Backpacking Pecos Wilderness - New Mexico - Lake Katherine

A 3 day backpacking trip into the Pecos Wilderness in New Mexico. We started at the Winsor Creek Trail head near Cowles & hiked 8.5 miles up to Lake Katherine & camped above the lake. We returned the same way we came.

[@abluemuse]

Thank you for experiencing & sharing. Sincerely, appreciated! Beautiful! 🌎🏕️🌌

[@TheNoonie50]

I'm moving from Kentucky to New Mexico to be closer to my kids. I love to camp and hike, and especially love water. I was glad to see that I'll be able to find that there as well. I'll have to work up to 8.5 miles though. Thanks for the great video.

[@texmexmaniac1]

Great video. I too live in Texas. Austin area. From there. But lived in Santa Fe when I was a young adult. My wife is from there. We came on a vacation and I was awed by the beauty. And the stars too!!.... Just beautiful.

[@MistressGlowWorm]

Brought back old memories. Thank you very kindly for the post.

[@TakesbyJake]

Awesome vid, Gary. Such beautiful country!

[@tuesdayzrain]

Thanks for posting this awesome video!

[@garyarazorback1]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@Aluminata]

Watching the old Yul Brynner " Invitation to gunfighter" movie -so I had to check Pecos in GE and then came here...great music - and great video.

[@timennis3456]

Very well done! I especially liked the night sky photos, so beautiful! What do you pack for a tripod? And could you list the music credits, really enjoyed the soundtrack too. I will be watching this one again. Thank you for sharing this. It is much appreciated. :)

[@mnm806]

Just hiked that trail back to the creek caves...is the lake further? Or wrong trail?

[@nuclearoutdoorscampingtips5850]

Look up the iridium stove sometime....it’s awesome and never fails......great for trips like this...

[@mrpatriot8279]

I have wanted to go backpacking in Pecos for a long time. Now I have to decide if i'll backpack Pecos wilderness or the Eaglecap wilderness in NE Oregon hmmm, The latter, while spectacular, I have hiked and backpacked many time. I live around Benson, AZ now so it must be about a 7 hour drive to Santa Fe.

[@garyarazorback1]

I really enjoyed this trip up to Lake Katherine & was surprised how nice it was.

[@trooper2221]

guess there isn't another trail out of cowles? i go to cowles sometimes and always wanted to hike over to the lake, but that's a pretty steep looking mountain hahaha so, now i know i guess i gotta head back down the road to the trailhead, looks like still a extremely hard hike for this 57 yr old, i wanna try though, i can take many breaks and camp wherever i want if i get too tired, this is on my bucket list

[@trooper2221]

do ya have to contend with mountain bikers on the trails?

[@jamesrogers47]

The way to travel in the Pecos Wilderness Area is on foot and, on a very limited basis on horseback. (Unless the Forest Service policies have changed.)

[@MrMikepaniora]

nice

[@mattman291]

New Mexico has everything except ocean front property

[@justinflac]

How long does it take to hike to that lake? I would love to go fly fishing.

[@garyarazorback1]

+Justin Flack It is about a 3500 ft elevation gain & 8.5 miles up to lake katherine. However from what I am told the lake does not have any fish in it?? I was told it was up to high & freezes in the winter. I did not see any fish in the lake myself. Not even little minnows. You might check with the ranger in that district for more info. I was told by several different folks.

[@ZR1KOH]

There are fish in this lake. I have caught browns and rainbows, typically from 10-20 is what I have kept. There are smaller ones that I have released. I don't know how big they are in there. I once caught 22 fish one time. I've never seen fly fishermen but does not mean it can't be done.

[@ZR1KOH]

Gary, did you start your hike from the Pecos wilderness? I don't recognize where you began. It does not look like the Santa Fe Ski area. Good video and looks just like I remembered it. Too bad you were given bad info regarding the fishing there. The fishing is really good there. The only lake up there that does not have fish is Spirit Lake. Other wise, you can fish Lake Katherine, Stuart Lake and Lake Johnson (if you can find it, lol). I love this area, even though I don't live here I have been up there so many times, I keep coming back. It's really a hidden gem many do not know of. You'd be surprised how many people do not think NM has these kinds of mountains. To their loss I guess...

[@garyarazorback1]

ZR1KOH We hiked in from the East. Near Cowels, NM. on hwy 63. It is north of the town Pecos, NM. We did not see any fish in the lake, the folks that had camped up there the week before us told us that they did not catch any fish. It looked real fishy & I was surprised to hear that it had no fish. Glad to know it does :-)

[@juanmanuelperez2311]

These territory was from MEXICO

[@taliandzelda5006]

lovely music but way too loud