In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From the rock carvings of the Tularosa Basin past the lava field near Carrizozo, Smokey Bear’s home village of Capitan and Billy the Kid’s Lincoln to the cool pine forests of the Sacramento Mountains and the solar observatory at the end of the Sunspot Highway: about 400 kilometres between desert and 2,800 metres of altitude.
The spirit of the route
In the south of New Mexico the landscape rises in steps. Down below lies the Tularosa Basin, flat, bright and windy, with yucca, creosote bush and a horizon that never ends. Then comes the black lava field near Carrizozo, which looks as if it set solid yesterday, although it is about five thousand years old. In Lincoln County it turns green: orchards in the valley, a village of adobe and timber where a prisoner escaped from the courthouse in 1881, a bear’s grave under pines. Finally the road winds up to Cloudcroft, where nights get decidedly cool and the Milky Way hangs above the spruces. From your sliding door in the morning you see elk at the edge of the forest and clouds hanging low in the basin. At the end of the road, at 2,800 metres, stand the telescopes that watch our Sun.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Alamogordo to Three Rivers Petroglyph Site (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- From Alamogordo take US-54/US-70 north through the Tularosa Basin: a wide, well-built road, speeds mostly 65–75 mph, with plenty of headwind in spring. After about 25 kilometres you reach Tularosa at the foot of the Sacramento Mountains; from there US-54 continues north on its own through open grazing land. About 27 kilometres north of Tularosa, in the town of Three Rivers, County Road B30 branches off to the east and leads about 8 kilometres (5 miles) on tarmac to the petroglyph site; follow the signs. Driving time alone is about 1 hour. Fuel in Alamogordo and Tularosa, then none for a long stretch until Carrizozo.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Three Rivers Petroglyph Site (BLM): On a low basalt ridge lie more than 21,000 rock carvings by the Jornada Mogollon culture, made, according to the BLM, roughly between AD 200 and 1450 – masks, animals, geometric patterns, plus the remains of a partly excavated village. The Petroglyph Trail is short at about 0.8 kilometres, but rocky and without shade; the carvings are easiest to make out in the morning and evening hours. The visitor centre is not open every day – check the hours beforehand.
- Tularosa: village at the foot of the Sacramento Mountains with a long main street, grown up around an irrigation canal from the mountains. Good for a coffee stop and for topping up supplies.
- Alamogordo: The New Mexico Museum of Space History shows rockets and space technology – a sensible warm-up before you set off.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Three Rivers Petroglyph Site: small BLM campground right by the site, with, according to the BLM, five covered sites, five tent sites and only two RV sites with water and electric hookups; toilets and drinking water are available, and a fee applies. For large vehicles this is very tight – check lengths and availability in advance with the BLM office in Las Cruces. If you start in Alamogordo, stay beforehand at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park south of the town (details in the CampingSpirit guide “White sand, bats and a rock reef”).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnight stays are prohibited on White Sands Missile Range land and in the Mescalero Reservation. On BLM land north of Tularosa, dispersed camping is usually possible, but only at already used spots away from fences and cattle troughs; check the permitted length of stay and the access tracks with the BLM beforehand, as tracks of sand and clay are impassable in rain.
- Insider tip for campers
- The wind in the Tularosa Basin often blows at gale force in spring and whips up dust; in a sandstorm, wait in a car park away from US-54, not on the shoulder. In summer there are rattlesnakes on the rocks at the petroglyph site: stay on the trail and don’t reach into crevices. Take water for your visit; even in winter the sun is strong.
2Stage 2: Three Rivers Petroglyph Site to Valley of Fires (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- Back to US-54 and north to Carrizozo, the main town of the northern Tularosa Basin; from there about 6 kilometres west on US-380 to Valley of Fires. A straight, quiet country road with speeds of 55–65 mph. Driving time alone is about 1 hour; the rest of the day belongs to the lava field. Fuel stations and a small supermarket in Carrizozo.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Valley of Fires Recreation Area (BLM): About 5,000 years ago a lava flow about 70 kilometres (44 miles) long poured from a small volcano, Little Black Peak, into the valley, four to six miles wide and in places up to about 50 metres thick. The paved Malpais Nature Trail leads on a loop of about 1.2 kilometres (three quarters of a mile) through the lava.
