Rockhound State Park, New Mexico

We discovered this New Mexico state park several years ago on one of our cross-country trips, and always look forward to returning. It’s located in the Little Florida Mountains just outside of Deming, New Mexico. (You don’t know where that is? We didn’t either until we stumbled across it. My geography skills have vastly improved with our travels.)

Looking at the photos of this little park, it appears to be mostly shades of brown, accented by dry, rocky, and prickly. But it doesn’t feel like that when you’re there. The desert has a stark beauty that feels expansive and peaceful. Plus, there’s abundant sunshine, even in late November, and when we hear that it’s been gray, rainy, and cold at home in Oregon for weeks on end—we revel in it, knowing what’s awaiting us.

Many people come to Rockhound to dig for rocks. The terrain is filled with semi-precious minerals—quartz crystals, geodes, jasper, onyx, opal, agate—all free for the taking. You’re allowed to haul out 15 pounds of rocks per day, per person. We resist the temptation. Rock collecting is most definitely not a viable hobby for RV travel.

What we do enjoy are the beautiful hiking trails that head up into the mountains from the campground, the dark night skies, the sunshine, and the birding—bands of scaled quail roam the grounds, and ladderback woodpeckers and curve-billed thrashers call from their prickly perches in cholla and ocotillo. It’s a lovely place to relax for a couple of days.