theboondork's RV blog

city of rocks state park new Mexico

4/1/2022

Clicking the pics gets you off to a rocky start.

The City of Rocks State Park. There are 41 campsites strewn amongst the rocks. Some along the main road and some are buried within the rocks.

I moseyed out of the Walmart parking lot at about 8:30 this morning and arrived at the City of Rocks State Park, New Mexico, visitor center a little after nine. And since there was nobody there except the host and I, no one was in a hurry, so I had plenty of time to explain my situation of only having one day of reservation but wanting to stay longer.

I also told her I had the out-of-state annual camping permit so that the camping sites wouldn't cost me anything, and I preferred a boondocking site. She then told me something that I did not know: there are five first-come, first-serve campsites at City of the Rocks State Park, which is information that I looked for on their website and could not find any mention of first come first serve sites. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if we had Reserve America to thank for that missing tidbit of information.

She then told me that I could trade my one-night stay site for a two-week first come, first serve site if I wanted to, and she also mentioned a somewhat hidden first come, first serve site that most people never notice when they're looking for a non-reserve site.

I thanked her profusely and hustled over to that alleged hidden campsite, and lo and behold, out of the five first-come, first-serve sites, it was the only one that was empty. So I backed into that boondocking site quick as a bunny, and was suddenly at home for as long as I wanted to be.

And by the way I just noticed looking at the reservation part of the City of Rocks State Park website that the first come first serve sites which are 40 through 45 aren't even on the map, those numbers don't even exist thanks to Reserve America which apparently doesn't even want you to know that you don't have to pay for their expensive reservations.

Now I have no intention of staying here for two weeks, probably less than one week actually, but at least now I have options available, and options of any kind always make me happy when I'm living by my wits and I'm half a wit short.

Theboondork

The Ranger's office and visitors center is rather oddly shaped and looks more like a fort than anything else.

This is my boondocking spot, slightly hidden, and off the main road. There's no way in this world that I would've even tried to get the Arctic Fox in this boondocking site, chalk one up for the bronco.

My boondocking spot what all my camping spot in a will will will will will will and will will is worried about it while in a well well whether in your will and is normally in an well why all work in an Picture

Beside my boondocking spot is what looks like a very large cave. That's my picnic table, and the corner of the bronco, peeking into the picture.

Boondocking city of rocks state Park Picture

I climbed up on a boulder to get this aerial shot of the bronco.

8 Comments

ofm

4/1/2022 07:08:55 pm

Of all the times I have wandered around in that park, I never heard about those sites. THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. My last several weeks of south Texas full boondocking again have me itching for less crowds again. Boondocking was fun again.

Tom

4/1/2022 09:44:52 pm

That's one of the many things I enjoy about boondocking, you get to choose how many people your around.

I was rather surprised myself to find out there were boondocking spots, actually quite nice ones, that were first-come, first-serve. I think what happened is the Parks have turned over everything about camping on the Parks website to Reserve America. And at least In the City of Rocks State Park, Reserve America removed campsites from the map as if they don't even exist. So you have to make a reservation, if you don't know any better, and I didn't know any better.

Tom

Judith

4/1/2022 08:17:27 pm

Aha. A helpful person and you have a place to hide out....in peace and quiet. Good deal.

4/1/2022 09:56:50 pm

I think I figured out the secret to finding helpful people. When the campground hosts are busy and trying to do three things at once they don't have time to hold a conversation about the campground their hosting. But if you wait till they're not busy and there's nothing going on there actually happy to go out of their way to help you with information about the campground you may not know about.

After all their job is pretty mundane, take your money, tell you how to find your campsite. But if they're not busy I think they enjoy being able to help you out when you let them know how happy you are to be there. At least it seems to work for me since I've almost always found a place to stay even when places are full.

Tom

Larry Worsham

4/2/2022 06:34:50 am

Like you I have found that CG Host for the most part enjoy having a conversation about the job they do. I have met several host who have come by my spot when off duty to continue conversations. I am sure they get tired of demanding folks with unruly kids and dogs. They know the inside info about the area and are always helpful. Good info. to know about Reserve America. NM has always had first come first serve sites but I was afraid they went away. Based upon your comments it appears that you are sold on th truck camper. It will be interesting to hear what you are going to do about your only apparent beef with it (soft side roof) We have always liked City of the Rocks. We stayed there for a week and toured Silver City and Gila Cliff Dwellings. Link to my wifes blog: https://runningk-r.blogspot.com/search?q=gila+#:~:text=June%2016%2C%202011-,Gila%20Cliff%20Dwellings,-One%20of%20the Sorry for the ramble! Safe Travels.

4/2/2022 09:14:45 am

Yeah, I think the campground hosts are happy to demonstrate that they know a lot about what's going on, and they can do more than just point to your camp-site on a map. But the key to that of course is, they have to like you.

I think what happened with the first-come first serve campsites in New Mexico is there's now a lot less of them, and Reserve America was given the right to make the camping maps and they just disappeared first-come, first serve sites from the maps. Which makes more people, myself included, make more reservations. I talked to a longtime host at Elephant Butte State Park and he told me that before the bat flu, most of his full hook-up campsites were first-come first-serve, and only a handful were reserve sites. Of course that doesn't benefit Reserve America so now it appears that's all been turned around.

My current plans are to sell the Arctic Fox, and the bronco, then buy a used hard- sided slide-in truck camper. I love the Arctic Fox and selling it is going to break my heart. It was my first home as a full-timer, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into it's modifications. But the mobility of a truck camper has simplified my life to the point that dragging the Arctic Fox around, trying to find places that it will fit into, and dealing with its inherent trailer problems, such as more tires and bearings, is more stress and hassle than I feel I can continue with.

Your wife has a great blog, I'm amazed she can remember all those things that went on months ago, I wasn't even sure where I was when I woke up this morning. I read a little bit already, and I have it bookmarked.

Tom

4/3/2022 05:02:46 am

Thanks, Enjoy the blog.

As you can see she posted for our travels for several years. We toured a lot of stuff in the west. It was a lot of work.....but we had some great times. Unfortunately our ability to travel is on hiatus due to a family medical issue. One does what they have to do.

I'm sure you will do well on your transition to a smaller rig. Fox's are in demand.

Safe travels!

4/3/2022 08:13:09 am

Thank you Larry. As we all get older family medical problems become more and more likely, and the only solution seems to be not having a family, which sounds a lot worse than the original problem.

I noticed you mentioned a four letter word in your comment. I try to keep words like "work" as far away from my vocabulary as possible since no good can come of it, especially when in reference to RVing.

I have found that RVers that are vacationing, living an adventure, having a wonderful experience, on a holiday, a sabbatical, R&R, or AWOL have to put far more effort into their travels than I have a desire to do.

Whereas, living a perfectly normal life, that happens to include living in a house that has wheels, like I do, keeps me from going through all the effort it requires to travel in an RV trying to stay busy... By the way "busy" is another four letter word I don't like.

Tom

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city of rocks state park new Mexico

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