- Cacti, juniper and yucca grow between the slabs of lava; in clear weather you can see the Sierra Blanca massif (3,652 metres) to the southeast.
- Carrizozo: small railway town with old brick buildings and murals on the main street. The Trinity Site, where the first atomic bomb test took place in 1945, lies further southwest within the missile range and is open only a few days a year – check the dates with the Missile Range.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Valley of Fires Campground: BLM campground in the middle of the lava field, with, according to the BLM, drinking water at the sites, electric hookups at some of the RV sites, showers, toilets and a dump station (for a fee). Some of the sites can be reserved through recreation.gov, the rest are allocated on arrival; check vehicle length with the BLM in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the lava field itself, overnight stays are only provided for at the campground. On BLM land along US-380 further west, dispersed camping is usually possible, but without water or rubbish collection – take your waste with you.
- Insider tip for campers
- The lava rock is sharp-edged and very hot in summer, and dogs can burn their paws; plan for sturdy shoes, a hat and more water than you think you need. At golden hour, when the sun falls low across the black lava, the place is at its most beautiful. Mobile reception in the lava field is weak – download your route beforehand.
3Stage 3: Valley of Fires to Lincoln (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- East on US-380 through Carrizozo, then along the foot of the Capitan Mountains to Capitan and on to Lincoln. The route is part of the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway: two lanes, undulating, speeds 55–65 mph, 25–35 mph in the villages. Between Capitan and Lincoln the road winds through the narrow valley of the Rio Bonito. Driving time alone is about 1 hour. Fuel stations in Carrizozo and Capitan; fill up before you reach Lincoln itself.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan: This is where the wildfire-prevention bear grew up, a cub found in 1950 after a fire in the Capitan Mountains, who became the symbol of wildfire prevention and died in 1976. His grave is in the park; there is also a museum, a short nature trail and displays about forest and fire.
- Lincoln Historic Site (New Mexico Historic Sites): The village street is regarded as one of the best-preserved Wild West towns in the USA. In the Lincoln County War of 1878 to 1881, two trading factions fought here for supremacy; in the old courthouse Billy the Kid escaped from the upper floor in April 1881, and in July he was shot in Fort Sumner by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Among the things to see are the courthouse, the Tunstall Store and the Torreón tower; check beforehand which buildings are open.
- Rio Bonito valley: A narrow strip of green with poplars, orchards and old adobe farmsteads between Capitan and Lincoln, turning yellow in autumn.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Lincoln National Forest, Smokey Bear Ranger District, the Baca Campground lies in the Capitan Mountains: about 11 kilometres (7 miles) from US-380 along Forest Road 57, according to the Forest Service suitable for tents and small trailers, with toilets, without regularly available water and without a fee. It is unsuitable for large motorhomes; ask the Forest Service about the condition of the access road and vehicle length beforehand. In the village of Capitan there are small private campgrounds, for example Mama Bear RV Park; enquire locally. As an alternative with hookups, there is a site in Ruidoso (see the next stage).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Lincoln National Forest, dispersed camping along the designated forest roads is usually allowed for up to 14 days; the current Motor Vehicle Use Map from the Forest Service shows which tracks you may drive. In the village of Lincoln and in the car parks of the memorial site, overnight stays are not provided for. When there is a risk of wildfire the Forest Service often imposes fire bans.
- Insider tip for campers
- The village street in Lincoln is narrow and awkward for large vehicles; leave motorhomes at the visitor centre or at the edge of the village and walk. If you would like to continue east: Roswell with the UFO museum lies about 130 kilometres to the east and is described in the CampingSpirit guide “White sand, bats and a rock reef”; it is not needed for this route. Top up fresh water in Capitan or Ruidoso.
