Big Bend Ranch State Park

We travelled along the Rio Grande river route through Big Bend Ranch State Park. This river marks the border between the US and Mexico.

Here’s an interactive map of our route and stops:

We first needed to go back to Fort Leaton to get a permit to access stops along the route, which was no additional cost thanks to having purchased a Texas State Parks Pass:

Fort Leaton

Then we headed east into the park, passing the road to the interior of the park:

Road to interior of park

Lots of interesting hills and views along the route:

Interesting hills

Interesting hills:

Interesting hills

Park sign:

Sign

Interesting hills

A narrow single lane bridge during construction:

Roadworks

Interesting hills

Hoodoos:

Hoodoos

Interesting hills

The Rio Grande river:

Rio Grande river

Interesting hills

More roadworks:

More roadworks

Roadworks

15% grade:

15% grade

Rio Grande river:

Rio Grande river

We stopped at a nice roadside picnic area for lunch:

Picnic area

The Rio Grande river was close behind the picnic area — and the other side of the river is Mexico:

Rio Grande river

Interesting hills

Contrabando day use area and movie set:

Contrabando day use area and movie set

Closer to the Rio Grande river:

Rio Grande river

Contrabando day use area and movie set

Interesting hills

The other side of the park, Barton Warnock Visitor Center:

Barton Warnock Visitor Center

Courtyard

Barton Warnock Visitor Center

The four deserts of the US; we’ve now been to all four:

Barton Warnock Visitor Center

We’re amused by “intrusive igneous deposits”:

Barton Warnock Visitor Center

Courtyard

Heading back:

Interesting hills

15% grade:

15% grade

Interesting hills

Boats in the river:

Rio Grande river

Fort Leaton State Historic Site

We visited the Fort Leaton State Historic Site, literally a minute down the road from our campsite. It also serves as the western entrance of Big Bend Ranch State Park in Texas (which is distinct from Big Bend National Park, which we’ll visit from our next campsite).

Fort Leaton State Historic Site

Here’s a map of the fort from a self-guided tour PDF:

Map

Outside:

Fort Leaton State Historic Site

Fort Leaton

Courtyard:

Fort Leaton

A ranger; we purchased a Texas State Parks Pass, since we’ll be in Texas over the winter:

Ranger

Gift shop:

Gift shop

Exhibits:

Displays

A cart, or “carreta”, used to transport goods:

Cart

Corral area:

Courtyard

The walls in this area haven’t been restored:

Walls

Crumbly doorways:

Doorway

Door and window

Doorways

Blacksmith:

Blacksmith

Fireplace:

Fireplace

The “dungeon”:

Room

Walls:

Walls

Kitchen:

Kitchen

Dining room:

Dining room

Family parlor:

Family parlor

Trading office:

Trading office

Formal parlor:

Formal parlor

Nursery / family sitting room:

Nursery

Courtyard:

Courtyard

Servant’s quarters:

Servant's quarters

Outside again:

Outside

A nature trail around the fort:

Nature trail

Cemetery:

Cemetery

A view of the fort from the trail:

Nature trail

An interesting historic site.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park again

We visited Carlsbad Caverns a second time, this time to do the Natural Entrance and Big Room trails.

On the way, passing the Apache Canyon Trading Post:

Apache Canyon Trading Post

And White’s City:

White's City

The Carlsbad Caverns sign:

Carlsbad Caverns sign

Entrance road:

Entrance road

Again we had a picnic lunch by the visitor center:

Picnic lunch

The visitor center sign:

Visitor center sign

The path to the natural entrance:

Path to natural entrance

We were stopped for the pre-entrance instructions from the ranger:

Path to natural entrance

The bat amphitheater, where people can watch the bats leaving the cave in the evenings:

Bat amphitheater

Heading down into the natural entrance:

Path to natural entrance

An info sign; 1.25 miles, 750 feet of elevation change:

Info sign

The natural entrance:

Natural entrance

Reaching the junction with the Rest Stop and Big Room:

Natural entrance

Rest stop sign

The Big Room trail:

Big Room

Back to the Underground Rest Stop:

Underground rest area

We bought a snack at the shop; the attendant was very chatty with info about the cave, visitors, bats, etc:

Underground rest area

Back up the elevator:

Elevator

The gift shop:

Gift shop

Jenn bought a bunch of postcards; she collects the WPA-style postcards, and this gift shop had an excellent collection, so she was able to get some missing and future ones:

Postcards

A selfie by the sign, with a stuffed toy bat from the gift shop:

Selfie

Sitting Bull Falls

We visited Sitting Bull Falls in New Mexico.

