PARKVIEW RIVERSIDE RV PARK, RIO FRIO, TEXAS

Our Opinion: A very nice, rural, private park. We would stay here again and recommend this park to others during “off season“. It is probably very crowded and noisy with families from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Date of Stay: 3/29 through 3/31/2008

Weather During Stay: Warm, cloudy and very humid. High's around 80, low's upper 60's.

Rate: We paid $15/night with our Passport America discount.

Sites: 93 sites each have 50 amp FHU and cable TV. Riverfront sites have sewer connections on both sides so you can park overlooking the river in a 5er or motorhome. Each site has a picnic table. Most sites have trees, so are partially shaded

Verizon: no cell phone service (pay phone at the laundry room and phone hookups are available for long term stays); no aircard reception. WiFi is available for a fee through Road Connect. We paid $12.95 for their three day package.

Elevation/landscape/terrain: This is a flat campground at 1370’ elevation on a bluff overlooking the Rio Frio, across the river from Garner State Park, in the southern part of Texas' Hill Country (between Leakey and Concan). Views are of the river and the surrounding heavily wooded hills and limestone bluffs. Large trees line the river and are sprinkled throughout the park, which feels open yet shaded. Not good for roof-mounted TV satellites, but cable is included in the fee.

Lighting: Reasonably dark at night, and very quiet during our stay.

Favorite Sites: We were in site #6, a long, flat, riverfront site with good WiFi reception. Any of the sites near us would be fine.

Hiking/Walking: Not much walking at the park, but the road outside the gate is VERY lightly traveled, suitable for walking. It is a short drive to Garner State Park, which has reasonably long, appealing walking trails.

Special Features: The sites overlooking the river are great. Two stairways go from the bluff top park down to the river for wading or swimming. Lots of birds here.

SOUTH LLANO RIVER STATE PARK, JUNCTION, TEXAS

Our Opinion: A great state park. We would stay here again and recommend this park to others.

Date of Stay: 3/28/2008 and again 4/17/2008

Weather During Stay: Cool, cloudy, damp day and night in March; sunny, hot with a severe thunderstorm at night in April.

Rate: We paid $7.50 for one night. The usual rate is $15/night plus $3/person day use fee. Our $60/yr Texas state pass paid the day use fee for both of us AND gave us a 50% off coupon for one night of camping. In April, our pass had expired, so we paid $19.

Sites: All 58 sites are W and 30 amp E. Sites are mostly flat, mostly shaded, spacious. Each site has a picnic table and a permanent pole for hanging bird feeders. Easily accessible dump station on the way out. Photo shows site 31, our site on 4/17/2008.

Verizon: Occasional 1 bar reception on phones; no aircard reception.

Elevation/landscape: This is a large state park with a small campground on the “river bottom” of the South Llano River. Lots of trees and grass.

Terrain: Campground is flat; park includes a river suitable for rafting/swimming, the river flood plain, and wooded hills.

Lighting: Very dark at night.

Favorite Sites: #55 and #57, but there are many great sites in this campground.

Hiking/Walking: Miles of trails, flat or hilly, your choice.

Special Features: This park protects an area that has been a roosting spot for Rio Grand turkeys for over 100 years. Up to 800 turkeys gather here between October and April; some trails may be closed to protect the turkeys during those months. Birds galore with bird blinds and feeders all over.

The low point of the road into the park crosses the South Llano River. Park would be inaccessible during high water.

Nearest town is Junction,Texas, less than 10 miles away. Restaurants, groceries (small IGA), fuel are available there.

We use this state park as a long day hop from Balmorhea State Park (250 miles west) or Davis Mountain State Park (299 miles west).

DAVIS MOUNTAIN STATE PARK, FT. DAVIS, TEXAS

Our Opinion: Great. We would stay here again and recommend this park to others.

Date of Stay: 3/25 through 3/27/2008

Weather During Stay: Warm, sunny, breezy days with highs around 80 degrees; cold nights at or below freezing

Rate: We paid $37.50 for three nights. The usual rate is $15/night plus $3/person day use fee. Our $60/yr Texas state pass paid the day use fee for both of us AND gave us a 50% off coupon for one night of camping per stay.

