Nature Tour Attractions In Mayhill

Baca Campground History & Camp Highlights

This May we spent several days camping in Baca Campground of Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico.

Two years ago we made an unplanned camping stop in Baca, but it was just for one night. During that first visit, we didn't know that the site that is now Baca Campground has such a storied history.

In this episode, we share that history and scenes from our visit this May. Most of the history is from a poster that the Forest Service put up in the campground while we were there.

Camp Saturnino Baca DF-17-N (1933-1934)
A Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp. Camp Satunino Baca was constructed through the winter of 1933-1934. Young men from camps like this one worked 6 hours a day on various forest conservation and infrastructure projects, including road construction, erosion control, fire lookout tower construction and fire suppression. It operated for one summer then was condemned for winter occupation by the Forest Service. The men and supplies were transferred to and merged with another camp in Mayhill, NM.

Camp Capitan (1935-1940)
One of New Mexico's National Youth Administration programs was the Unemployed Girls' Educational Camp. This was the first project of its kind in the nation. It was conducted for the benefit of girls who were members of relief families that resided in mostly remote rural areas where educational advantages were especially limited. Following New Mexico's lead, in 1937 six more camps like it opened across the United States. Camp Capitan was the only year round program and it ran for five years. In addition to standard education, the girls learned a variety of crafts and skills. The camp also produced all of the New Mexico State flags for government and education buildings throughout the state, as well as clothing and bedding for the Carrie Tingley Children's Hospital.

Old Raton Ranch (1942)
As a Japanese detention camp... When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, 32 Japanese residents of Clovis, NM, were placed under house arrest and relocated here. They lived at Old Raton Ranch for alomost a year then were relocated.

BACA CAMPGROUND
Elevation is 6,400 feet. Baca Campground is open year round. No fees to stay. Stay limit is 14 days. Dispersed camping. Two vault toilets are at either end of the loop road through the campground. No water, no electricity, no picnic tables, no fire rings. There are some circles of rocks for campfires.
** Please check the Forest Service website for current details as information may change:

VIDEO of OUR 1st VISIT TO BACA CAMPGROUND:
VIDEO of OUR BOONDOCKING ELECTRIC SYSTEM:

PRODUCTS WE USE
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Portable Propane Fire Ring:
Firebox Nano Stove:
10 GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Frypan:
Refillable 1-lb propane bottle:
Silky Sugowaza Saw:
Helio Pressure Shower (original, seen in this video):
Helio LX Pressure Shower (new, larger one):
Browning privacy shelter:
WaterBrick:
Renogy 100-watt 12-volt solar panel with waterproof charge controller:
ARB Front Windbreak 2500, part number 813107:
ARB Side Windbreak 2100, part number 813403 (also fits the 2500 awning):
Instrument in the video... Steel tongue drum - Guda Freezbee:

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Escapade campers:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Baca Camground, US Forest Service:
Old Raton Ranch; New Mexico Japaneses American Citizens League:
Old Raton (detention facility); Densho Encyclopedia:

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