Some nice scenery on the way:

Hills

Road

Lincoln National Forest:

Lincoln National Forest

Road

Rocks

Wash

Last Chance Canyon trailhead

Hill

Road

Sitting Bull Falls Picnic Area:

Sitting Bull Falls Picnic Area

A time capsule and info about the Civilian Conservation Corps:

Time capsule

Sign

Very nice picnic shelters:

Picnic shelters

Rocks

Path to the falls:

Path

Rocks

Falls:

Falls

Selfie

Falls

Pond

Falls

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Just south of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, across the border in Texas, is Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Passing through the town of Carlsbad again on the way there:

Carlsbad

Cave people art:

Cave people art

We stopped for lunch at a tiny separate section of Carlsbad Caverns NP, Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area:

Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area

They have a very nice picnic area in an oasis of trees, which we had pretty much to ourselves (only one other group in the distance):

Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area

Rattlesnake Springs sign:

Rattlesnake Springs sign

This area has a spring that is the source of the water for the caverns:

Spring

Spring pool:

Spring pool

With fish:

Fish

Continuing on, we entered Texas:

Entering Texas

Mountains:

Mountains

A brief stop at the small McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center of Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center;

Then on to the main part of the park:

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Pine Springs Visitor Center:

Pine Springs Visitor Center

You know I enjoy 3D relief maps:

Relief map

Inside the visitor center:

Pine Springs Visitor Center

We walked along the Pinery Trail, about a mile of nature trail:

Pinery Trail

Pine Springs Visitor Center

Pinery Trail

We took a look at the “campground”, little more than a parking lot (and too small for our coach):

Campground

We were impressed by El Capitan mountain:

El Capitan mountain

A rest area and view:

Rest area

El Capitan mountain again:

El Capitan mountain

A quick spin along Frijole Ranch road:

Frijole Ranch

Then back north into New Mexico, a much-needed carwash, and back home to our coach.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

We visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico:

Carlsbad Caverns sign

The road to the visitor center:

Road

We had a reservation for a ranger-led tour, so after checking in, we had a picnic lunch:

Picnic

Back to the visitor center:

Visitor center

Bat artwork in the foyer:

Bat artwork

The ticketing area:

Tickets

There are two ways down to the caverns: elevators, or the natural entrance. This time, we took the elevators. They lead to the underground rest stop, with food, swag, and bathrooms:

Underground rest area

We joined the ranger for our guided tour:

Ranger guide

He was a bit of a character, with multiple philosophy degrees. That definitely showed in his talks, with discussions of paradoxes and raising questions about the caverns.

The tour we went on was the King’s Palace tour (the only one offered currently). It gives access to caverns not open to the general public, via this gate:

Gate

Heading down:

Heading down

Stalactites:

Stalactites

The King’s Palace room:

Kings Palace

The ranger passed around an old photo showing the room (sorry, not a great shot of it):

Old photo

Through a tunnel to the next room:

Tunnel

The Papoose Room:

Papoose Room

Tunnel

The Queen’s Chamber:

Queen's Chamber

An actively dripping column; the ranger turned out the lights and we sat by this in total darkness for a few minutes, just listening to the dripping of the water:

Column

A fossilized bat:

Fossilized bat

Queen's Chamber

Telephone:

Telephone

Queen's Chamber

Tunnel

Back to King’s Palace, on the other side:

Kings Palace

Tunnel

Green Lake

Green Lake (a small pool):

Green Lake

Heading up some stairs:

Stairs

Column

The end of the tour at the exit gate:

Gate

Looking down:

Looking down

Old stairs:

Old stairs

Looking down

Swiss cheese:

Swiss cheese

New York Skyline:

New York

Info sign:

Info sign

Back at the underground rest stop:

Rest stop

Rest stop shop:

Rest stop shop

Restrooms:

Restrooms

Another map:

Map

Exit to elevators:

Exit to elevators

Elevators:

Elevators

Heading up from 750 feet underground:

750 feet underground

The elevators debouch into the gift store, of course:

Gift store

An impressive 3D map of the caverns:

Relief map

Jenn just hanging around:

Jenn

Another gift shop and restaurant:

Gift shop and restaurant

Gift shop

Gotta have her pressed penny:

Pressed penny

Back outside the visitor center:

Visitor center

White Sands National Park

While in Las Cruces, we visited the nearby White Sands National Park.

