Sandhill cranes and stomach aches. My short trip to New Mexico.

I have always wanted to see the sandhill crane/snow geese migration at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. In November of 2024, the timing worked out perfectly for Liz and I to take a short 5 day trip.

I had an early afternoon flight and when I landed, Liz was there to grab me. We grabbed a quick slice of pizza and arrived at White sand National Park in time for sunset. There are no words for the magic of this park. It was like being on another planet. The way the light moved across the sand was truly beautiful.

Our first two nights we stayed in a camper on a small lot. There were about ten campers total. I was freezing both nights and struggled to sleep. On night two, my stomach started bothering me. and my bathroom issues would continue my whole time here.

Here you can see my breakfast burrito from the well known food truck, Rays lunchbox.

I went with the breakfast burrito and it did not disappoint. I had it for two meals.

White Sands National Park is located on Highway US-70 between the cities of Alamogordo and Las Cruces. This national park is the world's largest gypsum dune field. White Sands is located between several military bases which means the monument is sometimes closed due to missile tests. There is a $35.00 entry fee, as is with most National Parks. With the wind constantly blowing, the landscape is always changing. I could have spent all my days there. Such a surreal place.

The next day, we arrived just in time for sunrise at Valley of Fires Recreation area in Corizozo, NM. Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park. It's also a campground. Popular activities include camping, hiking, picnicking and photography. "Valley of Fires recreation area is located immediately adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow. Approximately 5,000 years ago, Little Black Peak erupted and flowed 44 miles into the Tularosa Basin, filling the basin with molten rock". The park is open all year and offers a full-scale visitor center with interpretive displays. I purchased an adorable embroidered bee hat, that I couldn't resist. It was a beautiful contrast between enjoying the white sands, the day before to the black of the volcanic rock. Equally beautiful in their own way.

We spent the next day at Bosque Del Apache. The refuge has a series of loops you can follow, giving you great views and access to the whole area. There was always something to see. We were able to see many species of birds, ducks and dragonflies. We watched two coyotes taking a nap in the field. Of course, we got to see snow geese and the sandhill cranes. The numbers were not very high because we were early in the migration season. We went to this park multiple times over our short trip and it’s a place I would definitely want to return to.

I spent the last day of the trip sick and in bed. I was unable to eat or do anything. Liz took off for the day and went out exploring and I was so glad she had a day to do that. We stayed at this cute Airbnb in a small town and the bed was super comfy. I didn't mind having a day to just go over all the pics I had taken and chill.

Without fail, every new trip I take, I feel more myself. There are always sleep challenges, anxiety issues and occasionally we get bad weather, but I’m here for all of it. I embrace my time from work and make the most of it. There’s just something about being somewhere you have never been that does my heart some good.

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Liz and I at White Sands on our last night.

Although I ended being sick most of the trip, we made such good use of our time. Being so close in proximity to the parks and having the right traveling partner always makes a trip worthwhile. I was able to check a new state as well as a new national park off of my life list and that’s always a good time for me. Until next time. Thanks for reading loves ❤️