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
Using I-10
Around the Deming Area: Pancho Villa SP is south of Deming right on the Mexican Border in Columbus, NM. Pancho Villa raided Columbus on Mar 9, 1916. HISTORY Of THE COLUMBUS RAID It was only a few years before the US would enter World War I which was already raging in Europe.
North of Deming towards Silver City is City of Rocks State Park. I've never been to Pancho Villa, but have enjoyed out trips & stays at City of Rocks. Ditto on City of Rocks
Silver City Area -Videos
Las Cruces Area & Southern NM Mexican Food plus camping and attractions in the area. At least try a Green Chile Cheese Burger. Video
Taste of NM Pecans: Stahmanns or Salopek
In Las Cruces: Hacienda RV Resort and Siesta RV Park are the easiest to get to, just of I-10 exit 140. Las Cruces KOA and Sunny Acres RV Park off I-10 exit 135. KOA on the mesa over looking the Mesilla Valley, Sunny Acres in the Valley. Park Reviews Siesta RV has gravel roads & pads, Hacienda RV has paved roads, maybe concrete pads. Sunny Acres more into town, maybe cramped???
Leasburg Dam State Park is about 17 miles N of Las Cruces on I-25. With Fort Selden State Mon't near by. A young Douglas Mac Arthur called the fort home while his father was post commander in the late 1880s.
Off I-10/I-25 on US 70 between Las Cruces & Alamogordo, White Sands Nat'l Monument & Alamogordo Area. This site also has info on Carlsbad......I believe I would stay at Brantley State Park to base to see the area by Carlsbad.
Info for Tucson, a really neat town & area: :) Clicky an old post some links may not be working anymore.
There are two units to see at Saguaro NP, one on each side of Tucson. East unit has a paved road which loop around part of the park. Small visitor center. West unit is a dirt road, seems longer maybe ? & has a larger visitor center. Near it is also the AZ Sonora Desert Museum (very good one, more zoo than museum), a must see IMHO. Also campground near by Gilbert Ray CG. Info in the above Clicky.
One could stay at the Kartchner state park by the cave & do a day trip to Tombstone, which isn't much now but a large tourist trap operation. The old courthouse is neat. Seeing where all the history happened was nice. Shouldn't take too long. Bisbee a short drive from Tombstone was neat. Nice mine tour there as well. One could do both in a long day trip from Benson area. We did once using a hotel in Benson using our car. We did Bisbee & the mine tour with a stop at Tombstone on way out, then drove to Las Cruces.
Chiricahua National Monument out from Wilcox is great, been there will go back. Has a nice campground as well. http://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm
Take US 380/US 70 West at Roswell: :C West of Roswell US 70/US 380 to US 54 - - - - - -> US 380 runs from Roswell to Carrizozo to San Antonio, between Carrizozo & US 70 one passes Billy the Kid Country & Lincoln & Smokey Bear in Capitan all in Lincoln County & the neat Valley of Fire BLM Campground is near Carrizozo, then take US 54 south to Alamogordo. Or US 380 to San Antonio, NM & I-25. Or US 54 N to Santa Fe.
:C A really neat place is the Valley of Fires BLM Campground (near Carrizozo) is a first rate campground with electric & water hookups, good dump station and a fine shower house. Pics & description can be found:
Campground . . and . . Cloudcroft, Lincoln/Capitan, Carrizozo/White Oaks.
Routes From Las Cruces to Carlsbad: An Old Post On the Subject with some repeats from above.
War Road Route to bypass the Trans Mountain pass. Use Exit 162 in New Mexico (just short of the NM/TX state line) NM-404/Ohara Rd East, turn right on NM 213 S (War Road), this turns into Martin Luther Kings Jr. Blvd (FM 3255) once entering TX. Take the ramp onto Gateway S Blvd/Patriot Fwy (US 54 S) to TX 376 Turn left onto Woodrow Bean Trans Mountain Rd (Texas Loop 375). Follow Loop 375 to the US-62/US-180/Montana Ave exit (about 12 miles). The US-62/US-180 takes you to Carlsbad Caverns. No mountains to cross on this bypass. If you take a right on 376, then it'll take you up & over the pass.
If you want to take the Pass, just stay on I-10 on into TX. Take the exit toward Texas Loop 375/Trans Mountain Rd (about 5 or 6 miles from state line)....Turn left onto TX-375 Loop W/Woodrow Bean Trans Mountain Rd it will take you up & over (great vistas up at the top, at a rest/viewing area).
