Recommended Tent Camping Locations - NM, NY

New Mexico Tent Camping Trip

Download Recommended Tent Camping Locations - NM, NY

Enchantment is definitely the word that best describes New Mexico. Visitors come from all over the world to experience the state’s familiar native heritage and to unwind in Santa Fe, one of the most unique cities in North America and an excellent destination for New Mexico tent camping. And anyone passing through might want to take the time to go off the beaten path and check out some of the state’s more “offbeat” locales as well.

Santa Fe
Also called the “City Different,” Santa Fe is a vibrant community that sits at the southern end of the Rocky Mountains. Once known as the seat of power for all Spanish territories west of the Mississippi River, since 1610 the city has been at the very crossroads of the cultural influences that have shaped New Mexico. The Santa Fe National Forest is one of the great New Mexico tent campgrounds to visit in this area.

Tours
Begin your Mexico tent camping trip to Santa Fe with a personalized tour. Pathways Customized Tours offers guided excursions throughout the city’s local history, art, geology, and wildlife.

Museums
The Palace of the Governors (built in 1610) once housed the local Spanish leadership but is now a museum chronicling the history of Santa Fe and the region. The Museum of Fine Arts displays approximately 20,000 works of art, accentuating artists of the southwest. However, often recognized to be Santa Fe’s very best museum, the Museum of International Folk Art houses the largest collection of folk art in the world.

Native Heritage
New Mexico resounds with the history and culture of several native peoples whose energy and values help shape the state today.

Acoma Pueblo
Also known as “Sky City,” this ancient pueblo is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited village in the nation. Built atop a massive mesa 7,000 feet above sea level Sky City offers guided tours and a historic visitors center.

Bandelier National Monument
These dwellings carved into the face of sheer cliff walls. New Mexico tent camping is available here only at certain times of the year.

Chaco Canyon National Park
This network of Anasazi ruins once served as an urban center for more than 7,000 people. Self-guided trails are available to most of the significant ruins, but surrounding mesas feature commanding views of the entire canyon for more intrepid hikers.

Gila Cliff Dwellings
At more than 700 years old, these dwellings were built into the sides of five sandstone cliff caves by the Mogollon people for protection from enemies. Today, the ruins are surrounded by the Gila National Forest.

Off-beat Attractions
Looking for a little something outside the norm? Then be sure to visit some of these, um, unique destinations to take a walk on the wilder–and weirder–side.

Roswell
Okay, what exactly did happen here in 1947? Was it indeed a UFO crash and cover-up, or blown-up urban legend? Maybe the International UFO Museum can help you sort it all out as well as the many UFO inspired shops and events hosted by the town.

Bandera Ice Cave
So let’s see. Bandera is home to a 10,000-year-old volcano with an ice cave inside of a lava tube with a base 20 feet thick and core ice dating back to 1100 BC? Well sure, who hasn’t seen that before?

Carlsbad Caverns
More well-known and no less spectacular, these enormous underground chambers began forming almost 250 million years ago and today provide seasonal homes for 300,000 bats. Self-guided and ranger tours are available. Brantley Lake State Park is one of the great New Mexico tent campgrounds to stay at here.

For more information, contact (800) 733-6396 ext.0643; www.newmexico.org

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New York Tent Camping Trip

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Cascade Lakes
Credit: Adirondack Regional Tourism Council

New York’s US-17 traverses much of the western region of the state, beginning near the Pennsylvania border and Lake Erie, ultimately winding its way east through the Finger Lakes region and Catskills before meeting up with US-6 and into Rockland County north of New York City.

Begin your New York tent camping adventure in Jamestown, birthplace of America’s favorite redhead, Lucille Ball. Begin at the Lucy-Desi Museum, a nostalgic institution dedicated to television’s First (and favorite) Couple. Also in town are the “Lucy and Desi” Gift Shop and several murals dedicated to the First Lady of Comedy scattered around town. There’s also the Lucille Ball Little Theater of Jamestown, which hosts a variety of community theatre productions during the summer months. Next door rests a plaque commemorating the very birthplace of the comedienne. Check around town for directions to several of Lucy’s childhood homes. Unfortunately, they’re all still private residences, but still worth a look for the true fan.

Heading east you’ll soon enter the gorgeous Finger Lakes Region, a vacationers paradise. At the town of Corning choose from among several outfitters to provide a favorite pastime of visitors, the hot air balloon ride. The region is tailor-made for this endeavor. While in town, enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Historic Market District and its wonderful collection of 19th-century architecture and more than 100 shops. One of the beautiful places to visit in the Finger Lakes National Forest. You are sure to find some beautiful New York tent campgrounds here. Check out Seneca Falls's Cayuga Lake State Park for for New York tent camping.

In the town of Elmira, you can continue to take in old village sights on foot with the Near Westside Historic District Walking Tour. Part of the National Historic Register, these self-guided tours take you through 22 square blocks of New York state history. Check out the unique and interesting exhibition at the National Soaring Museum. They are celebrating 100 years of non-powered flight through hands-on exhibits of gliders, soarers, and just about anything else you can think of (that doesn’t require a motor, of course). But Elmira’s pride and joy is Quarry Farm. It was here during the 1870s and 1880s, Mark Twain called home and penned his timeless works, Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and several others. Elmira College regularly hosts Twain-oriented events, and a nearby cemetery is the final resting place of the author and his family.

In the industrial town of Binghamton, relive a little of your childhood with a ride on some of the six antique carousels located in and around town. The town is also the birthplace of author/director Rod Serling, whose creative genius haunted generations from his television series “The Twilight Zone.” Binghamton has several points of interest related to Serling and walking tours are available. Learn more about Serling at the Binghamton Visitors Center located downtown.

US-17 then heads southwest towards New York City, but first you have to pass through the winding hills of the Catskills. Many of the towns here have seen better days, but the natural beauty still welcomes visitors with open arms. Besides hiking, biking, and wildlife watching, the region is world-renowned for its trout fishing, with the town of Roscoe (a.k.a, “Trout Town USA) serving as an angler’s epicenter of activity. Russell Brook Campsite is a suggested New York tent campground to check out.

We suggest a detour north along scenic Interstate 87. US-17 joins US-87 near Central Valley, which in turn connects with Hwy. 6, and on to US-9. This follows the Hudson River north through Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck, Albany, Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls and the Adirondacks along Lake Champlain all the way to the Canadian border.

Your final stop along US-17 in New York is the town of Liberty, a local artisan showcase offering lots of delightful artwork to peruse in the many galleries and shops. Also, the area is a good place to slow down for some “stop-and-shop”. People regularly flock to the town for its multitude of antique shops.

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