New Mexico

[77chev]

We are heading to toward New Mexico / Arizona middle of April. I have been looking at places to camp just looking for any suggestions. Would prefer to have power

Thanks

[sourdough]

What is your planned route? AZ/NM have anything you want from total desert to high mountains.

[77chev]

Originally Posted by sourdough

What is your planned route? AZ/NM have anything you want from total desert to high mountains.

We are planning central New Mexico haven’t really planned our route to get there. We have some friends near Phoenix that we would like to see but don’t really want to camp there just some where close by.
Thanks

[sourdough]

I'm still unclear as far as route and what you want to do, see, avoid etc. Assume you are coming from MN, heading S? Coming into NM on I25? Do you like interstates, back roads or ?? You can come into Albuquerque on I25 then take I40 to AZ - lots of nothing driving. You would pass through the Petrified Forest National Park and could stop in Winslow to look for the street corner the Eagles sang about . At Flagstaff you could cut S on I17 and go through Sedona (lots of hype, lots of tourists, lots of overrated IMO) and on to Phoenix. Of course there are other routes with other things to see and more scenery.

[Peto]

Sedona is a total cluster. I would not want to be there in April. Avoid it!!!

If Flag to Phoenix on I17 is your route (worst interstate in AZ, people dive like idiots) there is a pull out just before you drop off the rim (Brake Check Area for truckers) that has a view of the Sedona red rock. Stop and enjoy them from afar.


Phoenix is ringed by county camp grounds that are quite nice. I'd start there for spots to stay. By April the snowbirds should be migrating back to Canada and spots should free up. You can't get one in the winter as they are booked years in advance.

[77chev]

Thanks for the information

[gearhead]

Lost Dutchman State Park east of Phoenix might work for you.

[Raptor Dave]

East valley along US 60 area around Apache Junction/Mesa is loaded with camping options. Most of the snowbirds are gone by now and you shouldn't have problems finding an empty spot.

[JRTJH]

It's somewhere between hard to recommend and impossible to recommend any stops along a route that hasn't been stated and campground amenities that you need, want, wish to avoid.

If you're traveling with kids, then "adult only attractions" are not a priority just as if you're traveling with adults only, then playgrounds and things for kids to do at the campground are not something to consider.

If each stop is a "one night only" place to get some sleep and move on, then campground features, other than a quiet site, hookups and a level pull through are probably not important, but if you're planning to spend time on the trip exploring the local areas along the route, then where the campgrounds are and what's around them become "deciding factors" in where you stay.

So, some information on your route, your interests and how long you plan to take to get from point A to your destination all play a major part on campground choices.

[notanlines]

Also in line with what has been said, the distance from the middle of New Mexico to somewhere around Phoenix is probably 450 miles. You really need to pull out an atlas and give the readers here a little more definitive route.

[LHaven]

I'll just go off the criterion that you wanted to be within striking distance of Phoenix without being in Phoenix.

Before we moved here ourselves, we were quite taken with Usury Mountain Park at the far east end of the valley. Being New Englanders, we were intrigued by the very audacity of a municipal park offering firearms and archery ranges as activities. But the park even as a park itself was attractive and refreshing. Water and power only, with dump station, same as most non-commercial parks, at least back then if not still now.

There is also Lake Pleasant Regional Park, on the north side, great for families. First of all, big lake, which makes in especially popular in Arizona, which has few. Herds of wild burros hit the shoreline at dawn and dusk for H2O Happy Hour. Popular marina, Dillons BBQ, dinner cruise, dam trail, sailing school, quicker access to Phoenix than Usery.

On the west side is Destiny in Goodyear, where we stayed for months while shopping for real estate. One of the few commercial parks (again at the time) without a 55+/no kids/no pets restriction. Not much in the way of scenic (back then it was all cotton fields) but fairly priced and competently run. Very handy to I-10, though that stretch has gotten congested since.

[LadyCPA]

Thank you LHaven! I'm not the OP, but this is the type of information many of us look for when we say "Hey let's go to this state for a while". If it is a state I have never stayed in, I have no idea what is available that I might want to see. I mean - who knows which state has the largest ball of dryer lint as an attraction.

