ALISHA OWENS OVERSEES the counter at Eagle Nest Cabins & Marina as a crowd gathers around the fishing poles, lures, and camping and boating supplies. A mix of family, friends, and employees chats and laughs together before the Memorial Day weekend crowds descend for the start of summer. Outside, Alisha’s husband, AJ, mows around the 11 cabins and three RV parking spots, tidying up the property just up the road from Eagle Nest Lake State Park, which draws anglers, boaters, and campers to its high-elevation waters and cool mountain setting along the Enchanted Circle.
The holiday weekend is their first major test since purchasing the place from owners John and Renita Pollard in January. “Everyone keeps telling us, ‘Get ready, it’s going to get crazy,’ ” Alisha says of the summer season. For the long weekend, the cabins are full, and the marina’s pontoon and fishing boats have all been rented. “I’m a people person,” adds Alisha. “So I’m super excited about it.”
The past few months have been a whirlwind for the Owenses, though. Originally from Hugoton, Kansas, they were visiting the family cabin near Angel Fire last August when AJ spotted a For Sale sign at the marina. AJ and Alisha were on their way to Red River, but the opportunity kept nagging at him, so they stopped on the way back. “His brain is always in entrepreneur mode,” Alisha says.
Relax in one of the 11 cabins.
Photograph by Steve Gleydura.
AJ, who owns and operates a metal welding and fabrication company in Kansas, had been coming to Eagle Nest Lake and the Cimarrón River since he was 10 years old. “My dad brought me,” AJ recalls. “That’s where I learned to stream fish.”
After the sale finalized, Alisha moved to Eagle Nest full time and recruited her daughter, Courtney, to help with operations. AJ commutes from their Kansas home to be there on the weekends.
The Pollards had left the historic property, which was established in 1946 as Thunderbird Court fishing camp, in great shape. Alisha replaced cabin mattresses and added healthier snack options in the fully stocked marina shop. They have plans to add three more pull-through RV spots and refinish the log exteriors of all the charmingly rustic cabins, which range from a small studio with a queen bed to a two-bedroom, two-bath family cabin with a full-length porch and sweeping views. With the upgrades, they expect to remain open for the winter ski season and look to add to their fleet of ski bike rentals.
But there’s still a lot to be done. “I keep telling our fishing guides, ‘I want to learn everything,’ says Alisha, who grew up hunting. So early one Friday morning in mid-May, she and AJ hit the 2,400-acre lake with a guide for the full lake experience. They caught their fair share of kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, and northern pike within just a few hours. The carefree outing is the kind of vibe they hope to create for guests, whether it’s on the water or from a cabin’s front porch. “There’s nothing better than waking up early in the morning, watching the sun rise over the mountains, and easing into your day,” she says.
