Luminarias say Christmas-time in Santa Fe

Santa Fee in Winter

The Christmas season festivities include secular and religious songs in the historic churches, re- enactments of the Christmas story in the plaza, and holiday parties at world-class galleries friendly to small children. But the pricing in Santa Fe this time of year can be less than festive. If you have a little bit of flexibility with your winter vacation time, wait until just after New Years. You’ll still have some snow, some cold but clear star filled nights, and bright sunny days to stroll the plaza, too.

We stayed at the pleasant Santa Fe Motel and Inn, a comfortable twenty minute stroll from the plaza that’s downtown’s heart. Southwestern decor and spacious rooms and casitas combined with low prices, make the walk well worth doing. When we were there a full, hot southwest breakfast was included in the price.

Things to do and Places to Eat

Arriving after the holidays meant more space in town, and free Friday nights at two wonderful museums the whole family will enjoy: Georgia O’Keeffe’s museum right on the plaza, and the New Mexico Museum of Art nearby. We loved the local slant on art at the New Mexico Museum, and what child won’t find accessible Ms. O’Keeffe’s flowers and brilliant colors.

More bargains abound at restaurants such as the Blue Corn Café where tamales are sweet, and meat eaters will enjoy the burgers and chili – all moderately priced.

Bargains, treats, and great post-New Year’s gifts for the folks at home are all yours at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. Located about fifteen minutes outside the plaza in what’s called the revitalized Railyard District, we found the usual fresh produce and juices, but so much more, too – Mexican wedding cookies, hand crafted soap products, pottery, rugs, and necklaces. The kids loved strolling and sampling; live music ranges from country to classical. Fortified with a breakfast burrito – warning, be sure to ask for it sans-chile’s for the small fry – we were ready for some more of the visually arresting art Santa Fe is known for.

Near the farmer’s market location is a fun collection of contemporary art in a nicely open space: SITE Santa Fe. If you catch it in the morning, you may get in free of charge; regardless, interesting, large scale works, mostly three dimensional, with draw adult eyes and keep the kids amused.

If you’d rather stay outside, check out the art work and crafts created by local Native Americans, sold along the Palace of the Governors which abuts the plaza’s north end. My daughter received her first pair of pierced earrings there – silver, with a feather motif.

The kids will love the intricate spiral stairs and delicate art work inside the Loretto Chapel, near by. My kids were fascinated by the fact that the stair case appears to be suspended in mid-air, with apparently no means of support. It looks like something out of a fairy tale.

Snowy season in Santa Fe - the beautiful old church with a little sparkling white.

Another wonderful historic site with a religious bent is San Miguel Mission, a lovely adobe church located on Old Santa Fe Trail. It has a beautiful altar screen, made from solid pine, with nine stunning painted panels that soar almost two stories above the altar. Combined with the staircase in Loretto, my kids truly felt these churches were inspired by angels. San Miguel was built in the early 1600′s, and it’s one of the oldest churches in the U.S.

Snowing or sunny, if you’re equipped with boots and parkas, check out the Randall Davey Audubon Center off Upper Canyon Road. Here you’ll find an easy and lovely half mile loop trail, interesting bird watching, and a great location to secure lunch, roam the Canyon Road galleries, and enjoy some of sugar coated almond cookies we found on offer – holiday cookies regarded as “New Year’s treats” just after the fact. If you’re toes are still warm and fingers still cozy inside mittens, you can see outdoor art aplenty on Canyon Road. Take a fun walking tour of Canyon Road’s outdoor sculptures. The kids loved the giant red steel rectangles, and the stone carved chairs. Wind sculptures are fascinating for kids of all ages: spinning copper and steel pinwheels and helixes that rise over twenty feet.

We stood and watched them spin until the bright blue skied-afternoon gave way to clouds, and yes – snow flurries. And then we stood some more, letting the kids revel in the drifting fuzzy white, before we scurried off for some hot chocolate back in the plaza again. We thought we could still hear Santa saying “ho ho ho.” Santa Fe is a great place to extend that holiday spirit.

Las Cruces is one such slightly unlikely place, for us a stop over on part of a long cross country trip that took us from Los Angeles through the southwest, the deep south, and up through Tennessee to the mid-west before returning to California. Las Cruces is a justifiably interesting destination in and of itself however, with curving roads, rocky red cliffs, and stunning scenery outside its boundaries and historic spots within them.

We were fortunate enough to arrive on a day when a Farmers Market and Crafts Fair was running. Along with beautiful bouquets of chiles and chile products from jam to sauces, we found jewelry and hand made crafts, fresh locally sourced produce and cheeses, and prickly pear jelly that we carried with us and enjoyed throughout the rest of our American trek.

A district within Las Cruces proper known as Old Mesilla, offers wonderful history to explore. A lovely plaza rivals that of Taos or Santa Fe, and is a step out of time from the rest of Las Cruces which has a fair amount of suburban sprawl to distinguish it. Old Mesilla houses dwellings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the church and adobe shops, restaurants, and even a movie theater located here are quaint, charming, and easy to stroll.

The church in old town - great fun to explore

Old Mesilla Las Cruces

The former stage coach station house, is an adobe that now contains La Posta, a Mexican restaurant and chile shop. We loved the tostadas, and were fascinated by the aviary in its interior courtyard. The  San Albino Church, was built in 1906 and has two graceful bell towers. Regardless of what they now house, amazingly, except for two of the original plaza buildings, the entire plaza is as it was in the 19th century when the adobes were crafted. We loved reading the sometimes gory stories about the dwellings, involving gunfights, treasures, and buried bodies. We also loved La Zia, a shop with interesting Native American crafts and rugs, and most of all we loved the theater, which is arguably the oldest movie theater in the U.S. that has been in continuous operation. We saw a screening of The Magician here, and were charmed by its old fashioned feel, and stained glass windows, if not its slightly uncomfortable seats.

Outside Old Mesilla, we enjoyed the more modern Las Cruces Museum of Fine Art. Airy, loft like galleries featured colored modern art that kept the kids happy. Historical artifacts with a decidedly local flavor can be found at the more traditional Historical Museum located in an adobe home.

Nearby Attractions

Sand. White Sand. Lots of it!

For us, the biggest attraction was out of town, following Highway 70′s moonscape landscape to the snowy white sand of White Sands National Monument. It gets very hot in the middle of the day, in the summer, and it’s best any time of year, for photography and to eliminate the possibility of sunburn from the white shimmery glare, to visit in the morning or at twilight.

White Sands is in fact the largest gypsum dune field, gypsum it is that creates the whiteness of the dunes. We took an all too short eight mile scenic drive. You are allowed to park, get out, and climb the sparkling dunes, and to go sliding down them, too. You can rent or buy plastic tobogans for just this purpose, or use cardboard water flats as we did and enjoy the ride. The sand is soft and silky, which also means its going to stick to clothes, fingers, and hair.

