Cimarron Canyon State Park, NM: Motorcycle Riding
Cimarron Canyon State Park follows the Cimarron River from Eagle Nest Lake on the west to Ute Park on the east. It's part of the Colin Neblett Wildlife Area in the central Cimarron Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains.
Highway 64 follows the river as it cuts through igneous rock leaving behind spectacular cliffs. The twists and turns along this road are plentiful, though mostly sweeping, allowing for relaxed turns at 30-45mph as you enjoy the scenery.
Since we were coming from the west, after our overnight stay in Taos, we started this stretch of Highway 64 from Eagle Nest, a tiny town named for the lake it's situated by. You could enjoy a breakfast or lunch before kicking off the ride at one of the several roadhouses and cafes.
Just a mile into the State Park, we spotted a herd of mule deer, which are plentiful through this area.
Traffic along Highway 64 through the park seemed to be rather light, and we rode it on a Friday during Memorial Day Weekend. There were plenty of other motorcycles on this road due to the Red River Rally taking place about an hour north.
The route through the park is roughly only 10 miles long. However, the highway continues for another 14 miles through more gorgeous scenery until you reach the town of Cimarron, where you could either break for lunch or continue on to the I-25.
Sash and I continued east along Highway 64 towards the City of Raton, where we were deluged with rain and hail. There's more to that story here.
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| Start your ride in Eagle Nest, NM at the many roadhouses and cafes. |
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| A view of Eagle Nest Lake before Highway 64 descends into Cimarron Canyon |
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| A view of Palisades Sill, rock canyon walls cut from the Cimarron River |
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| Highway 64 twists and winds through the State Park |
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| When we got to Cimarron, NM, it was raining and hailing. |
I'm jealous
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