Day 26 - After a good hot shower at Oliver Lee State Park, we took the dogs for a walk then headed for White Sands Missle Range Museum. After a quick security check, we were allowed on base to visit the museum and missile park. Admission was free and we both enjoyed the history lesson. After the museum we headed back to the Sierra Vista Trailhead to camp for the night.
Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend, Chiricahua Mountains and More
- Thread starter Sleddog
- Start date
Day 27 - Today we had a quick breakfast then went for an early morning hike at Dripping Springs, about 3 miles round trip to the Springs and back. There is a $5 day use fee, but our national parks pass got us in for free since we were in a National Monument.
After the hike, we decided to move towards the Chiricahua Mountains just over the New Mexico border in the southeast corner of Aizona. We visited Chiricahua National Monument last year and noticed many more camping and hiking opportunities outside the monument in the Coronado National Forest. We stopped in Las Cruces to restock at a Walmart and it was getting late for driving the whole way, so we stopped for the night at Rockhound State Park. There were no sites available, but the camp host was super nice and helpful and offered us a fairly level spot to park for the night and only charged $8 including shower access.
Day 28 - Today we took the dogs for an early morning hike in the park then drove to the Cave Creek Recreation Area in the Chiricahua Mountains. We stopped at the visitor center for information and were greeted by a very helpful gentleman who provided trail descriptions and camping locations, including campgrounds and primitive dispersed camping options. This area is popular with birders, but we are early for the season and there were only a few other campers around. Out of 4 campgrounds, 2 of them were completely empty. We opted for a free primitive site on a creek abut 2 miles from several trailheads in the main canyon area.
After the hike, we decided to move towards the Chiricahua Mountains just over the New Mexico border in the southeast corner of Aizona. We visited Chiricahua National Monument last year and noticed many more camping and hiking opportunities outside the monument in the Coronado National Forest. We stopped in Las Cruces to restock at a Walmart and it was getting late for driving the whole way, so we stopped for the night at Rockhound State Park. There were no sites available, but the camp host was super nice and helpful and offered us a fairly level spot to park for the night and only charged $8 including shower access.
Day 28 - Today we took the dogs for an early morning hike in the park then drove to the Cave Creek Recreation Area in the Chiricahua Mountains. We stopped at the visitor center for information and were greeted by a very helpful gentleman who provided trail descriptions and camping locations, including campgrounds and primitive dispersed camping options. This area is popular with birders, but we are early for the season and there were only a few other campers around. Out of 4 campgrounds, 2 of them were completely empty. We opted for a free primitive site on a creek abut 2 miles from several trailheads in the main canyon area.
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Day 29 - We started the day with a 3 mile hike on the Ash Springs Loop. Then we decided to drive a scenic loop on Forest roads over the next couple of days. So after the hike, we drove Forest Road 42 from Cave Creek through Pinery Canyon to highway 181 at the entrance to Chiricahua National Monument. Since we had already visited the Monument, we skipped it this time and made our way to Turkey Creek to camp for the night at a primitive site.
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Day 31 - We were starting to get a little low on gas and the nearest gas station was about 40 miles away in Animas. We were also ready for a change in scenery, so we decided to head east on highway 9 to Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, NM. We reached Animas to discover that the only gas pumps in town were out of order. We were down to less than 1/4 tank of gas, but we carry 5 gallons of extra gas (properly mounted in safe containers on the camper) so we decided to go on to Columbus to refuel.
Pancho Villa State Park had several sites available, so we didn't bother with reservations. The campground is set up more like a commercial RV park and even though the showers were nice enough, we didn't really care for the campground itself. The onsite museum was great though. The village of Columbus is nothing special, mostly run down with only few restaurant and lodging options and little to do outside the State Park unless you want to cross into Mexico.