For us, that meant a return to Las Cruces, and our hotel, the reasonably priced Hotel Encanto De Las Cruces, which embraces a Spanish Colonial style near a shopping mall on the eastern edge of the town, about a twenty minute drive from the historic Mesilla. Our room had a great view of the Organ Mountains, named for their organ-like spires not for buried body parts as my son suggested. The room also had some really good local photography, and access to a pleasant pool. Tired from our day of exploring, we opted for in-room sandwich creations a la mom of corn tortillas, avocado and tomatoes but on a return sprint through town, we checked out a recommended restaurant for a relaxing brunch splurge, The Double Eagle restaurant. Located back in Mesilla, the restaurant is housed in a mansion from the mid eighteen hundreds, and it contains both a sit down French- oriented restaurant in the most elegant setting, and a more casual cafe, called Peppers, where we ate. The latter focuses on New Mexico style cooking. While our salads and tacos were great, better was exploring the rooms open to the public and crammed with chandeliers, art works, colored snakeskins, a bar imported from Chicago, and ghost stories.

Leaving Las Cruces, take a swing north to the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, where prehistoric people left a large collection of petroglyphic art, accessible down a half mile trail that should be easy for all ages. My kids were thrilled with the figures of people, animals, suns and moons, and yours will be, too.

I admit to being a huge Billy the Kid buff

It all started in Roswell, New Mexico. After visiting the Roswell UFO Museum, Dad and I stopped at the Chamber of Commerce to find out what else might be going on in town. We happened to meet a wonderful employee who was happy to help us plan out the rest of our stay in New Mexico. She was very perceptive and quickly tuned in to our individual interests. When she mentioned the words “Billy the Kid,” my face gave me away. I wanted to learn everything I could about the infamous outlaw.

Our new best friend told us all about the Hondo Valley, which includes the town of Lincoln, New Mexico, where Billy and his Regulators were involved in the Lincoln County War. She also mentioned Fort Sumner, where Pat Garrett shot Billy on July 14, 1881. I glanced at Dad, who smiled and readily agreed to go chasing after Billy the Kid.

The Great Mystery

As this painting shows, Billy the Kid has captured many imaginations

I have been a Billy the Kid fan for quite some time. Like many people, I am a huge fan of the films Young Guns and Young Guns II. The second movie raises the possibility that Billy may not have been killed at Fort Sumner after all, but might instead have escaped and lived into old age. But that’s only a movie, right?

As I began to dig deeper into the facts of the Billy the Kid case, I gradually became less and less certain that he was, in fact, shot and killed that night. Too many things just did not add up. It was great fun to speak with the locals in Lincoln, each of whom had a personal theory as to what might have happened so long ago.

I ended up purchasing several books that all purport to tell the real story of Billy the Kid. Although the details vary, all of the resources agree on the basics. Far from a vicious, evil outlaw, the person that history describes was gentle, refined, sharply intelligent and surprisingly well-loved by most everyone he met.

Fort Sumner, where Billy the Kid was allegedly killed

I became increasingly more determined to learn what I could of the truth behind Billy’s alleged death. I also became intrigued by the story and determined to write a speculative fiction novel based on the idea that he did not, in fact, die that night.

There was just one small problem. Fort Sumner was several hours’ drive from where we were staying, and we were due in Tombstone, Arizona. Ordinarily we would have pushed back our stay in Tombstone, but we were also contending with a series of wildfires. We had a relatively short window in which to make our Tombstone appearance before the latest fire potentially spread in that direction. So, with a sigh, I reluctantly agreed to skip Fort Sumner. We went on to Tombstone and continued our westward journey.

A Second Chance

The drive through New Mexico was pretty desolate

Pushing the Billy the Kid mystery out of my mind, I was happy to discover that our trek took us along Route 66. As a huge fan of retro kitsch, I was thrilled to experience the diners and roadside attractions in places like Williams, Arizona.

For a number of reasons, we sort of got stuck in Las Vegas for longer than planned (if you can call an extended stay in Las Vegas “stuck,” that is). But we had tickets to the So You Think You Can Dance tour in Memphis, so we came up with a new plan. We would drive Interstate 40 straight through from Vegas, except for a brief stopover near Petrified Forest National Park. We estimated that we could cross the country in four days and still make the show. But it didn’t leave any time for sightseeing along the way.

Although I knew we wouldn’t be stopping at any attractions, I picked up a Route 66 guidebook. We plan to drive back across the country next summer, and I wanted to get a jump start on picking out new sights to see. While I was flipping through the New Mexico section, though, it suddenly jumped out at me.

The Fort Sumner Points of Interest

Fort Sumner was just 40 miles south of Interstate 40! We wouldn’t need to backtrack, because a parallel road would take us up to Amarillo, Texas, where we could rejoin the interstate for our drive to the Oklahoma border, where we planned to stop for the night. How could I possibly pass up my chance to see it, when the detour was so short?

Dad was in the gas station when I made my discovery, and he knew something was up as soon as he saw my face. As he was towing the travel trailer, he made me wait until we were back on the interstate before I was allowed to share my news.

When I was nine years old, Dad and I were both in a play called Teahouse of the August Moon. In one scene, the American army captain is trying to get to the village of Tobiki, Okinawa, to set up a democratic system of government. But the interpreter, Sakini, allows all sorts of additional people (and one goat) to catch a ride in the Jeep. Many of the people want to stop off somewhere else first. Though the captain is reluctant, he eventually agrees.

Dad rolled his eyes and quoted a few lines from the play, but agreed to stop off at Fort Sumner. After a long drive, we arrived in town shortly after lunchtime.

Our Experience

The Fort Sumner Visitor Center was extremely helpful

Arriving in Fort Sumner, it quickly became clear that the town is proud of its Billy the Kid connection. From drugstores to dry cleaners, it seemed virtually every downtown business had a mural or a sign proclaiming that Billy the Kid is still in town.

On stopping by the visitor center, we learned that there are two main Billy the Kid hotspots in town. The Billy the Kid Museum has more of a roadside attraction feel, while the Old Fort Sumner Museum has a more traditional display of artifacts. Both have Billy the Kid gravesites, although the Billy the Kid Museum’s is clearly marked as a replica, while the Old Fort Sumner Museum’s is purported to be real. Confused yet? So were we.

We quickly saw a difference between the locals in Fort Sumner and those in Lincoln. While the Lincoln crowd seems willing to at least entertain the possibility that Billy the Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett, those in Fort Sumner seem fiercely protective of the idea that he was. Perhaps because Fort Sumner would lose its tourist luster if it was determined that Billy was not, in fact, killed there? Or do they know something that we don’t? I just love a good mystery!

Billy the Kid Museum

This gravesite is clearly marked "replica"

Expecting a kitschy roadside stand, we headed first to the Billy the Kid Museum. As of 2011, the museum is open 8:30 to 5:00 Monday through Saturday. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors over age 62, and $3 for kids aged 7 to 15.

Despite its reputation as just a roadside attraction, both Dad and I were impressed at the size of the place and the attention to detail. There was a massive collection of artifacts, from a lock of Billy’s hair to a curtain that hung over the doorway of the room where he was allegedly killed. There was also a rather sizeable room full of old guns, some of which were reportedly Billy’s. Outside was the famous replica gravesite, which was quite interesting to see.

The museum also houses all sorts of random memorabilia, from old cars to 1960s Ken and Barbie dolls. It was great fun to look around, and we could have easily spent hours there. But we had a long drive ahead of us, so after photographing the Billy the Kid items, we were on our way.

Old Fort Sumner Museum

This was a treasure trove of documents pertaining to the mystery

As of 2011, admission to the Old Fort Sumner Museum is $5, though you can visit the grave site for free. The museum is a good bit smaller than the Billy the Kid Museum, but I was spellbound. On display were a seemingly endless number of affidavits, original newspaper articles and research reports dealing directly with the mystery surrounding Billy’s alleged death. Dad ran around taking photographs while I pored over the old documents.

