Van Horn, Texas to Faywood, New Mexico
City of Rocks State Park
Distance: 233 miles
Cost: $14 per night
Duration: 2 nights
Weather: Sunny & hot (80s)
We were up very early and on the road before 9:00, thanks to the sound of train whistles blowing as they passed by our RV park. Back on I-10, heading west, we survived driving through El Paso without incident. There was a lot of traffic, but it wasn't nearly as stressful as driving through Reno and Albuquerque. I'm not sure if it was because it was earlier in the day or that I didn't have to merge onto another freeway, but it was definitely easier to navigate through El Paso. We didn't have any problems with wind gusts until the last hour on I-10 and also on the highway heading to Faywood.
Sunrise at Desert Willow RV Park.
Note how close the railroad track is to the RV park.
City of Rocks State Park is about 30 miles from the exit off of I-10. Not knowing where we were going and relying on our GPS, it felt like we were driving out into the middle of nowhere. I kept thinking maybe we had messed up somehow and would have to turn around, but we eventually made it to the park and found our site.
From the website:
City of Rocks gets its name from the incredible volcanic rock formations found here. The park encompasses a one square mile area in the scenic Chihuahuan desert region of southwestern New Mexico at an elevation of 5,200 feet. The “city” is a geologic formation made up of large, sculptured rock columns, or pinnacles, rising as high as 40 feet and separated by paths or lanes resembling city streets. These rocks were formed about 34.9 million years ago when a very large volcano erupted. Then, erosion over millions of years slowly formed the sculptured columns seen today, creating a stunning, otherworldly landscape.Cool, huh?!
The "city" is off to the left.
Our view for the next few days.
Nestled between the towering rocks.
The huge rock formations are the result of a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. The lava cooled and froze and eventually split into these large rocks.
No neighbors!
Table Mountain
The rocks provide some shade, as well as a windbreak.
Amazing how that one rock is just perched up there.
Such a beautiful evening.
City of Rocks State Park offers nine reservable sites with water and electric hookups (showers are available in the nearby visitor center), but we opted for the primitive camping area (no water or electricity) in order to enjoy a more private setting for our two-night stay. The expansive views and dark night sky were almost otherwordly. The evenings were so peaceful and the stars were amazing! Great place to spend a few days. We loved it.
That state park looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteKathy, we loved it and plan to return when we're in the area.
DeleteWhat a wonderful site you had! City of Rocks has long been on our list. It looks like a peaceful place to relax for a couple of days while reading a good book. :-)
ReplyDeleteNext time you find yourselves near El Paso, check out Hueco Tanks State Park. It is a magical place—we've been four times, and will happily go again. Great hiking, exploring, and extraordinary pictographs. Here's a post you might enjoy: https://ravenandchickadee.com/2018/02/in-search-of-the-starry-eyed-man-hueco-tanks-state-park/
Laurel, we loved our site and even when we did have a few neighbors, it was extremely peaceful.
DeleteThanks for the information about Hueco Tanks SP. We enjoyed seeing pictographs at El Morro and I would love to see The Starry-Eyed Man at Hueco Tanks! Making a note of this park for our next trip through that area.
I remember visiting City of Rocks State Park twenty-five years ago, when my boys were small. They loved that park, running around, climbing on rocks, hiding in the rocks from each other. It was fabulous.
ReplyDeleteDeb, it's a wonderful park. The only thing I worried about was rattlesnakes, but we didn't see any, thankfully.
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