Heading to New Mexico - Suggestions

[HawkeyeDoesFly]

Hello All,
We are in the Sedona, AZ area currently. Planning to travel, explore, and boondock in New Mexico. We are planning on stopping in Tucson and Tombstone on the way. Leave 3-3-21.


Please give us (2 or 3) ideas of things to see/do/stay in mid to lower New Mexico where it is warmer than the northern portion currently. We are not into Casinos, Big city stuff, or shopping.
Thanks for reading and your ideas.

[jcurtis934]

The white sands missile museum is a good visit. They do a background check on you in order to get access to the museum. The white sands national monument is interesting to visit and see all that gypsum. The Very Large Array Radio Telescope on highway 60 is very good. Many dishes spread out on two different track systems to fine tune the system for viewing different parts of the galaxy, etc. Also on route 60 is Pietown. Yep, lots of great pies to sample in 4 or 5 different places.

[DQDick]

Hopefully by the time you get here more will be open. The state is opening county by county in stages based on how bad the virus is. Currently the southern most counties are not open, while other parts of the state are almost fully open. Las Cruces is a great place with a wonderful farmers market (some produce, but mostly crafts etc.) if it's happening. Carlsbad caverns is a must and if you're into nature the Lincoln national forest and especially Sitting Bull falls which is near Carlsbad is great. Carlsbad also has a Desert Zoo if you are into critters.

[432bartman]

Go visit the 4 corners

[HawkeyeDoesFly]

Thanks, was really wanting to see Carlsbad area and caves. Thanks!!

[HawkeyeDoesFly]

Hi, to clarify, do you mean the 4-states corners of UT, CO, AR & NM?

[432bartman]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeDoesFly

Hi, to clarify, do you mean the 4-states corners of UT, CO, AR & NM?

Yeah.....just something to see and take photos of.

[BB_TX]

I agree on Carlsbad. Walk the natural entrance in and elevator out if they are allowing it. Walking out would be a real endurance test as there is a significant elevation change.

But check their web site before you go. Last I looked they were allowing 1000 visitors per day, first come/first serve. And no tickets sold after 2:00 or so even if they were still available.

[scottz]

Originally Posted by 432bartman

Yeah.....just something to see and take photos of.

When I drove by a couple weeks ago, the road to the four corners monument was blocked off, monument closed.

In any case, not much to see there; I certainly would not go out of my way for it. The area does have a lot to offer, Mesa Verde and lots of other indian ruins, mountains, narrow gauge railroad, etc. However, the OP said mid to lower NM; that eliminates the north west part of the state

[Hornet28]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

I agree on Carlsbad. Walk the natural entrance in and elevator out if they are allowing it. Walking out would be a real endurance test as there is a significant elevation change. .

X2 It's beautiful

[twindman]

Go to Roswell too. The museum made a believer out of me!!! Just too much info and death-bed letters that tell a story!

[Hornet28]

Originally Posted by twindman

Go to Roswell too. The museum made a believer out of me!!! Just too much info and death-bed letters that tell a story!

When you were there did you also buy the book about the incident? Very interesting and I also came away believing the government covered it up.

[mlhenehan]

I would check. Last time I looked there was no over night camping for non-residents, anywhere. But it's been a month or so. It was difficult information to find on the state website.

[DQDick]

If you go to see a museum in Rosewell go to the real museum next to the visitor center. You'll find the largest collection of cowboy and native american artifacts west of the Field Museum in Chicago. In addition the other half of the museum is fine arts with a concentration of western artists, and in the middle there is a continually changing exhibit area and the workshop and exibits from Gotterds rocket expermenting days in New Mexico. No end to the interesting things oil money can bring to town.

[Theunz]

Roswell didn’t make a believer out of me, but I did leave scratching my head

[GILAELKHUNTER]

If you come through Silver City there is the Gila Cliff Dwellings, the Catwalk, and the Gila National Forest to the north of us and the City of Rocks, and RockHound state parks near Deming.

[rames14]

One thing very few people get to see is the Trinity Site. It is only open the first Saturday in April and the first Saturday in October. Do not have guns in your vehicle (guess how I know). It is on White Sands but is only available two days a year. Unfortunately, after I typed this, I checked and they have closed it this spring because of Covid.

[Bevg]

We like Benson AZ. Kartchner Caverns is in Benson. Bisbee is 25 miles from Tombstone.
Las Cruces NM is a very nice area.

[katdon]

Go to Organ Pipe National Monument. It is open. If you have your senior pass camping there is only 5 dollars. Otherwise I just saw a blog by Getaway Gang about Organ Pipe. They boondocked just outside the entrance by a few miles. We loved it! Tombstone is kitschy. I thought it was just toooo touristy but Bisbee is cool. Kartchner Caverns is a must. There is a campground there also but don't know if it is open this year. Love this area. Also around Tuscon is the national forest and animal and botanical area. Can't remember the name. It is east of Tucson and on Google. Have fun!
Had heard they were making people quarentine for 2 weeks if you wanted to stay in New Mexico. People were driving straight through in one day. Don't know if that is still the case.

[ToolMan]

There is supposed to be a car museum south of Sedona. It might be a miniature car museum. People we camped next to in Petrified Forest told us about it.