4Stage 4: Lincoln to Cloudcroft (approx. 130 km)
- The drive
- From Lincoln take US-380 east to Hondo, then US-70 west through Ruidoso Downs and Ruidoso. From there continue on US-70 through the Mescalero Reservation (you may drive through, but not stop off the road) to the turn-off for NM-130 to the south, which leads in long sweeps through pine forest to Cloudcroft at about 2,650 metres. Well-built roads, but long climbs; speeds depend on the section and are much lower in towns and bends. Driving time alone is about 2.5 hours, which makes it a long day with Ruidoso. Fuel stations in Ruidoso, Mescalero and Cloudcroft.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ruidoso: mountain town among pines on the Rio Ruidoso, starting point for hikes to the Sierra Blanca massif and for trips to Ski Apache, the Mescalero Apache ski resort (with gondola rides in summer; check operating times on the resort’s website). The effects of the 2024 fires (South Fork and Salt Fire) and the flash floods that followed are visible on the slopes above the town – an example of why fire bans are taken seriously here.
- Sierra Blanca (3,652 metres): the highest mountain in the region and sacred to the Mescalero; it lies within the reservation, and access requires permission from the tribal administration. From the area around Ruidoso you can see the summit above the forest.
- Cloudcroft: mountain village at about 2,650 metres with timber façades, shops and the historic hotel The Lodge; much cooler in summer than in the valley. Northwest of the village a viewpoint on US-82 looks out on the Mexican Canyon Trestle of 1899, the remains of a timber bridge on the former “Cloud-Climbing” railroad.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Lincoln National Forest, Sacramento Ranger District: In the forest around Cloudcroft there are several campgrounds, including Sleepy Grass, Deerhead and Silver. Simple sites without electricity, with toilets; Deerhead (19 sites) has drinking water at the site, and showers are at the nearby Silver Overflow. Season roughly mid-May to mid-October, reservations through recreation.gov. Vehicle lengths are limited: Deerhead according to the Forest Service a maximum of about 7.5 metres (25 ft), Sleepy Grass about 9 metres (30 ft). Check with the Forest Service beforehand whether a site is open in season. There are also small private RV parks in and around Cloudcroft with hookups.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Dispersed camping in Lincoln National Forest is usually allowed for up to 14 days along the designated forest roads, but prohibited on private land, in the reservation and in closed burn areas. Closures after the 2024 fires may change – ask the Forest Service beforehand about the situation and current orders. In the village of Cloudcroft and in the village car parks, overnight stays are not allowed.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Ruidoso, stock up on water, food and gas before the climb – after that there are only small shops until Cloudcroft. On NM-130 there are long descents: go downhill in low gears and don’t overheat your brakes. In summer thunderstorms, stay away from arroyos and riverbeds: after heavy rain flash floods come through there, especially on the burned slopes above Ruidoso.
5Stage 5: Cloudcroft to Sunspot and back (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- From Cloudcroft take NM-130 briefly south, then the Sunspot Highway (NM-6563), a mountain road about 25 kilometres long through spruce and aspen forest, rising to as much as 2,800 metres. With bends; drive slowly in a motorhome, and with a long trailer ask the Forest Service about restrictions beforehand. Don’t follow your satnav if it suggests Karr Canyon Road: that is an unpaved track that can be impassable. The road ends at the Sunspot Solar Observatory, where there is no provision for overnight stays. Driving time there and back is about 1.5 hours, half a day with breaks.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Sunspot Highway: mountain road designated as a scenic byway, with viewpoints from which you look about 1,500 metres down onto the Tularosa Basin and, in clear conditions, the bright gypsum dunes of White Sands.
- Sunspot Solar Observatory (Sacramento Peak): the observatory at the end of the road, with telescopes for observing the Sun; the visitor centre with its museum has at times been closed, and the information from the operator and the Forest Service differs in part. Whether the visitor centre and tours are accessible, clarify beforehand by phone with the observatory or the Forest Service.