Naturally there was no consensus, and the mystery remains just that. But I left the museum that day with a head full of facts and figures that can only help in setting up my novel. Outside, we took a few moments to pay our respects at the old cemetery.

Billy's gravesite? Not necessarily.

As the story goes, Billy’s pals Tom O’Folliard and Charlie Bowdre were already interred at the cemetery when Billy was killed in 1881. He was buried next to them. But as luck would have it, a flood washed away the wooden grave markers shortly after Billy was interred. This fact adds deeply to the mystery.

Apparently no one really knows exactly where Billy the Kid is purportedly buried. The current tombstone location is a best guess based on testimony of witnesses who had visited the gravesite. A permanent grave marker was placed at the site, but was stolen three times over the years.

In 1962, Lincoln County tried to have Billy’s body exhumed and moved to Lincoln. But for a number of reasons, they lost the court case. One of the primary reasons? No one knew exactly where Billy was, and no one wanted to dig up the entire graveyard to find out!

These men swore to their dying day that they buried Billy the Kid. But did they?

More recently, researchers have talked of exhuming both Billy and his mother, who is most likely buried in Silver City, New Mexico. Supposedly DNA testing could conclusively prove once and for all whether or not it is, in fact, Billy the Kid who rests in the cemetery in Fort Sumner. But again, no one is willing to dig up the entire cemetery to find Billy’s remains. His mother’s gravesite seems more certain, but her original wooden grave marker is also missing, and the later tombstone has her name misspelled. It is entirely possible that neither of them would be particularly easy to locate!

The helpful desk clerk at the Old Fort Sumner Museum gave us directions to the site of Pete Maxwell’s home, where Billy was allegedly killed. But the house is no longer standing, and accessing the site requires going through another tourist site, which was getting ready to close, and then hiking out to the location. It would have been interesting to see, but apparently there is literally nothing left. So we opted out, satisfied with our time in Fort Sumner.

Tips for Parents

Did Billy the Kid really give away this rifle two months before he was shot? If so, why?

If you or your kids are Billy the Kid fans, Fort Sumner is well worth a stop. If your kids are unfamiliar with the legend, rent Young Guns before your trip. Although not entirely historically accurate, the movie does a good job of presenting the basic storyline of the Lincoln County War. The artifacts in both museums paint an interesting picture of Billy that is not readily available in mainstream media. The town itself is small and friendly, making it a great place to take a break.

If possible, plan to spend an entire day in town. While you can certainly see the highlights in just a few hours, we felt a bit pressed for time. Having a full day would have allowed us to relax and take our time rather than rushing through.

Related Articles:

In the Footsteps of Billy the Kid: Lincoln, NM

Smokey Bear Meets Billy the Kid? Carrizozo, Capitan, and Valley of Fires, New Mexico

Get Your Kicks on Route 66

Fort Bayard was a real find

I just love the idea of urban exploration–wandering through abandoned attractions or historic sites with a camera, capturing the eerie silence where once there was life and laughter. I can spend hours surfing the Internet for photos taken by intrepid explorers who sneak into spots that are off-limits. But I don’t welcome the idea of getting arrested. So I confine my own urban exploration to things that are open to the public. Consequently, I was thrilled to discover Fort Bayard, New Mexico, an abandoned military fort that the public is permitted to explore.

About Fort Bayard

The place was completely deserted

Located near the old mining town of Silver City, New Mexico, where Billy the Kid spent part of his childhood, Fort Bayard was established as an Army installation in 1866. Situated on the Apache Trail through the Superstition Mountains, the fort’s purpose was to protect settlers from Apache attacks. The post became a major base of operations for the Buffalo Soldiers, the brave African-American troops who played a prominent role in the Indian Wars of the late 1800s.

Following the surrender of Geronimo in 1886, the Apache were no longer considered a threat. Fort Bayard was set for decommissioning until Army experts noted the site’s incredible health record. In 1899, just before the fort would have been abandoned, the Army opened a tuberculosis sanatorium at Fort Bayard. In 1922, control of the fort transferred to the Veterans Administration and a modern clinic opened. In 1944, German POWs were employed as maintenance workers and paid an Army private’s wage. The State of New Mexico took over the site in 1965, maintaining a hospital on the grounds.

Today that hospital is closed. Medical services are provided at a shiny new medical center along the main road outside the fort. The 1866 cemetery is a designated National Cemetery, and the fort is a National Historic Landmark. But unlike most historic places we have visited, this one remains as it was when it was abandoned.

Our Visit

The duplexes date to the early 1900s

Dad and I discovered Fort Bayard by accident. On our way to Silver City, we followed an intriguing roadside sign. We had no idea what to expect, but what we found was mind-blowing. We eased the car off the main road, not entirely sure if what we were doing was legal. But at the old guard shack, we found visitor maps in a plastic container attached to the wall. The gates were open, and several buildings were labeled with tourist signs. Yet the place was utterly deserted. Although we were not allowed inside anywhere, wandering around outside was genuinely like stepping back in time.

Neat rows of white duplexes lined the street across from the hospital. A sign informed us that officers’ homes had stood here during the fort’s early years, while the duplexes were built for medical officers at the new hospital in the early 1900s. New homes for married hospital workers were constructed down the road in 1923.

The hospital looked as if it was suddenly abandoned

The hospital was extremely cool, but exceptionally creepy. Built at the beginning of the 20th century as a tuberculosis treatment facility, the hospital was modernized numerous times. Each new development was like a new layer of history, and even from outside it was easy to see the signs of progress. But the place looked legitimately abandoned, as if everyone had just up and left without warning. Old signs advertised long-forgotten meetings and events, and it seemed as if at any moment a nurse might roll a patient in a wheelchair out for some fresh air.

Throughout the property, the surprises kept coming. At the well-maintained National Cemetery, a copy of the Gettysburg Address was emblazoned on a plaque. Perhaps one of the most interesting discoveries was the old movie theater. Installed in a converted building in 1904, the theater offered two fireplaces and the most advanced technology then available.

We spent at least two hours exploring the old fort, reading informational signs and taking photos. If your interest is more casual, you could see the highlights in less than an hour.

Tips for Parents

The Gettysburg Address is recreated here

Visiting Fort Bayard is like stepping back in time, in a way that simply isn’t possible at heavily restored historic sites. This is a chance to see things as they were, rather than a modern interpretation of how they might have been. Guided walking tours are offered on select dates. As of 2011, the suggested donation is $3 per person. Private walking tours, at $4 per person, are available by appointment. Visit the official Fort Bayard website for details.

It is obvious that, despite the lack of restoration, those in charge of the facility are proud of their history. The website is packed with interesting information that can help put your visit in perspective, whether you join a guided tour or visit on your own.

The fort is a wonderful place to let kids burn off some energy. The wide open grounds provide plenty of room to play without worry about traffic or crowds. Of course, the fort is a designated historic landmark, and visitors are asked to be respectful. Keep your kids on the main walkways, well away from the buildings. Although the site is maintained, it is an abandoned property, so use caution as you would anywhere else.

If you plan to stay awhile, pick up snacks and drinks before you arrive. The New Mexico sun is intense, and it is easy to get dehydrated. Hats and sunscreen are always a wise choice.

