Gas Prices Got You Down? Stay Close to Home Instead
By Jose L. Medina, Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M.
May 26–Las Crucen Alice Mares took gas prices into consideration when she made her Memorial Day travel plans.
“Gas prices are high, so I can’t travel as far as I want,” said Mares who will be spending some of her holiday weekend in Anthony.
Although gas prices were down in recent weeks, some people, including Mares, are deciding that long-distance travel isn’t worth it.
The unofficial start to the summer travel season means some New Mexicans will be heading to some popular travel spots, both near and far.
According to AAA, New Mexicans will be heading to Disneyland, Las Vegas and Yellowstone among other locations.
But with gas prices at the current level and 70 percent of New Mexicans living within 40 miles of a state park, proximity might be the deciding factor for travel plans.
“Southern New Mexico is a great place to be this time of year,” said Erica Asmus-Otero, public information officer for the New Mexico State Parks Division.
Popular locations closer to home, such as Elephant Butte Lake State Park near Truth or Consequences and Aguirre Spring, east of Las Cruces, will be the popular locations if last year’s trend continues.
About 97,000 people visited Elephant Butte over Memorial Day weekend 2005. This year the park expects to get anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 people.
Reservations for the park’s designated camping areas are almost full but a spokeswoman said there is still plenty of room at the park’s primitive campsites.
“Elephant Butte is the largest and most visited park in New Mexico and is the second most popular place for Memorial Day weekend behind Albuquerque,” Asmus-Otero said.
“The draw is the fact that the beach is so spread out the park allows for primitive camping and there’s many types of activities allowed at the park, including boating, fishing” and personal watercraft, Asmus-Otero said.
Asmus-Otero said lake levels are unlikely to affect attendance at the park this weekend. She pointed to prior drought years in which park attendance remained high.
Mike Gibson, manager at Fun Country RV’s and Marine in Anthony, Texas, said there’s plenty of water in places like Elephant Butte or Caballo Lake.
“We’re super busy,” Gibson said of boat sales at his dealership.
Drought conditions mean fire restrictions will be in place at all 34 state parks. Fires and smoking is prohibited in state parks.
Elephant Butte will have a fire exception. Fires will be allowed within 150 feet of the shoreline.
“The Butte would be a good place. These girls,” Mares said, referring to her daughters, “are like fish. They love to swim.”
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