Things on the way to Carlsbad Caverns, NM
Thinking about a family camping trip to the Carlsbad Caverns with my wife and three children (11, 9, and 7). What other great places will be on the way from Los Angeles, Ca. Have always traveled nor...
Forum Discussion
Tucson Air Museum is tops for me, even better than the big hole in the ground called "Grand Canyon". Even though the Grand Canyon is not the largest one, and Canyon DeChelly is much steeper and easier to see. Canyon DeChelly is not a National Park, so it is possible for handicap people to drive into the canyon! What a concept!
If you go to Canyon DeChelly, it is to the West of Albuquerque (I 25) and north of I40. Best way to go is get off I 40 in Gallup (or close to it) (Make sure you fill up with gas near the interstates, as fuel must be trucked into the smaller towns, making it more expensive). Then head towards either Monument Valley or south to I40 for the return trip towards LA.
If you want to take in Monument Valley, and it is not summer, you might consider the Indian run campground, it does not have hookups, and will be fine in the spring and fall, but summer you might like Goldings with it's full hookups, but not the valley to look at.
From Monument Valley, then the south rim of the Grand Canyon is not to far away. From there, go back to Williams and I40. Going west to Kingman, I always go west to Laughlin. It is the same distance to get to Barsto Via Laughlin or stay on I40. I like to stop there, take in a casino dinner or breakfast, and then go home the next morning. Riverside RV park is huge, full service, offers free rides to their casino. It is not as much fun as before, when most parking was on the Arizona side, and free boats transport the gamblers back and forth across the river.
Are you planning on going in the summer? You might want to check weather.com and check the average temperatures for that month of the year. Also check Google Maps. If you find a area, then click on Map, and Terrian, you can see the elevation. Higher elevations are much cooler than the valleys. So Tucson is cooler than Phoenix. Going a little further east, like Benson will be even higher elevation and probably 10F cooler.
I want to visit Columbia NM. someday. it is the only town invaded by another Army since the 1800's. You can google Columbia NM and get a lot of information about it. Only a few miles south of I10. Closer to El Paso Tx. I went through El Paso on my trip to Carlsbad Caverns. Remember it is a border town, and safe in the daytime in the better parts of town. So if you see the local residents have bars on most of the windows, it is not a great place to spend the night parked on the street. Might find another park to have your picnic.
Yes I did go to the mines in Bisbee. It was interesting. The mine is about 65F all year long. Very cool in the summer, but warm in the winter. I also toured a "Dry" cave. Most caves have water in them. This one was about 70F but very high humidity, so not very comfortable, and I was happy to get out of it.
I visited the Tombstone and Benson areas several times over Thanksgiving from 1996 to 2002. It was very interesting each time.
The trip to Carlsbad, I also went to Albuquerque in October 1992. It was featured in Motorhome Magazine, and the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta was a lot of fun. I went back many times to the balloon Fiesta, held the first full week of October. So if the first is on a Saturday, then that weekend and the following week and weekend. But if the first is on a Sunday, it will be starting on Saturday the 7th for 9 days! Probably a great trip as a destination in itself, and yes worth taking the kids out of school for a short time.
Have a great trip!
Fred.
If you go to Canyon DeChelly, it is to the West of Albuquerque (I 25) and north of I40. Best way to go is get off I 40 in Gallup (or close to it) (Make sure you fill up with gas near the interstates, as fuel must be trucked into the smaller towns, making it more expensive). Then head towards either Monument Valley or south to I40 for the return trip towards LA.
If you want to take in Monument Valley, and it is not summer, you might consider the Indian run campground, it does not have hookups, and will be fine in the spring and fall, but summer you might like Goldings with it's full hookups, but not the valley to look at.
From Monument Valley, then the south rim of the Grand Canyon is not to far away. From there, go back to Williams and I40. Going west to Kingman, I always go west to Laughlin. It is the same distance to get to Barsto Via Laughlin or stay on I40. I like to stop there, take in a casino dinner or breakfast, and then go home the next morning. Riverside RV park is huge, full service, offers free rides to their casino. It is not as much fun as before, when most parking was on the Arizona side, and free boats transport the gamblers back and forth across the river.
Are you planning on going in the summer? You might want to check weather.com and check the average temperatures for that month of the year. Also check Google Maps. If you find a area, then click on Map, and Terrian, you can see the elevation. Higher elevations are much cooler than the valleys. So Tucson is cooler than Phoenix. Going a little further east, like Benson will be even higher elevation and probably 10F cooler.
I want to visit Columbia NM. someday. it is the only town invaded by another Army since the 1800's. You can google Columbia NM and get a lot of information about it. Only a few miles south of I10. Closer to El Paso Tx. I went through El Paso on my trip to Carlsbad Caverns. Remember it is a border town, and safe in the daytime in the better parts of town. So if you see the local residents have bars on most of the windows, it is not a great place to spend the night parked on the street. Might find another park to have your picnic.
Yes I did go to the mines in Bisbee. It was interesting. The mine is about 65F all year long. Very cool in the summer, but warm in the winter. I also toured a "Dry" cave. Most caves have water in them. This one was about 70F but very high humidity, so not very comfortable, and I was happy to get out of it.
I visited the Tombstone and Benson areas several times over Thanksgiving from 1996 to 2002. It was very interesting each time.
The trip to Carlsbad, I also went to Albuquerque in October 1992. It was featured in Motorhome Magazine, and the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta was a lot of fun. I went back many times to the balloon Fiesta, held the first full week of October. So if the first is on a Saturday, then that weekend and the following week and weekend. But if the first is on a Sunday, it will be starting on Saturday the 7th for 9 days! Probably a great trip as a destination in itself, and yes worth taking the kids out of school for a short time.
Have a great trip!
Fred.
