TX to NM for Spring Break, Route, look it over:-)

[efiguero]

Update, after some research and looking at suggestions originally provided, I have made my preliminary route. See my latest post and provide any suggestions if possible. Thanks!


So we are trying to plan somewhere to go in our RV for Spring break. One year in high school I went to Ruidoso, NM during spring break with a friend and his family and it was pretty cool. I remember we had gone to some mountain in the area, can't remember the name, but I think it was where Apache Ski resort is at, as I thought the mountain was called Apache Mountain. Anyhow, there was still snow up there but it was not crazy cold and the driving conditions seemed fine. Anyhow, my kids keep asking to see snow and I figured this might be a shot for them to see snow and it be feasible for us to get there from Austin, Texas with only a weeks time for traveling. My questions are, is it the norm for there to still be snow in March up there (8-16), and how accessible is it to get to these areas in a 30ft Class C motorhome, also is there a route or roads I should avoid due to steep grades, snow, or there concerns? Lastly, any recommendations on where to stay in that area? This would be the first trip out of Texas using the Motorhome, I have only driven normal highway and back-roads, no mountains or steep hills etc. Just trying to get an idea of what I may run into for this sort of trip. We've only had the motorhome since May, and have only taken it to the coast and a couple of state parks. So we are still kinda new at this, especially long distance trips. Thanks!

[bradnailer]

hindes wrote:
We love Ruidoso New Mexico! We go and stay at least 7 days there and use that as our base. We always stay at Circle B--great place, great folks! We take a day trip to Cloudcroft, another day trip to Lincoln (Billy the Kid) and then another day we go to White Sands out of Alamogordo. Just a suggestion.

Jim

Agree with staying at the Circle B. Nice place. Also, the Apple Tree is right across the highway from the Circle B. My folks leave their RV at Apple Tree and spend the summers there. Bruce and Gail are nice folks.

If you want to see snow, you can also check the snow report at Cloudcroft and see it there versus driving up to Ski Apache. The drive from Ruidoso over the Mescalero to Cloudcroft is nice. Once in Cloudcroft, you should try to make it up to Sunspot. It's a solar observatory and takes about a half hour to get there from Cloudcroft. I am always fascinated when I go to the overlook and see the whole Tularosa Basin and White Sands.

I grew up in New Mexico and love the state.

[RE_Todd]

efiguero wrote:
Thanks for the info, RE_Todd, can you elaborate a little on two of your comments?

2. Our trip to Belen to catch the train, you mention a 5 hour drive, is it really 5 hours from Valley of Fires camp area to Belen?

Thanks for the suggestions!!

Oops, 5 hours from Roswell

[RE_Todd]

efiguero wrote:
Thanks for the info, RE_Todd, can you elaborate a little on two of your comments?
1. You suggested staying at Lake Brantley, was that a suggestion because the drive time to bottomless lake is far or it's just a nice place to stay for that night?

2. Our trip to Belen to catch the train, you mention a 5 hour drive, is it really 5 hours from Valley of Fires camp area to Belen?

Thanks for the suggestions!!

Brantley Lake for another night in a different park. The campsites are on the hill above the lake.

Belen seems to be 3 hours from Valley of Fires, if memory serves me correct. My finger was too fat for the keys.

[hindes]

We love Ruidoso New Mexico! We go and stay at least 7 days there and use that as our base. We always stay at Circle B--great place, great folks! We take a day trip to Cloudcroft, another day trip to Lincoln (Billy the Kid) and then another day we go to White Sands out of Alamogordo. Just a suggestion.

Jim

[efiguero]

Thanks for the info, RE_Todd, can you elaborate a little on two of your comments?
1. You suggested staying at Lake Brantley, was that a suggestion because the drive time to bottomless lake is far or it's just a nice place to stay for that night?

2. Our trip to Belen to catch the train, you mention a 5 hour drive, is it really 5 hours from Valley of Fires camp area to Belen?

Thanks for the suggestions!!

