Black Mesa st park, Oklahoma Panhandle, "No Mans Land"
Friday May 21, 2010
Black mesa stpk, ok. headed for Kenton, ok. hwy 325.
Oat gruel & coffee& boiled
egg. Morning hike on mesa ridges. sense of NM is close. Looks like, smells like
NM. Sun, now clear sky. little 2 lane bumpy rd to hwy 325, L/ w to kenton. Black
Mesa is N 4 miles. 4,873' highest point in OK cause it's on the NM line.
The drive out to Black mesa st park was interesting. "No Man's Land" is what the panhandle of Oklahoma Territory is/ was known as. The Panhandel Territory / Indian country history was to declare the state of "Cimmaron",... and for years was tied up in the courts during the era when territories were formed on the frontier. ... so it was known as "No Mans Land".
There is an actuall Black Mesa,... Highest elevation in Oklahoma... 'cause it's about a half mile from the New Mexico state line & up on what I call the 4 Corners Plateau.
Black Mesa St pk is a peaceful stop in the middle of nowhere. Took a morning hike on the ridgeline around the camp. Rolling desert arid plain.... Some areas that had petrified wood/ logs.
Heading out to Raton, New Mexico west on Hwy 325... takes you past the actual Black Mesa - Elev 4873' on North/ R side,... through beautiful country to a small -- I mean ... Small. tiny burrough of Kenton, OK. Pop 17.
Met Asa- age95 & Fannie at the small frontier museum. Wonderful historians. Walked a couple blocks down to the town store,... in 20 minutes had met half the town of Kenton, OK.
onto Hwy 456. Beautiful Mesas. Green Evergreens, Red rocks. Red / White Strata.
Alone on road. Visability 20 to 30 miles. Wind 20 to 25 in window. Gusts+. wind on face... the only way to go into New Mexico, or on an Odyssey. Reddish brown on L / south arm
Dirt Road washboarding... 10mph.
Get to Folsom expecting gas & store for fuel-- Nothing. Nada. Tiny Ghost town crossroads, couple of bldgs.
Onto Hwy 72 to Raton, NM. 40 miles. Narrow 2 lane road. Landscape has changed from NM Mesas to New Mexico Ranchland / rolling hills. Much more cattle. Irrigation wheels & evergreen trees.
Ascening road eventually reaches Plateau of large High Plains Mesa of about 8,000'. Drive 30 miles along spine of Mesa/ plateau top. Some snowpack in places. Snowcap mtns 20+miles away.
Jones' Mesa Church.
Descending to what will be Raton Gap. Bottom is 35 miles to Sugarite Canyon st park.
Sugarite Canyon. We'll Camp here. into Raton for a few staples. Camp at Lake Alice... will fish for Trout tomorrow at Lake Montoya.
A good day!
Black Mesa st park, Oklahoma Panhandle, "No Mans Land"
Friday May 21, 2010
Black mesa stpk, ok. headed for Kenton, ok. hwy 325.
Oat gruel & coffee& boiled
egg. Morning hike on mesa ridges. sense of NM is close. Looks like, smells like
NM. Sun, now clear sky. little 2 lane bumpy rd to hwy 325, L/ w to kenton. Black
Mesa is N 4 miles. 4,873' highest point in OK cause it's on the NM line.
The drive out to Black mesa st park was interesting. "No Man's Land" is what the panhandle of Oklahoma Territory is/ was known as. The Panhandel Territory / Indian country history was to declare the state of "Cimmaron",... and for years was tied up in the courts during the era when territories were formed on the frontier. ... so it was known as "No Mans Land".
There is an actuall Black Mesa,... Highest elevation in Oklahoma... 'cause it's about a half mile from the New Mexico state line & up on what I call the 4 Corners Plateau.
Black Mesa St pk is a peaceful stop in the middle of nowhere. Took a morning hike on the ridgeline around the camp. Rolling desert arid plain.... Some areas that had petrified wood/ logs.
Heading out to Raton, New Mexico west on Hwy 325... takes you past the actual Black Mesa - Elev 4873' on North/ R side,... through beautiful country to a small -- I mean ... Small. tiny burrough of Kenton, OK. Pop 17.
Met Asa- age95 & Fannie at the small frontier museum. Wonderful historians. Walked a couple blocks down to the town store,... in 20 minutes had met half the town of Kenton, OK.
onto Hwy 456. Beautiful Mesas. Green Evergreens, Red rocks. Red / White Strata.
Alone on road. Visability 20 to 30 miles. Wind 20 to 25 in window. Gusts+. wind on face... the only way to go into New Mexico, or on an Odyssey. Reddish brown on L / south arm
Dirt Road washboarding... 10mph.
Get to Folsom expecting gas & store for fuel-- Nothing. Nada. Tiny Ghost town crossroads, couple of bldgs.
Onto Hwy 72 to Raton, NM. 40 miles. Narrow 2 lane road. Landscape has changed from NM Mesas to New Mexico Ranchland / rolling hills. Much more cattle. Irrigation wheels & evergreen trees.
Ascening road eventually reaches Plateau of large High Plains Mesa of about 8,000'. Drive 30 miles along spine of Mesa/ plateau top. Some snowpack in places. Snowcap mtns 20+miles away.
Jones' Mesa Church.
Descending to what will be Raton Gap. Bottom is 35 miles to Sugarite Canyon st park.
Sugarite Canyon. We'll Camp here. into Raton for a few staples. Camp at Lake Alice... will fish for Trout tomorrow at Lake Montoya.
A good day!
