Community Forums

docjmr · 01-04-2016, 10:33 AM

Heading to New Mexico to visit friends in Ruidoso. Wondering if anyone has any ideas on routes and side trips. We aren't committed to any particular itinerary and we have 14 days to get there and back. We plan on spending 5-6 days in New Mexico. We are towing a 2015 Ford Explorer. Any ideas welcome. Thanks

twogypsies · 01-04-2016, 11:37 AM

Your 14 days will fly by so I'd recommend getting on the interstate and heading straight to New Mexico. Any excess time can easily be spent in this great state. September is a perfect time. Other than Ruidoso for your visit (Circle B RV Park is good), I'd head further north to use up any more time. We don't care for Albuquerque but just north are lots of neat areas to concentrate.

Santa Fe Skies RV park is the place to stay for visiting that neat city. Also worth your while is the Taos/Red River loop. Bandelier Nat'l Monument is worthwhile to visit as is Los Alamos. Those should all take care of your fast trip. Have a good one.

dverstra · 01-07-2016, 12:35 PM

Ruidoso is 1,500 miles away. 4 days to get there (400ish per day). 6 days there and 4 days back = 14 days.

Not a lot of time for sightseeing on the way. I would head straight there and try to get there in 3 days(ugh). Take a different route back by going through Santa Fe and Taos. See the Taos Pueblo.

docjmr · 01-07-2016, 01:10 PM

Thanks for the replies. Luckily it is about the journey since it is a long journey. I used to vacation in New Mexico as a child and I always wanted my wife to see that great state and all of it's history.

halfwright · 01-07-2016, 01:11 PM

Three Rivers Petroglyphs is an interesting place and they have RV parking (BLM). Also Ft. Stanton and the old town of Lincoln. If you want more on Ft. Stanton, PM me. That was the first place we volunteered 4 years ago. What used to be called the Museum of the Horse has a great saddle display and other old stuff. There is also a new opera house near there, but I am old and forgot the name.

osok · 01-12-2016, 01:19 PM

Ask your friends take you on a long day trip from Ruidoso to Carlsbad Caverns National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Ask your friends to take you on this day trip Operating Hours & Seasons - White Sands National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) If you take this trip you may want to stop at New Mexico Pistachios and Wine From Heart of the Desert/Eagle Ranch in Alamogordo, NM

On return from White Sands take the route that goes through Cloudcroft New Mexico (NM) | Visitor's Guide

If you take only one trip from Ruidoso it must be a very short trip to here EMNRD Forestry Division

I think you will enjoy New Mexico and your friends probably already have some of above planned to show you.

jondrew55 · 01-12-2016, 02:37 PM

Ruidoso is really neat. We try to get out there every time we visit family in Las Crucres. It's a good daytrip. White sands is pretty cool too as well as Santa Fe. I agree with the other poster about not caring much for Albuquerque. The Franklin Mountains by El Paso are nice.

We've yet to take the RV that way from Orlando. We're about 1700 miles and it would have to be at least a 3-week trip to make it worthwhile. I could drive 400 or 500 miles a day for 3 days if I had to, I just don't think it would be very enjoyable.

MPH · 01-18-2016, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osok

Ask your friends take you on a long day trip from Ruidoso to Carlsbad Caverns National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Ask your friends to take you on this day trip Operating Hours & Seasons - White Sands National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) If you take this trip you may want to stop at New Mexico Pistachios and Wine From Heart of the Desert/Eagle Ranch in Alamogordo, NM

On return from White Sands take the route that goes through Cloudcroft New Mexico (NM) | Visitor's Guide

If you take only one trip from Ruidoso it must be a very short trip to here EMNRD Forestry Division

I think you will enjoy New Mexico and your friends probably already have some of above planned to show you.

We own a vacation home in Ruidoso. Several years ago, friends from Maryland flew to ABQ, rented a car and drove down to Ruidoso for Thanksgiving with us. We had all of 4 days together. They really wanted to see Carlsbad Caverns, so we made it happen. But, wow, is that a hard "day" trip! If memory serves me, it was almost 3 and 1/2 hours one way.

If you're into science, the National Solar Observatory at Sunspot is a very interesting place to visit. It's maybe 45 minutes from Cloudcroft. But, there is plenty to see and do in and right around Ruidoso. Your friends will be in the know about everything there.

Enjoy your visit to the Land of Enchantment!