One of my favorite things about RV life is watching the scenery change right outside our windshield. New roads, new states, new places to call "home" for a few nights… and this stretch of our trip, from Benson, Arizona to White Sands, New Mexico, was one of those legs that reminded me exactly why we chose this lifestyle.
There's something about hitching up, hitting the road, and not knowing exactly what the next incredible place is going to look like until you're standing in it.
Benson, Arizona: an underrated home base
Benson doesn't always make the top of Arizona bucket lists, but it should get more credit as a road-trip stop. It's a great home base for exploring Tombstone and Kartchner Caverns State Park, and the Benson KOA sits right off I-10, which makes it an easy, low-stress overnight (or multi-night) stop if you're passing through southern Arizona.
We used it as our base to explore both Kartchner Caverns and Old Tombstone, and the desert sunsets from camp were some of the best of the whole trip. Wide-open Arizona skies really are hard to beat.
White Sands National Park: it genuinely looks like another planet
From Benson, the drive to Alamogordo, New Mexico and White Sands National Park is one of those legs where the scenery just keeps getting stranger and more beautiful. Miles and miles of bright white dunes, ringed by New Mexico mountains… it's honestly hard to process that it's real until you're standing in it.
A few things that surprised us about White Sands:
- It's not actually sand — it's gypsum. White Sands is home to the largest gypsum dune field in the world, covering roughly 275 square miles.
- It stays surprisingly cool underfoot. Unlike regular sand, gypsum doesn't absorb heat the same way, so the dunes can stay cooler even on a hot day. (A local told us it's cool enough that it can genuinely feel like snow.)
- The dunes are always moving. Wind constantly reshapes the landscape, so no two visits look quite the same.
- You can sled down them. Yes, you read that right, actual sledding, on gypsum dunes, in the desert. Bring a plastic sled (sold at the visitor center) if you want to try it.
- It became a National Park in 2019, after decades as a National Monument.
Photos genuinely do not do this place justice. It's one you have to see in person. Videos don’t hurt! Check out the videos below for a peek.
A few extra tips from other RVers and locals
If you're basing yourself in Alamogordo to see White Sands, a couple of nearby stops are worth working into your route:
- Cloudcroft, NM — a cute little mountain town about 30 minutes north of Alamogordo, a nice cooler-weather contrast to the desert floor.
- Pistachioland — a few minutes north of Alamogordo, and exactly as fun as it sounds if you like pistachios (or giant roadside pistachio statues).
- Alamogordo is a military town, home to a lot of testing and research activity in the area, which adds an interesting layer to the region's history if you're curious.
The honest answer to "how do you afford the gas for all this traveling?"
This is genuinely one of the questions we get asked the most, and it's a fair one, fuel isn't cheap, especially towing a fifth wheel across multiple states. Our honest answer: we saved up for this specifically. Full-time (or even part-time) RV travel isn't free, and budgeting for fuel, campground fees, and maintenance ahead of time made a huge difference in actually enjoying the trip instead of stressing about it. We're already saving toward the next stretch, which will take us toward Florida.
Home is wherever we park it
Giving up a traditional home for RV life was a big change. Less stuff, more experiences. More sunsets, more new places, more freedom to hitch up and ask "where to next?" This lifestyle isn't always perfect, no lifestyle is, but we'll take the open road, the changing views, and the freedom to explore over the alternative any day.
We didn't give up a home. We just made the whole country our backyard.
Thinking about planning your own southwest road trip, or want help booking a getaway of your own? Message me on Facebook or reach out here — I'd love to help.
Helpful references: Alamogordo area attractions near White Sands, White Sands National Park visitor tips
