Explore New Mexico in summer - your fave spots?

[DHart]

We are looking to take delivery of a 2016 Serenity around mid-June or so. We're considering a summer trip to New Mexico (probably northern New Mexico, where summer temps will be more moderate).

Are there places/campgrounds that you can recommend that we should visit in New Mexico? The Serenity is 30'. Towing with Duramax/Allison 3/4 ton.

Looking forward to your recommendations.

[Florida 55]

Santa Fe Skies campground outside Santa Fe is a good place to use as a base to explore the area. Lots to see and do around Santa Fe. We stayed 5 nights in 2013. Nice place.

We enjoyed the Monte Verde Campground at Angel Fire in 2013. From MonteVerde you can explore northeastern NM, including Taos. We stayed several nights there. Be sure to visit Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron if you go to Angel Fire. Taos is also worth at least a day.

We've also stayed at Enchanted Trails Campground outside Albuquerque (west on I40) two nights before going to the balloon rally in October 2013. It was okay. Sites are mostly gravel and dust. There may be better choices in ABQ, perhaps others can chime in.

[Ahab]

Cibola Nat'l Forest area. Lots to see and do. Be sure to spend some time at the http://wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org near El Morro. Next is Carson Nat'l Forest, Chama, Oh heck just get yourself a NM map and help yourself.

[Lumatic]

1.Jemez Mountains/ Valles Caldera. 2. Chaco Canyon/ stay at Angel Peak near Bloomfield. Don't take your new Airstream to Chaco 20+ miles of washboard. 3. Bandelier National Monument. 4. Red River/ Eagle Nest

[SilverPalace]

There are some beautiful state parks in Northern NM. For private campgrounds, love Monte Bello outside of Taos, near the gorge bridge, Ojo Caliente has a campground rustic) but other amenities are wonderful, pool, restaurant, spa. Monte Verde in Angel Fire is also wonderful, the owners are best. Travel On!

[RamblinManGa]

Hi from AZ. . . on your way back to the Valley, take US 60 West from Socorro , see the VLA, have best pie ever at Pie-O-Neer in Pietown, N.M. Pretty drive into AZ. travel safe, Craig

[Doc Foster]

Though both of these are in the Southern part of the state, we would recommend these 2 state parks.

In 2013 we stayed several days at Oliver Lee State Park (water & sewer with dump station). We will definitely stay there again when in that area. Sites are pretty far apart.
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park New Mexico

It was convenient for our visits to White Sands NM, Alamogordo (NM Museum of Space History), and Three Rivers Petroglyph Site.
Three Rivers Petroglyph Site


We also stayed several days at Rock Hound State Park which was being renovated in 2013, and would definitely stay here again as well. It also had W + S and a dump station. Rockhound State Park New Mexico

We also stayed at Navajo Lake State Park which was OK, but it was a bit crowded and sites were tight/close together, so probably wouldn't stay there again.

[Airstruck]

EMNRD State Parks Division


Try the New Mexico State Parks for all areas in New Mexico.


We live in Corrales NM and have homes for the AS in Rancho de Taos and Mora, New Mexico.


We just got back from Rockhound, City of Rocks and Caballo Lake State Parks. All were great.


It will be getting HOT there soon, as it is the desert. You are from AZ so you know.


I understand Hyde State Park near Santa Fe is very nice.


We like Heron Lake in Northern NM, they have a few full hook up sites.


Let me know if you want specifics about Taos or the Las Vegas NM area.


Happy Travels and we are looking forward to seeing you in New Mexico.

[BDowse]

Red River is a beautiful place in the summer (ski area in winter).
North of Taos and Eagle Nest on the Enchanted Circle. Great location for day trips as far as Santa Fe.
Even In July or August take your coats, very cool at night. 8,000' elevation. Lots to do and eat. We have stayed with Mitch Miller at Red River RV park on west side mostly but there are several fed campgrounds downstream towards Questa which fill up fast and some aren't length friendly.
Our first trip there was in 1964. Fortunately, hasn't changed much 😀

[switz]

Valley of Fires is a BLM park with 18 spaces. It is three to four miles east of Carrizozo, New Mexico. Some sites just water and electric ($12) and a few also with it's own dump station ($18). There is also a main dump station. Nice shower and toilet facility as well. Lots of trails in area and great views. Due to lack of rain, one must only use a propane grill or cooking equipment outside of trailer.