This park features the world’s largest gypsum dunefield. Until December 2019 it was a National Monument, and many of the signs have yet to be updated:

White Sands sign

White Sands visitor center:

White Sands visitor center

In addition to the park service visitor center shop, there is a commercial gift shop onsite:

Gift shop

We do enjoy the cactus candy:

Gift shop

They have disc-shaped sand sleds for sale (and can buy back); we thought about it, but decided not to bother:

Sand sleds

Jenn does enjoy her pressed pennies:

Pressed pennies

A flowering shrub out front was covered in butterflies, moths, and bees:

Butterfly and flowers

The entrance station:

Entrance station

The road between sand dunes:

Sand

Sand dunes

About halfway the pavement ends, so one is driving on compressed sand:

Driving on sand

Sand dunes

They have several picnic areas, with lots of shelters:

Picnic shelters

We parked at one, for a picnic lunch; the shelter didn’t do much to block the strong wind, though:

Parked at a picnic shelter

A selfie:

Selfie

We climbed the dune behind the shelter:

Picnic shelters

Shiny gypsum sand; a nice property of it is that it doesn’t get hot:

Shiny sand

Sand dunes in all directions:

Sand

Other people sledding by the picnic area:

Sledding

Shadows:

Shadows

We then went to a boardwalk in an area with more foliage:

Boardwalk

Boardwalk views

An interesting park, somewhat different than the sand dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park, but fascinating in its own way.

Palomino Campground at Caballo Lake State Park

We stayed at Palomino Campground in Caballo Lake State Park in Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico. (Campground Reviews listing.)

We do enjoy state parks, and lake views. Our specific site only had a glimpse of the lake, but still nice.

Dates:

Check in: 2022-10-09
Check out: 2022-10-15
6 nights

Weather:

Mostly sunny
High temps ranging between 67-77°F, lows around 49-53°F
No significant wind

Noise:

No road or train noise

Site:

#2, pull through, gravel
Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
Fairly level
Smallish site: about 45 feet long by about 40 feet wide
Full hookups:

50 amp power, conveniently located
50 PSI water, conveniently located
Good sewer connections, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Picnic table on concrete with shelter; no fire pit
Partial lake view

Internet (in usage priority order):

T-Mobile: 12-25 Mbps down, 18-26 Mbps up, 70 ms ping
AT&T: 90 Mbps down, 7 Mbps up, 72 ms ping
Verizon: no service
Starlink: not used
Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

Garbage dumpster
No pool

Here’s our review on Campground Reviews:

Picturesque and pleasant park

We stayed at Palomino, Site 2, and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were met by the camp hosts who helped get us centered on the site and chatted for a bit. The site was level and pretty big, with plenty of room outside of the picnic shelter to get settled in. The only downside to the setup in Palomino is that all the sites are backward, so you can’t enjoy the view of the lake if you have a motorhome. If you have a fiver with a rear window or a toy hauler with a “back deck” you’d get much more enjoyment of the view. The picnic shelters are also backward on the site, so you have to walk around the wall to get to the table. Weird, but not dealbreaker stuff by any means. We camped at Caballo Lake State Park in a Motorhome.

