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logical marvels—tinted orange, pink, and ocher—are the sandstone remains of an ancient
seabed that was sculpted over eons by wind, rain, and frost.
3.
Navajo Lake State Park
Swinging north on State Rte. 511, the drive cruises into Navajo Lake State Park, a
21,000-acre Eden. Beckoning boaters to its cool waters, the lake—one of New Mexico's
largest—contrasts intriguingly with the piñon-pine dotted tableland seared brown by the
relentless sun. On this arid terrain surrounding the park, an eerie stillness seems to reign.
But occasionally, even while the sky is clear and blue, a distant rumble heralds the arrival
of a thunderstorm. Billowing black clouds sweep in, eclipsing the sun and throwing dark
shadowsacrosstheplain.Cuedbybrilliantflashesofmultiprongedlightningboltsthatstab
thepeaksbeyond,thundercrasheslikeachorusofangrytitans.Cascadesofwaterswellthe
arroyos, and then, just as suddenly as it began, the spectacle is over. Within minutes shafts
of light make the soggy earth shine, gossamers of steam float skyward, and the sky turns
blue again.
4.
Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation
Continuing east, Rte. 64 twists through a rolling countryside of pine-clad mountains and
alpine lakes, of sandstone bluffs and sagebrush prairie. These mixed lands belong to the
Jicarilla Apaches, whose ages-old nomadic way of life ended abruptly when they were
forced onto this reservation in 1887. Known for their intricately woven baskets, the Jicaril-
las (meaning “little basketmakers”) reside for the most part in and around Dulce, the hub
of the tribal community. The reservation land, rich with a variety of game, is a mecca for
fishermen angling for trout and for hunters seeking deer, elk, mountain lions, ducks, geese,
and wild turkeys.
For a closer look at the lovely Jicarilla landscape, follow State Rtes. J-8, J-15, and 537
south from Dulce that takes in five lakes sparkling among piñon-flecked hills. The route is
alluring in fall, when Gambel oaks blaze with scarlet and migrating geese honk from the
sky.
5.
Cumbres Pass
Soon after crossing the Continental Divide, Rte. 64 enters Chama. From here the Cumbres
and Toltec Scenic Railroad has huffed and puffed its way up and over Cumbres Pass and
along precarious Toltec Gorge since the 1880s. The narrow-gauge railway was built to
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