I like Colorado, but wondering if New Mexico has any great campgrounds around Riudosa or Cloud Croft, in the mountains, lots of activities, beautiful scenery, (without having to drive as far as Colorado)?
Would appreciate any advice.
Thanks!
Joe
WE spent a week in NM near Carlsbad one Christmas. We stayed @ Brantley Lake SP right north of the city. It was nice.
We drove up to Ski Apache for an overnight without the trailer. I saw several RV parks in Ruidoso as we drove through. I'm sure you could look them up on the internet.
There are many rv parks in and around Ruidoso. There is only ONE that has paved roads . Circle B in town. The rest are dirt and they create one heck of a mess every day. Circle B is a Good Sam park and IMO, is the very best within 2 hours of Ruidoso. And take my word for it, you WILL KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
'Where Quiet RV'ing and Good Times Begin!' Largest RV park in Lincoln County with FREE wireless internet for daily & weekly sites, FREE meeting rooms, Recreation Hall, Nice Shade Trees, RVIA certified technician for RV repairs or parts on site. Only paved RV park in Ruidoso with highest rated bathroom facilities! Full hookups, showers/restrooms, full kitchen, rental cabins & store. Only 15 Minutes to the Farthest Casino.
E. Hwy 70 mm 265, 3.5 miles East of the Race Track, Ruidoso Downs
575-378-4990
The Cloudcroft area as well as the Ruidoso area are nice places. Many mountain bike trails in the Lincoln Nat'l Forest by Cloudcroft (I am not as familar with Ruidoso) and a neat Museum by Ruidoso. Also the Peter Hurd Gallery in La Rinconada Lane off Hwy 70 at mm 281 in San Patricio, NM near turn off to Linclon on Hwy to Ruidoso. Cloudcroft is near White Sands Nat'l Monument as well as White Sands Missile Range. Cloudcroft is very near Sunspot as well. Visitors Welcome
A neat place to visit with nice exhibits is the Mescalero National Fish Hatchery in Mescalero. It is responsible for the stocking of trout on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation. Nat'l Fish Hatchery There is a neat looking church building near it as well.
Also on the Mescalero Apache Reservation you will find the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino, if you would like to make reparations, the Casino is handy. Or you could make them at .Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino. And next door is the Hubbard Museum of the Horse. Also neat drive up to the the sky area, Ski Apache. Nice picnic areas on the way up to it and neat views.
Ruidoso has clothing stores, gift shops, art galleries, candy stores and unique shops. As does Cloudcroft with less traffic. Cloudcroft also has the Lodge Resort and Golf Course, with a long History and maybe a Ghost * Haunted. We always try to get at least one meal from the Texas Pit BBQ on the Main Drag * Bar-B-Que. The Mountain Top Mercantile and bakery has all your grocery needs including, homemade soups, BBQ brisket sandwiches and baked daily breads, pies and pastries. As wells as Deli meats & cheeses, made to order sandwiches, fresh produce and hand cut choice beef or pork. Ruidoso has a Super Wal-Mart by the Ruidoso Downs.
In the Ruidoso Area, I have heard many who have camped near Bonito Lake at Southfork. Skyline II * Skyline I * Monjeau * Oak Grove * But Three Rivers is not close to Ruidoso except as the crow flies, but off US 54 down in the Tularosa basin. However, it is near the Three Rivers Petroglyph hike.
The Lincoln National Forest - from personal experience, the camping around Cloudcroft is very good. We have mainly used the campgrounds or dispersed camping area by the Silver, Apache & Saddle Campgrounds on the Hwy going to Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation on NM 244. Sacramento Ranger District. Lincoln
Deerhead was being updated when we were there early this summer.
Bluff Springs & Rim Trail- This popular dispersed area has a small waterfall, with springs located 200 yards above. Access to T113 (Willie White) can be found here. There are some bike trails in the area as well & motorcycles ones as well. Other trails Rails to Trails and Camping and Ruidoso Trails and Trail listings
If you are more of an RV Resort "camper", Ruidoso would have more of them than Cloudcroft.
If you happen to go to Carlsbad to see the Caverns. Sitting Bull Falls is really neat with a small cave behind the falls with formations. Also the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park Zoo is neat. Beside the main tour of the Caverns, we liked the Slaughter Canyon Cave Tour. Ranger-guided tours of Slaughter Canyon Cave take you into an underground wilderness without electricity, paved walkways, or modern conveniences. In this wild cave, darkness is broken only by the flashlights and headlamps of rangers and tour members. I believe I would stay at Brantley State Park to base to see the area by Carlsbad.
When considering New Mexico as a camping distinction perhaps you can find something in these to help- NM Campground Index :
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DesertHawk - Las Cruces, NM USA
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When considering New Mexico as a camping distinction perhaps you can find something in these to help- 