Video Drive Trans Mountain
Around the Deming Area: Pancho Villa SP is south of Deming right on the Mexican Border in Columbus, NM. Pancho Villa raided Columbus on Mar 9, 1916. HISTORY Of THE COLUMBUS RAID It was only a few years before the US would enter World War I which was already raging in Europe.
North of Deming towards Silver City is City of Rocks State Park. I've never been to Pancho Villa, but have enjoyed out trips & stays at City of Rocks. Ditto on City of Rocks
Silver City Area -Videos
Las Cruces Area & Southern NM Mexican Food plus camping and attractions in the area. At least try a Green Chile Cheese Burger. Video
Taste of NM Pecans: Stahmanns or Salopek
In Las Cruces: Hacienda RV Resort and Siesta RV Park are the easiest to get to, just of I-10 exit 140. Las Cruces KOA and Sunny Acres RV Park off I-10 exit 135. KOA on the mesa over looking the Mesilla Valley, Sunny Acres in the Valley. Park Reviews Siesta RV has gravel roads & pads, Hacienda RV has paved roads, maybe concrete pads. Sunny Acres more into town, maybe cramped???
Leasburg Dam State Park is about 17 miles N of Las Cruces on I-25. With Fort Selden State Mon't near by. A young Douglas Mac Arthur called the fort home while his father was post commander in the late 1880s.
Off I-10/I-25 on US 70 between Las Cruces & Alamogordo, White Sands Nat'l Monument & Alamogordo Area. This site also has info on Carlsbad......I believe I would stay at Brantley State Park to base to see the area by Carlsbad.
Info for Tucson, a really neat town & area: :) Clicky an old post some links may not be working anymore.
There are two units to see at Saguaro NP, one on each side of Tucson. East unit has a paved road which loop around part of the park. Small visitor center. West unit is a dirt road, seems longer maybe ? & has a larger visitor center. Near it is also the AZ Sonora Desert Museum (very good one, more zoo than museum), a must see IMHO. Also campground near by Gilbert Ray CG. Info in the above Clicky.
One could stay at the Kartchner state park by the cave & do a day trip to Tombstone, which isn't much now but a large tourist trap operation. The old courthouse is neat. Seeing where all the history happened was nice. Shouldn't take too long. Bisbee a short drive from Tombstone was neat. Nice mine tour there as well. One could do both in a long day trip from Benson area. We did once using a hotel in Benson using our car. We did Bisbee & the mine tour with a stop at Tombstone on way out, then drove to Las Cruces.
Chiricahua National Monument out from Wilcox is great, been there will go back. Has a nice campground as well. http://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm
Take US 380/US 70 West at Roswell: :C West of Roswell US 70/US 380 to US 54 - - - - - -> US 380 runs from Roswell to Carrizozo to San Antonio, between Carrizozo & US 70 one passes Billy the Kid Country & Lincoln & Smokey Bear in Capitan all in Lincoln County & the neat Valley of Fire BLM Campground is near Carrizozo, then take US 54 south to Alamogordo. Or US 380 to San Antonio, NM & I-25. Or US 54 N to Santa Fe.
:C A really neat place is the Valley of Fires BLM Campground (near Carrizozo) is a first rate campground with electric & water hookups, good dump station and a fine shower house. Pics & description can be found:
Campground . . and . . Cloudcroft, Lincoln/Capitan, Carrizozo/White Oaks.
Routes From Las Cruces to Carlsbad: An Old Post On the Subject with some repeats from above.
War Road Route to bypass the Trans Mountain pass. Use Exit 162 in New Mexico (just short of the NM/TX state line) NM-404/Ohara Rd East, turn right on NM 213 S (War Road), this turns into Martin Luther Kings Jr. Blvd (FM 3255) once entering TX. Take the ramp onto Gateway S Blvd/Patriot Fwy (US 54 S) to TX 376 Turn left onto Woodrow Bean Trans Mountain Rd (Texas Loop 375). Follow Loop 375 to the US-62/US-180/Montana Ave exit (about 12 miles). The US-62/US-180 takes you to Carlsbad Caverns. No mountains to cross on this bypass. If you take a right on 376, then it'll take you up & over the pass.
If you want to take the Pass, just stay on I-10 on into TX. Take the exit toward Texas Loop 375/Trans Mountain Rd (about 5 or 6 miles from state line)....Turn left onto TX-375 Loop W/Woodrow Bean Trans Mountain Rd it will take you up & over (great vistas up at the top, at a rest/viewing area).
Video Drive Trans Mountain