[RE_Todd]

Forgot a couple of things. Check out Lincoln NM for Billy The Kid and Lincoln County War history, about 20 miles from Along the River. Alamogordo has the Space Museum and IMax theater.

[RE_Todd]

efiguero wrote:
2. Saturday 03/08 - Leave fort Stockton late morning for the Carlsbad Caverns area via 285, should be about a 3 hour drive. Spend most of the afternoon there, then head off to Bottomless Lake State Park near Roswell via 285 and NM/2, about 2 hours away. Stay the night there at the State Park.

Lake Brantley, halfway between Carlsbad and Artesia. $10 no hookups, $14 H2O and electric, $18 full hookups. Don't drink the lake water!!

3. Sunday 03/09 – Check out Roswell, not sure if much will be open on a Sunday, and kind of relax from the major driving. Stay at Bottomless State Park another night.

Bottomless Lakes, same prices

4. Monday 03/10 – Maybe check out anything cool that was not open Sunday in Roswell, then head out to Valley of Fires in Carrizozo, NM, via 380 about 2.5 hours. Crossing our fingers that we will be able to get a spot there, since they do not take reservations. We are hoping to use this area as our base for the rest of the trip in NM.

Or "Along The River RV Park, where the 37 and the 48 come together. Camping on the Bonita River, more like a creek. Great owners, Donna and Barry!

5. Tuesday 3/11 – Head down to Ruidoso for the day, this is where I may need route suggestions, google has me taking NM-37 45 minutes, is this a safe road to take in a Motorhome to get to Ruidoso? Or should I backtrack on 380 to 70 and take 70 to Ruidoso? Come back up to Valley of Fires to stay the night.

You're 15 miles from Ruidoso, take the 48. Make sure you get some BBQ at "Can't Stop Smokin" in Ruidoso

6. Wednesday 3/12 – Head down to White Sands in Alamogordo via US-54, about 2 hours, again is this a safe road to take in a Motorhome to get to Alamogordo and back to Valley of Fires to stay the night?

Go to White Sand's, then check out Oliver Lee State park south of Alamogordo

7. Thursday 3/13 – Head up to Belen via 380 and then I-25 about 2 hours, to catch the Rail Runner (The kids love trains) and take up towards Albuquerque and if we can hang to Santa Fe and back. Now I think I read it takes about 1.5 to take the full ride up one way. So it just depends, is this feasible for a day trip? Or even worth it? We would be driving back to Valley of Fires for the night.

5 hour drive. Maybe an early start, then Villanueva, or Sumner Lake

8. Friday 3/14 – Relax day, no driving, stay at camp site for the day to prepare for the drive back to Texas.

Just a recommendation.

[efiguero]

Bump

[efiguero]

So here is my preliminary itinerary, if anyone has any recommendations or suggestions, please let me know, especially roads I should avoid due to us being in a motorhome. Is this too aggressive of a schedule also Ruidoso, Alamogordo, Belen, and the relax day can be moved around to different days. Any information would be greatly appreciated, also if anyone has any recommendations of an alternative base camp site in the case the Valley of Fires is full, I was thinking of using Circle B in Ruidoso as it was suggested in one of the previous posts. However, it seems Valley of Fires would be a better base to do Alamogordo, and Belen. Also, we were trying to stick with the State parks as they are much cheaper than the Private parks.
1. Friday 03/07 – Leave Austin for Fort Stockton via 290 and I-10, I would like to avoid I-10, but we are leaving late Friday night, I am not sure I want to be driving back roads at night. Any suggestions? We should arrive at Fort Stockton at around 2 or 3 in the morning on the 8th and hope to stay at the Hilltop RV park for the remainder of that night, get some sleep and head out later in the day.

2. Saturday 03/08 - Leave fort Stockton late morning for the Carlsbad Caverns area via 285, should be about a 3 hour drive. Spend most of the afternoon there, then head off to Bottomless Lake State Park near Roswell via 285 and NM/2, about 2 hours away. Stay the night there at the State Park.

