Our first camping trip of the season in April went South to White Sands National Monument and the Lincoln National Forrest for mild temperatures, pistachios, and spectacular New Mexico scenery. It's the perfect destination for an early (or late) season trip, for a bit of (doable) off-roading and for a first time dispersed camping destination.
Dispersed camping: white sands and Lincoln national Forest, NM.
We are always a little nervous about the first trip of the season despite being regular campers. We get rusty over winter and there is usually something important we leave behind. This is why it's always wise for us to make our first trip of the season (or with baby) part of a group trip. Between all of us, we will have what we need, usually.
Turns out we're almost pros! Last year we forgot to refill the propane (making baby O’s first night camping very cold). This year we only forgot a dish towel and a battery pack for our tent lights (we had other lights). AND we were wise enough to go south instead of North so the temperatures were perfect (nights in the 50s).
Our itinerary to White Sands, NM, and camping in the Lincoln National Forest
This was such an enjoyable trip coming from Albuquerque that I want to walk you through our itinerary so you can copy it if you’d like. It's a perfect destination to practice dispersed (wild) camping and a great location for early or late season camping.
We left early Saturday morning after walking the dog and letting off some toddler steam and right at baby O’s nap time. He napped half the way there. Both kids did surprisingly well in the car considering this was their first long drive this season. After a few potty breaks, we reached Alamogordo 4 hours later. Baby O was getting a little fussy at the end, so I was happy that I packed a lot of different toys. All of them were in use the last 30 minutes before Alamogordo.
Our friends caught up to us on the way there, so we stopped for lunch at a local favorite, Hi-D-Ho Drive-in. Great burgers and true small-town America burger joint feel, however, they somehow forgot about us during the lunch rush hour, so we waited a little too long. I can still recommend it. It gave the kids a chance to roam around and stretch their legs as well.
H-D-Ho Drive in burgers in Alamogordo, NM, is a local favorite and a perfect lunch stop before or after visiting White Sands.
Afternoon play at White Sands, NM
After lunch, we were in two minds about going 30 minutes out of the way to meet up with the rest of the group at White Sands, mostly because it was getting late and we were passing the nap time window. We wanted to have enough time at the campsite for the kids to play before dinner. We were also concerned about the winds. However, our friends there assured us that they had found a pocket out of the wind and we really didn’t want to miss out on the group fun. Even though we had already seen White Sands, it was definitely worth coming back. It’s just a spectacular place.
Endless beauty of White sands, NM. Kids love it.
No one slept on the drive there, but both thoroughly enjoyed playing in the sand with all the grown-up attention. Toddler E went sliding down the dunes multiple times and loved being ‘buried’ in the sand and pretend to be a mermaid or a snake. We went all the way to the end of the drive loop drive. Even though it looks busy everywhere, there is more than enough room for everyone. Some of the parking lots have great sheltered picnic tables, so don’t worry if you plan to linger but forgot your canopy. Do, however, bring lots of water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. It is brutal, especially in the hot summer months. Stay close to your car if you bring kids. (People have dehydrated and died out there getting lost). You can buy sand sleds at the visitor center and sell them back for $5 if you don't have your own. It happened to be free for visitors the day we went, so win-win! Make sure to check opening hours before you go since they close off the park for missile testing on occasion.
Toddler Play at White Sands, NM
Setting up camp in the Lincoln National Forest, NM - dispersed camping
Mid-afternoon, we packed up our sand playing fun and headed back through Alamogordo towards the mountains. It was a short drive into the Lincoln National forest up Rd 82 before we reached the first forest road on the right. Our friends had searched the map for a potential opening and decent dispersed camp spot on the map, so we were aiming for his coordinates without knowing exactly what it would look like. The drive up the forest road took a bit longer than expected (an off-road vehicle was necessary - a trail-rated Jeep managed). Luckily, both kids were napping. We ended up backtracking a bit down from the original spot, just to get out of the wind. Springtime in New Mexico is notoriously windy which is really the only downside to camping during this season.
Traveling the first stretch of forest rd 9334 in the Lincoln National Forest, NM, was easy. We soon encountered big dips and gaps, so a trail-rated vehicle is recommended to go further up the road.
