Full-timing in New Mexico February 09, 2015, 08:59:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 150935I know at least one person on this forum lives full-time in their Lazy Daze and spends most of their time in the State of New Mexico. And, I believe much of that time is spent in the State Parks in that State. My question is if a person has to make reservations to get the sites they want and, if so, how far ahead is it necessary to do that? Do you typically stay in sites with electrical hookups or do you dry camp? Have you developed a path you follow from park to park in the different seasons of the year?Thanks for any help you can offer in answering these questions.Glenn
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #1 – February 09, 2015, 11:07:29 pm Yahoo Message Number: 150937Reservations are rarely necessary; I've never done it. Perhaps on a holiday or on weekends in peak summer season. Now that I have solar, I only use electric sites when I have a need. The dry camping sites tend to have fewer rigs and more space. They only path is whatever direction I'm going. There are other places for camping in NM, like forest service, blm, etc. so I mix it up.2004 Lazy Daze Twin-king PleinAirJourney.com
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #2 – February 10, 2015, 08:53:22 am Yahoo Message Number: 150942BEFORE you had solar and used the electricity sites did you have to make reservations?Thanks for the response.Glenn
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #3 – February 10, 2015, 09:01:04 am Yahoo Message Number: 150943Glenn, what Pleinguy said is good info, but there is more. For example, my favorite sites at South Monticello Point are on either of the two outer loops. From March 1 to September 30, those sites require a reservation for a stay of more than one night. There are, however, a number of other sites where reservations are not needed in that campground, and those other sites are, for the most part, available through the end of March. From October 1 to March 1, no reservations are needed for those sites. Often there will be someone parked in several of my 4 favorite sites, but I have always been able to find a site on the outer loops. I have no summer experience in New Mexico, so things may change then, and may vary in some smaller parks, but I have never entered a State Park here where I could not find someplace to park for at least one night. Sometimes that will mean taking a site with no hookups, or in one case, taking a very unlevel site.Ken F in NM
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #4 – February 10, 2015, 10:39:59 am Yahoo Message Number: 150949Good information, Ken. Thanks for taking the time to reply.I've been experimenting with Reserve America (I think that's the reservation system NM State Parks use) and I only found one park where I tried to reserve a site for 14 days and there was just one left for April 27th-May 24th. That was in Oliver Lee State Park.It at least sounds like I'm safe waiting until I get to a park to get their annual camping pass ($225) so I can extend that membership as long as possible.Thanks again, Glenn
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #5 – February 10, 2015, 11:23:24 am Yahoo Message Number: 150953We have been to only a few of the New Mexico State Parks, but Oliver Lee is one of my favorites . . . also, the ONLY one that was full to the brim when we got there. Had to stay in town at a commercial campground until Spring Break was over! It was worth the wait, for sure!Virtual hugs,Judie http://dorrieanne.wordpress.com
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #6 – February 10, 2015, 08:19:42 pm Yahoo Message Number: 150968No. I've never made reservations in a NM State Park. Pleinguy 2004 Lazy Daze Twin-king
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #7 – February 10, 2015, 08:25:06 pm Yahoo Message Number: 150970Buy the annual pass the first few days of a month. Because, they are good until the last day of the month bought at the end of the year. Thus, you really end up with 13 months of use.Pleinguy 2004 Lazy Daze Twin-king PleinAirJourney.com
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #8 – February 11, 2015, 12:35:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 150993Thanks again for the information. BTW, from what I can tell Spring Break in New Mexico is March 23-27 in case anyone needs to adjust their stays around that.Glenn
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #9 – February 13, 2015, 10:53:13 am Yahoo Message Number: 151037Glenn, I have gathered some more info on the two parks I am frequenting that might interest you. I am bouncing between two parks for the winter. Elephant Butte Lake SP has 5 campgrounds. I stay at one - South Monticello Point. I believe there are 56 sites there, all with at least water and electric. The sites from (I believe) 17 to 27 are reserve-able in warm weather only, March 1 through September 30, and are limited to one night without a reservation. The rest of the year no reservation is needed. The remaining sites, on the main loop, are a mix of pull through and back in with a few with full hookups. Next to the established campground is an area where dispersed camping is permitted. It could hold to RV's without crowding, and more if you are part of a group. Here at Caballo Lake SP, there are 4 campgrounds. Three are above the dam, two of which are water and electric sites and one of which is full hookup. I stay below the dam at Riverside, which has 20 hookup sites, 5 of which include sewer hookup and 15 with water and electric. None are reservable in the winter but 6 are reservable in the summer. There are something like 40 non-hookup sites, many of which are not well defined, just a wide patch on the southerly road. Additionally there is an area above the Caballo dam called Percha Flats for dispersed camping. Rates - get an Annual Camping Pass - non residents, $225. With it, you stay in a non-hookup site free. You stay in a water and electric site for $4, and you stay in a sewer site for $8. Without the pass, non-hookups are $10, hookups are $14 and full hookups are $18.Ken F in NM
