El Malpais National Conservation Area, and an RVer meet-up

We're here in the El Malpais Campground - which is part of the El Malpais National Conservation Area - just a bit past the town of Grants, NM.  I did our Wal-Mart shopping on the way, and arrived here late morning on Wednesday.  I was surprised that many of the campsites were already occupied, but was lucky to get a good, level spot.  

I almost hesitate to tell you how much I like it here - next time there might be NO sites left when I arrive.  But...  someone told me about it, and I believe in Karma, so I'm passing it on.  Anyway, this is a BLM campground with a Camp Host and ten "no fee" campsites.  Three are designated as tent sites and they don't have much room for an RV, which leaves seven RV sites, half of which are not very level.  I was surprised that last night nine of the sites were occupied.  

Sunset at El Malpais Campground

Our site is a drive-through with large bushes/trees on three sides, so it feels very private.  The concrete pad is big with a large metal structure over half the area - it shades a big concrete picnic table - and the other half has a fire pit and a separate bar-b-que.  The campsites have recently been re-done, and are very nice.

Our patio area.

This is the view out the dinette side window.

The RV parking areas are gravel.  Lots of cactus, bushes and trees, and tons of grasshoppers and caterpillars in the grassy areas.  There is no water or dump, but there are bear-proof garbage receptacles.  The stay limit is 7 days out of each 30 day period.   If you stay in the wilderness areas, the limit is 14 days for each 30 day period. 

So far the weather has been beautiful, the nights quiet (except for coyotes), and the night sky full of stars.  I'm really happy to have found this very nice campground, and will come here from now on during my six days out of Bluewater Lake State Park.   And if I do get here and there are no sites, Wal-Mart in Grants is only 10 minutes away.

Yesterday a fellow blogger arrived in the campground.  Nancy has a blog, Wish You Were Here!,  which I've been following and she has been one of my followers, too.  She e-mailed that she was going to be in the area, and luckily we have been able to meet-up and have some really nice visits.  Nancy is a Lazy Daze owner, and her rig is beautiful and perfectly kept.  She drives a 24 foot C Class motor home with no slides and no toad, just like my set-up, and has been a full-timer for 3 1/2 years.  She'll be here a few days, and I look forward to visiting with her more.  Katie absolutely LOVED Nancy, as you can see...

... and Nancy was very sweet to put up with Katie's licking and snuggling and all-around shenanigans.  :)

As I said above, there are so many grasshoppers here, when you walk in the fields, they jump all over the place. 

And there are caterpillars everywhere, too.  There are black and yellow ones like the little guy below, and also TONS of plump all-black ones.  There are going to be a lot of butterflies/moths around here in the next couple of months.

 These cactus are still in bloom, with some beautiful flowers.

 

When I was taking close-ups of the flower below, I noticed a Praying Mantis on it.

One more flower photo - these are just so pretty.  We don't have nearly as many flowers in bloom here as there are right now at Bluewater Lake, but these were so pretty, I had to get a shot of them.

Here is last night's sunset photo:

From me and Katie, have a great Friday, everyone!  :)