Southern New Mexico and Big Bend

[Floridafrances]

Since we had to cancel our late June trip to Yellowstone with our grandson, Tom and I have decided we'll wait until Fall and go 2 places we've wanted visit but never were able to get to - southern New Mexico and the Big Bend area.

Not counting the drive out there and back, we'll have 4 weeks. I'm finding it hard to figure out how to divide our time between the 2 areas.

All I've booked so far are 3 nights at Oliver Lee Memorial SP in order to take the October 23rd full moon hike at White Sands and a few other hikes close by.

We prefer State and Federal parks, although we do like having at least electricity in case we need to run A/C, or heater.

We enjoy taking our Jeep on scenic drives - paved or not - and if there's hiking to be done along the way, even better. Avid amateur photographers. We love interesting geologic formations, ghost towns, rockhounding, and pretty much anything that gets us out away from cities and crowds.

Any advice any of you have on any of the things I've thrown out here would be greatly appreciated.

[Floridafrances]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for all the good replies.

Special thanks to those who offered specific names of places to take the Jeep or hike. I've been searching through Trails Off Road, All Trails, and every other site I can think of. But nothing beats having someone you "know" tell you their favorites.

I think I still have us potentially staying in too many places. Sometimes it's hard to decide if it's better to spend an hour or so to re-locate 75 miles closer to the next batch of things to do. But I think I'm getting a better idea of how to divide the time we have.

[huachuca]

I'd suggest staying within the Park and splitting your time between at least the NPS Rio Grande Village (not the nearby RV park) and the Cottonwood campgrounds. I think you may be too big for the Basin or I'd suggest 2-3 days there as well. Drive up in your jeep and make your own decision. Big Bend is a huge Park and you can lose a lot of time driving in from outside or exploring around the west end when you're camped at RGV. There's plenty to see/do in each area. Neither campground has hookups and Cottonwood is non-generator but Fall weather should be OK.

Plan your activities before you get there. The Park website is really good if you take the time to explore all the links. Google 'Paisano'; its the Park newspaper and back issues are available on the net. National Geographic offers a pretty good map that can be purchased on line or when you arrive. bigbendchat dot com is a website for enthusiasts.

Read up on the backroads and hiking trails for those that meet your interest and abilities. With the jeep, you should be able to cover any of the roads unless there's been a good bit of recent rain. Check with the staff for conditions before starting out. Old Ore road is good for a half day. Be sure to take the short hike from it to Ernst Tinaja. Maverick is another good drive and can be a short cut from Cottonwood into Study Butte or Terlingua on the west end. Glenn Springs to Mariscal Mine connecting to the River Road is a good way to spend a full day. Black Gap Road is the only one that is not maintained to some degree but should be OK for the jeep when dry.

It would be hard for me to pick a single 'best' trail; we've done all the day hikes and an overnight on the South Rim. The Hot Springs certainly shouldn't be missed and Lost Mine, The Window and Emory Peak are three good ones up in the Basin when heat is an issue at lower elevations.

The Basin restaurant is average to good. Limited supplies are available at stores in The Basin, RGV and Castolon (west end). Gas in the center and RGV. Study Butte, west end outside the Park, has gas, groceries and most essentials.

Outside the Park, on the west end, be sure to visit Terlingua. Graveyard there is interesting. The Starlight Theater has surprisingly good food and La Kiva is a unique local watering hole.

Enjoy your visit. We'll spend a few days there next month on our way back east from Utah.

[Gonzo42]

Columbus is just of the Snowbird Destinations around there.

[2gypsies1]

I answered you on 'the other' forum. 🙂 Stay in Big Bend for the best experience. We love Rio Grande Village dry campground. You're going in Fall so the temps will be perfect without A/C. You'll have yellow cottonwoods, blue sky and red mountains to view! Gorgeous. Good Jeeping from there, also.