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #10 – February 13, 2015, 11:22:45 am Yahoo Message Number: 151039Ken, that's great information. I wasn't aware that some sites were not reservable, etc. as you explained in your post. I like knowing it's practical to bounce between Elephant Butte and Caballo. Do you find it convenient to stay the full 14 day limit or do you cut that short due to necessary trips for shopping, laundry, etc.? It appears most New Mexico State Parks are not all that close to towns. Does that present a problem for you? Do you full-time year around?Thanks again for the great information.Glenn
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #11 – February 13, 2015, 01:00:40 pm Yahoo Message Number: 151041So . . . it looks like someone who uses the rig's water holding tanks exclusively could stay in either a dry-camping site, or electric/water only, for most of a stay, and then move to a full hookup site for the last day. This would allow unlimited use of water for doing heavy-duty water "chores", such as a thorough clean out of the sewage holding tank, a slow fill through an elaborate softener and filtering system, and any other water-intensive chores, without needing to tie up a spot at the communal dump station upon departure. Seems well worth the additional $4. (or $8., depending on if it was dry camping or electric hookup previously).A full hookup site on a weekly or bi-weekly basis allows for some carefree dry camping for the rest of the time. A lot can be accomplished in a 24-hour period with full amenities as regards preparation to help the next period of dry camping go smoothly.Virtual hugs,Judie http://dorrieanne.wordpress.com
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #12 – February 13, 2015, 02:34:11 pm Yahoo Message Number: 151044"it looks like someone who uses the rig's water holding tanks exclusively could stay in either a dry-camping site, or electric/water only, for most of a stay, and then move to a full hookup site for the last day. This would allow unlimited use of water for doing heavy-duty water 'chores,' such as a thorough clean out of the sewage holding tank, a slow fill through an elaborate softener and filtering system, and any other water-intensive chores, without needing to tie up a spot at the communal dump station upon departure."In general, New Mexico state parks have about 2/3 dry-camping sites and about 1/3 water/electric sites. But many New Mexico state parks have no full-hookup sites at all (other than for campground hosts), and those that do rarely have more than a couple. In short, I wouldn't count on finding a full-hookup site available.Almost all NM state parks do have dump stations, however. See my NM State Parks Pocket Guide for a list--you can click on the "Dump" heading to sort by dump station availability.Andy BairdTravels with Andy
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #13 – February 13, 2015, 02:54:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 151045Very true for New Mexico's very thrifty state park system, but it is also true for any sort of dry camping. A 24- to 48-hour stint at a full hook up site in any campground could serve the same purpose, i.e. between stays at New Mexico State parks, or any sort of dry camping experiences.JudieNon-typical brevity because this is being . :-)
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #14 – February 13, 2015, 08:27:57 pm Yahoo Message Number: 151048Glenn, I have been staying the full 14 days at Caballo. I then spend either a week at South Monticello Point or dry camping before coming back to Caballo. Were it not for the fact that my hiking buddy is here, I would probably wander elsewhere, but we are having a BALL! Both SMP and Caballo have dump stations, where I rarely have to wait in line. If I am doing a full flush, which takes some time, I almost never have someone waiting behind me. I have a Toad and use it for shopping and errands. Caballo is 20 miles from shopping and laundry. South Monticello Point in Elephant Butte Lake SP is about 10 miles from town.I do full time year round.Ken F in NM
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #15 – February 15, 2015, 01:05:26 am Yahoo Message Number: 151094Ken, have you made friends with other people full-timing in the New Mexico State Parks? Do you find there are a lot of them? So far my time since I started full-timing on January 6 of this year has been spent in commercial parks and I've been curious as to how it will be meeting other campers when there are no club houses, etc. to bring people together. Also, would it be a problem holding a camp site if a person were to leave it to go into town for example? Is there some sort of marking at the site indicating the site is rented? You've been a great help already, Ken. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.Glenn
