Pecos River La Gruta
Channel: New Mexico Outdoor Sports Guide - NMOSG
Date: 2022-06-26

La Guta, Our Lady of Guadalupe Groto, built and maintained by Pedro Gallegos in Villanueva, New Mexico.

Villanueva is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Known as La Cuesta until 1890, it is located along the Pecos River and New Mexico State Road 3.

Prior to 1786, when a peace treaty was concluded with the Comanche, Spanish settlements in New Mexico were confined to the Rio Grande valley. The reduced threat from Comanche raids permitted the expansion eastwards of Spanish settlements onto the Great Plains. Villanueva was one of the settlements founded in the Pecos River Valley as part of that expansion. A principal reason for founding the Pecos Valley settlements was to defend the Spanish and Pueblan settlements in the Rio Grande valley from raids by Apache and other Indian peoples.

Villanueva has long been a trout-fishing destination. The department regularly stocks the stretch of river flowing into the park with rainbow trout during the winter. Trout prefer cooler water temperatures, so the department does not stock trout in the area during warm summer months.

Villanueva State Park is a state park of New Mexico, United States, located on the banks of the Pecos River. The park features red and yellow sandstone cliffs, cottonwood trees, and other native plants. The park elevation is 5,600 feet above sea level.

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