3. Sunday 03/09 – Check out Roswell, not sure if much will be open on a Sunday, and kind of relax from the major driving. Stay at Bottomless State Park another night.

4. Monday 03/10 – Maybe check out anything cool that was not open Sunday in Roswell, then head out to Valley of Fires in Carrizozo, NM, via 380 about 2.5 hours. Crossing our fingers that we will be able to get a spot there, since they do not take reservations. We are hoping to use this area as our base for the rest of the trip in NM.

5. Tuesday 3/11 – Head down to Ruidoso for the day, this is where I may need route suggestions, google has me taking NM-37 45 minutes, is this a safe road to take in a Motorhome to get to Ruidoso? Or should I backtrack on 380 to 70 and take 70 to Ruidoso? Come back up to Valley of Fires to stay the night.

6. Wednesday 3/12 – Head down to White Sands in Alamogordo via US-54, about 2 hours, again is this a safe road to take in a Motorhome to get to Alamogordo and back to Valley of Fires to stay the night?

7. Thursday 3/13 – Head up to Belen via 380 and then I-25 about 2 hours, to catch the Rail Runner (The kids love trains) and take up towards Albuquerque and if we can hang to Santa Fe and back. Now I think I read it takes about 1.5 to take the full ride up one way. So it just depends, is this feasible for a day trip? Or even worth it? We would be driving back to Valley of Fires for the night.

8. Friday 3/14 – Relax day, no driving, stay at camp site for the day to prepare for the drive back to Texas.

9. Saturday 3/15 – Leave Valley of Fires to Fort Stockton via 380, 285, about 6 hours. Stay the night at Hilltop RV park.

10. Sunday 3/16 – Leave Fort Stockton via I-10, 290 to Austin, another 6 hours.

[efiguero]

So after doing some research, I am trying to figure out if I want to stay near Ruidoso or just go there for the day or two and move around. Being from Texas, driving 100 miles here or there is normal, so I don't mind staying in one central area and driving back and forth. I was thinking about Bottomless Lake State Park, as it still had availablity for the week, and it seemed to be close enough to Ruiodoso, Carlsbad, Roswell, so it seems we could possibly go to many spots. If anyone has any other ideas of any other State or National Parks that are good to stay at? As usual they are always cheaper than the private places. More suggestions? Just trying to plan a cool trip for the family whith a chance of maybe letting the kids experience a little snow sometime durin the trip. Also, any roads or highways I need to avoid in our Class C would be helpful too. I did read a recent post about Albuquerque and the Rail Runner that takes you to Santa Fe, are there many things to do up in that area?

Also, looking at DesertHawk's suggestion, like the Valley of Fires, etc.

[efiguero]

Thanks for the info so far, I'm gonna read up on it and check the recommended websites!

[rr2254545]

We were there last year March 15-20 not problem getting there but that 12 mile trail up the mountain to the ski area is not doable in my opinion in your rig.

I saw no motor homes on it.

We stayed Circle B it was a nice park, got under freezing most nights so we just unhooked the water hose.

[DesertHawk]

US-87 N and US-380 & US-70 W should work well. No hard grades, very good hwy in NM. 580 mi, 9 hours 10 mins.

Might have snow that time of the year. The Mountain is Sierra Blanca. The drive up to the ski area would be a pretty steep climb even for an auto. Snow Report

http://ruidosowinterpark.com/

Perhaps you could still find snow in the Cloudcroft area. Roads to it are no problem as well, perhaps a little more steep going down to the Alamogordo area. But might not need to go there anyway. Route: US-87 N to US 180 W to US 82 W; 573 mi, 9 hours 9 mins.

http://www.cloudcroft.net/recreation/

http://www.cloudcroftskipalace.com/

http://www.epparent.com/blog/family-winter-fun-in-cloudcroft-nm.html

Other Than Snow to See/Do:

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.

US 380 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.

I would think most if not all forest services campground would still be closed at that time. There are some private campgrounds around.