The Living Desert depicts the various regions of the Chihuahuan Desert

Carlsbad, New Mexico is perhaps best-known for the stunning Carlsbad Caverns, despite the fact that the caverns are actually 23 miles from Carlsbad, much closer to the tiny town of White’s City. Carlsbad proper is a small but vibrant arts community. Dad and I had the good fortune to visit during the 40th birthday celebration for the beautiful Living Desert attraction.

About the Living Desert

The Visitor Center is surprisingly comprehensive

The Living Desert opened in 1971 as a showcase for the plant and animal life of the Chihuahuan Desert. Today the complex features an informative visitor center packed with displays and a 1.5 mile walking trail. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Living Desert serves as a rehabilitation facility for injured wildlife as well as an educational facility for the public.

The Chihuahuan Desert encompasses a vast region from southwestern Arizona through New Mexico to west Texas and south to central Mexico. The massive desert is one of the most biologically diverse on Earth, and each section of the Living Desert focuses on a different region.

As of 2011, admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children aged 7 to 12. Kids 6 and under are free. We visited on the attraction’s 40th birthday, when the admission price was rolled back to $1 per person, the original fee in 1971.

Our Experience

We enjoyed watching the sculpture unveiling

The 40th birthday celebration was in full swing when we arrived, with a mariachi band on a temporary stage in front of the visitor center building. As the musical acts continued, a virtual who’s who of local politicians and dignitaries gathered near the stage. Each was given a few minutes to speak, and all told interesting stories about the Living Desert’s history and the city of Carlsbad in general. Though we are not locals, we found ourselves fascinated by the local flavor.

Promptly at 10 a.m., a brand-new sculpture by a local artist was unveiled. Located just outside the visitor center, the sculpture is well worth a closer look. It showcases the plant and animal life of the region in an incredibly detailed way, and many of the best parts are not immediately obvious at first glance.

Inside, the visitor center offers a wide range of exhibits that explain the history of the region from prehistoric cultures through today. Additional musicians were set up throughout the building. We spent some time perusing the exhibits before heading out on the trail.

Walking Trail

The meandering pathways take guests through each desert region

The 1.5 mile trail meanders through representations of each region of the Chihuahuan Desert, from arid plains to juniper forests. Animal exhibits include bears, elk, bison, mule deer, pronghorns, kit foxes, mountain lions, bobcats and endangered grey wolves. A walk-through aviary and a reptile house are also included. Volunteers, many of them local teenagers in the Living Desert’s internship program, are stationed throughout the park to provide additional information.

Don’t miss the greenhouse near the end of the trail. Packed to overflowing with cacti and other succulents, it seemed incredibly exotic to Dad and me. We’re from the land of massive live oak trees and gently swaying palm trees, so the arid desert landscape was quite a shock!

Tips for Parents

The animal enclosures are wide open and naturalistic

Part zoo, part botanical garden, the Living Desert is filled with natural wonders. The meandering paths are easily wide enough for strollers, wheelchairs and ECVs, making this an attraction that the entire family can enjoy. The layout creates a feeling of wide-open desert exploration, yet all paths lead in a generally circular direction, making it impossible to get lost.

Make sure the kids stay on the paths. Western diamondback rattlesnakes are common in this part of New Mexico, and have occasionally been spotted in the park. In addition, the cacti and other plants have sharp spines that could cause injury. Do not allow children to stick their fingers or any food items through the animal exhibit fences.

We don't have plants like these in New Orleans!

Carry plenty of water. The Chihuahuan Desert is hot and dry, and it is easy to get dehydrated before you realize you are thirsty. Dad and I went through a 16 ounce bottle each, and could easily have split a third. The reptile house is dark and cool, making it a great place to go if anyone feels overheated while on the trail. Take advantage of the shaded benches strategically located at points along the trail, and carry a few salty snacks to replenish electrolytes. At an average walking pace, the loop should take approximately an hour and a half or so to complete.

Vending machines and restrooms are available at the visitor center, along with a small but well stocked gift shop. The trail begins and ends at the visitor center.

White Oaks is a virtually abandoned mining town

It is truly amazing how many times you can read a book or see a movie without retaining all of the details. Young Guns II, the 1990 sequel to Young Guns that highlights the further exploits of Billy the Kid, is one of my favorite films. I love the sequence in the brothel, when the Regulators agree to “send out the Indian” to be killed, only to dress the deputy as Chavez and send him to the lynch mob instead. The movie clearly states that the scene takes place in White Oaks, but I never memorized that particular detail.

While looking at the driving map of Billy the Kid historic sites in Lincoln County, which we obtained at the Billy the Kid Visitor Center in Ruidoso Downs, I noticed the town of White Oaks. It was listed as a ghost town that was once a center for gold mining. Dad and I had eagerly anticipated visiting some of the ghost towns of the Old West, and White Oaks was just 12 miles from our campsite in Valley of Fires! We knew we had to go while we were in the area.

Many original buildings are still standing

After our day in Lincoln, my head was spinning with ideas for a new historical fiction novel based on the life of Billy the Kid. I purchased several history books, eager to develop a realistic setting for my novel. Meanwhile, I wanted to watch the Young Guns films again. I knew they had taken a number of literary licenses with the story, but I also knew that they would put me in the right frame of mind to begin writing the book. When we got to the brothel scene in the second movie, I nearly fell off the couch. I finally connected the dots and realized that White Oaks, the ghost town I wanted to see, was White Oaks, the gold mining town where Billy the Kid spent a great deal of time.

About White Oaks

The No Scum Allowed Saloon is open irregular hours

In 1879, John Wilson made an accidental gold strike in the mountains nearby. An outlaw more concerned with outrunning authorities than staking a claim, he quickly sold his interest to John V. Winters and Charles Baxter, two men he had recently met, for a pistol and $38 in gold. As news of the gold strike spread, the town of White Oaks popped up seemingly overnight. Approximately 2,500 immigrants, many highly educated, settled in town within the first year.

The wealth of the miners and the education of the new residents quickly developed White Oaks into an impressive city. Four churches, a school, a meat market, a dairy, a blacksmith shop, a mortuary, a post office and several general stores were among the highlights. With numerous gambling houses and brothels, White Oaks also appealed to the seedier side of human nature. Though it was never as tough as Lincoln, New Mexico or Tombstone, Arizona, and no significant gun battles were fought there, White Oaks was a sort of resort town for Billy the Kid and other outlaws.

The homes of White Oaks offer picturesque views

By 1885, much of the lawlessness of the Old West was over, and White Oaks settled into a relatively quiet, prosperous existence, expanding to roughly 5,000 residents. But ultimately White Oaks’ wealth would be its undoing. In the late 1890s, plans were made to expand the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad to Lincoln County. The line would connect to White Oaks, then the most bustling town in the county. But property owners were cocky about what they had. They set real estate prices extremely high, expecting railroad promoters to meet their demands. Instead, the railroad men walked away. In 1899, the line was connected to nearby Carrizozo instead, setting the stage for that town’s boom years. The grand era of White Oaks was over. The town fell into a decline from which it would never recover.

The Susan McSween gravesite is elegant and understated

Nonetheless, prominent residents continued to maintain homes in town. Perhaps the most notable resident was Susan McSween Barber, the remarried widow of Alexander McSween, whose death was one of the major events of the Lincoln County War. She developed a sizeable cattle business, earning the moniker “Cattle Queen of New Mexico,” and moved to White Oaks in 1902. She stayed until her death in 1931 and is buried in White Oaks’ Cedarvale Cemetery.