The original thought was to head north from Columbus to Truth or Consequences for a soak in a hot spring. There is primitive camping available in the area, but it is all at higher elevation where it is likely to freeze overnight. A check on the weather and campsite openings at Elephant Butte State Park convinced us to wait a few days, temps are expected to rise by this weekend and a campsite I want at Elephant Butte isn't available until Saturday. I haven't made camping reservations yet though, we may splurge and spend one night at a resort with private soaking pools, but I haven't decided yet whether the cost is worth it for us. We will sleep on it tonight and decide in the morning. We have decided to return to the Chiricahua mountains in the mean time and will head that way tomorrow after making reservations for Truth or Consequences.
Day 32 - Pancho Villa State Park, in general, left a little to be desired though the onsite museum and the museum just across the road were most interesting and made it worth the drive over from the Chiricahua area. The Museum exhibits in the old train depot were a little lacking in presentation, but made up for it with the quantity and variety of items from early 1900s everyday life. The campground was so so at best. In addition to feeling a lot like a cramped commercial RV park, the campground was situated about 1/2 mile from the Mexican border in a open desert environment where sound really travels well. The nearby road across the border was fairly busy and created a bit of noise that died down about 10pm, but never really stopped and picked back up again around 5am. The showers were the worst type, a push button model with no temperature control. The water was just a safe, generic, almost, but not quite hot enough sort of hot. And the push button got you about 30 seconds of water at a time. I have no idea how many times I had to push that button, but I was starting to feel like a monkey in some lab experiment. The town of Columbus didn't seem to have much going for it with very little to offer in the way of lodging, restaurants, or entertainment. The locals tell me that I should see how town fills with people when the desert blooms and when they do their yearly anniversary celebration of the Pancho Villa raid. I think a one night visit was sufficient and I will probably miss the spring festivities. We checked out after our showers and headed back to the Cave Creek area of the Chiricahua Mountains to camp for the next few nights.
Pancho Villa State Park had several sites available, so we didn't bother with reservations. The campground is set up more like a commercial RV park and even though the showers were nice enough, we didn't really care for the campground itself. The onsite museum was great though. The village of Columbus is nothing special, mostly run down with only few restaurant and lodging options and little to do outside the State Park unless you want to cross into Mexico.
The original thought was to head north from Columbus to Truth or Consequences for a soak in a hot spring. There is primitive camping available in the area, but it is all at higher elevation where it is likely to freeze overnight. A check on the weather and campsite openings at Elephant Butte State Park convinced us to wait a few days, temps are expected to rise by this weekend and a campsite I want at Elephant Butte isn't available until Saturday. I haven't made camping reservations yet though, we may splurge and spend one night at a resort with private soaking pools, but I haven't decided yet whether the cost is worth it for us. We will sleep on it tonight and decide in the morning. We have decided to return to the Chiricahua mountains in the mean time and will head that way tomorrow after making reservations for Truth or Consequences.
Day 32 - Pancho Villa State Park, in general, left a little to be desired though the onsite museum and the museum just across the road were most interesting and made it worth the drive over from the Chiricahua area. The Museum exhibits in the old train depot were a little lacking in presentation, but made up for it with the quantity and variety of items from early 1900s everyday life. The campground was so so at best. In addition to feeling a lot like a cramped commercial RV park, the campground was situated about 1/2 mile from the Mexican border in a open desert environment where sound really travels well. The nearby road across the border was fairly busy and created a bit of noise that died down about 10pm, but never really stopped and picked back up again around 5am. The showers were the worst type, a push button model with no temperature control. The water was just a safe, generic, almost, but not quite hot enough sort of hot. And the push button got you about 30 seconds of water at a time. I have no idea how many times I had to push that button, but I was starting to feel like a monkey in some lab experiment. The town of Columbus didn't seem to have much going for it with very little to offer in the way of lodging, restaurants, or entertainment. The locals tell me that I should see how town fills with people when the desert blooms and when they do their yearly anniversary celebration of the Pancho Villa raid. I think a one night visit was sufficient and I will probably miss the spring festivities. We checked out after our showers and headed back to the Cave Creek area of the Chiricahua Mountains to camp for the next few nights.
