please plan your walk length with this in mind. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, chapstick, a hat, and a walking stick. High-topped hiking boots are strongly recommended. If it does start raining, you will need to get off the trails ASAP. They will turn to mud and there is a distinct danger of flash flooding in the low-lying areas.

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While everyone else was walking the Mescalero Fitness Path today, Susan Medlin and I drove to Robb Jaggers Campground to mark the Ft. Stanton walk. The start point is a 30-mile drive from La Quinta in Ruidoso, New Mexico. 

Walkers can choose from a 6k, 10k, or 16k trail in a high desert environment of juniper trees and scrub brush. The walk is rated 3C due to incline/elevation and the type of terrain. For this walk, the 3 means some significant hill climbing and the C means "A significant part of the route is on somewhat difficult terrain (rocky/rooted paths or soft sand)." [NOTE: For a complete list of the AVA Trail/ Route Rating System click this link.] Altitude is 6,500'.

A guided tour of Ft. Stanton (just down the road, but not included in the walking route) is available at 11:00 a.m. The Fort is one of the most intact historic posts in New Mexico, and served for over 150 years, including being a POW camp during World War II. 

The walk route departs from the left exit of the Robb Jaggers Campground parking lot. (The only restroom available is at the start/finish.) Walk along a dirt road (alongside the paved road) facing traffic. You will see a gate on the opposite side of the road. Carefully cross the road and go through the gate. 

Start point for the Ft. Stanton walk.

I love the quote from Socrates!

Once you walk through the gate there are three paths to choose from. All walkers will start on the middle path, the Kit Carson Trail, and will stay together until the checkpoint when you can choose how far you'd like to walk. 

The walk is on an equestrian trail, so there are deep ruts along much of the 6k route. I don't know about ruts on the 10k and 16k walks because we did not need to mark those. 

The walk features expansive views of the surrounding hills and mountains. But be sure to watch your footing at all times.

Looking back toward the campground

Susan Medlin on the trail

Checkpoint location is at a gravel road atop a hill.

Don't you be falling into any of these!

Lots of big views.

Heading back

You can see the return point before you get to it.

When we finished the walk, we headed south on Hwy. 220 toward Ruidoso. Just a few miles down the road, we came to Ft. Stanton. We checked out the Visitor Center. 

There is a 12-minute video explaining all the uses of the fort over its 153-year history. We explored all the rooms in the Visitor Center and then did a driving tour of the fort. The tent cottages were used in the treatment of tuberculosis patients. It was believed the fresh air was good for them.

Tent cottage for tuberculosis patients.

It would have been fun to walk the grounds to look inside the buildings they have open. We opted to head for Ruidoso on Route 220. 

Once we turned left onto Hwy. 48, we started looking for the Alto Cafe where we decided to have lunch. The Alto Cafe is on Hwy. 48 on about the second hilltop after you turn off of Hwy 220. Every time we have driven by, the parking lot is full. We enjoyed our lunches. And they do serve breakfast all day, if you'd like that.

On the way back to the motel we were going to pull the markings on the Cedar Creek Trail, but people were out walking it. In fact, they can walk it through tomorrow. We ended up not pulling the markings. We may have to pull them on the way home.

It was time for us to get back to the motel. I wanted to do laundry because my clothes were all so dusty. Susan and I combined our wash and we did two loads. 

Later, we dressed up and went to a group dinner at Cattle Baron Restaurant. Oh my goodness, the food was great. I had rib eye steak, salad bar, baked sweet potato, bread, and banana pudding from the salad bar for dessert. I was so full!

It's getting late, so I'll wrap up this blog. Then I have to pack so it is ready to load in the car by 6:00 a.m. We will miss breakfast at the motel because on the weekends they don't serve breakfast until 7:00 a.m. I will eat a power bar instead.

In the morning, we will work the Ft. Stanton walks checkpoint and want to get it taken down by noon. We have decided to head home tomorrow instead of Monday because of impending thunderstorms in the afternoon.