Today the population of White Oaks is roughly a dozen. Two sites, the Miner’s Home Museum and the Schoolhouse Museum, are open to the public. A pottery shop and the No Scum Allowed Saloon draw visitors from throughout the area, though both are open highly irregular hours.

Our Visit to White Oaks

The Miner's Home gives new meaning to "open to the public"

Highway 54 is a major road running north and south between Alamogordo and Santa Fe. The highway runs directly through Carrizozo and, just three miles north, meets the turnoff for White Oaks. As soon as we made the turn, we noted a distinct change in terrain. Rugged and nearly deserted, the area beckons those with a sense of adventure.

White Oaks Avenue is the main road through town. Cedarvale Cemetery, the Miner’s Home Museum and the No Scum Allowed Saloon lie along the paved portion of this road. Our first stop was the Miner’s Home.

Being from New Orleans, Dad and I have a very big-city mentality in our approach to life in general. We’re used to locked doors, heavy iron gates and numerous protective measures applied to museums and historic exhibits. What a shock, then, to realize that not only is the Miner’s Home free of charge, but it is left wide open. Plexiglass protects the actual exhibits, but you are welcome to wander through at your leisure any time you like.

The cabin is filled with authentic artifacts

The cabin is set up as it would have been in the 1880s. All manner of artifacts, from heavy furniture items to the contents of a lady’s dressing table, are visible throughout the home. Informational signs tell the story of White Oaks. Out back, visit the Toolshed for a look at a common workshop of the era. There is even an outhouse, its door open just enough for a quick peek.

Cedarvale Cemetery appeared closed at first glance, until we realized that it was not locked. You are asked to close the gate when you enter or exit, probably to keep out the local wildlife. The graves are remarkably well preserved. Susan McSween Barber’s gravesite is elegant, but smaller and less ornate than we would have expected. Deputy James Bell, killed by Billy the Kid during his escape from the Lincoln County Courthouse, is also buried in Cedarvale.

Much of the road is still unpaved

Beyond the main strip of White Oaks Avenue, the roads are steep, gravel and very bumpy. We decided to drive out to the pottery shop, three miles down the unpaved portion of White Oaks Avenue, but turned around after a mile or so. There is a somewhat confusing map of the town near the Miner’s Home, but we had trouble figuring out exactly where the Schoolhouse Museum was. Dad was skeptical of doing too much driving on the unpaved roads, so we gave up. Still, it was well worth the drive just to see a legitimate ghost town. The story of White Oaks is a sad lesson in the danger of greed, but it stands as a testament to the boom era of the Old West.

Tips for Parents

Deputy James Bell was killed in Billy the Kid's escape from the Lincoln Courthouse

The Historic White Oaks website, which we did not discover until long after our trip, is probably the best place to get information on the historic buildings, their locations, and the reasons that they are important. While White Oaks is fascinating, it is not well labeled. If you get off the main road, expect to get lost at least briefly.

Carry water and plenty of snacks. Unless the No Scum Saloon happens to be open, there is nowhere to purchase food or drinks in White Oaks. You may want to stop for gas and supplies in Carrizozo before heading out.

Though the town is a bit confusing, it is worth a visit. So many Old West towns have been “restored,” “renovated,” or “improved,” endlessly replaying a sanitized version of historic events to an ongoing stream of tourists. White Oaks offers the chance to wander through boom town streets and take in the memory of what was, rather than getting lost in what currently is.

Walking up to this sign, we could feel the energy of the place

When Dad and I were in Roswell, New Mexico, we stopped by the official Visitor Center. A wonderful representative there helped us plan a new route–the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway, which runs through the Hondo Valley region and includes the town of Lincoln New Mexico, where Billy the Kid got his start as an outlaw.

A trip to Lincoln was clearly a must-do, but what about the rest of the region? We soon discovered that the route included Capitan, home of Smokey Bear; Carrizozo, the county seat since 1913; and the Valley of Fires, a massive lava flow three miles from Carrizozo that happens to offer a developed campground. The main tourist hub for the area is Ruidoso, but we wanted to do something a little different.

Valley of Fires

The Valley of Fires was breathtaking

Valley of Fires is a recreation area adjoining the Carrizozo Lava Flow, created approximately 5,000 years ago from lava vents in the Earth’s crust. The molten lava flowed south, ultimately creating an area of lava rock 44 miles long and 2 to 5 miles wide. The total surface area is approximately 127 square miles. At its thickest points, the lava is 165 feet deep.

Towing the travel trailer into the Valley of Fires was quite an experience! As we left Carrizozo, the terrain changed, surrounding us with giant black rocks on either side. As of 2011, the nightly fee is $7 for tent camping, $12 for primitive RV sites, or $18 for a site with electric and water hookups. Valley of Fires is operated by the Bureau of Land Management, a federal agency that accepts Golden Access and Golden Age National Park passes for half-price camping. The day use fee is $3 for one person, $5 for a carload or free for National Park pass holders.

This was the view from our front door

The paved RV section of the campground is literally built on the side of a mountain. The road is steep but well-graded, and the sites are tiered along the mountainside. The tent section offers level tent pads and is sheltered against the mountain for protection from wind. That’s a good thing, because the wind whipped through our RV site so badly that our satellite dish nearly fell down the mountain! As it is, the LNB arm is permanently bent.

We chose a site directly across from the small visitor center and gift shop, staffed by an extremely helpful volunteer. A clean, modern bath house was just a few steps away. The view from our site was truly stunning–overlooking the Hondo Valley and Ruidoso on one side, and the lava flow on the other.

The lava walk is the main attraction

The main attraction at the Valley of Fires is the lava walk. The paved trail through the lava flow offers 14 interpretive signs explaining the history, flora and fauna of this unique location. The majority of the trail is wheelchair-accessible. Carry plenty of water when hiking the trail. A hat and sunscreen are essential, as there is no shade and the sun is intense.

Valley of Fires also offers a steep and rocky, but short, hike to a stunning overlook. Rumor has it that with a telescope, it is possible to see the Trinity Site from here. The Trinity Site is the spot at the nearby White Sands Missile Range where the atomic bomb was tested in 1945.

Carrizozo

The Carrizozo Museum is well worth a stop

As the county seat for Lincoln County, we expected Carrizozo to be a bustling government town. Instead, we found a nearly abandoned shell with a couple of restaurants, a gift shop or two and an extremely cool museum.

Carrizozo got its start in 1899 when the railroad came to Lincoln County. As the new railroad town boomed, the former county seat of Lincoln and the mining town of White Oaks declined. By 1913, the bustling Carrizozo was the obvious choice for a new county seat.

In 1940, Carrizozo built a new ice house and frozen food locker to match the 1938 power plant next door. Families could rent space in the locker to hold game and other foods that needed to be kept frozen. The place also sold blocks of ice for home iceboxes. By the mid-1950s, most people had freezers at home, and the locker was no longer needed. Briefly operated as a milk processing plant, the frozen food locker sat empty until the Lincoln County Historical Society renovated it into a museum in the 1990s.

