Carlsbad KOA is Tops in Washrooms

It's not often that a campground is noted by the quality of its washrooms, but this is definitely the case with the Carlsbad KOA. But then, perhaps, no other washrooms have had the loving care and design as provided by Connie Manthei. The site of the campground was a New Mexico high plains farm, growing grain and cotton. When Connie and Don Manthei decided to create a campground they put together the best of the ideas they had gleaned from several years RVing and decided to make their campground the best that they could build.

Connie designed the kind of washroom she would like to have seen on her travels. The walls are tiled colours and patterns with an attractive border, a striking desert scene above eye level. In the lady's side, the room has a divider and on one side is a handy counter with mirrors and plugs, just opposite the showers, so that you can do your hair and not be leaning over a sink. The showers have a heat lamp over the dressing area to add that bit of warmth when needed. A counter containing sinks is on the opposite side of the divider opposite the toilets. The design of the washroom is only one of the factors that gave the Carlsbad KOA a 10+ rating in Trailer Life Magazine.

Carlsbad KOA has other factors that make it a leading campground such as the spacious layout of the campsites. All sites are level, long and separated from the neighbours by a wide strip of lawn so that you are not looking into the window of the next RV when the campground is full. The area is quiet because it is built away from the highway. At night the stars are really bright. Inside the main building is a large community room for TV watching and parties.

This area has some major attractions too. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is probably the best known. Travelers from all over the world come to visit the park and go underground into some of the largest caves in the United States.

Heading south toward Texas is the massive outcrop of rock that makes up the Guadalupe Mountains. North is the town of Artesia which was named for the artesian wells. Not much pressure is left in the aquifer because of the number of wells drawing from it. A highway leads west from here, slowly rising to the Sacramento Mountains and over a pass at Cloudcroft at 8650 feet. These mountains are likely the recharge area for Artesia's aquifer. For several miles the road crosses very dull scenery until it climbs into the beautiful treed area of the mountains. This is a pleasant drive if you are heading farther west.

Farther north is the town of Roswell which contains a small museum containing clippings and handwritten notes about the night the space ship crashed spreading debris and aliens across the desert some 70 miles northwest of town.

All in all, the Carlsbad area is a good place to stay while you spend some time exploring.