Rock Hound NM State Park

happy · 01-25-2023, 06:41 PM

We will be staying a night or 2 in Rock Hound State Park.
This area is completely new to us.

Any tips for an aspiring rock hound to find some good specimens? Any other good tips for this region besides White Sands?

Judge · 01-26-2023, 01:36 PM

White Sands National Park is a great place and pretty damn cool! I was a little worried about taking the coach towing the Jeep through there but we had no issues.

It was a great surprise stop for us as we stopped on the way back home from a western trip a couple years ago. I sent this picture asking people to guess where we were and everyone thought we were in the mountains in snow. When you get in a bit you go from asphalt to driving on hard-packed sand. Itli ke driving on hard packed snow and ice. It reminded me driving through the Grand Teton Pass but flat.

We did not have time to do the White Sands Missile Range Museum. It's currently closed for renovations but slated to reopen in early 2023. Other than that we didn't see a whole lot else.

There is a CBP Checkpoint in that area where everyone had to pull through as they were looking for possible illegals, smuggling, etc. They waved us right through.

happy · 01-26-2023, 04:10 PM

Sounds like a good place to visit. We plan to see White Sands and will check the museum! Hopefully it will be open.

**EA37TS** · 01-26-2023, 04:23 PM

The OP asked for info “besides” White Sands.

Judge · 01-26-2023, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EA37TS

The OP asked for info “besides” White Sands.

And I told him about the Museum and there was not much else.

Judge · 01-26-2023, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy

Sounds like a good place to visit. We plan to see White Sands and will check the museum! Hopefully it will be open.

I did forget one other place that is close to the State Park. The wife reminded me Basin Range Volcanic Museum is nearby the campground. It's small but interesting.

**EA37TS** · 01-26-2023, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy

We will be staying a night or 2 in Rock Hound State Park.
This area is completely new to us.

Any tips for an aspiring rock hound to find some good specimens? Any other good tips for this region besides White Sands?

Depending on your length of stay

Museum of Archaeology at the base of the Franklin Mountains in El Paso.

Poncho Villa State Park

Albuquerque Arts District

For a unique dining experience, if time is not an issue, try Cattleman’s Steakhouse in Fabens, Texas. It’s located on a working ranch.

I was stationed in El Paso twice and never lacked of somewhere to go or something to do.

Judge · 01-26-2023, 04:54 PM

In this day and age I would not go near El Paso. Being an hour away is close enough.... and why there is a CBP Checkpoint through the area now.

But the OP can make that decision for himself.

**EA37TS** · 01-26-2023, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judge

In this day and age I would not go near El Paso. Being an hour away is close enough.... and why there is a CBP Checkpoint through the area now.

But the OP can make that decision for himself.

The museum recommended is on the Outskirts of El Paso heading to the NM state line. It is not downtown.

As a note, there were CBP checkpoints around El Paso all the way back to the 70’s that I recall. The border issues weren’t as publicized and upfront then as they are now.

happy · 01-26-2023, 05:27 PM

I was wondering about this area having pedestrian traffic wander through the campground.

I do not think the Rock Hound State Park would have a lot, but if someone offers information about that I would sure listen.

I have wanted to explore around El Paso....someday!
Cattleman's sounds like a neat place to see. Thank you!

AJMike · 02-01-2023, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy

We will be staying a night or 2 in Rock Hound State Park.
This area is completely new to us.

Any tips for an aspiring rock hound to find some good specimens? Any other good tips for this region besides White Sands?

Yes. Several. We have stayed at Rock Hound several times.

First, this is probably a good time for a stay there, but you might want to avoid the place later in the Spring through early Fall as we have been there twice when it was infested with wasps, so we did not stay. Otherwise it is a nice park, high up with a nice view and nice walking trails. DW was looking for interesting rocks but I did not find any.

Anyway. Things around the area:

1) Hatch, the pepper city, is not too far away, and a nice place for pepper laced food or pepper themed items. A lot of interesting shops and one of the restaurants that Anthony Boudin featured on his show.