The Room of the Old West was impressive

Today the museum is open extremely limited hours, so call ahead before planning a visit. Admission is free. We were the only visitors during our trip, and were given a private tour. The collection is a fascinating blend of artifacts from throughout Carrizozo’s history divided into a series of rooms and sections, each focusing on a particular type of artifact. A milliner, a model railroad exhibit and a tribute to Carrizozo’s first theater are among the highlights.

Our favorite was the “Room of the Old West,” separated from the rest of the museum by a set of saloon doors. Inside, a realistic mural blends seamlessly with actual artifacts to give the illusion of being inside an Old West saloon. At the other end of the room, a collection of saddles and a detailed history of barbed wire grabbed our attention.

The entire tour took less than an hour to complete. Though Carrizozo is small, its residents are fiercely proud of their town’s history. Carrizozo is well worth a visit on your way to or from the Valley of Fires. Walk through the museum, and then stop by the Four Winds restaurant for excellent home cooking.

Capitan

The bear cub was a living mascot for the program

Roughly 30 minutes from the Valley of Fires along the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway is the small town of Capitan, home of Smokey Bear. You may be familiar with the Smokey Bear ad campaigns–“Only you can prevent forest fires.” What is less widely known is that Smokey was a real bear.

The National Forest Service developed its fire prevention campaign during World War II, when resources were stretched thin and the Japanese used wildfires as a weapon. After the film Bambi was released in 1942, Disney loaned the title character to the campaign for one year. Keeping the animal theme, Smokey Bear was chosen as the new mascot, making his debut in 1944.

The Capitan Mountains have always been prone to wildfires, both natural and human-caused. In 1950, a particularly devastating fire ravaged the area. Firefighters discovered a tiny bear cub, orphaned and badly burned, clinging to a tree in the destroyed forest. Local rangers took in the cub and nursed him back to health, soon naming him Smokey after the campaign mascot.

When he recovered, Smokey moved to the National Zoo in Washington, DC, where he became a national hero. As the living mascot for the fire prevention campaign, Smokey started receiving so much fan mail that he was actually assigned his own zip code! He was given a mate named Goldie in 1962, but the pair never had children. Little Smokey, rescued as a cub from another Lincoln Forest fire in 1971, moved in with Smokey and Goldie as their “adopted child.”

The trail to Smokey's gravesite winds through desert plants

Smokey retired as the living mascot in 1975, passing the mantle to Little Smokey. When Smokey passed away in 1976, he was buried in the town of Capitan, close to the mountains where he lived as a cub. Smokey Bear Historical Park was built around his gravesite in 1979.

Today the site contains a small but highly informative museum with an orientation film and exhibits dedicated to conservation and forest fire prevention. Outside, the trail to Smokey’s gravesite highlights the flora and fauna of the Chihuahuan Desert, of which Capitan is a part. A small gift counter in the visitor center and a larger gift shop at the end of the trail sell all sorts of Smokey Bear memorabilia.

Our visit to Capitan lasted roughly two hours. The drive to town along the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway is breathtaking, and Smokey Bear Historical Park is extremely well-done. Kids of all ages have likely been exposed to the Smokey Bear message, and learning about the real bear adds a new layer to the experience.

Ruidoso/Ruidoso Downs

The Old Dowlin Mill was a hotspot for outlaws and prominent citizens

Ruidoso and its sister, Ruidoso Downs, are the tourist heart of the Hondo Valley. There are “Old West in a box” museums, great for people who only have limited time, as well as grocery stores and chain restaurants. The only two stops that we found especially worthwhile were the Old Dowlin Mill, a preserved sawmill and great house where Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett and other historic figures used to gather, and the Billy the Kid Visitor Center.

The Billy the Kid Visitor Center is incredibly informative

The Billy the Kid Visitor Center, in Ruidoso Downs, is a must-see for anyone planning a stay in the Hondo Valley. The center is packed with exhibits and information about the various towns in the region, including Alamogordo’s connections to the Space Race, the gypsum dunes of White Sands National Monument and, of course, Billy the Kid’s Lincoln County War.

A walk-through miniature of the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway and leaflets with suggested day trips help immensely with planning your stay. We actually got caught up for nearly an hour watching videos of local residents sharing their family histories in the region.

The petroglyph site is well worth a visit

The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is in the middle of nowhere, along Highway 54 between Carrizozo and Tularosa, New Mexico. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the site’s tiny budget does not leave room for a Visitor Center, gift shop or restaurant. But there are clean restrooms and a small ranger station staffed by extremely helpful and friendly volunteers. Approximately 30 minutes from Carrizozo or Alamogordo, the site is well worth a visit.

The Petroglyphs

The petroglyphs are a 1,000 year old mystery

Petroglyphs are a form of rock art. As opposed to pictographs, which are painted on rocks, petroglyphs are actually carved or etched into the rock’s surface. The petroglyphs at Three Rivers were created between 900 and 1400 AD by Jornada Mogollon Native Americans, ancestors of the modern Hopi and other Pueblo peoples.

The purpose of the petroglyphs and the choice of location remain a hotly debated mystery. Perhaps this was a sacred site, a conjunction of trade routes, or simply a scenic lookout point. Some have even postulated that the petroglyphs were a children’s art project. Whatever the reason for them, the petroglyphs are stunningly beautiful.

Our Experience

The hosts were extremely helpful

The road to the petroglyph site is well marked but quite desolate. A left turn into the site leads to a gravel parking lot with a few RV sites, a small building with modern restroom facilities and a tiny trailer that serves as the park office. If the office is closed, you can pay your entrance fee at an outdoor station.

As of 2011, admission to the site is $2 per vehicle. National Park Service passes are honored. The hosts were quite helpful, providing a map of the site and an admonition to carry plenty of water. It was 98 Fahrenheit when we began our hike, and well over 100 by the time we finished. The sun was beating down with no clouds in sight, and the humidity was less than 10 percent. Water was definitely a requirement!

The hiking trail is rugged and steep

The self-guided hike begins with a short, flat path to a wheelchair-accessible set of mounted binoculars. The rest of the one mile roundtrip trail up the side of the mountain is steep, rugged, rocky and fairly strenuous. I looked doubtfully at Dad, who has a few health conditions and walks with a cane, but his face was determined. As it turned out, he did just fine–a few moments of huffing and puffing along the way, and some back pain that evening, but nothing he couldn’t handle.

Many of the best glyphs are off the main trail

The petroglyphs are scattered along both sides of the trail. As the ranger explained to us, there are more than 21,000 petroglyphs at the site, of which only 11 are marked on the map. While most parks require visitors to stay on the marked paths, this one actually encourages you to get off the trail. Many of the best glyphs are nearly impossible to see from the path. Of course, taking any artifacts is against federal law. Be careful to avoid touching the glyphs, as they can be damaged by handling.

The Hike

Watch your footing when leaving the trail

The trail has changed little in 1,000 years. There are no handrails, smooth grades or other modern “finished” elements. There is a steep drop off the mountain on one side, and loose rocks on the other. Several spots require you to pick your footing carefully, to avoid tripping or slipping. Although it sounds a bit scary, no rock climbing or other special skills are required. Plenty of tourists of all ages make the climb each day. Just use caution and avoid getting so caught up in photography that you forget to watch where you’re going!

The glyphs are surprisingly detailed

There is a short climb before you reach the actual petroglyphs. We found it easiest to stick to the trail until we reached the first marked glyph, to orient ourselves and provide a guide to what we were looking for. Once we were comfortable with the trail and the glyphs, we began going off-trail a bit. Not being experienced climbers or hikers, though, we did not roam too far. If you are used to the mountains, you may want to go further afield, discovering glyphs that we never saw.