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Day 33 - We found a nice primitive campsite on a creek and decided to stay put for a couple of days. The dogs really liked this site because it came with an entire deer carcass, more than enough for both dogs to chew on happily for days. We took a nice 4 mile hike on part of Snowshed Peak Trail and lazed around camp most of the day.
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Day 34 - Another day at the same camp near Cave Creek. We slept in a bit, had a late breakfast, then went to the Chiricahua Desert Museum in nearby Rodeo, New Mexico. The Museum had a great live display of desert reptiles with a focus on various rattlesnakes.
Day 35 - We were planning to stay in the same camp for one more night, but we ran out of propane this morning. We took a hike up the South Fork Trail then went in search of propane
We headed to Lordsburg for more propane and decided to stay the night at the Veterans Park where they provided a basic campground for free. Each site had a picnic table and a shade shelter, and there was a dumpster, but no toilets or other services. It was a little run down, but mostly clean with maybe 8 other campers spread over a fairly large area. Sound travels well here and we could hear faint highway noise all night, but it was good enough for a free one night stay.
Day 35 - We were planning to stay in the same camp for one more night, but we ran out of propane this morning. We took a hike up the South Fork Trail then went in search of propane
We headed to Lordsburg for more propane and decided to stay the night at the Veterans Park where they provided a basic campground for free. Each site had a picnic table and a shade shelter, and there was a dumpster, but no toilets or other services. It was a little run down, but mostly clean with maybe 8 other campers spread over a fairly large area. Sound travels well here and we could hear faint highway noise all night, but it was good enough for a free one night stay.
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Day 36 - We left Lordsburg early and went to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings. The drive to Silver City was uneventful. The drive up route 15 was beautiful, and slow, taking almost 2 hours for less than 50 miles. Viewing the dwellings required a short hike, about a mile round trip. It was nice to be able to go inside the dwellings to really look around. I could have easily lived in that cliff dwelling and enjoyed it. We left the cliff dwellings and took a scenic drive down route 152 on our way to spend the next three nights at Elephant Butte Lake State Park. We arrived in time for a shower before dinner and bed. We liked the campground in general and ended up with a large, mostly private campsite where we were able to let the dogs roam free around the campsite without issues.
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Day 37 - We took some time to make a few phone calls, pay some bills, and check bank balances. We are right on schedule with our budget of $2000 per month and had enough cushion to splurge and reserve a room at a hot spring resort in town for two nights. After taking care of business so to speak, we went into Truth or Consequences to do some laundry then headed back to camp in time to listen to the superbowl.
Day 38 - Last day at Elephant Butte. We were planning a good walk, but I wasn't feeling well and we spent the day in camp looking at maps, reading, and napping.
Day 39 - Today we moved to a "spa" in Truth or Consequences. We arrived too early for check in and had time for a walk around town. We had a good cup of coffee and an excellent scone at the Passion Pie Cafe. We checked in and took a late afternoon soak then retired to our room for the evening where I enjoyed cooking in a full kitchen with indoor running water.
Day 40 - We chose a lower end place with a full kitchen and unlimited soaks for $75 per night. Our room was a step above a dive, but it was clean enough and the price was right. The beds were old and worn, but we slept great anyway. The shower was poorly situated and cramped, but I was so grateful that I was able to adjust the water temperature and not have to push a stupid button over and over that I didn't care. The mineral baths, those were excellent and what I actually came for.
