Place to stay in Carlsbad, NM

[John316]

Does anybody know a good CG in Carlsbad? We will be there, for a night, and then see the caverns. WM allows parking, so it will be them if we don't find a CG that has good reviews.

Opinions?

God bless,

John

[johns4104s]

John,

We are traveling more and more and have an old Walmart map showing Walmarts and Flying J,s. Is there anything new and better for finding walmart or anthing else.

Thanks

John

[Ed Hackenbruch]

John, we stayed in Windmill Rv Park right in town about 5 years ago. Nothing fancy as i recall, but ok.  The caverns are about 20 miles to the south. We were headed south so took the bus and jeep, plenty of parking and the road up was ok.  I recommend going inside and down the elevator and doing the loop around and then going back up and outside. Find the trail to the original entrance and go back down that way.  Comes out right by the elevators. Is a lot different than the rest of the cave and well worth the walk. Couldn't help but think of the folks that first went in that way and the equipment they had at the time and what they thought as they explored.  No lit, paved trails for them.   Enjoy, i would like to do it again.  Ps, be sure to notice the size of the rock that you go around and under near the end of the trail and realize that that came from the roof above you......must have shook the ground pretty good when it fell and yet it stayed in one piece too.

[John316]

We are traveling more and more and have an old Walmart map showing Walmarts and Flying J,s. Is there anything new and better for finding walmart or anthing else. 

If we want to stay at a Walmart, I usually either do a google search that says [Walmart near Carlsbad, NM]. http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&fkt=610&fsdt=8464&q=walmart+near+carlsbad+nm&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&fp=25d2df88517031cf Then I look and see which listing I think is a WM, and call them.

Or, I got to Walmart store locater http://www.walmart.com/storeLocator/ca_storefinder.do. I then type in which city we want to stop near, and then bump the miles up to whatever I want. Then it tells me what's near, and I use google maps to find out exactly where they are....

YMMV

Ed, Thanks for the advice! We actually were in the town, two years ago. We went way out of our way, to go there, and see them. We woke up that morning, and I fired the bus up. I noticed a strange burning smell, and something didn't sound right. The idler pulley for the radiator fan, had self destructed. We were high, and dry. We drove the bus, the mile or two, to downtown, and started walking. Nobody had anything at all close, so long story short, we ended up having a new pulley machined for us. We didn't end up seeing the Caverns , but we did make it to our next destination in time .

We are looking forward, and hoping that we can see them this time. We will probably end up in the WM, because we do just fine boondocking there. Feels like home now . Thanks for the advice on how to do the walk through.

God bless,

John

[Rick 74 MC-8]

Don't miss White Sands Well worth the trip and if you can get a golden pass (I think that's what its called ) all the parks are free!! Not sure of the age you need to bee for the pass


                                                                             Rick 74 MC-8

[Ed Hackenbruch]

 You need to be 62, there is a one time fee of $10 it is good for the rest of your life. Access to the parks are free but other things, (like rv parks) are 50%. off. Still a good deal.

[TomC]

We went to Carlsbad Caverns last May on the way to the Camping World Albuquerque 2009 Rally.  We stayed the night before at the Camping World in north El Paso just about on the border with NM.  Then drove to Carlsbad Caverns from El Paso by way of highway 62/180. Just drive the bus up-plenty of big vehicle RV parking. We walked down all 900ft (like a 90 story building) into the Caverns-the suggested way to go-but be ready for some jello legs by the time you get down.  We got there just 15 minutes before the last allowed tour at 2pm.  It took about 2 hours to do the walk down.  Then drove to Carlsbad and stayed at the WalMart.  Then went to Roswell UFO museum and then to Socorro and stayed at that WalMart.
There are a couple of small RV parks right in Whites City at the base of the drive up to the Caverns.  But-the WalMart in Carlsbad is nice-stay to the right by the nursery section-was very nice-even BBQ'd there.  Have fun!  TomC

[Sean]

If you are arriving or departing the Caverns through Texas, remember that TX allows overnight parking in all picnic and rest areas unless otherwise posted.  Just about an hour from Carlsbad is this nice one, where we stayed through a snow storm:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com/2005/02/were-at-state-highway-picnic-area-map.html

We did not stop at the caverns on that pass.  Between Carlsbad and the picnic area is also Guadalupe Mountains National Monument, which has an overnight RV lot (no hookups) for a few bucks.

A bit further west on the same road is this one, although at this time of year, I'd think you'd want the higher elevation of the one linked above:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/02/mountain-time.html

We also visited the caverns:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com/2005/06/we-had-very-nice-visit-today-at.html

... the previous night we stayed at a state park nearby:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com/2005/06/we-are-at-brantley-lake-state-park.html

On the other side, there is a free city RV park with electric in Andrews, TX (linked in the visit post, above).

HTH,

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[John316]

Thanks for the advice, guys. Very helpful.

We will probably be there for one day, and stay at Camp Wally World .

I am looking into a couple of the guided tours. Some of them look pretty neat. The one that might be an option for us, is the lower cave tour. It is a three hour tour. We wouldn't have to bring anything extra, because they provide the hardhats, with lights. I would have liked on of the other tours, that is a little more exciting (this one only has a ladder, down the side of a cavern wall, from what they said), but the more exciting ones are only on the weekends...Oh, well. Maybe sometime.

We will, of course, do the standard self-guided tours too.

God bless,

John

[luvrbus]

John  you will find about every small town in West Texas will have a free or real low rate RV park if you need to stop dump and water and the free ones will have 15 or 20 amp service.
If you going across on 10 between Ozona and Sheffield at hiway 349 there is a town named Iraan on 190 they have 2 campgrounds in the town with full service the new one at the airport is 12 bucks for 50 amp and cable TV the old one is 6 bucks for 30 amp and no cable ( it was free till 2 years ago). Traveling across Texas just ask a local if you understand Texan like I do LOL he will send to the Fair Grounds or the C of C most of the time for free parking. 




good luck and be safe

[CS]

There is a campground in Whites City (before the entrance to the caverns) 2 on the Caverns Highway just as you enter Carlsbad and 1 in town on the river (Highway to Hobbs)
Disclaimer: I'm suffering from CRS so I sure cant give you names of any business mentioned above

[CS]

Also while in Carlsbad, the library has an interesting Museum in it (free) and up on C-hill there is "The living Desert Zoo" both places worth a visit (my opinion)