Living Our Dream: Middle Fork Lake Trail, Red River, NM

Wow for yesterday! We drove into Red River, a small but very bustling community just 20 miles from us, to a Forest Service Road to the Middle Fork Lake Trail 91. Rated as moderate, had switchbacks, climbing over 2,000 feet, the end result of viewing a high alpine lake would be, hopefully, the reward.

The drive up and over Bobcat Pass to get to Red River

Snow on Wheeler Peak

When we got into Red River, there were so many motorcycles - there was a rally going on and the town was expecting over 20,000 motorcycles to participate in the run. Bikes parked in the middle of the street, people walking willy-nilly, businesses booming. Found the road to take us to the trail and off we went.

Dropping down into Red River

Bikers galore

Through a little community called Alpine Lake, did not seem that anyone was home, most places still closed up. At the end of the pavement, we saw a Forest Service Fire truck - stopped and asked if everything was okay, yes, and continued on a very rugged road for another mile. Good thing we now have a high-profile vehicle for these kinds of treks.

Through Alpine Lakes

Uh, oh - everything okay? Yep

Single lane, very rugged road to trailhead

When it's busy, that's a good sign

Trailhead was found, lots of cars (a good sign), packed up everything (all food and water/Gatorades) and off we started. Lovely creek bubbling near, up the switchbacks we climbed. Glad I did not count them (counted coming down - 30) or I would have stopped. Once we got to the river we knew we would have to forge, we had another mile to go. But that last mile was a killer. We started at 9,420 feet and knew that by the time we got to the lake, we would be at least 10,900 feet. Hardest hike I have ever done. Walk 30 steps, rest, walk 30, rest. Not so much hard to walk, but to breathe. We made it.

Lovely sound of water running over rocks

Switchbacks, lots of them

We were watching for the crossing, trails to left or to right

Beautiful! A family that passed us (took us 3 hours to go 2.7 miles) had set up to do some fishing, the girls were having fun walking along the lake. At one point we heard voices and saw some folks sitting opposite us. Had our lunch, and had a guest the whole time, finished up, was rested, and passed folks who had just come up on horses.

One more mile, we can do this!

Crossed and up we continued to climb, switchbacks galore

The reward of this site was worth it

Fishing and relaxing

Still snow near the banks

Our visitor, begging

His cheeks full of nuts (we had trail mix)

Started down (only took 1 1/2 hours down) and the horse folks passed us. It took them 1 1/2 hours to come up on the horses and we figured it was about 30 to 45 minutes for them to go down.

The kids playing near the water's edge across lake

Last look at lake before heading down

Horses resting

Here they come, we were about 1/2 way down

Glad we did it! But today we cannot move. Not sore, just physically tired. I was glad that we pushed it and got to the top, the vista views were astounding!