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My son Jeff and his wife Cori plus their two children Bella and Mable [youngest] and I went camping on Friday night and Sat.. We both have 4 wheel drive trucks from when we lived in Durango, Colorado. After those years we are not the least bit afraid of going off road adventures. Camping here on the desert is wonderful this time of year as the days are warm (78) and the nights are cool (42). We go to a place that is on the top of a small mountain not very far from home. It is only about 1000 ft above the desert floor but is completely isolated as it is a rugged drive to get to it.
Once at the camp site you are in a shallow bowl that sinks down about 100 feet from the surrounding area. In the 1920's there was a vertical Garnet mine at this site. The mine has long since been filled in but is still quite visible. We love it there as you are completely alone. In all the years we have gone to this spot we have never seen anyone at all. It is very safe for the children and fun for us. I have a simple one person camper built into a low cover in the truck bed while Jeff prefers a good tent as that was how we camped when he was a child. Everything works but I am getting too old to sleep on the ground even with a blow-up pad.
With a very short walk you are at the brim of this irregular bowl that the camp site is in. You can see 50+ miles in nearly all directions. It is so beautiful at night as it is DARK up there so millions of stars are available to be seen or a short walk to the edge and city lights stretch for miles. You are surrounded by very big mountains on three sides and endless desert on one side. I have included some pictures but they only show the tiniest amount of what you see when you are actually there.
We had a great time, wonderful camp food, lots of walking with the kids and plenty of family time. Just 12 miles away on the ground but light years away from the disorder and haste of society.
Click here to see the pictures.
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