Thanksgiving in the Desert – 2016

Thanksgiving is a great time to take a trip in a lot of parts of the country. The holiday allows for extra days off. The weather is moderate in lots of locations and the kids are out of school.

We left Houston the Friday before Thanksgiving. Our ultimate destination was Carlsbad, New Mexico. The trip is calculated to be 11 hours. Driving an RV is more tiresome and stressful than an automobile, so generally we try to stay in the 5-6 hour per day range. On this trip, we opted to drive to Junction, TX the first day and spend 2 nights. We stayed at the Junction North Llano River RV Park. As soon as you enter the office, you feel welcome. Super nice people and they even had treats ready for our pups. While in the office, we confirmed our reservations for our return trip on Thanksgiving Day and were invited to the potluck at their other rv park. We were escorted to our site (always a service that we appreciate).

On Day Two, we drove about 50 miles to Sonora and visited the Caverns of Sonora.  The Caverns are very interesting and a great day trip. It should be noted that the Caverns have a paved paths, but do include some fairly steep inclines and a lot of stairs. While well worth the trip, but sure to account for the age and any physical limitations of the people in your party.

After the Caverns, we stopped for lunch at Sutton County Steakhouse in Sonora. It was good home-style cooking and friendly waitstaff.

On the way back to Junction, we visited Fort McKavett State Historic Site.  It is an interesting former military fort that has changed hands and function several times since it was originally constructed.  When visiting, be sure to go to the visitor center first for a better understanding of the buildings that you see on the grounds.  There is a $5/person admission charge.

One the third day, we made our way to Carlsbad. After leaving Junction, it is advisable to top off your tank. The Road Ranger in Sonora (Exit 400) is a good place to stop. There are a couple more towns, but after Ozona, the gas stations along I-10 become non-existent. We did see one station at the Bakersfield Exit. We took I-10 West to Ft. Stockton. A Shell station at exit 259B offers adequate room and easy access back to the freeway. Be sure to fill up before making the northernly turn on 285.

Highway 285 North is miles and miles of flat scrubby brush, oilfield compressor stations and pump jacks. Though not unattractive, it is a stark contrast to the hills and buttes along I-10.

The first town you come to is Pecos. There is a Love Travel Stop on the east side of the I-20 Intersection and a Sunoco on the west side. There is also a Wal-Mart and an Auto Zone.

After Pecos, there are more miles of emptiness. What the oilfield hasn’t touched, it looks like nature forgot. The weather during our November trip was very pleasant, but it’s easy to see that it would be very hot in the summer. As you look out the window, there isn’t a tree for as far as you can see. Truth is, for the most part, there is nothing for as far as you can see.

Crossing the state line into New Mexico brings about an unexpected and somewhat strange change in the landscape. Immediately there are more hills and things look greener. Another change as you cross the state line is a decrease in the speed limit from 75 mph to 55 mph.

Magala is the first town you come to once you cross into New Mexico. It is mainly just an intersection, but it is the start of civilization with homes and small farms.  As you continue, there are a series of small towns dotted along 285 and finally you enter Carlsbad.

The Carlsbad KOA is located north of Carlsbad. It is a straight shot through town. The turn off of 285 into the park is well marked.

Upon entering the park, you immediately notice how clean and well laid out it is. As with other KOA’s, check-in is efficient and a staff member shows you to your site. The location of the RV park is great to offer you a number of day trips to attractions in the area.

On the fourth of our trip, the day after our arrival in Carlsbad, we decided to take a day trip to Roswell. It is located about an hour north of the Carlsbad KOA. It is hard to pass up the stop. After all, how often do you get the opportunity to stand next to an alien. The town has embraced its legacy and no matter what your feelings are on the subject, it is a fun day trip.

On the fifth day of our trip, we visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  We arrived about 30 minutes after the park opened and avoided the crowds. In talking to the Rangers, the crowds are very heavy around Holiday Weekends and during the summer. Also, on the website, it shows additional tours that are available, but we were advised that you can see the best parts of the Caverns on the self-guided tour. Charge is $10/person for adults. Children under 15 are free.  The Caverns are spectacular and a must see if you are in the Carlsbad area.

After completing our visit to the Caverns, we continued down National Parks Highway down to  Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The Frijoles Cultural Museum showcases a small farm from late 1800’s. There are nature trails for hiking. This is the primary activity in the park. If coming in the cooler months, dress warmly. The wind around the mountains is strong and very cool. The ranger station is unmanned and a drop box is located on the information board to deposit the $5/person fee.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park has parking for RV’s and there were quite a few parked there when we were leaving. The Frijoles Museum offers a tighter roadway and not one that we would tackle in our 36′ rig.

Our final stop was a couple of antique stores on South Canyon Street in Downtown Carlsbad. There are a variety of shops and an Auto Museum in the area.

On our last full day in Carlsbad, we visited Sitting Bull Falls. The drive is approximately an hour from the KOA. There are some curves and hills, but it would be manageable in an RV, just slow. Sitting Bull Falls lis located in Lincoln National Forest. The area is day use only, and the entry gates close at 4.  There are picnic shelters with grills and restrooms available.  There is a charge of $5/car to use the facilities. The Park Host said that if visiting during the summer, it is better to come during the week. On weekends, locals use the area heavily for swimming. The hotter it gets, the more crowded it is.

Another note about the drive to Sitting Bull Falls, fill up before you go. There are no gas stations after the turn off 285 and cell phone service is sketchy at best.

Our return trip will take us back the same way we came (not typically how we do long trips, but it just worked better for this one). When leaving Carlsbad KOA, there are gas stations located along 285 going through town. Again, we take the opportunity to fill up at the beginning of a long trip. The Chevron located near Lamont Street worked fine for us. It is a little bumpy getting back onto 285, so pull out slowly, but the set up of the station was fine.

In Fort Stockton, the Flying J at exit 258 was convenient and has RV pumps, propane and a dump station.

The Road Ranger in Sonora at exit 400 was our final gas stop for the first leg of our return trip.. Again, it was convenient to get back on the freeway going east.

We returned to Junction North Llano River RV park for a one night stopover on our way home. We stayed in the same site as our trip to the west.

The next morning, we filled up our propane tank at the RV park and made the final leg of our trip home.

Our final gas stop was the Exxon Station at exit 593 on I-10 East. The parking lot was large enough to pull over to the side and eat lunch.

The trip took 7 days total and gave us the opportunity to visit a variety of different landscapes and attractions. Though the drive days were somewhat long, the roads were easy to navigate.