Puerto de Luna

Santa Rosa is surrounded by parcels of land with property lines that were established by Spanish land grants. Many residents, like the couple that we met staffing the park Visitor Center, are descended from the exploration party that accompanied Francisco Vazquez de Coronado in 1540. Today we traveled scenic SR 91 with follows the Pecos River south for 10 miles to Puerto de Luna, one of several abandoned Spanish settlements in this region. Supposedly, Coronado camped here while a make-shift bridge was built so the river could be crossed. To read more about this settlement -

http://westerntrips.blogspot.com/2012/08/puerto-de-luna.html

Scenic State Route #91 south of Santa Rosa.

The hillsides have huge boulders that have eroded from overlaying layers.

On the outskirts of town...

this historic chapel.

Bouldered hillside with cross on top.

Active church at Puerto de Luna. Unfortunately, it was locked.

We walked around town a bit...

and viewed...

abandoned buildings that are...

built with...

authentic adobe brick.

Back at Santa Rosa Lake State Park we climbed the observation tower for a birds-eye view of the lake and...

dam that controls the water level.

We took the scenic walk below the dam and noticed boulders on the hillside across the Pecos River that emerges from the lake.

A canyon below the dam with the Pecos River at its base.

Along the trail - some wild flowers, the only ones we saw.

Today hike:

Length - 1.34 miles

Duration - 34 minutes

Elevation gain 70 feet (17 floors on the Fitbit)