Elephant Butte, New Mexico

Elephant Butte Reservoir is the 84th largest man-made lake in the United States and the largest in New Mexico.  It is the only place in New Mexico that you can find pelicans perched alongside the lake. Elephant Butte Dam is the largest state park in New Mexico.

The CCC built roads, cabins, restaurant, boat house, rock walls, pergola and the fish hatchery in Elephant Butte.

Elephant Butte Lake is only 13.5% full as of  May 2022

Although fossils of a primitive relative of today's elephant have been discovered just west of the reservoir, the area was not named for its former inhabitants, the name "Elephant Butte" was derived from the eroded core of an ancient volcano, now an island in the reservoir, in the shape of an elephant.

Run Bambi run

Two Birds nests

Yellowjacket Mine #2

Bighorn sheep

Airing up in the shade of a Cottonwood tree next to the Rio Grande river

I don't want to mention any names here.

Wife - Shouldn't we bring in the door awning?

Husband - No, we have left it out before in the wind.

Well guess what was laying on the ground when we returned.

The map had us crossing the Rio Grande River.  I don't think so.  Maybe a different time of year when the water is lower.

I am surprised this is the first antler we have found

Ranch house remains

Interior mud walls

Door frame

Square nails

Burner lid to a cast iron wood burning stove

She doesn't look happy to see us

Tom showing us how it's done

Dave taking the lower route

Getting pulled backwards off the rock

Caballo Lake was created in the 1930's when an earthen dam was built across the Rio Grande. 

Bighorn sheep

Lots of time the cows think we are the food truck and they come running.

We were checking out all the cute little cows and missed our turn.  That cost us some time.

Lunar eclipse