Hey Ladies and Gents-

I'm planning a cross-country road trip of anywhere between 4-8 weeks, leaving some time in mid-late April.

One of the states I'm going to be visiting is New Mexico.

So far, I have the following on the list of things to *potentially* see in your state.  I'm not sure I'll get to all of them, but I want to solicit suggestions about things I should see or avoid.
I'm particularly interested in stuff that people might not know about or remember that has historic significance.  For instance, in Louisiana I'm visiting the site where Bonnie and Clyde were gunned down.  In that case, it's just a small monument on a dirt road, but it's an interesting part of history.

• Roswell


• White Sands National Monument/Park


• Lincoln National Forest

I might not get to all of those; maybe I will.

Any advice at all is welcome.  Things to see, places to avoid, roads to use and not use, trails for off-roading, camp sites, etc.

One thing I won't be doing is shooting, and I don't really intend on visiting FFLs or anything like that.  I have a limited amount of time for certain states and can't waste that in gun shops.

I plan on sleeping in the back of the car for 2-3 days, then getting a hotel for the night, then going back in the car.  As a result, I'll need recommendations for cool camp sites with views, etc.

Any information about Covid restrictions is also helpful with regard to closures of parks or businesses.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

I saw your post in the AZ thread.  Since you headed towards Scottsdale from the Lincoln you can come across to Silver City.  I would highly recommend the Gila Cliff Dwellings.  There are other cool sights but all depends on your time allotted.  You can catch the City of Rocks on your way up from Las Cruces into Silver.

http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/cityofrocksstatepark.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60831-Activities-Silver_City_New_Mexico.html

Here's the most beautiful picture of Silver City you'll ever see ...

I'm not sure which direction you're travelling.  If you're on I10 travelling West, you to take the highway 180 exit in Deming and travel 52 miles northwest to Silver City.  Eventually, you'll reconnect with I10 in 44 miles via highway 90 in Lordsburg ... about 40 miles out of your way.  If you're traveling East, you exit in Lordsburg and reconnect in Deming.

If you're interested in the history of the area, it's worth a few minutes of your time to check out the Chino Mine Vista Point.  The vista point has been open and closed.  If you think you're interested, I'll drive over there and see if it's currently open.

Prior to the China virus, there was an excellent (monthly) guided tour of the mining district.  Not the Chino mine, but rather the underground mines in the immediate area.  The local Mining History Association had petitioned to preserve the mine head frames.  However, I'm sure it will be many months before the tour resumes.

If you're interested in dining recommendations, let me know.

If you come on 380 there is the town or Lincon
The Billy the Kid  Lincon, nice buildings museum there.
To the west mile marker 88 is the Capitan rifle Range. It's 1000yards, must be a member or guest to enter, but can see it from the gate.
Town of Capitan is 3 miles west, home of Smokey the Bear, there is a museum for smokey There is a nice Oso resteruant, not open on Sundays. Still going west on 380 is the Valley of Fires state park. It has a recent geologiliy flow of lava. More west is White Sands where the atomic bomb was tested, 15 mil s west will get you to I 25 goes north/south.

Love Silver City and the Galia National park.

You should take the Tram up to the top of Sandia mountain and do a tour in hot air balloon in ABq.

Sounds like you might end up right here in my back yard.

If you're driving a 4wd (or even a 2wd sedan if the weather is right) I'd do 'West side road'  Forest road 91 in the Lincoln National forest.  It's been a travel route for centuries.  Adapted to motorized use recently.  

Was out there today and took a picture of an old fence line.  By all accounts that I've heard it was something built by the U.S. Calvary before N.M. was a state.  I'd believe it. Looks like the trees were cut down with an axe, laid along the fence row, branches of said trees cut off, split with said axe lengthwise and buried as fence posts.  I find no evidence of metal in the construction.  Lots of worked flint and chert in the area that probably predates the the calvary.