The park map online is not great, but does highlight our site:

Map

Here’s an interactive map — tip, site 4 would be the best view of the lake (site 3, not shown above, is the camp host):

Our site:

Our site

A glimpse of the lake:

Our site

There were a number of birds in the area, and some liked to nibble dead bugs off our mirrors, which Paladin found super fascinating:

Paladin and bird

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

A lake view from the edge of the campground:

Lake view

Other sites:

Other sites

The camp host site, briefly vacant during changing of the host:

Other sites

Bathrooms:

Bathrooms

Dump station:

Dump station

Cacti:

Cacti

We got out our bikes to take a ride down to the lake and around the campsites:

Bikes

Me on my bike:

David on bike

Boat ramp:

Boat ramp

Another campground; this one has power and water, but not sewer:

Other campground

A video of the bike ride route:

Some sunsets:

Sunset

Great Sand Dunes National Park

We visited Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado:

Sign

Mountains and sand dunes:

Mountains

The picnic area parking was full of people who had inconsiderately parked there then gone to the dunes, but we found an empty amphitheater as an alternative place to have our picnic lunch:

Amphitheater

With a better view of the dunes, anyway:

Amphitheater

The visitor center was being renovated:

Visitor center

So they had a temporary visitor center building set up:

Visitor center

Jenn enjoys collecting cancelation stamps:

Cancelation stamp

And smashed pennies (with a couple of fascinated little girls watching her):

Smashed penny

The temporary gift shop:

Visitor center

Then we headed out to the sand dunes:

Sand dunes

A selfie:

Jenn and David

We rented a couple of sand sleds from the KOA RV park:

Jenn with sand sleds

Sand dunes:

Sand dunes

Jenn:

Jenn

Sand dunes:

Sand dunes

Jenn preparing to slide:

Jenn preparing to slide

Me with a sand sled:

David with a sand sled

Jenn waxing her sand sled:

Jenn waxing sand sled

Selfie:

David

A video of Jenn sliding down a sand dune, and wiping out at the end:

Sandy Jenn:

Jenn

Kite:

Kite

Beard in the wind:

David

Grasses and rainy mountains:

Grasses

Log and dunes:

Log

The dunes with the stream in the foreground:

Sand dunes

Impressive sand dunes, and a fun experience.

Pikes Peak

We visited Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs. It has some interesting twisty roads, a cog railway, and a view that apparently inspired the “America the Beautiful” anthem.

The Pikes Peak Highway entrance:

Pikes Peak Highway entrance

Entrance station, which has a timed entry window:

Entrance

Viewpoint:

Viewpoint

Big Foot Crossing:

Big Foot Crossing

Crossing an empty dam, that is being updated:

Dam

Gift shop:

Gift shop

Big Foot:

Big Foot

“America’s Mountain”:

America's Mountain

Mountain

Trees

Trees and rocks

Historic Glen-Cove Inn:

Historic Glen-Cove Inn

Which contains a gift shop:

Gift shop

And café:

Café

We got lunch from the café, eating outside:

Lunch

View:

View

Continuing up the mountain:

Road

A stop for a walk up a peak:

Path

Road

Jenn and David

Further up, a view of some lakes:

Lakes

At the summit, a cog railway car arriving:

Cog railway car arriving

Cog railway cars

Cog rails and a nice view:

Cog rails

The view inspired the “America the Beautiful” anthem:

America the Beautiful

View

The summit visitor center:

Visitor center

Café:

Café

We tried the famous high-altitude doughnuts:

Doughnuts

Of course, another gift shop:

Gift shop

Info displays:

Info displays

Relief map

Info displays

Outside again:

View

The remains of the first summit house:

First summit house

The visitor center:

Visitor center

A selfie by a cog rail car:

Selfie

Another cog railway car arriving:

Cog railway car departing

View:

View

Heading down the mountain, using manual gear to avoid using the brakes other than on corners (and not even then for several):

Manual gear

The winding road and views:

Winding road

View

Winding road

View

Winding road

Fun switchbacks:

Switchbacks

Switchback

Timberline:

Timberline

A mandatory brake check, where they used a heat sensor to tell people to let their brakes cool down if they were riding them down the hill, as these people in front of us were. Our brakes were 111°, which is within the normal range for flat driving, excellent for mountain driving:

Mandatory brake check

Sinclair Trails

The travels of David and Jennifer Sinclair, full-timing in their Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP motorhome.

park

Big Bend Ranch State Park

Fort Leaton State Historic Site

Carlsbad Caverns National Park again

Sitting Bull Falls

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

White Sands National Park

Palomino Campground at Caballo Lake State Park

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Pikes Peak