- Pine forests and meadows around Cloudcroft: elk, mule deer and wild turkeys occur, and so do black bears.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: A second night at the same site as in Cloudcroft (Sleepy Grass, Deerhead or Silver) or at James Canyon Campground on US-82 about 27 kilometres east of Cloudcroft, just before Mayhill: Forest Service, five simple sites, reportedly without drinking water, only for small vehicles (about 5 metres), no reservations. Check opening and vehicle length. At night the sky above Cloudcroft is very dark; with binoculars and a star chart, a site with little artificial light is well worth it.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the Sunspot Highway itself, at the viewpoints and at the observatory, overnight stays are not provided for. On the forest roads in Lincoln National Forest around Cloudcroft, dispersed camping is usually possible, except in protected and burn areas; check the Motor Vehicle Use Map and the current orders of the Forest Service.
- Insider tip for campers
- In winter the Sunspot Highway can be icy or only partly passable; ask the Forest Service or in the village about conditions beforehand. At almost 2,800 metres it gets cold at night even in summer, so plan for heating and warm clothing. Mobile reception can be weak – sort out your route beforehand. Fuel up in Cloudcroft.
6Stage 6: Cloudcroft to Alamogordo (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- Down US-82 to Alamogordo: about 30 kilometres of descent from roughly 2,650 to 1,300 metres, with long downhill stretches and bends. Two lanes; in a motorhome go downhill in a low gear and take breaks at the pull-offs. Driving time alone is about 45 minutes. On the way are orchards at High Rolls, which offer apples in autumn. Fuel stations and supermarkets in Alamogordo.
- Highlights & must-sees
- High Rolls: small village on US-82 with orchards in the narrow valley; in late summer and autumn there are apples and juice at the roadside. Here the trees grow in the shelter of the mountains, well above the basin.
- Alamogordo: desert town in the basin, with the New Mexico Museum of Space History and the small Alameda Park Zoo. If you haven’t yet seen White Sands, you can drive from here to the national park in a good half hour; the dunes are described in detail in the CampingSpirit guide “White sand, bats and a rock reef”.
- Oliver Lee Memorial State Park: Dog Canyon cuts into the western slope of the Sacramento Mountains; a hiking trail leads to a spring and to the remains of a 19th-century ranch, with the visitor centre alongside.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Oliver Lee Memorial State Park south of Alamogordo (facilities and reservations in the CampingSpirit guide “White sand, bats and a rock reef”); mind vehicle length when booking. Alternatively, private RV parks in Alamogordo.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Alamogordo and on the grounds of Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range, overnight stays outside designated sites are prohibited. Dispersed camping is possible on BLM land further north near Tularosa and at the edge of Lincoln National Forest, but not within the town limits.
- Insider tip for campers
- Before leaving Cloudcroft, check your gas, water and supplies; in Alamogordo you will find everything you need in greater choice. If you are leaving the desert afterwards to the south or west: the CampingSpirit guide “Forest, cliff dwellings and ghost towns” goes into the Gila Wilderness, and the guide “Drifting dunes, a spring-fed pool and starry skies” to the Davis Mountains in Texas.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Dispersed camping in Lincoln National Forest is generally allowed for a limited time along designated forest roads (usually 14 days), with a minimum distance from water, roads and campgrounds. The Forest Service’s Motor Vehicle Use Map shows which tracks you may drive; check closures and wildfire aftermath (especially around Ruidoso) with the Ranger District beforehand.
- On BLM land in the Tularosa Basin, camping is usually allowed for a limited time (often 14 days). In the Mescalero Reservation, on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base land and on private land, overnight stays are prohibited; driving off roads is also forbidden there.
- Places such as Alamogordo, Ruidoso, Cloudcroft and Lincoln do not provide for overnight stays in vehicles on streets or public car parks; the police check occasionally. Use rest areas and supermarket car parks only with express permission.
- Fire: In dry years, fire bans often apply in Lincoln National Forest, which can also affect charcoal and gas stoves outside fixed fire pits. Ask the Forest Service for the current level before you travel; never leave a fire unattended.
- Wildlife: Black bears occur in the Sacramento Mountains; keep food and rubbish locked in the vehicle. Rattlesnakes live in the lava and rock areas near Carrizozo and Three Rivers; stay on firm trails. Don’t stir up rodent nests, as hantaviruses can occur in the region.