We slept in and got a late start to the day. We took the dogs to a nearby park to let them run for a while then did some grocery shopping. After shopping and back at the room, we put everything away and went for a walk around the old downtown area. We tried going back to the Passion Pie, but turned out they are closed Wednesdays. We tried the other coffee shop we saw, also closed for the day for repairs. Our third choice was closed on Wednesdays as well, so we gave up and went into the only place we walked by that was open, El Faro. The food was decent but the service was horrible. Wednesdays in February are not good days to go out for coffee and lunch in T or C. Back to the room then off for another soak before tackling my kitchen work. I like to get a room with a kitchen about a month or so into our trips so I can pre-cook and freeze a few meals to make cooking easier in camp, so I can freeze some raw meat for longer storage on the road, and so I can make some ice blocks that last much longer than ice cubes. Hopefully there will be time for another soak in the morning before we head back to the Chiricahua Mountains for more camping and hiking.
Day 38 - Last day at Elephant Butte. We were planning a good walk, but I wasn't feeling well and we spent the day in camp looking at maps, reading, and napping.
Day 39 - Today we moved to a "spa" in Truth or Consequences. We arrived too early for check in and had time for a walk around town. We had a good cup of coffee and an excellent scone at the Passion Pie Cafe. We checked in and took a late afternoon soak then retired to our room for the evening where I enjoyed cooking in a full kitchen with indoor running water.
Day 40 - We chose a lower end place with a full kitchen and unlimited soaks for $75 per night. Our room was a step above a dive, but it was clean enough and the price was right. The beds were old and worn, but we slept great anyway. The shower was poorly situated and cramped, but I was so grateful that I was able to adjust the water temperature and not have to push a stupid button over and over that I didn't care. The mineral baths, those were excellent and what I actually came for.
We slept in and got a late start to the day. We took the dogs to a nearby park to let them run for a while then did some grocery shopping. After shopping and back at the room, we put everything away and went for a walk around the old downtown area. We tried going back to the Passion Pie, but turned out they are closed Wednesdays. We tried the other coffee shop we saw, also closed for the day for repairs. Our third choice was closed on Wednesdays as well, so we gave up and went into the only place we walked by that was open, El Faro. The food was decent but the service was horrible. Wednesdays in February are not good days to go out for coffee and lunch in T or C. Back to the room then off for another soak before tackling my kitchen work. I like to get a room with a kitchen about a month or so into our trips so I can pre-cook and freeze a few meals to make cooking easier in camp, so I can freeze some raw meat for longer storage on the road, and so I can make some ice blocks that last much longer than ice cubes. Hopefully there will be time for another soak in the morning before we head back to the Chiricahua Mountains for more camping and hiking.
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Day 41 - We slept in instead of taking a final soak and got a late start knowing we didn't have far to go. We stopped at the Passion Pie Cafe one last time, this place is worth a stop if you're ever in T or C. Coffee and pastry in hand we headed towards the Chiricahua Mountains. We chose a camp in a different location a little north of the Cave Creek area, on Forest Road 42b, a nice private spot off the beaten path.
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Day 42 - We started the day with a 4 mile hike up Silver Peak Trail then went looking for a campsite near a trail we wanted to hike the next morning. When we were in the Chiricahuas just a couple of weeks ago, the area was mostly deserted, so we were surprised to see the area packed with people and vehicles parked all along the road. Turns out there was a Rainbow Gathering in progress. In my younger days I might have stayed for the party, but I'm getting too old for all that and these days I prefer solitude, so we headed back to Forest Road 42b via a new route and chose a super nice site with beautiful views in all directions and no other humans in site.