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Down below in the Tularosa Basin is Oliver Lee State park.  He was from what I gather a character--  probably had to be back in his day to settle an entire canyon that had a good water source and try to keep it.  Neat trail that has scenic views that leads up from the park. It is a little steep.  I'd guess a couple thousand vertical over the total distance of the trail, but about 1000' gets you up to here.

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or you could access it from the aforementioned West Side Road.

Points north that I need to revisit this year.

Three Rivers Campground site right there

At the western base of Sierra Blanka a 12,000' peak at about 6000' with a rare running stream.  It's a challenging round trip on foot in a day from campground to peak (if you're young and/or in shape).  There is also a petroglyph (sp) site right there if you're into the native americans that predated the the Apaches who's reservation includes Sierra Blanca.  

stock image of the view from near the top looking mostly west where the 3 rivers campground is at the base-- and there is white sands in the distance--  pretty cool place to visit too.

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If you do roll through the Cloudcroft area, let me know and I'll get you more information on what to do, and where you might camp and stay for the one night you aren't camping.

Silver City seems to be a winner.  I'll try to put it into the route for when I settle firmly on specifics.




That mine is awesome!  I wouldn't want you to drive all the way over there to find out.  I'm sure I can find some information online about whether its open or not.

Dining recommendations are always welcome.




No kidding?  Didn't know Smokey was from NM.  That's cool.  I really would like to visit White Sands.



Haha, no hot air balloons for me.  But the tram sounds like it might be nice.  I'll look into it, thanks



This is fantastic intel, thanks so much.  That sounds like a great set of things to do.

Fellas, I hate to have to ask this, but what's the story as far as safety of campsites in NM?  With the amount of migrant activity at the border, I am a little wary of the potential to run into trouble.  

Is this something I should be seriously concerned about?  What about off-road?  What are the chances I run into people I shouldn't?

Here you go ...

Silver City Restaurants

I am usually on BLM land at least once a month, and camp out there as well in the state parks.

I have never ran into "trouble"

This is the Southern Part of NM, Las Cruces area

I camp just east of the Capitan range when I shoot matches there. I haven't had any problems. Capitan to Cloud Croft is a nice drive though the Lincoln forest (be aware of wildlife). The White Sands visitor center has a natural history museum just outside of Alamogordo.

The drive from Las Cruces to Deming is just desert. You may consider heading north on 25 out of Cruces to 152. This will take you over the Black Range, there are several campgrounds though there, and it is a scenic drive (again, be aware of wildlife and cattle). It will drop you into the Mimbres valley where you can take 35 to 15 to the Cliff Dwellings. There are several places to camp though there, I think Grapevine is nice. If you stay on 15 on the way back, you will end up coming into Silver City. The Cliff Dwellings trip would take most of a day.
If you stay on 152, you will get to Silver in about 30 minutes. This will take you past the Chino mine. The "official" overlook has been closed when I drove by, but you can still pull over and take a look.

I would take 180 out of Silver though Cliff and Buckhorn (not the resturant) and take 78 to the AZ border into Safford.

That's just my take if you plan to go though southern NM.

The sign says closed to promote social distancing.  Which is ridiculous.  This is an open-air vista. Although one of the first COVID outbreaks in the area was tied to the mine.  The mine shut down for many months (mostly due to a lack of demand for copper) and only reopened recently.  Hopefully the overlook will reopen soon.  There is a view from the side of the road, but the view from the overlook is better.  And the overlook has panels with historical information.

UPDATE:

I've postponed the trip until around mid-June.  I currently have covid, which makes a postponement absolutely necessary.  My father also has it and is in the ICU.

I'll touch base again on this when I get through some of this.

Fellas, the trip is off.  My father passed away from Covid a few weeks ago.  My spirit for this sort of thing is just smashed, and I have no idea when I'm going to get around to thinking about it again.  

I want to thank everyone I've talked to in this thread and via PM for their recommendations and information on your state.  I hope that maybe one day, I can plan this again and meet up with a few of you along the way.

My best to all of you.