- Reservations: Deerhead, Sleepy Grass and some of the sites at Valley of Fires through recreation.gov, state parks through the New Mexico State Parks reservation system; James Canyon and Baca are simple sites without reservations. Book early for summer and autumn weekends. Apps: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt and Recreation.gov; Park4Night is little used in the USA.
- For visitors without US residence, higher fees and surcharges sometimes apply in heavily visited national parks; if you are also visiting White Sands, check current amounts on nps.gov. The America the Beautiful Pass is valid at many BLM and Forest Service sites, but not everywhere – check on the spot.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump stations: at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, at Valley of Fires (for a fee) and at private RV parks in Alamogordo, Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, often for a fee for passers-through as well. The Forest Service sites around Cloudcroft generally have no waste disposal.
- Drinking water: at the taps of the state park and Forest Service sites; in Cloudcroft, Ruidoso and Alamogordo at fuel stations and RV parks. There are no supplies on the Sunspot Highway; Three Rivers and Valley of Fires have drinking water only at the campground and the visitor area respectively – fill your tank beforehand.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at dump stations; releasing them onto forest floor, into arroyos or streams is prohibited.
- Propane: gas bottles are filled in Alamogordo, Ruidoso, Cloudcroft and Carrizozo at fuel stations, in hardware stores and at gas dealers. European bottles are generally not filled; get a US adapter or a second bottle locally.
- Electricity: state park and RV sites offer 30 A, some 50 A. The Forest Service sites have no electricity; the BLM campgrounds Valley of Fires and Three Rivers have electricity only at some of the RV sites. Restrictions on generators apply in the forests.
- Fuel and shopping: supermarkets and workshops in Alamogordo and Ruidoso, smaller shops in Tularosa, Carrizozo, Capitan and Cloudcroft. There are no fuel stations between Lincoln and Capitan or on the Sunspot Highway.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: country roads in New Mexico mostly 55–65 mph, US-54 in the Tularosa Basin up to 75 mph, 25–35 mph in villages. On mountain roads such as NM-130, US-82 and the Sunspot Highway lower values apply; the signs on the spot take precedence, and on the descents you should drive in a low gear.
- Mobile phone while driving: Writing and reading text messages is prohibited in New Mexico; individual cities have stricter rules, and hands-free is safest.
- Altitude and vehicle: Cloudcroft and Sunspot lie at about 2,650–2,800 metres; the engine loses power, and brakes and cooling are put under greater strain. Check gas appliances and the living-area heating at altitude beforehand. In winter, snow and ice are possible on US-82, NM-130 and the Sunspot Highway.
- Weather: From July to September there are thunderstorms almost daily with heavy rain and flash floods in arroyos; do not drive through fords or watercourses. In spring, sandstorms blow in the Tularosa Basin and can reduce visibility on US-54 to a few metres.
- Tolls: no toll roads on the route. Valley of Fires, the Three Rivers site, Lincoln Historic Site and Smokey Bear Historical Park each charge their own admission; check the amounts on the spot.
- Military ground: US-70 west of Alamogordo is closed at times during missile tests; heed the signs and do not stop off the road.
- Emergency: 911. Mobile reception is mostly good in Alamogordo, Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, but patchy at the petroglyph site, in the lava field, on the Sunspot Highway and in the mountains.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Warm sleeping gear and an extra blanket: In Cloudcroft and on the Sunspot Highway, night temperatures often drop into single figures even in summer.
- Hiking boots with a firm sole for the lava: The sharp-edged rock at Valley of Fires is hard on trainers and dogs’ paws.
- At least 4 litres of water per person per day, in a container: There are hardly any taps along US-54 and on the hiking trails.
- Binoculars and a star chart or stargazing app: The sky above the Sacramento Mountains is far from big-city light, and planets and the Milky Way can be seen without a telescope.
- Bear-safe storage (lockable container, bin bags): Black bears are active in the forests near Cloudcroft and Capitan.
- Weather radio or weather app with warnings: In summer, flash-flood and thunderstorm warnings decide whether you can park in an arroyo.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