The shelter at the top of the trail is a great place to relax

We found several level spots along the trail that were great places to stop, catch our breath and drink some water. We found that one 16 ounce bottle of water each was just enough water, though if we do it again we might take along a third bottle to share. At the summit of the marked trail is a small shelter with benches. This is a terrific spot to stop and relax, enjoy the mountain overviews, or let the kids play.

You can continue up the mountain past the shelter. There are few petroglyphs on that segment, but some people claim that they are some of the best. As it was the end of the marked trail, though, Dad and I opted to head back down. You can loop around the other side of the glyphs on the return trip, finding glyphs that were not obvious on the way up.

It took us nearly two hours to do the full trail, but we were stopping every few feet for photographs. At a moderate walking pace with few stops, you could easily finish in an hour or so. There is an old village ruin a short distance from the parking area, but the rangers explained that there is literally nothing left. They showed us photos of the site, and we decided not to explore it.

Tips for Parents

The images are sometimes abstract

The petroglyphs are spectacular, and it was great fun trying to imagine the story behind various glyphs. Why was that image created? Who made it? What was he or she trying to say? Some images are clearly of something specific, such as a ram or a bird or a person, while others are more abstract. We enjoyed trying to decide what some of the abstract images might be.

Although the terrain is tricky, it is relatively safe. Discuss safety tips and ground rules before your visit and do not allow kids to run or play on the rocks. Keep them with you or slightly ahead of you, where you can pay attention to their movements. Dress appropriately for the weather and carry plenty of water, along with a few snacks. It is virtually impossible to get lost, but you may get wrapped up in the petroglyphs and spend more time than you anticipated. Sunscreen and a hat can help prevent painful burns in the desert sun.

The road to Carlsbad Caverns is winding and quite scenic

New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns National Park is the third largest cave system in the United States and arguably one of the best-known. I am a bit of a cave nut, so when Dad and I planned a Southwestern adventure, Carlsbad Caverns was one of my must-do attractions. We visited just days before a wildfire raged in the nearby canyon, threatening the historic Natural Entrance and park buildings and closing the cave for several days. Thankfully, no permanent damage was done and the Caverns are again open for business.

About Carlsbad Caverns

We stayed in gorgeous but desolate Lakewood, New Mexico

Dad and I stayed in Lakewood, New Mexico, a ghost town with a very lively RV park, approximately 30 minutes from downtown Carlsbad. The Caverns are 23 miles from Carlsbad. The tiny town of White’s City offers lodging, an RV park, dining and shopping near the entrance road to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The seven-mile park entrance road is both scenic and extremely winding. Numerous pull-offs are provided, allowing you to park your car off the road and enjoy the scenery.

Carlsbad Caverns is breathtaking

Carlsbad Caverns offer quite a few different tour options. The Big Room is the best-known and most popular cave in the system and is accessible by elevator or via the steep but beautiful Natural Entrance. The Big Room tour is entirely self-guided. Ranger-guided tours include the one-mile, moderately strenuous King’s Palace; the lantern-lit Left Hand Tunnel; the ladder-accessed Lower Cave; and the extremely challenging Slaughter Canyon Cave, Hall of the White Giant, and Spider Cave tours. Dad and I selected the Big Room and King’s Palace tours.

Carlsbad Caverns is also known for its population of Mexican free-tail bats. Each night from late spring through early fall, approximately 400,000 bats fly from the Caverns in search of dinner. A free narrated program is offered at sunset in the outdoor amphitheater. The bats were late returning from Mexico this year, so Dad and I were unable to see the flight.

As of 2011, basic admission to the Caverns, which includes the self-guided Big Room tour, is $6 for adults and free for those aged 15 and under. Tickets are valid for three consecutive days. Those with National Park Service passes are admitted free. Prices and minimum age requirements vary for the ranger-guided tours. Visit the Carlsbad Caverns website or call ahead for details.

Our Experience

The Visitor Center restaurant was pricey but good

Dad and I arrived at approximately 11 a.m. We booked tickets for the 3 p.m. King’s Palace tour and decided to have lunch and look around the Visitor Center before descending into the Big Room. The restaurant offers sandwiches and salads at predictably high prices, but the portions are large enough to share and the quality was good.

After lunch, we took in the orientation film. Interestingly, unlike many caves that are formed by running water, Carlsbad Caverns was formed by sulfuric acid created by the interaction of underground gas and oil with surface water. The film was followed by a short ranger presentation on the guano miners. As it turns out, the Carlsbad Caverns bats provided an immense amount of guano (droppings), which miners gathered and sold for fertilizer in the 1800s. The first guided tours of the Caverns were accessed via guano buckets! Today the portion of the cave used by the bats is not accessible to the public, though ancient guano deposits are visible in parts of the Big Room.

Everywhere we looked was another fascinating view

We rented audio guides for $3 each from the Visitor Center bookstore and descended into the Big Room at approximately 1 p.m. I highly recommend the audio guides for a more thorough exploration of the Caverns. The major formations are labeled with signs, but the audio guides provide additional details.

The Big Room path is 1.25 miles in length and takes an average of one to two hours to complete. An optional shortcut path cuts the total length in half. A somewhat shortened wheelchair path is available. The rugged Natural Entrance is an additional 1.25 miles and descends a total of 79 stories. Those in reasonably good shape should be able to complete the Natural Entrance trail in roughly one hour. There is no wheelchair access for the Natural Entrance or any ranger-guided cave tour.

Big Room

The massive Big Room was aptly named

Dad and I opted to take the elevator rather than the Natural Entrance to the Big Room. Your ears will pop from the rapid descent and chewing gum is not permitted, so be prepared! The elevator opens just outside the Underground Restaurant, a snack and beverage stand where the guided tours meet and the self-guided Big Room tour begins.

The Big Room is just spectacular! It is the biggest known cave chamber in the Western Hemisphere at 600,000 square feet. The walking path wanders around hundreds of elegant and delicate formations of every description. Most of the formations were created during the last Ice Age and are now inactive, but just enough water seeps through the desert ground above to keep a few formations actively growing.

The cave was filled with beautiful colors

We had a rather bizarre experience during our stroll. As the Big Room path takes one to two hours and we entered at 1 p.m., we expected to finish the walk with enough time to get a snack at the Underground Restaurant before our 3 p.m. King’s Palace tour. About a quarter of the way through the cave, I retrieved my cell phone from my pocket to check the time. According to Sprint, the time was 2 p.m.! We had taken our time a bit, stopping to adjust camera settings and working to get excellent photos, but we were still quite surprised. We picked up the pace, but barely made it to the King’s Palace meeting location before 3 p.m. Sprint time.

Imagine our surprise when the ranger approached the gathered group and stated clearly that it was time for the 2 p.m. tour to begin! Somehow the Caverns caused my cell phone to switch time zones. We still had an hour left, so after a quick snack we headed back into the Big Room to finish our audio tour. Lesson learned. Digital equipment can react weirdly with the cave environment, so always wear an analog watch.

King’s Palace

The King's Palace tour descent, and later ascent, is eight stories

The King’s Palace tour is the least strenuous of the ranger-guided tours. The 1.5 hour, one mile tour visits four large chambers in the deepest publicly-accessible part of the Caverns. The total descent is eight stories, which you must then ascend at the end of the tour. The route to the King’s Palace follows part of the Natural Entrance route, allowing you to see some of those formations as well.

