Angel Fire, New Mexico!

2022-07-24
Tara

After spending several weeks in Creede, CO, we were off to another new location…Angel Fire, NM!

It wasn’t a long travel day, but it got a bit stressful on Kit Carson Rd! This is US Highway 64, and the stretch from Taos to Angel Fire was narrow and curvy – not exactly fun to drive when pulling a large 5th wheel. However, It was a beautiful drive and would be an amazing motorcycle road!

Angel Fire RV Resort

We chose Angel Fire RV Resort because our friends Scott & Christina were staying there, and we have heard a lot about this resort. It was beautiful and had a lot of amenities, but it is on the pricier side ($100+ a night).

Angel Fire RV Resort offers plenty to do! Tara’s favorite is a walking path all around the park, which goes through some beautiful flower beds. It was a great way to get out and exercise.

Chad’s favorite amenity was the FREE WAFFLE DELIVERY service they offer on the weekends! He definitely took advantage of that.

They also have pickle ball, horseshoes, a community center where they host live music and happy hour events, a general store, hot tub and fire pit, laundry, and large full hookup sites. They also organize some group activities outside the resort, and we go on one during our stay.

The nearest grocery stores are Albertsons, Walmart, and Smiths in Taos, about 35 minutes from the park. There is also a dollar general about 5minutes away. The nearest fuel is the local Phillips 66 station with diesel.

Red River Motorcycle Ride

One warmer day, we went for a ride to Red River via the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. It was a warmer day but very windy. Please note that it was very windy every day in Angel Fire, so be careful with your awnings!

The first part of the ride (Angel Fire to Eagle Nest) was pretty, but the second portion of the scenic byway went through the Carson National Forest, which was really beautiful! This ride had many curves, switchbacks, and steep climbs, surrounded by beautiful forests.

Red River is a small town (Pop 594 in 2020) that depends on tourism for its main income (nearly 500k tourists visit each year). Although most people know of Red River for its skiing and winter activities, there are many things to do in the summer. Hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fly fishing, and 4-wheeling are all popular summer activities. The town also hosts several festivals, including a Memorial Day Motorcycle rally.

We ate lunch at Red River Brewing Company and it was pretty good, despite cold fries. We walked around a little bit to check out the village but then had to ride home because Tara wasn’t feeling well. There were a ton of motorcycles on the road on the way home.

Mountain Hike

Our friends Christina and Scott finally arrived and were able to park next to us. We all decided to take advantage of one of the group outings that the RV park had planned: They hosted a group hike at Angel Fire Resort, including a beautiful chair lift ride up the mountain and a hike of about a mile. It was a spectacular view and a great outing organized by Angel Fire RV Resort.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

After the hike, we all wanted to go to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was a very special place to visit and one we highly recommend.

“When sons or daughters die in battle, parents are confronted with the choice of what they will do to honor the courage and sacrifice of that son or daughter. Following the death of our son, Victor David Westphall, on May 22, 1968, in Vietnam, we decided to build an enduring symbol of the tragedy and futility of war.”  

Dr. Victor Westphall (founder of the memorial)

Following the death of their son, U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant Victor David Westphall III, Jeanne and Dr. Victor Westphall began construction of the Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel to honor the memory of their son and the sixteen men that died with him near Con Thien, South Vietnam on May 22, 1968. David’s mother, Jeanne Westphall, suggested that the money from David’s life insurance policies be used to create the “Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel.” She and David’s father, Dr. Victor Westphall, dedicated the rest of their lives to seeing this vision become a reality.

Today, the Memorial is home to the Chapel, the Visitors Center/Vietnam War Museum, an authentic Huey helicopter that saw action in Vietnam during the war, the Veterans Memorial Walkway, a Gift Shop, Memorial Gardens, an amphitheater, as well as the gravesites of Jeanne and Victor Westphall. Dr. Victor Westphall and his wife Jeanne Westphall are buried on the grounds of the Memorial.

The Memorial welcomes over 45,000 visitors annually and survives on donations. Please check out their website for more information on how you can donate to this memorial.

Visitor Center/Museum Hours:
Open  9am – 4pm
Gift Shop Hours: Open 9am – 4pm
Chapel & Ground Hours: Always Open, 24 Hours

That was all we had time for in Angel Fire. We had BIG plans after that to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. We have already shared those videos, so the information was available before the 2022 tickets went on sale! If you didn’t see those 2 Balloon Fiesta videos, please check them out. It was such an amazing event, and the videos are some of our favorites!

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