We are big fans of dispersed camping because it gives us the best views, it gives us privacy, we like being self-sufficient and our dogs can roam freely. It can be tricky to figure out where to camp in the wild, though, so check out my easy step-by-step guide to finding dispersed camping spots as here. We found a perfect spot with a view of the valley, just far enough from the group to not wake the kids and with beautiful views.
This is such a good spot for practicing dispersed camping for the first time. Get the exact coordinates here.
Related: Find out what suits your family: Dispersed (wilderness) vs. developed camping
Dispersed camping spot in the Lincoln National Forest, NM. We set up camp a bit away from the main camp, so no one had to worry about waking up the kids.
Camping with kids is different every season
The kids loved helping moving things into the tent, and once the tent was up, they loved just wrestling while we got situated. This was the first trip with baby O walking, and we got a taste of the beauty of camping with siblings. They were having such fun playing together. That reminds me of how fleeting the camping-with-baby experience is. If you think your last trip was too exhausting or challenging, just wait a few months and your experience will be different. Toddler E was actually able to help this time - she helped inflate the mat and carried her own chair to the camp-fire. Baby O did not crawl into every cactus there, although he was still a little wobbly on his feet. The older they get, the easier it gets, I think. AND they love having responsibilities the older they get as well, so put them to use!
Related: 5 Life Changing Reasons for Camping with your Kids - Even when it’s overwhelming
Camping with friends is beautiful in so many levels
We arrived early enough to set up camp and have the kids play a little before dinner and bedtime. They thoroughly enjoyed being part of the cam- fire coziness, and toddler E discovered a new fondness for marshmallows (go easy on these right before bedtime!). I've already pointed out just how important it is to get outside with your kids in previous posts. They are happy to be part of a community and our kids feel such excitement about camping with our friends. They seem to form very special bonds with every person there and they do just fine without other kids (their age) there. I am forever grateful for our little tribe who helps raise our kids and teach them special tricks and silliness when we go camping - AND for the nice little breathers it gives me.
Related: 5 Life Changing Reasons for Camping with your Kids - Even when it’s overwhelming
Toddler E enjoying all the attention when camping with friends. She feels part of a community and learn so much from everyone.
Easter egg hunting - the best toddler activity for camping
We went camping during Easter weekend, so mama had, of course, remembered to redirect the Easter bunny to the Lincoln National Forest. At least, that was the plan until I couldn’t remember where the plastic eggs were. We managed to stock up on more in Alamogordo along with some tiny dinosaurs from the Dollar store. I grew up making a nest for the Easter bunny and to come out in the morning and discover a nest full of eggs. Our attempt to make a bunny nest without moss and grass was a bit sad, but toddler E got the message and was SO excited to discover eggs in the nest the following morning. Both kids also had fun collecting all the eggs I had scattered around the campsite, and they were so excited to see what was hidden inside. I highly recommend egg hunting for any camping trip with small kids. I use a mix of gummy bears, tiny toys, stickers, marbles and goldfish. But you can use anything.
The excitement of waking up to a bunny nest full of eggs on Easter morning was priceless. Easter egg hunting is a perfect activity for toddlers when camping.
Leave room for spontaneous stops - such as the World's largest pistachio
We woke up to beautiful views after a pleasant night with temperatures in the 50s. I love this temperature because the kids can still wear their down snowsuit, but it’s not extremely cold when getting into bed or at 4 in the morning (when it’s at its coldest). Mornings are cold in the high desert, but the sun quickly warms everything up. We had a quick breakfast and packed up while the kids were playing.
Waking up to beautiful views family camping in the Lincoln National Forest, NM, in April. Tent: Oztent RV-5.
We were on the road by 10ish for baby O’s nap which also gave us plenty of time for a leisurely drive home. We passed a local pistachio farm, PistachioLand, featuring the world’s largest pistachio. We had to see that, and toddler E loved it. It turned out to be a surprisingly fun stop and we can highly recommend the garlic-flavored pistachios. They even offer tours if you are all about pistachio farming.
Word of advice: Having CB radion (or walkie-talkies) make road trips and camping trips with friends a lot more fun because you can quickly coordinate (and banter) while on the go.
The world’s largest pistachio at PistachioLand, NM, was a must-see spontaneous stop on our way home.
Overall a very pleasant and easy camping trip from Albuquerque for both spring or fall. You can make it even more relaxing by adding another night at the same camping spot, or leave Saturday morning and return Sunday afternoon as we did.
Happy Camping!