Our tour guide was a wonderful storyteller

Our guide was an excellent storyteller, drawing children and adults alike into a narrative about the cave’s discoverer, Jim White. She provided a great deal of interesting information on the formations as well. Perhaps the most exciting part of any cave tour is the blackout, and this was no exception. Our group settled along a low stone wall on the edge of the walkway as our guide related stories about lighting in the cave’s early days. Then she asked us to turn off all glowing electronic equipment before flipping the switch to turn out the lights.

You haven’t experienced total darkness until you’ve experienced it in a cave! Your eyes will fight to adjust, vainly searching for any ambient light. Your other senses are dramatically heightened, hyper-alert to the movements of your fellow tourists or your guide.

Eventually our ranger lit a small, dim light, casting eerie shadows on the walls. As our eyes adjusted, she spun more tales of early cave explorations. Once we were adjusted, she restored the main cave lighting and we continued on our way. It was a very cool experience, and a good bit longer than the blackouts we’ve experienced at other caves.

Tips for Parents

The delicate formations are fascinating to all ages

Carlsbad Caverns is a top destination for visitors of all ages. The Big Room is open to all, though strollers are not permitted. The King’s Palace tour is relatively easy, but more challenging than the Big Room, and children must be at least 4 years old to participate. The other guided tours are more strenuous and have higher minimum age requirements.

The Caverns are 56 degrees F and humid year-round. Being from the muggy Deep South, Dad and I were thrilled for a few hours of humidity after the intensely dry air of the surrounding desert. Those who come from drier climates, however, may feel clammy and wet, and the humidity could trigger asthma attacks or breathing difficulties in those who are prone to them. We were okay without jackets, but children could get cold.

Plan to spend the better part of a day exploring the park. The scenic entrance road, extensive Visitor Center, and numerous cave tour options make Carlsbad Caverns a true destination. Keep a close eye on your kids in the cave, where walkways can be slippery. Outside, however, there is plenty of room to play and burn off steam.

No food or beverages are permitted inside the cave, except plain water. Plan to stop for lunch or snacks at the Underground Restaurant or the upstairs Visitor Center eatery. Taking frequent breaks can keep everyone’s energy up and moods relaxed.

The Carlsbad Caverns were featured on Tots and Travel’s 5 Top National Parks for Families.

Robert Goddard's 1914 rocket patents set the stage for the atomic age

Southern New Mexico is an interesting study in contrasts. Barely had the Old West died out, its outlaws and lawmen dead or too old to continue fighting, before the atomic age began. Although the atomic age officially started with the detonation of the first nuclear bombs in Japan during World War II, the groundwork was being laid as early as 1914 by future New Mexico resident Robert H. Goddard. That year he filed two patents, one for a multistage rocket and one for a liquid-fueled rocket.

New Mexico is filled with sweeping open land dotted by small towns and, today, a handful of big cities. It was and is a natural spot for testing unproven aircraft, spacecraft and weapons without endangering anyone. Today, vast swaths of New Mexico belong to the United States military, including the White Sands Missile Range, where the atomic bomb was initially tested before deployment to Japan.

The gypsum dunes are breathtaking

Meanwhile, southern New Mexico holds another surprise. Giant sand dunes, created not from quartz but from gypsum crystals, are particularly rare because gypsum is water-soluble. In most cases, gypsum dust melts in the rain and is carried out to sea. But New Mexico’s Tularosa Basin is fully enclosed. High in the arid Chihuahuan Desert, the area receives little rain. What rain does fall it settles into the ground or collects in pools that quickly dry out, allowing the gypsum to remain. The gypsum dunes are contained within White Sands National Monument.

White Sands National Monument

The adobe visitor center dates to the 1930s

While spending a few days in nearby Alamogordo, Dad and I decided to visit both sections of White Sands. Dad was disappointed to learn that the Trinity Site, where the atomic bomb test occurred, is open to the public only two days per year, but was happy to learn about the Missile Museum. We began our trip at White Sands National Monument.

As of 2011, entrance to the park costs $3 per person. Children aged 15 and under are free. National Park Service passes are honored. Admission, valid for seven consecutive days, includes the Dunes Drive, sunset ranger program and most special events.

The historic adobe visitor center, which dates to the mid-1930s, was closed for renovations during our visit. A temporary visitor center was set up in a trailer, and the rangers went out of their way to be helpful, but we were not able to access the museum exhibits. Instead, we focused on the Dunes Drive, a sixteen-mile roundtrip through the dune field.

The sleds are also known as sand discs

You can buy or rent a sled at the gift shop if you would like to go sledding down the massive dunes. The sleds are round plastic discs, available in both child and adult sizes. Although it sounded like fun, the temperature was 108 F on the day of our visit. Dad and I decided to stay in the air-conditioned car, but we did see several people of all ages enjoying the sleds.

Only a portion of the Dunes Drive is paved. The unpaved trails are relatively rough, but safe for vehicles. Despite Dad’s initial misgivings, four wheel drive is not necessary. But the speed limit is low and, at times, you may want to drive considerably more slowly. In addition, you will probably want to stop and read historical markers, walk the boardwalk, or take photos. Plan to spend at least a couple of hours enjoying the dunes.

White Sands Missile Museum

Missiles could have been launched from these simple but effective computers

About a half-hour drive from the National Monument, the White Sands Missile Museum is staffed by volunteers and open irregular hours. Call ahead or inquire at the National Monument before making the drive.

As the museum is located on an active missile range, security is understandably tight. You must present your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance to security, and your vehicle may be searched. There are extremely specific restrictions on photography, so ask for information when you enter the base. In addition, it is illegal to photograph the missile range from the public roadway. If you like to take scenic mountain photos, pay close attention to the signage throughout the region.

Seeing an atomic bomb casing up close is creepy

Admission to the museum and connected Missile Park is free. The indoor exhibits present a fairly detailed overview of the missile range’s history. Small rockets and early control equipment are among the highlights. Outside, Missile Park is filled with items from every era. Perhaps the most fascinating, yet terrifying, is the Fat Man Bomb Casing. This is the atomic bomb that was dropped on Japan in 1945.

In a separate building is a V-2 rocket. The V-2 was originally developed by Germany for use in World War II. After the war, many of Germany’s best scientists moved to the United States, bringing the V-2 with them. The rocket was a proving ground for experiments that eventually led to the American manned space program.

Tips for Parents

The picnic shelters are a great place to relax

Both the National Monument and the Missile Museum are endlessly fascinating for most kids. There are quite a few historical signs, so parents may wish to read and summarize them for younger children. But with plenty to look at, room to play, and the opportunity to go sledding in the desert heat, how could any child resist?

There are no public dining facilities at either location, and the nearest towns are a bit of a trek, so pack plenty of snacks and drinks. Picnic shelters are readily available throughout the National Monument, so consider packing a full lunch. Remember that this part of the country is exceptionally hot and dry, so encourage everyone to drink plenty of water. Sunscreen and a hat are absolutely essential if you plan to spend much time on the dunes. Incidentally, if you wear sunglasses, be sure to take them off at some point while at the National Monument. Dad was shocked to discover that the “brown” dunes he had seen all day were actually a brilliant white!