We landed this afternoon at Ely KOA Journey, pretty much right in the middle of Nevada, elevation, 6500 ft. This is just a stop-over for a night, but it really is a nice campground. We plan to drive around this after and check out the town.
From here we're heading north to Idaho. Our first stop is a place called Anderson Camp. We plan to spend a couple of days there so we can check out Shoshone Falls and what's left of Twin Falls
Click on "Top Panel" to see where are and where to next
As with most of our KOA visits, it is just for a night stay-over while driving through because there were none of our membership parks nearby. The Lordsburg KOA was no exception, it appeared that 90% of the RV’s in the park were just there for a night as well. We hit some bad weather driving down from Mesa and pulled into the park at one in the afternoon and it was lightly snowing. By the time we were in our site and set up the sun was out and it warmed slightly. The park has full hookups with both 30 and 50 amps sites. There was an extra $3 for a 50 amp pull-through. I can’t say anything bad about the park but plan to spend forty to fifty dollars for a place to park overnight. The whole campground is a large gravel parking lot. It does have all the standard amenities like most all KOA campgrounds do and a few more niceties that we missed because of the weather and the shortness of our visit, like “kamper kitchen,” the activity building, the pool, and the general store. It is also easy to get to from the freeway. We would return to the park again if we were traveling I-10 through New Mexico.
You'll feel an away-from-it-all serenity at Lordsburg KOA, despite its easy-access location off I-10 halfway between Tucson and El Paso. Desert beauty surrounds you with scenic views of the Pyramid Mountains and big-sky sunsets. Tour ghost towns, search for opals and agates at Rockhound State Park, see the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, hike in the Gila National Forest or climb the dunes at White Sands National Monument. At this KOA, you'll find a swimming pool in season, game room, free cable TV, free wireless internet, special holiday treats and a Camping Kitchen ready for group events. An activity center is available for groups as well as food service on certain days. This is the place for relaxation in the Western desert. Pool: May 15 - September 15. Max pull thru 80 feet.
After a very long drive from Oklahoma, we finally reached Hidden Valley Park. We were assigned a site (after a $6.45 charge per night for 50 amps) and pulled forward to disconnect only to find the car battery was dead. So I drove the motorhome up to our site and got the AC running for the Yahoos (the dogs) while Jackie found someone to jump the car, only then did I remember that I had the car keys. In short time, we got the car going and set up camp. The park was just that, a place to park with utilities, it had neither the feel of a resort or a campground. The roads are all dirt and gravel while the sites are tight and not well maintained. There was hardly room to walk down the right side of the coach, so forget about setting up chairs or the barbecue. We walked around the park and found the pool drained and the pet area to be a small space alongside the road behind a sign.
We did have the good fortune to meet some nice folks that invited us to sit and chat. They had an end site so they were able to set out chairs. However, it was located on a busy corner with clouds of dust everytime someone came around the corner faster than 5mp (which was pretty much everyone) Again, good company made up for the dust issue. We also made a trip down into Albuquerque to run some errands, visit the National Museum of Nuclear History and Science, and have lunch at Whataburger (our new favorite fast food burger place since we discovered them in South Texas). Albuquerque is a beautiful city and we would enjoy spending more time here.
Back in the park, the staff and the people we met while there were very nice, but I think that in the future, we'll probably pass on a second visit.
Address:
844B State Hwy 333
Tijeras, NM 87059
Phone: (505) 281-3363
Fax: (505) 281-2026
Reservations Phone: (505) 281-3363
Reservations Fax: (505) 281-2026
Resort Information: Resort is 10 miles east of Albuquerque, a short distance from the Sandia Crest Ski and Recreation Area. Nearby: national forest, ghost towns, Indian pueblos, Rio Grande Zoo, Coronado Ruins, and Monument. Albuquerque's western edge reveals a history page of petroglyphs, volcano cliffs, and the Folsom Man Site.
Web Site: hiddenvalley-rvpark.com
EMail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Full Sites: 104
Partial Sites: 2
Pull-through Sites: 59
Check-In/Check-Out Times: 1 p.m.-4 p.m./ 11:00 a.m.
Open: Jan 1 to Dec 31
Peak: May 1 to Oct 15
Maximum Electrical Service: 50 amps
WiFi Available: Yes
Maximum RV Length: 45 feet
Elevation: 6607.0000
Amenities: Recreation Hall, outdoor pool (seasonal), playground, nature hiking trails, basketball court, fitness room, tenting, gift shop, hot showers, picnic tables, dump station, mountain setting, terraced sites, laundry, TV room, full kitchen for groups, library, tourist attractions nearby. Nearby: National forest, ghost towns, Indian pueblos, Rio Grande Zoo, Coronado Ruins, and Monument.
RV Notes: Coast rate not honored in Oct during Balloon Fest. June is in high demand, make a reservation as early as possible. Rate includes 2 people. Additional charges: 30 amp $3.23/night, 50 amp $6.45/night. After hours check-in box. Internet access in clubhouse, Wi-Fi access in lower level sites only.
Accepts Pets: Yes
Visitor Mail Accepted: Yes
Coronado Campground is located a few miles northeast of Albuquerque in a town called Bernalillo. It is within walking distance of an archeology site and a casino. The first thing that I noticed about the campground was how much pride the owner had in it. Each sited had an adobe shelter built over its picnic shelter and each shelter had hand-painted walls. The campground was laid out nice and was set up with the customer in mind. Our site had 50 amps and water, but the campground has a one airconditioner rule. We walked around and found that there was a good view of the Rio Grande river and away from the RV section of the campground was a tent campground with facilities and some sheltered picnic tables. There was a group tent camping area with groomed laid-out out spots for tents. Overall, I was very pleased with our visit and it was also pretty inexpensive as well. I will make an effort to return for a longer visit one day.
Coronado Campground doesn't have a website, but here is a link to reviews of the campground.
Below is a link to the Coast to Coast Campgrounds that we have visited.
P - Premiere D - Deluxe C - Classic GNP - Good Neighbor Park