Mesa Verde to New Mexico ruins October..November

[tanglemoose]

This is a fall trip and we have a New Mexico State park pass till December to use... we dont care about hookups, prefer FS campgrounds, dry camping. Love to explore ruins, walk around areaa, rock hunting, hike, quiet off beaten path areas to camp..

Going to go to Moab, Utah, then over to Mesa Verde and then down to New Mexico on route attached map. Any suggestions on places to visit, stay etc. along this route? Wanted to go to Bandelier National Monument but a tad out of way..

 

[Jackiemac]

McPhee Reservoir Campground is nice and not too far from Mesa Verde. Very quiet and great skies..
Canyon of the Ancients museum in Dolores is very good.
Sand Canyon a nice hike to see ruins but can be hot.
The drive from Dolores to Telluride is good too.

 

[Jackiemac]

If you do go to Bandelier, we stayed at Jemez Falls Campground. Really nice. 40 mins away. If you get there early you can park at the park but if late then you need shuttle.

Valles Caldera is a really nice place to explore. Longmire's cabin is there. Lots of elk at night when it's closed.

I'm sure I saw a few nice hikes in there. We did a short one close by called Las Conchas.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Jemez Falls is closed probably through August. Redondo is just up the road but sites are kinda small for RV's. San Antonio is nearby and sites nice but is usually full. La Paliza has some decent sites but is off the beaten path and no hookups. Closer to the OP's route would be Clear Creek or Rio de las Vacas east of Cuba on Hwy 126.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[tanglemoose]

Opps trying to update my thread but not sure how.. this is a fall trip and we have a New Mexico State park pass till December to use...

 

[tanglemoose]

Jemez Falls is closed probably through August. Redondo is just up the road but sites are kinda small for RV's. San Antonio is nearby and sites nice but is usually full. La Paliza has some decent sites but is off the beaten path and no hookups. Closer to the OP's route would be Clear Creek or Rio de las Vacas east of Cuba on Hwy 126.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

October mid to November time that might adjust your suggestions?

 

[tanglemoose]

Jemez Falls is closed probably through August. Redondo is just up the road but sites are kinda small for RV's. San Antonio is nearby and sites nice but is usually full. La Paliza has some decent sites but is off the beaten path and no hookups. Closer to the OP's route would be Clear Creek or Rio de las Vacas east of Cuba on Hwy 126.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

See my update above

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I guess it depends how far you want to deviate from that route. Rio de las Vacas is one of our top 3 favorite campgrounds but it's fairly isolated, no hookups and no cell (each are features to me). To get to Jemez Falls or Bandelier (similarly featured) you have to take 550 to 4 and back north again. Fenton Lake is in there too but it's usually booked and has few sites suitable for >25ft RV's or trailers. 126 does not go through- don't even try unless you have a high clearance vehicle. Then to get back towards Bluewater/Chaco/Quemado you're backtracking. Depends on your timeline and what you want to see. I know there are now reservations you can make to hike, fish and camp in Valles Caldera but they're pretty limited and pretty sure does not include RV's. Jackiemac is right about the elk, I've seen them there just watching from the roadside pulloff. I'm more of a mountain/trees than rocks/dirt camper so I haven't camped much in the west or south parts of NM. Especially summer, just too blasted hot with no shade. But in the fall it will be more tolerable. I've camped at Bluewater in October and it got down to 20F at night, so you can get some extremes.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Jackiemac]

It'll be cold at that time of year at Valles Caldera I'd think. We had hail there in September.

 

[TonyL]

It'll be cold at that time of year at Valles Caldera I'd think. We had hail there in September.

The Scottish snow queen strikes again

 

[Jackiemac]

The Scottish snow queen strikes again

Ahem you are the snow guy!!

 

[NMDriver]

Since you are going past Aztec, NM stop at Aztec Ruins Nat. Monument. Part of your route is over dirt roads. Be sure to ask if they are passable before continuing. Most of the reservation is open range and so is most of US 550 so watch for cattle, sheep, horses, etc. on the road north of Cuba, NM