Community Forums

lissaK · 07-01-2019, 04:57 PM

This will be our first road trip and it would be GREAT if it wasn't a complete disaster! LOL!
Can anybody recommend a good route, things to do along the way, best places to stay?
We had thought about a route through Arkansas and Oklahoma, but we are open to better ideas if you have them.
Anybody willing to help the Newbie?

Thanks in advance! I am enjoying the forums on this site! A lot of good people on here!

twogypsies · 07-01-2019, 06:14 PM

From your Profile it appears you'll be starting from Mississippi. If so, just take I-10 across. Check out the Hill Country in Texas - the state parks are great but try to get a reservation. Once you come to San Antonio you won't need reservations. Plan a night or two in Las Cruces, NM or Deming, NM then you'll have about 300 mi. to Tombstone, AZ.

Near Las Cruces is Carlsbad Caverns Nat'l Park & White Sands Nat'l Monument. Sometimes they have a ranger-led moonlight walk at the Sands... very pretty. You could even work in Big Bend Nat'l Park if you take Hwy 90 across Texas

I hope Tombstone isn't you're only destination. Staying at Kartchner Caverns State Park is a short drive to Tombstone & you could tour the caverns there.... quite different from Carlsbad and more beautiful, in our opinion, as the formations are still growing, unlike Carlsbad. Therefore, you'll hear & see a lot of dripping. It's a great tour.... we gave it!!

Also take in Bisbee - another easy day trip from Kartchner State Park. Take the mine tour which is awesome.

You could then take I-40 back home by driving through Tucson & Phoenix and up to Flagstaff, AZ (I-40) which has terrific summer temperatures in the 70's/low 80's. You could work in Sedona, AZ (stay at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, AZ. You could also drive to the Grand Canyon before heading home.

How long do you have for this trip? It's going to be a fairly hot one. Kartchner Caverns/Bisbee/Tombstone won't be too bad because of elevation and Flagstaff will be terrific..... but the rest......

Have a good one!

murphylawe · 07-01-2019, 06:25 PM

Carry some old anti-freeze containers... it makes moving water from the sink to the radiator much easier.

RiverBurt · 07-01-2019, 06:29 PM

“Fairly hot”? Hah! 110 in Carlsbad today.

twogypsies · 07-01-2019, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiverBurt

“Fairly hot”? Hah! 110 in Carlsbad today.

Yes, but it's a 'dry' heat.

Got our first good monsoon rain today in Arizona and it's a beautiful cool evening - 71! 101 tomorrow and waaaay down to 98 by Friday. Seriously, 100 deg. in Arizona is nothing like 100 deg in the south with humidity.

RiverBurt · 07-01-2019, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Seriously, 100 deg. in Arizona is nothing like 100 deg in the south with humidity.

No, but 110 is!

ThomB · 07-01-2019, 08:53 PM

My word of warning is avoid Rt-285 North from the Ft. Stockton, TX area to Carlsbad, NM if you plan to go up there. Don't even consider it even if it's going to save you time. That road is the worst we've been on in the 2 years/ 25K miles we've been on the road. It cut a tire on our toad and we just had 3 of the 4 wheels straightened (at least 2 from that road alone).

I tell everyone that I've never been in war but I can only imagine that is what a road that has been bombed would look like. At one point they just took out about 500 yards of road and you drove on the gravel base 18 inches down then back up. Large craters, carnage all over (trucks, cars, trash).

SteveNSue · 07-01-2019, 08:58 PM

Don't go to Tombstone in the summer. There, I've said it.

Once you get past the green states you find the brown states. Once there, go north toward the trees and camp at any elevation that has open slots and is below the mid 80's.

Go to the brown states in the late fall when it isn't raining and the sun is lower on the horizon.

SteveNSue · 07-01-2019, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomB

My word of warning is avoid Rt-285 North from the Ft. Stockton, TX area to Carlsbad, NM if you plan to go up there. Don't even consider it even if it's going to save you time. That road is the worst we've been on in the 2 years/ 25K miles we've been on the road. It cut a tire on our toad and we just had 3 of the 4 wheels straightened (at least 2 from that road alone).

I tell everyone that I've never been in war but I can only imagine that is what a road that has been bombed would look like. At one point they just took out about 500 yards of road and you drove on the gravel base 18 inches down then back up. Large craters, carnage all over (trucks, cars, trash).

We passed thru there last January. Lot's of oil rig vehicles. Stayed in Fort Stockton. $20 cash for a full hook up site. At least they didn't have the dancing hooker like when we stayed at the local hotel.

lissaK · 07-01-2019, 09:15 PM

It's hot in MS, but it's also HUMID! LOL! Thank you for your reply!!

twogypsies · 07-01-2019, 10:43 PM

If you're on I-10 & want to go to Carlsbad spend a night at Van Horn and then take 54. Head east on 62/180 & make a stop at Guadalupe Mtn. Nat'l Park Visitor Center & poke around. Then east to Carlsbad Nat'l Park. Backtrack on 62/180 picking up 375 (Transmountain Dr.) which will take you to I-10 north of ElPaso.

Charming · 07-03-2019, 07:39 AM

Another vote for Kartchner Caverns. We also enjoyed Blanco SP and visited the LBJ parks. Another stop if you take I-20 across is Austin, TX.

We did a day trip over to Tombstone from Kartchner. I'm glad we only did a day trip. The caverns are much more interesting than the tourist shops of Tombstone. We did read all the boards along the wooden sidewalks. There was also a good shop featuring local and native artists. Well worth a look. From there we visited a couple of the ghost towns, did the Murray Springs Kill site. Would have liked to see the Petroglyphs but ran out of time. We were there in the spring and I don't think we would have done as much hiking as we did if went any later.