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Day 43 - Our original plan was to spend more time hiking in the Cave Creek area, but that was no longer an option for us with so many Rainbows around for the next two weeks, so we decided to move towards Pinery Canyon on the other side of the mountains from the Gathering. We were on our way and driving Forest Road 42b, a 4x4 road according to the Forest Service maps, when we came across a huge school bus towing an SUV that was stuck across a creek crossing on the way to the Rainbow Gathering. I have no idea why they though it was a good idea to tackle a 4x4 road with this outfit, but here they were looking at a minimum $2000 tow bill and blocking our way. I found great amusement in the whole thing and got out to ask permission to take a photo. I chatted with the wife who was good natured about it all, took a couple of photos, then turned the truck around to take an alternate route. After a short detour we were back on the right road. We stopped at a spot near Pinery Horsefall Trail that looked promising for a campsite. I had just let the dogs out of the truck and was looking around for the right spot to make camp when I noticed a skunk in the creek bottom. Luckily I saw the skunk before the dogs did and I was able to get them loaded back in the truck without incident. We drove down the road and chose another camp that we thought would be a safe distance, but while we were sitting around the campfire after dinner a skunk wandered into camp within about 5 feet of us before we noticed. Again we were lucky, the skunk turned and ran when he realized we were sitting there. We managed make it through the night and the next morning without us or the dogs getting sprayed, but between the Rainbow Gathering, the school bus blocking the road, and the skunk run ins, I was starting to get the feeling that the Chiricahuas were telling us to go away.
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Day 44 - Beautiful sunrise this morning. After breakfast we took a couple of short hikes on trails 336 and 274 then started looking for a new place to go. A little research revealed that the Rainbows had moved to the Cave Creek area from Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains. We figured that since the Rainbows were now here, we would go there. So off to the Dragoon Mountains we went. We found a primitive site on the east side of the mountains just before dinner.
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Day 45 - The Dragoons and the Cochise Stronghold area were gorgeous, but a little more crowded than we like, probably due to the proximity to Tucson and I-10. We stayed the one night, took a short hike this morning, then headed to Bisbee to check out the historic mining town. We arrived in Bisbee around 3pm and found a campsite at the Queen Mine RV Park, only one campsite was left after us and it filled around 5pm. The RV park was right next to the Copper Queen Mine for easy tour access and within a 5 minute walk of the Mining Museum and the old town area. We took a walk into town and back, stopping to make tour reservations for tomorrow morning, and still had time for a hot shower.
The showers at the Queen Mine RV Park have been the best showers of the trip so far. The dressing stall was roomy with a chair, shelf, and wall hooks for your stuff. The shower was huge by campground standards with both stalls being handicap accessible, and there was a mini wall across the shower basin that prevented water from flooding the dressing stall making it possible to actually put on long pants without getting the legs wet. The curtains were a very clean shade of white and still had a new rubber smell. The water was fully adjustable with no timer, the shower head was was a modern thing with LED lights that changed color to indicate the water temperature. The campground itself was nothing more than a circular parking lot with campers lined up next to each other side by side. We chose the site right next to the dog run and parked with our door facing away from everyone else with a nice view overlooking the old town area. Though less than ideal by our normal standards, we liked this RV park.
The showers at the Queen Mine RV Park have been the best showers of the trip so far. The dressing stall was roomy with a chair, shelf, and wall hooks for your stuff. The shower was huge by campground standards with both stalls being handicap accessible, and there was a mini wall across the shower basin that prevented water from flooding the dressing stall making it possible to actually put on long pants without getting the legs wet. The curtains were a very clean shade of white and still had a new rubber smell. The water was fully adjustable with no timer, the shower head was was a modern thing with LED lights that changed color to indicate the water temperature. The campground itself was nothing more than a circular parking lot with campers lined up next to each other side by side. We chose the site right next to the dog run and parked with our door facing away from everyone else with a nice view overlooking the old town area. Though less than ideal by our normal standards, we liked this RV park.
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Day 46 - After breakfast we took the 10:30 tour of the Copper Queen Mine. The tour itself was informative and interesting. It lasted a little over an hour and was guided by a former miner whose stories brought the history to life. The gift shop focused on various gemstones and minerals and had many for sale at reasonable prices. After the tour we visited the nearby Mining Museum. The Museum is a Smothsonian affiliate and it shows in the quality of the exhibits. After we finished at the museum, we headed to Tombstone since we missed it on previous visits. Our camp for the night would be at Tombstone Dry RV Camping for its location just a short walk from the historic courthouse and the historic area of town. The RV park was nothing more than a very large gravel lot and field with a self pay box, $3 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs, but with only 2 other campers in such a large lot it suited us fine.
