What to do in new mexico

"Hey Julie" (hey-julie) 01/01/2016 at 11:29 • Filed to: None

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My friend and I are going to road trip my Datsun down to New Mexico from the 5th to the 10th, camping in white sands is a must do, but our schedule is pretty open. Any suggestions?

$kaycog > Hey Julie 01/01/2016 at 11:37

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Carlsbad Caverns if you like caves.

Berang > Hey Julie 01/01/2016 at 11:40

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Chaco Canyon?

leicester > Hey Julie 01/01/2016 at 11:47

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High speed run on hwy 60 across the Plains of San Augustine past the Very Large Array. Then turn around and go tour the facility.

TractorPillow > Hey Julie 01/01/2016 at 11:52

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Cloudcroft area is pretty cool

they-will-know-my-velocity > $kaycog 01/01/2016 at 12:21

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Cloudcroft. Nothing against White Sands but all my fun has been in the mountains in New Mexico. Highway 82 from Hope (nothing there) or Artesia (nothing there but a refinery so the entire town smells like oil) to Alamogordo is pretty cool. Slow incline through some beautiful hill coming up the back slope of the mountain. Grab a snack and check out Cloudcroft. Quaint little town. I like it. From there keep going West AND ENJOY A BRAKE-SMOKING DROP INTO THE DESERT.

Seriously, it’s a gorgeous view. Personally I love coming down 82 near sunset so I can be blinded by the beauty of the sun cresting over the mountain range in Las Cruces and reflecting off White Sands as I come down the mountain. Or, you can go the other way from Alamo towards Artesia and then go south on 285 from there to Carlsbad. Carlsbad Caverns is actually pretty cool.

Or a daytrip. Go up the mountain to Cloudcroft and then take Sunspot highway South to Sunspot Observatory. National Solar Observatory is there near the peak of the mountain. 130 going South towards Weed, NM is a good road too.

Finally you can go North into Ruidoso for a little high roller action at the Inn of The Mountain Gods. The Mescalero Apache Reservation is there and their Resort/Casino is pretty damn nice.

There’s also Valley of The Fires north of White Sands if you want to check that out. Bunch of rocks....

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > Hey Julie 01/01/2016 at 13:30

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If you are into skiing or snowboarding, there are areas for that up north near Taos, more central near Appleturkey, an down south near Ruidoso and Cloudcroft.

If you like parks and natural wonders, White Sands, Valley of Fires, and the petroglyphs are available. Carlsbad Caverns has theatre seating where you can watch the nocturnal bats all leave the cave in a swarm rach night. Trinity Site (location of the first atomic detonation) is also amazing, but it is only open one day a year, in either June or July, IIRC.

If you like art and touristy hippie-type things, Santa Fe is a must, but there is also Old Town in Albuquerque and Old Mesilla in Las Cruces.

If you are going through Albuturkey, you absolutely must eat at Sadie’s. If you are going through Las Cruces, most would say La Posta, which IS good, and a little touristy, but from a purely culinary standpoint, Si Senor or Roberto’s is better. If you are going through Alamogordo, do nothing stop, and avoid eye contact. (Same with Silver City.)