[imgoin4it]

From Columbus and the musieum you should go across to the pink house in palomas Mexico for a great lunch, including a margarita p, maybe some Mexican music and some shopping. With everything folks here have outlined for you to do you may as well visit with a reatitor, buy a home and move to Alamogordo . Of course I may be a little prejudiced . If you are a member of the Elks there are full hook RV sites here.

[Gooding__R]

You have to visit the little town of Columbus, NM. There is a great museum there and lots of History like the first US Army Air Force Base and a great camping park. Travel safe and enjoy.

[Floridafrances]

Thanks so much for these suggestions. Some of them I knew about and planned to do, but some I didn't.

PawPaw_n_Gram, I'd love to have those suggestions if you can convince the software to let you post. If not, feel free to send me a private message. And thanks for the detailed suggestions on how to break up the trip.

Love how people here are so helpful.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Well I wrote some more about hikes and other attractions - but the forum software decided I was a robot. Let me know if you want those suggestions.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Alamogordo is kind in the middle of where I would travel. Depending upon where you come from with 28 days to spend:

From the east - Exit I-10 in San Antonio and travel US-90 to Marathon and BBNP

Night 1-2 - Seminole Canyon SP - 30A

Night 3-7 - Big Bend NP - 50A/FHU

Night 8 - Big Bend Ranch SP - Dry

Night 9-11 - Davis Mtns SP - 30A or 50A FHU

Night 12 - Balmorhea SP - 50A

Night 13-14 - Guadalupe Mountains NP - Pine Springs CG - Dry

Night 15-17 - Carlsbad Caverns NP (Carlsbad KOA is a great CG - White City RV - no so great) - FHU commercial parks - Brantley Lake SP has some electric sites - just be aware that there are no good quality RV camping locations close to the Caverns.

Night - 18-20 - Oliver Lee Memorial SP (Drive over the mtns via US-82 is interesting with a steep descent to Alamogordo - if those type grades bother you go north to Roswell and take US-70 over the mtns

Night 21 - Valley of Fire BLM CG - 30A just west of Carrizozo (US-54/US-380 intersection) camp on the edge of a lava flow - alt is 3 Rivers Petroglyphs Site a little east of Santa Rosa - 50A - a great hike enroute to Carrizozo from OLM SP)

Night 22-23 - Elephant Butte Reservior SP - Many electric sites

Night 24-28 - Deming, NM - Rock Hound SP has several electric sites as a good base for the area. City of Rocks SP to the north has some electric sites - not the best sites in the park. We base at the Escapee's Dreamcatcher RV in Deming.

If coming from the west, I'd reverse the route.

[Gonzo42]

Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands Missile Range, Roswell UFO Museum, and Hatch, NM for the best chili.

[Desert_Captain]

Another vote for City of Rocks SP just north of Deming. Elephant Butte is a good choice as well.

:C

[ndrorder]

From Oliver Lee are valley of fire state park for a day, three rivers petroglyph SP, and towns of Lincoln and capitan (territorial wild west towns. Gran quivera state park. Great day drive and views from sunspot solar observatory.

SE NM Carlsbad caverns NP, botanical gardens, and several backcountry hiking trails. Ufo museum in roswell.

SW NM gila Indian ruins, cat walks state park (hiking), open pit mines worth seeing, and lots of back country hikes and jeep opportunities.

Other opportunities around new Mexico include El malpais (sic), LA Luz trail outside Albuquerque during balloon Fiesta in early october. Bosque del apache wildlife refuge. Mild 4wd trails east of truth or consequences. Bandalier national monument. Lots of great national forest campgrounds all over the state.

[timandsusan]

Big Bend Ranch State Park has some interesting guided trips--check out the website for times and cost. We enjoyed them several years ago. Also good hiking in Guadalupe Peak National Park. Lots of great advice from others on RV.net.

[manley]

Don’t overlook Big Bend Ranch State Park. It’s west of the National Park, and just as scenic with 1/10 the crowds. Terlingua is neat, particularly the porch on Sunday afternoon. Give Clay Henry a beer from me.