Arden Crater, New Mexico

Last Saturday, just a couple of days after arriving here in El Paso, I contacted some old friends and found out there was a off road run planned to Arden Crater New Mexico. I have been out to the desert area west of El Paso/Las Cruces several times but was unaware of this particular landmark. Arden Crater in one of several volcano's in southern New Mexico. Many of the volcano's that formed here blew more gas and steam than actual lava which accounts for the lower profile cones and craters. I joined up with the group and we headed out around 1:00 pm.

The craters are located 25 or so miles out in the desert. There are several county roads in the area, however all are dirt, deep sand or rocky. You don't really need 4 wheel drive, but it can come in handy in some places. Also, be sure to be prepared with extra food and water, you are a long way from anywhere, should you decide to explore this area, and I highly recommend that you do.

Our first stop was Killborne Hole (you may remember this one from a previous trip) we stopped here, as it was on the way out to Arden, and some of the others with us had never been here before. We spent about an hour exploring the massive volcano before heading on to our next destination. The light area in the center was the volcano's opening, which has since filled in over the centuries.

 From Killborne Hole to Arden Crater is several miles through this desolate desert. As you travel the area you can come across old homesteads which have long since been abandoned.

After a couple hours of desert driving, we arrived at Arden Crater. It has a well defined cone rising from the desert floor, but is much smaller around than Killborne Hole.

The other major difference is, once you make it to the rim, the crater floor is almost level with the rim, as it is filled with lava. On the inside, there are several long deep gaps in the lava just inside the rim. Reminds you of a cake that has cooled and pulled away from the pan as it shrunk.

 The day was slowly coming to an end, we had spent a couple of hours at the crater and still had another hour or so back to civilization. We stopped in Las Cruces for dinner and then all went our separate ways home. It was a long day, but a very enjoyable one, all toll we travelled approx 70 miles off road, getting to explore new and fascinating areas. I'll take these trips over any tourist trap any day.

Well it has been almost at one year that we have been on the road. We decided it's time to go through the trailer and see what we have actually used/need and weed out the rest. It's really just amazing all the things you thought you needed, and just had to have while living in a house, compared to what you really need to be happy while fulltiming. So Spring cleaning has begun!!!
Thanks to all of you that follow along with us and remember..........Keep Lovin Your Life as we do ours!!!