Sites: 94 total: 33 W, 34 W/30 amp E; 27 FHU 30 amp. Some sites are shaded, some are in full sun. Dump station available. Most sites very large with plenty of room between sites.

Verizon: Not in campground; phones and aircard (slow) worked on ridgetops and in towns on Extended Network.

Elevation/landscape: 5,000 ft; dry, high grasslands; cactus, sparse trees.

Terrain: Campground is in a narrow valley in the Davis Mtns.

Lighting: Completely dark at night.

Favorite Sites: FHU: #16 and #21; W/E: #55, full sun, flat (photo)

Hiking/Walking: Excellent trails of varied lengths and difficulty.

Special Features: Birding blinds; Indian Lodge, a large, CCC-era Inn.

Scenic, historic Ft. Davis (4 miles away) has the old fort (a national historic site), shops, fuel, Hotel Limpia (looks like their restaurant would be good), a nice bookstore. 30 miles to Marfa; we enjoyed lunch at the Squeeze Marfa restaurant. Lots of galleries there, and Hotel Paisano, headquarters for film stars during the filming of Giant.

SUNNY ACRES RV PARK, LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO

Our Opinion: Pleasant urban park. We would stay here again and recommend this park to others.

Date of Stay: 3/23 and 3/24/2008

Weather During Stay: Pleasant, sunny, days with highs in the 70‘s, lows in the 40‘s.

Rate: We paid $15/night for FHU, half price because we are Escapees. Passport America discount applies during off season.

Sites: All sites are FHU with 50 amps and cable TV. New pull-though sites at the back of the park are unappealing compared to older back-in sites.

Verizon: Excellent reception for phones; aircard on Broadband.

Elevation/landscape: Sunny Acres used to be a mobile home park, but has been slowly converted to an RV park by the current RV’ing owners. The park has mature landscaping and trees, and most sites have grass. Most sites are shaded, but the new pull-throughs and some of the new back-in sites are in full sun.. Most sites (but not all) very large with plenty of room between sites.

Terrain: Flat campground in an urban setting. Typical urban noise level.

Lighting: Night lighting is not particularly obtrusive.

Favorite Sites: Any of the back-in sites EXCEPT the new ones along the front. Pull-through sites are unappealing.

Hiking/Walking: The park is large enough to walk laps, but a better walk is along the Rio Grande riverfront a short drive away.

Special Features: Large, grassy, shaded sites are unusually spacious for an urban RV park (or any private RV park).

This is a pleasant, well-managed park in an urban area. Easy access to shopping (groceries, Mountain View natural foods coop, Target), medical facilities, fuel… typical urban amenities.

PANCHO VILLA STATE PARK, COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO

Our Opinion: Great. Beautifully maintained. We would stay here again and recommend this park to others.

Date of Stay: 3/21 and 3/22/2008

Weather During Stay: Warm, sunny, breezy days with highs in the 70‘s, cool nights.

Rate: $14 per night for W and 30 amp E.

Sites: 62 W and 30 amp E sites. Some sites are shaded, some are in full sun. Dump station available. Most sites very large with plenty of room between sites. Most sites are pull through. Sites have ramada-covered picnic tables on concrete slabs. Trash can at every site.

Verizon: Excellent phone signal. Aircard on Broadband.

Elevation/landscape: Dry, high desert; well designed and maintained cactus gardens, large trees shading some sites. Dusty.

Terrain: Open, flat campground with views of distant mountains.

Lighting: Completely dark at night.

Favorite Sites: We were in site 38 (photo), huge, somewhat shaded, very private.

Hiking/Walking: One mile “exercise loop” around campground.

Special Features: On the site of Fort Furlong, the staging area for General Pershing’s retaliatory strike into Mexico in 1916, following Pancho Villa’s raid on Columbus, NM. On-site museum is interesting.

Columbus is a small, dusty desert town, 3 miles from the Mexico border, 40 miles south of Deming, with little to recommend it other than the fascinating history of the area. Take groceries and don‘t count on eating out!