New Mexico State Parks

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  • #46453
    bob n diane
    Participant

    Nice to see some fellow RVers enjoying our neck of the woods or should say desert.  Caballo Lake is our go to getaway destination since it’s only about an hour up the road for us.  We love staying at the State Park. There’s actually 5 all joined together. Palamino is the one with closest access to the lake and this one is our first choice but fills up quick.  The others have lake views. We ride our bikes to get around them all.  Beautiful scenery.


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    #46462
    James
    Member

    Yes that is what it looks like there still.

    #46464
    James
    Member

    I have moved 35 miles south to Caballo Lake State Park, NM. It is a real nice park with trees and well kept areas. They have three Electric / Water campgrounds and one Primitive campground.

    Also a Dumping Station, boat dock and trails to walk. The main campgrounds have flushing toilets and hot showers. The primitive campground has vault toilets and potable water.  You can get your RV into the primitive canning area without any problems. The roads are hard packed dirt and gravel. The first three or four roads on the right as you go back into the primitive sites are all ok for RV’s. The water is at the vault toilette  location. I am in the Appaloosa campground site 19 for the next 3 days. It is such a nice day to walk around and check things out. Slightly overcast and a cool breeze.

    #46535
    James
    Member

    I arrived at Percha Dam State Park, NM yesterday. It is only 3.5 miles from Caballo State Park. Things I noticed right away were lots of large trees in the park. The bathrooms and camping areas are not as clean, some were even dirty. As with all the parks I visited so far they all have camp host. I would have to say this host is not doing a very good job at keeping the place clean. I had to clean my site myself. This park people come to fish, watch birds, or just hang out with family. Also a lot of flying insects. Must be do to how close we are to the river. The park is in the middle of a lot of crop fields. They seam to be growing onions, corn, hey, and of course the famous “Hatch Chilies”. The park has 30 sites with electric and water. The sites by the river do not have any type of hook-ups. There is water, vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, and a playground in that area. The park has hot showers and flushing toilets in the hook-up area. I get three bars on Verizon with no booster.

    James

    #46555
    James
    Member

    I located another campground in between Caballo Lake State Park and Percha Dam State Park. It is called Riverside Campground. Riverside Campground ground is a great place to overnight or spend a few days. To get to the campground take I-25 to Exit # 59 for NM-187 toward Caballo/Percha/State Parks. If going North on I-25 Turn Right at End of ramp go Approximately 300 feet to county road B040 Turn Right. Keep on the road going to the dam. As you get to the dam there is a road to the left that will go down to Caballo Lake Percha Flats Primitive Site camping for $8.00 a night. But the real gem is to continue to Riverside Campground and for $2.00 more a night you can camp next to the river with shade trees, water, and hot showers. The camp ground has electric/water sites as well for $14.00 a night. Hope this helps.

    James


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    #46591
    James
    Member

    I have moved to Leasburg Dam State Park, NM. This park has 18 Electric/Water and 12 Non-Electric sites. The park has flushing toilets, vault toilets, and hot showers. Also a Dump Station. This is the smallest park I have been to so far. The reserve sites are wide and open. But the first come first service sites are very tight and small. I was able to get my RV (38’) in one. Then the Park Ranger stopped by and told me I had to move my pickup truck. I was blocking the road. I will be checking out the park in the next few days and posting pictures. We have high winds and a little rain today. I am getting four bars on Verizon with no booster.

    James

     

    • This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by James.
    #46686
    James
    Member

    Sorry for not posting photos of Leasburg Dam State Park earlier. I ran out of data on the cell phone. Here are some of the photos I took of the park.

    I took a day trip down to Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park. Day trip only no over night or camping. I was very disappointed with the park in general. It was suppose to be a area of wetlands. Also to view wildlife in their natural surroundings. I walked both trails and didn’t see any wildlife. One of the trails goes through the desert area and the other along the rivers edge. The park did have a informative visitor center. It listed all the wildlife you were suppose to be able to view wile walking the trails. I would skip this park, I didn’t find it worth the time.

    I visited Old Town Mesilla Valley Square. It has a nice plaza with shops and restaurants around it. At one end of the plaza is Basilica of San Albino Church. I ate lunch at La Posta restaurant, very good food and service. The area is not RV friendly. I saw a sign for RV parking, but all the areas I walked were small and tight. Maybe a class B or C world be ok.

    Just around the corner from Leasburg Dam State Park is Fort Selden Historic Site.

    The site ask for a $5.00 donation fee. The fort was built in 1865 to protect settlers from thieves and Apache raiders. They offer a museum and a chance to walk the adobe ruins of the old fort.

    I visited Las Cruces, NM while I stayed at Leasburg Dam SP. I went to the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. You can check the web site out at nmfarmandranchmuseum.org . A lot of old farming and ranching displays. Also some hands on stuff for the kids.

    I went to a dirt track race at Southern New Mexico Speedway. You can check the web site out for race schedules at snspeedway.com . Over all had a good day in Las Cruces.


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    #46702
    Stephen C Keller
    Participant

    Thank you for all the updates and pictures. I know that because of the posts you have made now I want to visit the same places. Thanks again

    #46710
    James
    Member

    Pancho Villa State Park

    I am now checking out the last state park in the Southwest Region. I will be checking out some more parks later this year. I will be going to Tucson, AZ after this park. I need to prep for a trip to Yosemite, California with the grandkids.

