33 replies to this topic

[captainkettel]

Has anyone done any spring time camping in New Mexico? Thought I might give that state a tour. I have never been their...Yet...! Just started checking out BLM land and state parks. Thanks for any info...

[DirtyDog]

No.... but good to see you again BTW, even though you are a Sportsmobiler, you are certainly welcome at our Death Valley trip next month!

[captainkettel]

DD, thanks for the offer! Looks like I am going to have to pass. I can't really get any time off till March. We have to put in for vacation at least 30 days in advance. We are short handed right now. But I have scheduled time off in March. All most the entire month. I looking at going Anza Borrego for the spring bloom. Maybe Baja or New Mexico if the wildflowers don't pan out. For me Death Valley is about 1200 mile away! So maybe next year. Even though I own a Sportsmobile, I am a true "Wander the West" member. It is the journey...

[4llamas]

captainkettle,

I found some non-sulfur hot springs in a gorge on the Rio Grande river many, many moons ago. It was in the northern part of the state, out of Arroyo Hondo I believe. Beautiful area. Worth looking for. That'll be a great trip. New Mexico really is enchanting, all the way from Raton to Silver City and Farmington to Carlsbad Cavern. Usually lot's of snow in the Cloudcroft area.

[Rockjok]

One of my favorite areas is the Gila Cliff dwellings region north of Silver City. Great camping and vistas. I've only spent time there in the winter so I'm not sure when spring flood season is.

Be sure and do a search for backcountry byways in New Mexico.

A great drive west across the AZ border is US 191, miles and miles of cool country and corners.

Rob

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[CJ8Rockcrawler]

The various Pueblos can be of interest as is Chaco Canyon.

[DLN]

Hey cap,

Like DD I don't have any experience in the area but it's nice to hear from you and I'll look forward to your trip report. Enjoy.

[mtn-high]

A small overview of designated NM campspots here:

http://www.explorenm.com/camping/

I'd wager that you will still see quite a bit of snow in many higher areas in March, especially (in the Northern part of the state) if this Winter season continues to provide ample snowfall as it has "so far". Camping is kinda sparse in certain areas of the state due to the massive ground covered by the various Indian Reservations in the area, however, there are certainly some sweet spots to be had if you look around a bit.

happy trails

mtn

[Barko1]

What are you looking to see? The explore NM is a good list but neglected Lake Roberts in the Gila, I was up from Hillsboro this weekend, all sorts of spots right off the road or further in. March will require watching the weather, the North could still be snow filled. Also in the very SW into AZ are the Chiricuahuas, some territory.nice

[highz]

I second the Gila NF/Wilderness and Chiricahuas. I enjoy camping around tiny Snow Lake in the Gila. It's stocked with rainbows and less crowded than Roberts Lake. If you are a birder, the Chiricahuas are a must-see. Four habitat zones overlap there. It's the only place in the U.S. to see the Elegant Trogon.

In my neck of the woods, there are several campsites in the Lincoln NF plus dispersed camping. On weekdays it's possible to go for a long hike and not see anyone else. The Lincoln is a recreation area mostly visited by west Texans and hasn't really been discovered by others, yet. The area around Ruidoso is nice, and there's some fishing in that area as well.

The north part of the state has gotten a lot of winter precip, so it's likely that there will be a good wildflower show there this spring. There's a lot of territory to explore in the Santa Fe NF, but I have less knowledge of that area. Mainly, I know it's very beautiful and I want to spend more time there.