Holloman AFB and Lakes

Just south of Holloman Air Force Base (between the base and White Sands Ntnl Monument), are a few small lagoons which the AFB allow the public to come and bird-watch and/or camp. This is where I happened to pull into last night about an hour before the sun set, and what an amazing little find this place is. Though swimming is not allowed, camping is and that is what I am looking for. I have been able to find a nice spot overlooking to main lake and BBQ’d my dinner (something not possible when staying in a Walmart parking lot). A couple military folk came to visit me about 9PM and only asked that I not photograph the base.

In the morning I walked a small portion of the lake back to the main entrance to read up on the rules of the area. Since this is not actually public land, but military land, I want to be well within the rules laid out. I figured my pistol should be put away, though there was nothing outright prohibiting it in the rules… in fact, they allow hunting here a few weekends a year, this weekend being one… and verified that they allow up to 14 days of camping. I doubt I will stay for 14 days, but I will be here for 3-5 days for sure.

The Airforce base is a joy to be near. I really enjoyed last year when I was in Tucson near the base out there. The A-10’s would fly right over out camp all day and here they fly he F-22 Raptors. At 7:58 AM this morning, a 30 minute parade of after-burning planes taking off one after another. Each sounded like the thunder after a mid-summer lightning strike in Colorado and with dozens of them all leaving the ground at once I was grinning like a little-boy in a candy store. This afternoon I heard more than a few sonic-booms as jets (probably miles an miles away) broke the speed of sound in flight… which is a first for me :-)