Can I fill a week around Alamogordo ?

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Peteyboy

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Circumstances are pointing us toward Alamogordo NM for about a week to kill.  Much to see or do around there ?
 
The Toy Train Depot would fill a day for me, as would the Space Museum.
 
White Sands National Monument.  https://www.nps.gov/whsa/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
 
The WIN group has stopped there several times.  Here's what they suggest (from their website https://rvsingles.org)

"Visit the White Sands National Monument-hike one or all of the five established trails, take the self-guided native plant garden tour, join a ranger and explore the mysteries of this geologic wonder, and sled the dunes. Tour the New Mexico Museum of Space History, the International Space Hall of Fame, the White Sands Missile Range Museum, and the Tularosa Basin Museum of History. Visit the Toy Train Museum and the Alameda Park Zoo. Check the schedule for the Flickinger Center for Performing Arts and attend an event. Hike Dog Canyon Trail. Take a day trip to the Village of Cloudcroft. Take a tour of the Pistachio Tree Ranch and Arena Blanca Winery."
 
Tom and Margi said:
White Sands National Monument.  https://www.nps.gov/whsa/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
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Went through there on a Boy Scout trip on the way to Philmont in 1975.  Not much more time than "look over there."  Thanks for the reminder.  Probably need to put it on the retirement list.  Which is getting pretty long.

And the later post indicates it's one of those many, many places that with a little digging, you realize a week is probably inadequate.
 
I was there for a week in about 1983. We filled up the whole week but I don't think you would be interested in bare base training with a heavy equipment obstacle course thrown in. Now that I think about it, it was kinda fun. Went back a few years later with wife and kids. They did enjoy the museum mentioned above and White Sands.
 
Three Rivers Petroglyph site

Ft Stanton--amazing bunch of history

old town of Lincoln

Valley of fires state park

I can give you directions to some BLM boondocking sites if you want.  Three Rivers has hookups.
 
Peteyboy said:
Circumstances are pointing us toward Alamogordo NM for about a week to kill.  Much to see or do around there ?
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Buzz over to the Bosque del Apache refuge... great to see about a million birds in one place, especially at sunrise.  Great golf, horse racing and skiing at Ruidoso/Cloudcroft area.  Might be a visitor center at the White Sands Missile Range...?  Great place to get some pistachios.
 
If you are going to be in the area on April 7, this is worth checking out.

http://www.wsmr.army.mil/Trinity/Pages/Home.aspx
 
Paul & Ann said:
If you are going to be in the area on April 7, this is worth checking out.

http://www.wsmr.army.mil/Trinity/Pages/Home.aspx
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Wow ,,, that would be interesting.  Will be back in Pa by then though.
 
The German Luftwaffe is, after 25 years, leaving Holloman AFB and moving the Toronado training squadron back to Europe. 450 personnel plus familes. They expect to be fully gone by the end of 2018. This will deal a real blow to the economy of Alamogordo.

http://www.alamogordonews.com/story/news/local/2016/04/14/german-air-force-leaving-holloman-2019/83046286/

On US 70 about half way between the entrance to Holloman AFB and the White Sands Visitor center is Holloman lake, which has a public access area, and allows boondocking.

Charles

 
All of the above plus the Alamogordo museum in the middle of town in a new (to it) facility, Las Cruces attractions in one direction, Rosewell and Ruidoso in another, El Paso in another, hiking in Organ Mountains National Monument.
 
I spent a whole day and a half flying the space shuttle simulator at the Space museum. Little kids were crying because I wouldn't let them in. Snowflakes!  ;D ;D ;D ;D
 
Also drive up the mountain road to Cloudcroft. Beautiful scenery and a big transition from white sands to mountain forests.
 
Be aware, from what I have learned reading recent discussions, US 285 from Pecos to Carlsbad is in such bad condition that it is dangerous to drive. The oil field trucks have beat it to the point that it has huge potholes and truck traffic is such that if you slow down, you "get run over" by the oil field trucks. It was a long discussion that sadly got political and was closed, but the information is good to know.

Charles
 
Be aware, from what I have learned reading recent discussions, US 285 from Pecos to Carlsbad is in such bad condition that it is dangerous to drive. The oil field trucks have beat it to the point that it has huge potholes and truck traffic is such that if you slow down, you "get run over" by the oil field trucks. It was a long discussion that sadly got political and was closed, but the information is good to know.
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I drove through there last May both going to and coming back from Carlsbad. There were so many tire parts all over it looked like a whole tribe of Michelin men was slaughtered. Luckily, we went through there on Sundays both times, so it wasnt so bad.
 
CharlesinGA said:
Be aware, from what I have learned reading recent discussions, US 285 from Pecos to Carlsbad is in such bad condition that it is dangerous to drive. The oil field trucks have beat it to the point that it has huge potholes and truck traffic is such that if you slow down, you "get run over" by the oil field trucks. It was a long discussion that sadly got political and was closed, but the information is good to know.

Charles
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I was just there on 285  a couple of months ago. The NM part is all newly paved. Safe and nice. The Texas part  of 285 is the worse paved road I have ever been on, all the way to the NM boarder where it all changes for the better.

The Texas part of 285 is  Extremely dangerous. Very large pot holes, many deep ones I could not avoid and  lots of traffic. I am surprised I didn't get stuck in any of the potholes, but it was VERY tough on my RV. However, it looks like they are just starting to work on the Texas section of 285. What a dump the entire area of Pecos is. The wind and dust, however, probably made it seem even a lot worse when  I was there. Pecos north on 285  was the very worse part of my entire trip. I was going from the Big Bend of Texas to Carlsbad Caverns.

With all that traffic, even well north of Pecos I don't know how they can even work on that road.

BTW, one thing I could not figure out is how there could be so much traffic in the middle of nowhere. Where are they all going?  Both directions.

-Don-  Reno, NV
 
DonTom said:
I was just there on 285  a couple of months ago. The NM part is all newly paved. Safe and nice. The Texas part  of 285 is the worse paved road I have ever been on, all the way to the NM boarder where it all changes for the better.

The Texas part of 285 is  Extremely dangerous. Very large pot holes, many deep ones I could not avoid and  lots of traffic. I am surprised I didn't get stuck in any of the potholes, but it was VERY tough on my RV. However, it looks like they are just starting to work on the Texas section of 285. What a dump the entire area of Pecos is. The wind and dust, however, probably made it seem even a lot worse when  I was there. Pecos north on 285  was the very worse part of my entire trip. I was going from the Big Bend of Texas to Carlsbad Caverns.

With all that traffic, even well north of Pecos I don't know how they can even work on that road.

BTW, one thing I could not figure out is how there could be so much traffic in the middle of nowhere. Where are they all going?  Both directions.

-Don-  Reno, NV
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My understanding is that it is all oil field traffic. Apparently a major oil boon in the area and large trucks hauling heavy oil field pipe and equipment.

Good to know that at least some of it has been repaired.

Charles
 
DonTom said:
BTW, one thing I could not figure out is how there could be so much traffic in the middle of nowhere. Where are they all going?  Both directions.

-Don-  Reno, NV
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Probably all the big trucks hauling water to feed the fracking monster.
 
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