This is I the high country over 6,000 feet if I remember correctly.

[Denda]

Red River, Taos, Angel Fire and Eagle Nest- Also known as The Enchanted Circle.

[Photobum]

Valles Caldera-I have seen over three hundred elk in that area in a single day-magical...

[Jannamary]

We just left New Mexico after staying about a month. We loved it there! We bought the state parks membership and between the National Parks Golden Eagle it was very inexpensive. We stared out in the south and gradually went north as the weather dictated. I'm a visual person so I use Pinterest to search states for what interests me, then pin the sites on a map and work my way through the state. We park our Airstream and use it as a base to go to and from sites.

[BDowse]

Thread Trivia:
For Longmire fans, Walt's cabin is said to be on Valles Caldera. Show is filmed in New Mexico and the producers pass it off as Absoroka county, Wyoming. Movie Magic.

[eubank]

Don, NM is kind of like AZ, a pretty darned big place with a whole bunch to see and do. It depends on what more local area you'd want to experience and on the kinds of things that you find interesting. Several have mentioned the Enchanted Circle, where we live, and that's fine, but you could pick practically any area of northern New Mexico and find really cool stuff to see/do!


Lynn

[NavyCorpsman]

Do what we did, Go online to the New Mexico dept of tourism. Find the things you like to do, and they will send you information that even some Airstreamers don't know about. The will have all the information in print mailed to your door in less than a week. Maps, Events, Things to see and do by interest etc. We are planning our first long trip on the Mother Road from Miami OK to the Grand Canyon, then up to Wyoming. Oklahoma has the most incredible information available for the traveler. Texas was ho-hum, New Mexico ( got a brochure today entitled TRIBAL: Your journey to New Mexico's Twenty Two Tribes, Cultural Indian Events and Attractions....)
There is so much to see and do, the States are great at helping you sort it all out. It's so relaxing when I scatter the brochures and books on the Kitchen Table and start planning the route. It makes it so much easier for me anyways. There is the Columbres Toltec railroad offers day excursions in a standard gauge steam train. From NM to Colorado. My friend rode it and it was amazing. You will be surprised at all the great information.
Have Fun and be safe.
Clayton

[Protagonist]

Whenever I cross a state line on an Interstate highway or major US highway, there is usually a Welcome Center within a few miles. You can stop and get a cup of complementary coffee and spend as long as you like browsing all of the tourist brochures from everywhere in the state, usually including a free (and up-to-date) official state map, too. If your destination is in-state and you're not just passing through, tell the helpful folks at the counter so that they can enter the information in their guestbook.

I'll be visiting New Mexico (for the first time since high school) this summer for the WBCCI International Rally at Farmington, so I'll be hitting welcome centers in Texas and New Mexico on the way to pick up tourist literature for planning future trips.

[jbroedlow]

We're here now at Brantley Lake State Park to visit Carlsbad Caverns which are about 45 minutes away. Drove up from El Paso, TX yesterday and stopped at Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the way. If I had to do this over, I would have stayed there a nite or two but there's always next year. That campground there was boon docking only and was first come, first served. The campground itself was like a parking lot with long spaces to pull your rig into. But would still have liked to stay and do a little hiking and bird watching for a day or two. Brantley Lake so far is really nice. Nice view out the the back window of the 27FB of typical New Mexico landscape with the lake in the background. There is 30 and 50 amp service available and I think a few of the spots even have a sewer connection. The bathrooms look nice. There were 3 other Airstreams when we first got here and had a lengthy conversation with a couple from California, exchanged info, and may get together in Santa Fe for dinner in a few days. Love Airstreamin' for the nice people we meet on the road.

[KJRitchie]

This Airstream couple toured New Mexico extensively. Might give you some ideas.

New Mexcio Archives - WatsonsWander

[Len n Jeanne]

We liked Bandolier National Monument Bandelier National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

Visiting nearby Los Alamos was a little creepy, but everyone was friendly.