Day 47 - We toured the courthouse first thing after breakfast then took a walk around the old town area. While the buildings and history were interesting, we thought Bisbee was more interesting and a better overall experience. Tombstone felt more like a tourist trap, sort of like an amusement park without the benefit of general admission. It seemed every historical building and the smallest of museums all wanted separate entrance fees. Had we paid to see everything that looked interesting, it would have cost more than a day at Disney with a fraction of the attractions.
We soon had enough of Tombstone and headed down the road to spend the night at Catalina State Park. During our last two visits to the area, we were unable to stay at Catalina SP because there was nothing available, even overflow was full. This year I was able to find a reservable site on short notice in the Ringtail Loop, basically overflow sites that are reservable. The sites were horribly cramped and we ended up with camp neighbors from hell, somewhat like the family in the movie National Lampoon's Vacation.
Day 48 - There was never a moment of quiet next to to our camp neighbors, not even overnight. Between the little dog that would not stop barking, the lady in charge of the dog who talked constantly in a volume just short of yelling, the low budget RV with a noisy generator, and the loudest furnace I have ever experienced, we had had enough by this morning and didn't even stay for a short hike. People like this, though they are the exception rather than the rule, are why we generally avoid developed campgrounds and we could not get out of there fast enough.
Tonight we have a site reserved at Lost Dutchman State Park. We have stayed here before and already know what to expect. Two days ago my partner received news that his elderly mother had taken a turn for the worse, so we are cutting the trip a little short to head home and help out with her care. We are making our way to visit friends in Prescott for the weekend then heading back to Idaho.
Day 49 - Lost Dutchman was as nice this time as it was the last. Sites are large and well spaced and we got a good nights6 sleep. Vacation is essentially over and we did not bother with a hike. We set off for our friend's house after breakfast.
Day 47 - We toured the courthouse first thing after breakfast then took a walk around the old town area. While the buildings and history were interesting, we thought Bisbee was more interesting and a better overall experience. Tombstone felt more like a tourist trap, sort of like an amusement park without the benefit of general admission. It seemed every historical building and the smallest of museums all wanted separate entrance fees. Had we paid to see everything that looked interesting, it would have cost more than a day at Disney with a fraction of the attractions.
We soon had enough of Tombstone and headed down the road to spend the night at Catalina State Park. During our last two visits to the area, we were unable to stay at Catalina SP because there was nothing available, even overflow was full. This year I was able to find a reservable site on short notice in the Ringtail Loop, basically overflow sites that are reservable. The sites were horribly cramped and we ended up with camp neighbors from hell, somewhat like the family in the movie National Lampoon's Vacation.
Day 48 - There was never a moment of quiet next to to our camp neighbors, not even overnight. Between the little dog that would not stop barking, the lady in charge of the dog who talked constantly in a volume just short of yelling, the low budget RV with a noisy generator, and the loudest furnace I have ever experienced, we had had enough by this morning and didn't even stay for a short hike. People like this, though they are the exception rather than the rule, are why we generally avoid developed campgrounds and we could not get out of there fast enough.
Tonight we have a site reserved at Lost Dutchman State Park. We have stayed here before and already know what to expect. Two days ago my partner received news that his elderly mother had taken a turn for the worse, so we are cutting the trip a little short to head home and help out with her care. We are making our way to visit friends in Prescott for the weekend then heading back to Idaho.
Day 49 - Lost Dutchman was as nice this time as it was the last. Sites are large and well spaced and we got a good nights6 sleep. Vacation is essentially over and we did not bother with a hike. We set off for our friend's house after breakfast.
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What a great trip! Thanks for sharing and allowing us to tag along! 
justjames
Member
Thanks for posting, very enjoyable!
craig333
Riley's Human
Thanks for the report. Very informative!
Thanks for the sharing great trip.
Frank
Frank
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