2) About 30 miles north of Deming are City of Rocks State Park, which is both a nice place to camp and an interesting place to visit, and Faywood Mineral Water RV Park. You can visit and use the mineral baths without staying at the park, but be warned that it is a bit rustic and allows nude mineral water bathing in some of the public pools. It is also the only RV park that I have found that charges extra for pets even if they never leave the RV.

3) A little further north is Silver City, which is interesting in itself.

4) A bit to the east is Las Cruces and La Mesilla. While Las Cruces is just another nice modern city La Mesilla has an old town full of specialty shops and nice restaurants. The downtown city center of La Mesilla is a public square with some interesting history and surrounded by specialty store with an interesting church on one side of the city square.

There is more, but at increasingly longer distances so I will not mention them. However, if you plan to head north after Deming you might want to visit Tent Rocks. We stopped there and spent several hours hiking through some of the more interesting rock formations that I have ever seen.

AJMike · 02-01-2023, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy

I was wondering about this area having pedestrian traffic wander through the campground.

I do not think the Rock Hound State Park would have a lot, but if someone offers information about that I would sure listen.

I have wanted to explore around El Paso....someday!
Cattleman's sounds like a neat place to see. Thank you!

Rock Hound SP is a bit of a drive from Deming and I don't remember seeing much, if any, pedestrian traffic the times we were there.

We have stayed near El Paso frequently, and once for about 4 days. There are interesting old Spanish Missions in the area that are worth visiting and some very nice restaurants, and we never had an issue when there. Interestingly enough we found the best Panda Express we have ever eaten at in El Paso. Who would have thought?

The only drawback I ever found to El Paso is the I-10 corridor through the center of the city. It gets so full of traffic, especially trucks, that it is hard to change lanes and has so many frequent curves that if there is garbage in your lane on the highway you might not see it in time to change lanes. For that reason we alway (always!) take the bypass around the city when traveling through it.

happy · 02-01-2023, 11:03 PM

You added nicely to places that I would like to explore.
Hatch sounds great. I'm searching for the world's best rellenos. That may be the place to try for it.
If we go to the nudie place i won't post any pictures, nor even admit to going!!!

Bhowiepa · 02-02-2023, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy

You added nicely to places that I would like to explore.
Hatch sounds great. I'm searching for the world's best rellenos. That may be the place to try for it.
If we go to the nudie place i won't post any pictures, nor even admit to going!!!

If you go to Hatch, be sure to eat at Peppers restaurant for great rellenos. Sparky’s is not all it is hyped up to be.

happy · 02-02-2023, 04:48 PM

We are planning to go to Hatch. Will do my best to eat at Peppers! Thanks for the recommendation.

NM just declared roasted peppers the official State Smell!! Really

Scubawise · 02-02-2023, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bhowiepa

If you go to Hatch, be sure to eat at Peppers restaurant for great rellenos. Sparky’s is not all it is hyped up to be.

Peppers is amazing.
And las cruces..especially Si Senor amazing food

happy · 02-03-2023, 02:45 PM

We may need to add an additional night in the area just to dine out!

Scubawise · 02-03-2023, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy

We may need to add an additional night in the area just to dine out!

Thanks we will be going there this year
Go Rock Hound !

AJMike · 02-05-2023, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bhowiepa

If you go to Hatch, be sure to eat at Peppers restaurant for great rellenos. Sparky’s is not all it is hyped up to be.

Are you talking about The Pepper Pot? Or a different restaurant called Peppers? I ask because I never saw a place called Peppers and thought I might want to stop if it is any good. A Google search did not show me any Peppers restaurant in Hatch.

I ate at The Pepper Pot when last there and enjoyed the food, although it was not much better than some of the other Mexican restaurants I have been to in other cities. Good, but not not worth the extra drive unless you were already passing through Hatch.

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