    The camp sites at this park are very open. They have 79 campsites, 75 with electric and water. Some of the sites have 50 Amp service. They have hot showers, flushing toilets, and a dump station.

    You are actually staying in a historic site. It is the area the US Army used to stage the Punitive Expedition into Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa’s army.

    They have some displays in the park and a small museum on site.

    I get 3 bars Verizon with no booster.

    James


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    #47487
    James
    Member

    Ute Lake State Park
    1800 540 Loop
    Logan, NM 88426

    Stayed at this park for 2 days, from 8/1&2/17.
    Has 71 Electric & Water hookups mostly 30 AMP service.
    Also has 26 Non Electric Sites
    Has Flushing toilets, also has vault toilets & hot showers.
    Three stall Dump Station on site.
    There is also primitive camping at other areas of the lake that I did not check out.
    From Tucumcari, NM take I-40 to Exit # 333 Turn Right (North) on to US 54
    Go Approximately 24 Miles to 540 Loop Turn Left (West).
    Go Approximately 2 Miles park entrance on Left.
    Spotty Verizon cell service.

    #47500
    James
    Member

    Conchas Lake State Park
    501 Bell Ranch Road
    Conchas Dam, NM 88416
    (575) 868-2270

    Stayed at this park for 1 day, from 8/3/17.
    Has 33 Electric & Water hookups mostly 30 AMP service.
    Has 33 Non Electric Sites with water only.
    Has Numerous other sites with no water or electric.
    Has Flushing toilets, also has vault toilets & hot showers.
    Two stall Dump Station on site.
    There is also primitive camping at other areas of the lake that I did not check out.
    From Tucumcari, NM take I-40 to Exit # 332 Turn Right (North) on to SR 104
    Go Approximately 34 Miles to SR 433 Turn Right (North).
    Go Approximately 1.5 Miles park entrance on Left.
    Can also take I-40 to Exit # 300 Newkirk, NM and follow SR 129 North to Park.
    NO Verizon cell service.
    Note: Fuel and buy what you need in Tucumcari or Santa Rosa. Prices are to high and places to purchase are limited.

    #47508
    James
    Member

    Santa Rosa Lake State Park
    SR Hwy 91
    Santa Rosa, NM 88435

    Tried to stay at this park on 8/4/17.
    Has 9 Electric & Water hookups mostly 30 AMP service.
    Also has 52 Non Electric Sites
    Has Flushing toilets, also has vault toilets & hot showers.
    Two stall Dump Station on site.
    This park is not setup for larger rigs.
    Was unable to find a spot to fit into (38’ Toy Hauler).
    Most all electric sites are booked online.
    FCFS sites are to small.
    From Santa Rosa, NM take I-40 to Exit # 272 or 275 I-40 Business Loop.
    Look for signs showing Santa Rosa Lake or SR 91 North.
    Park is at end of SR 91
    Two or three bar LTE Verizon cell service.

    #47530
    James
    Member

    Bluewater Lake State Park
    30 Bluewater State Park Road
    Prewitt, NM 87045

    Stayed at this park for 2 days, from 8/7&8/17.
    Has 15 Electric hookups all 30 AMP service.
    NO water at Camp sites. Water only at community water area.
    Has one area where you can back-in RV to fill.
    Most sites are not very level.
    Also has 59 Non Electric Sites
    Has Flushing toilets, also has vault toilets & hot showers.
    Has Dump Station on site.
    There is also primitive camping at other areas of the lake.
    From I-40 to Exit # 63 Turn Left (South) on to SR 412
    Go Approximately 6 Miles to Park entrance.
    There is a Small store in town of Bluewater. Better to stock up in Grants, NM or Gallup, NM
    Three and four bar Verizon cell service.

    #48323

    Thank you everyone for all this wonderful information! We’re newbies of 1 year, heading out from Ontario next week for a 6-month roadtrip with our first main stop in Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta. After that, wherever the wind blows us – using our new solar panels as much as possible. Thanks, Ray, for all the excellent information you give so freely – you’ve given us the confidence to hit the road!

    #50873
    Doug Elam
    Participant

    Victorio Peak, New Mexico Mystery Treasure

    I am planning on staying here next summer, all summer. I have a RZR and I do a little Prospecting/ Treasure hunting. Now if you read about Victorio Peak, Doc Noss, and the treasure he found, you will notice that someone murdered him, and then the government shut them out of the treasure site. So now, when you look it up in the internet, there are a lot of web sites saying it was a hoax. Too bad there are so many people that swore it was true! Could it be that President LBJ annexed the land and cleaned the treasure out? You’ll have to decide on that, however, Doc Noss knew what was coming, and he took many gold bars out of the cache, about 200 of them, and reburied them out on that desert shown in your picture from South Monticello camp.  He worked for months to secure the gold, so no one else would get it. I move in treasure hunter circles. I’ve been at it for 40 years. I have spoked to someone, and I can’t say how close he is to the persons in question, that found 6 gold bars buried near the dirt road that leads, that did lead out of the treasure area when Doc Noss was still alive. Doc lived in Truth or Consequences New Mexico, and he buried many bars along the dirt road that took him home from the mountains, for easy retrieval. I was told that a group of them were on ATV.s riding along this road, when one of them spotted a pile of rock about 20 feet off the road. The rocks were in a circle with a small cairn in the middle. Well, out came the metal detectors and sure enough, 6 gold bars were recover at about 3 feet deep. Who knows but I say when you are boo docking, it is nice to have an exciting past time. If you are there, why not?

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