Santa Fe National Forest

The pictures below are called "thumbnails" and can be viewed in full size by clicking on them.

We went camping as an entire family plus one (Stefan Ford) July 10-12, 2000. We were in the Pecos Wilderness near Santa Fe, NM. It was the first time the whole family had tried out our big tent, the one on the right. The smaller tent is one we were handed down from Patti's Aunt Doris.

Some things are unavoidable even while camping, like dirty little girls needing baths.

Becky enjoyed the drying off part better.

We shared our campsite with several (read millions) of little chipmunks. Patti was amazed at how chubby they were. They loved the watermelon and cantaloupe seeds.

This is the creek the campground is named for- Holy Ghost Creek. Supposedly a monk was killed here years ago by natives.

Besides the chipmunks, we also found this Horny Toad. Don't go there.....

The creek meandered through the campground and was very scenic and cold. It is fed by artesian springs about 2,000 ft up and by snow melts. Livvy's lips turned blue the moment she got in.

Tyler is great with the girls and enjoys goofing off with them at home or away.

Patti loved taking the girls to the creek and posing for pictures.

The NM Wildlife Service stocks the creek and the nearby Pecos River with trout. Grant and Stefan enjoyed fishing for them.

He gets his body from his dad!

As does Tyler........

The best fishing was on the banks of the Pecos River in the upper Cowel's Pond. Grant loved to fish here but he and Stefan got skunked this trip. Zachary was the only one to catch a trout this time.

Here is the token picture with me in it.

Becky thought the best part of this trip was that she didn't have to do a thing with her hair.

>Here is more info as found a campground web site about Holy Ghost:

CAMPGROUND NAME: Holy Ghost VISIT DATE: 07/12/2000

STATE: New Mexico REGION: Southwestern RANGER DISTRICT: Pecos/Las Vegas NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Pecos

DIRECTIONS: From Pecos, NM, take State Rt. 63 north 12 miles to "Y" intersection (Forest Rt. 122). Bear left at intersection (toward Holy Ghost, NM) onto Rt. 122 and go 2.5 miles to campground. NOTE: Forest Rt. 122 is a single-lane, paved roadway loaded with potholes.

GENERAL COMMENTS: The elevation is 8,100 ft. The campground has two sections, upper and lower loops. The upper loop stretches up a mountainside - all sites are walk-in. The lower loop runs along Holy Ghost Creek with some sites overlooking the creek. Generally, the campground extends up a grassy valley surrounded by Aspen, spruce and a few Ponderosa pine. This is a tranquil campground with sounds of the creek and birds all around.

SEASONS Open Seasonal: Yes Open All Year: No Seasonal Comment: Open May 1 through November 15.

RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED Rate: $8 per day Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14 CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION No. RV Sites: 0 No. Tent Sites: 5 No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 18 Total Sites: 23 Tent Pads: No Group Tent Sites: Yes Open Sites: Yes Wooded Sites: Yes No. Tables on Sites: 0 No. Grilles on Sites: 22 RV INFORMATION No. Full Hookups (includes waste): 0 No. Water and Electric Only: 0 No. Water Only: 0 No. Electric Only: 0 Group RV Sites: Yes No. RV Pull Throughs: 2 Waste Station: No Potable Water at Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: 12' X 43' Comments: The parking aprons are gravel.

FACILITIES Vaults: Yes Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: Yes Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots: 3 No. Threaded: 0 Comments: The water spigots are hand pumps.

WATER SPORTS - None Comments: Wading is possible in Holy Ghost Creek, but should be adult supervised.

HIKING Hiking: Yes Comments: Holy Ghost Trail #283 (foot & horse) - 3.3 miles Provides access to a 350-mile network of trails in the Pecos Wilderness.

FISHING Fishing: Yes Comments: Rainbow (stocked) and Brown trout

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Last updated: September 01, 2001