There is no better time than the present to hike the Rio Chama Trail between Heron and El Vado lakes.
The meandering path that connects the two reservoirs in northern Rio Arriba County offers a welcome respite from the summer heat encountered on hikes through the desert. Also, June is a prime time to fish this section of the Rio Chama and see the wildflowers that have blossomed along the trail.
The 5.5-mile long trail can be reached from either lake. The path is well-tread in both directions though not always well marked.
From the El Vado side, the trail starts near the Elk Run campground and heads through a section of juniper and piñon forest near the lake before heading away from the shore and into the forest.
From Heron Lake, hikers must descend a set of stairs and a steep hill into the Rio Chama canyon before crossing a suspension bridge that goes over the river. The trail then ascends into a forest filled with ponderosa pine.
The elevation change along the trail is gradual. Heron Lake sits at about 7,500 feet and El Vado is at 6,900 feet, Heron Lake State Park education program coordinator Siscily Lederman said.
Picnic tables and benches are located in a couple strategic points along the trail and provide scenic views of El Vado Lake and the Rio Chama.
The trail presents a few options for hikers. They can hike a section of the trail and turnaround; hike the entire 11 miles back and forth; or backpack from one state park to the other and camp for the night before heading back in the direction where they started.
Camping is not allowed along the trail, but dozens of campsites are located at both lakes.
No matter how much of the trail a hiker sees, one can’t miss the wildflowers this time of year. Indian paintbrush, dandelions, penstemon and scarlet globemallow dot the landscape.
“Being as we have had good moisture it will (last),” Lederman said. “There are plenty of wildflowers in the park.”
The summer is also a good time of year to go birding with osprey, eagles and peregrine falcons flying high above the trees.
A lucky hiker might also encounter a mule deer or brightly colored butterfly.