[notanlines]

I'm embarrassed that I know the answer to this.....Michigan.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by LadyCPA

Thank you LHaven! I'm not the OP, but this is the type of information many of us look for when we say "Hey let's go to this state for a while". If it is a state I have never stayed in, I have no idea what is available that I might want to see. I mean - who knows which state has the largest ball of dryer lint as an attraction.

Originally Posted by notanlines

I'm embarrassed that I know the answer to this.....Michigan.

Good to know Jim! the wife and i have a bucket list vacation planned to Saskatchewan Canada to see the worlds largest paperclip….. maybe if we play our cards right we can swing by Michigan and fit this into the itinerary….probably hard to find campsites nearby but fingers crossed we can make it happen

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by LadyCPA

Thank you LHaven! I'm not the OP, but this is the type of information many of us look for when we say "Hey let's go to this state for a while". If it is a state I have never stayed in, I have no idea what is available that I might want to see. I mean - who knows which state has the largest ball of dryer lint as an attraction.

Originally Posted by notanlines

I'm embarrassed that I know the answer to this.....Michigan.

Originally Posted by jasin1

Good to know Jim! the wife and i have a bucket list vacation planned to Saskatchewan Canada to see the worlds largest paperclip….. maybe if we play our cards right we can swing by a Michigan and fit this into the itinerary….probably hard to find campsites nearby but fingers crossed we can make it happen

Don't make that trip to Farmington Hills, MI just to see that "World's largest ball of dryer lint"... That "record" was set back in 2019 and, yes, it was a Guinnes World Record, but just after establishing the record, the Farmington Hills Fire Department use it as a demonstration to show the community how flammable dryer lint really is.

So, even though there are still "things to do and see in Farmington Hills" a ball of dryer lint isn't among the attractions....

IMO, some things just aren't worth the trip.... I'd recommend sticking to the world's largest ball of string or even the world's largest paper clip <G>

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com...t-ball-of-lint

https://www.dryerventwizard.com/abou...n%20the%20ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RzrJL4wXPc

[notanlines]

Roadtrippers.com will lead you to a small town in Illinois called Casey Illinois. In that town of about 3000 people there are 12 world records set for Guinness. Yes, I do speak from experience. We did spend about half a day there a couple years ago. Certainly fun to go if you have any children with you.

[notanlines]

Rob, I realize we have hijacked your thread. I'll make it up to you at the end.
Here is a photo from three years ago with DW posing in front of the 'world's largest wooden shoe.' Notice how gleeful she is at the opportunity for this experience?

Back to important info: Located in east Phoenix (Mesa), off Brown Road is Sonson's Pasty Company. Yep, the real thing, direct from Cornwall, England and well worth the trip.

[Peto]

Lake Pleasant would be nice if not for the constant wind and the side by sides kicking up a lot of dust... There is a reason they have the only sailing school in the state.

[German Shepherd Guy]

Going through New Mexico, would try to hit Santa Fe, cool history and a couple of great campgrounds not far from the Governors palace and the Plaza. Then south going for AZ, Silver City is nice. Also several campgrounds, and downtown old section of Silver City is a nice artsy/crafty kind of a place, some good restaurants and breweries. North of town are some really interesting ruins from the 1000s to the 1200s. That route would take you into AZ from the south going at Phoenix and bring you up through Apache Junction and the Lost Dutchman State Park I believe.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by Peto

Lake Pleasant would be nice if not for the constant wind and the side by sides kicking up a lot of dust... There is a reason they have the only sailing school in the state.

Tell me about it. I'm 20 miles west, and had to spray paint our ranch sign today, on a day when our windmill was loudly defying its brake all morning.

If you're looking for records, if you take the wrong route from NM into AZ, you can visit the World's Smallest Museum in Superior, AZ. I say the wrong route because you'd get there by going through Globe, a total roller-coaster of a road. I did it once in my old rig and I'll never do it again. By the time we reached Superior, I was looking for the World's Largest Restroom.