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #16 – February 15, 2015, 10:10:16 am Yahoo Message Number: 151102Glenn, it is easy to "hold" a site when you go to town. Just put a pair of folding chairs out on the site. You may want to weight them or tie them down so the wind does not remove them. Making friends? I can't separate into New Mexico and elsewhere, but I will post some first names: Andrea, John and Linda, Jane and (oops - there goes the memory), Jan and Mike, Andy, Jan, James, David, Jim and Kathy, Bill and Sandy, Don and Dorothy, Ted and Liz, Bill, Mary, Wendy, Paul, John and Jan, John and Beryl, Chris, Melinda, Suzanne, Nancy, Patricia and Richard, Mike, Tony and Sue, Wenche and Harry, Joan, and Judie. That's just off the top of my head. I know there are more that I have met while fulltiming. I am very much the hermit, tending to keep to myself. I meet these people when we both have a LD, or on a hike, or camped next to one another. There are a few on the list that I haven't met face to face. We don't have to. We met through the group here. A few are folks who had problems with their RV, and the campground host knew of my tools and knowledge and asked for help. A few shared an interest in photography and began conversations about that. I have never gone to any kind of a clubhouse. If you go outside your rig, and there is any common interest or experience, conversations kick off.Ken F in NM
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #17 – February 15, 2015, 12:15:52 pm Yahoo Message Number: 151108Quote QuoteGlenn, it is easy to "hold" a site when you go to town. Just put a pair of folding chairs out on the site. You may want to weight them or tie them down so the wind does not remove them.If you don't want to risk the loss of anything of value, it is possible to discourage site poachers, even unintentional ones, with a laminated 8.5 x 11 sign that says "CAMPSITE OCCUPIED". If you have a grommeted hole at the center of each side and some lengths of twine, you have a way to string it across (or down from) some sort of in-place object to make it visible.This is a not-too-difficult DIY project, or you can go to a place that makes banners, and have something larger made. It will roll up and not take up much room. I saw in the UPS Store yesterday that their banners of pretty good size are $8.00, extra for a coating.HA! I wasn't so far off. A quick stroll through Google provided the information that this sort of banner is available in many places, and might be worth having around.
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #18 – February 15, 2015, 12:42:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 151109CAMPSITE OCCUPIED gets the point across,--- I had two decorative, laminated "Campsite Occupied" signs that a friend made. Apparently, they were too appealing; one disappeared early on from a campground that I don't recall, and somebody pinched the last one from my site at Signal Mountain campground. :-( Now, if I put up an "Occupied" sign at all, I just use a Sharpie and a piece of "neon" paper.I like the idea of the banner, but I think I'd carry a few spares!As ever, YMMV.Joan
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #19 – February 15, 2015, 02:05:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 151112I'd rather lose a sign than a chair (or two), but here's a thought . . . You could have the wording say something on the order ofTHIS SITE OCCUPIED BY TRENT COOLEY . (Or whatever unique name you can think up. A palindrome or other kind of wordplay worked into a name would be personally satisfying to me!)This MIGHT discourage someone whose name is not Trent Cooley from stealing the sign. It might cause some confusion with the rangers as well, but it might delay the theft of the sign.The ad hoc neon paper and Sharpie method is good, too. This sign could be slipped into a glassine protector in inclement weather.Virtual hugs,Judie
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #20 – February 16, 2015, 09:19:09 am Yahoo Message Number: 151153Thanks for all the "camp occupied" ideas. I was mainly just asking if campers had to provide their own sign or if the park did that. My only similar experience so far was in a Corps of Engineers site where they hung tags on a post for each site with the reserved dates. I did save two 1/2 gallon plastic milk jugs that I washed and printed "SITE TAKEN" on the sides. I planned to fill them with water or sand to hold them in place while away from the site. As agreed by most of you, I expect whatever I use to disappear now and then. Those would be easily replaced and at no charge.I guess I'll let the process of meeting fellow campers take care of itself. I do like to hike and I take lots of pictures, but I'm nowhere near professional at either.My plan is to work my way north and west from TX where I'm trying to stay in places where I need neither heat or air conditioning. As it stands now I should be in Brantley Lake State Park the first week of April.Thanks again,Glenn
Re: Full-timing in New Mexico Reply #21 – February 16, 2015, 09:26:25 am Yahoo Message Number: 151154Ken, that's quite an impressive list of people you've met through camping -- and encouraging!I've followed this forum for a long time because it was so informative and the people were so helpful -- especially Andy Baird who was the first to respond to a question I asked. Originally I had the Lazy Daze motorhome on my short list of brands I considered for purchase, but I ended up buying something else largely due to my central IL location. The fact that forum members here accept me even though I'm not a Lazy Daze owner is impressive in my opinion.Thanks for your continued support in helping me along as a new full-timer.Glenn
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