As we drove to our next camping destination, we enjoyed the unlikely combination of apple cider and pristine white sands. This is the eighth post in our series about visiting state and national parks in New Mexico.
As we looked at the route from Brantley Lake State Park to Elephant Butte Lake State Park, we noticed that White Sands lay directly on the route. The map said it was about 4 1/2 hours away, but it took probably at least six in the RV.
The Old Apple Barn
After making it through the windy mountain roads, we were ready for a break. We made a delightful stop at the Old Apple Barn, a little over six miles past Cloudcroft. We got there right when they opened at 10. Parking on this road can be tricky for RV’s. They did have a spot or two along the road, but we ended up parking in front of their Wild Game Bistro & Market, only because it wasn’t open yet. This restaurant is closed in the winter.
The owner, Bill Niffenegger sculpted the twelve foot Apple Boy you see greeting you as you walk into the barn. If you have children or if you are feeling nostalgic, enjoy the emporium, modeled after the early twentieth century dime store.
We stopped for the apple cider, which I thought would be hot. It’s not. Instead they sell frozen cherry and apple cider drinks made from locally grown fruit. I got the cherry and Mike got the apple cider. Oh my goodness, these were SO incredibly good. They also sell fudge. Now, may I be candid. I love fudge, but most of the time when we are on vacation and we succumb to the temptation, the fudge never tastes as good as it looks. Well their mint chocolate fudge was absolutely delicious! I will definitely get more when we come back this way!
White Sands National Park
We continued our drive another hour or so to White Sands National Monument. The park is open 7am to 6pm. The visitor center is open from 9am to 5pm. Our national park pass came in handy because otherwise, the entrance fee is $25 a car. They do have some RV parking at the visitor center, but they have more at the administrative building. Sometimes they must close this park for missile tests since the White Sands Missile Range is adjacent to the park. So, make sure you check to see if one is scheduled during your visit.
RV Friendly
We thought we would probably have to unhitch our fifth wheel to drive through the park, but we did not! The sixteen mile Dunes Drive is very RV friendly and takes about 45 minutes if you just drive straight through. You probably won’t. The major hikes have plenty of parking for RV’s.
Playa Trail
We took the easy half mile Playa Trail first. Make sure you stay on the trail so you do not harm the fragile ecosystem. The trail is clearly marked with displays to teach you about the habitat.
Dune Life Nature Trail
I will be honest, when see nature trail, I tend to think of an easy hike. Plus, we did not see the sign until after we finished. So we went in completely unprepared.
Luckily, the morning we took this hike, it was overcast and cool. This 1.6 mile look is marked moderate because of the trudging up and down the sand dunes. They have markers, but they can be pretty spaced apart and they cross each other, so it felt a little easy to go in circles. Later I read that you shouldn’t take this trail if the wind is blowing heavily because you will not be able to see the trail!
We did enjoy this nature trail, but we should have brought water with us. Like I said, when we entered, we came from the side and missed the large sign. They also do not suggest taking this trail if it is above 85 degrees, and I completely agree with that! I think it was in the 60’s when we took our hike. Stay on the trail. This is not the spot to play in the sand. Read here for more information about this hike.
Picnics and Sledding
We then drove to the end of the road where you can find plenty of picnic areas where you can park your RV. Here you can climb sand dunes to your hearts content. We also saw many people with their sleds sliding down the dunes! If you didn’t bring sleds with you, you can purchase them at the visitor center.
Final Thoughts
We thoroughly enjoyed our day traveling from one base camp to another. The stops broke up the driving, and we were still able to arrive at Elephant Butte Lake State Park by dinnertime. Next week we will share about what a great base camp Elephant Butte made for the next part of our New Mexico adventure.
That looks so cool!