By
Carol Main of
the Desert Journal
Travelers
and vacationers in Sierra County have many beautiful recreational vehicle
(RV) parks to choose from and several of them are just south of Truth or
Consequences on scenic New Mexico Highway 187.
The
Lakeview RV Park, owned by Jim and Beverly Goton, sits at the intersection
of NM 187 and NM 152 at the 63 exit of Interstate 25 South.
In
addition to 31 full service RV hookups, the Gotons also have two cabins
and four tent sites, with every site having a beautiful view of the
Caballo Mountains and Lake.
The
Gotons took over their location from KOA Campgrounds just one and a half
years ago and have already built a large laundry room and completely
remodeled the restrooms, an investment that is finally paying off. They
also paved their parking lot after installing new underground gasoline
storage tanks.
“We
got rid of the KOA franchise as fast as we could,” Jim Goton said,
``because their annual fee was $5,900 and then they took 10 percent of
gross income on top of that, and did nothing for us in return. We are
better off on our own."
“Many
of our visitors this year,” Beverly Goton said, ``are returning from
last year, and several of them brought more people with them.”
“We
do not have just one season like some RV parks that are dependent on
winter visitors alone. We stay about half full all year. And we try to
stock a little of everything in the store and our gas and propane sales
help too," she said.
Jim
said they are trying to negotiate with the federal and state governments
for free access for their visitors to the lake’0s beaches, because the
Gotons own 99.57 feet of land toward the lake east of NM 187.
“Since
we own the land on both sides of the highway,” Jim said, ``we want free
access for our guests but neither the Bureau of Reclamation or the state
will talk to us.”
On
south of NM 152 on NM 187 is Lil' Abners Store and RV Park two miles north
of the Caballo Lake State Park entrance.
Owner
Julie Heavner said, “My RV park business is steady but a little better
during the summer months and I have tremendous local support that gets me
through the cold winter months. We all help each other out here.”
“I
don't have a laundry room because Jim and Bev built such a marvelous one.
And they have gas and propane so I try to provide a little of everything
else. I sell fishing and hunting licenses and lottery tickets and have the
movie rentals and sell live bait and fishing tackle as well as
groceries," she said.
Heavner
has been in business for five years and said constant store expansion must
come before other considerations.
“I
open early and close late,” Heavner said, ``364 days a year, and a lot
of people stop here for live bait before going out on the lakes."
Heavner
also provides notary, fax and ATM services along with 14 RV spaces, 12 of
them with full service hookups, surrounded by junior growth cyprus and
pine trees.
C.J.
Ellis' Caballo Lake RV Park is south of Lil' Abners on the lakeside of NM
187, and is spotless with 10 full service hookups and many dry camp sites.
Regina
Keech and Sherrod McCaughren share 24-hour camp host duties here, and
Regina said, “We just planted several pine trees last year that are
coming along fine.”
Ellis
has a new concrete slab on which she is ready to build shower facilities
and has been steadily improving the grounds since she bought the house and
bare land five years ago.
“We
also have a guest house,” Keech said, “that we rent out by the night
or for a weekend, and we welcome pets. There are several trails down to
the beach that our people really enjoy.”
Keech
said Ellis does not plan to build a laundry room either, “because
Lakeview has such a great one and many of our people go there.”
Old
growth trees that provide shade for RVs are something that owners Angela
and David Hicks already have on their Eastview RV Park, one mile north of
the Caballo Lake State Park entrance on NM 187.
“Some of our 18 full
service hookup sites,” Angela said, “have shade and some don't. We
provide extra large spaces, with boat and RV storage available too, and we
even have a basketball hoop for evening fun. We have future plans to build
a laundry room and showers.”
David
and Angela have owned the property for five years and Angela said they are
busy all year.
Overnight,
weekly, and monthly rates vary among the four parks from a low of $5 a
night for a dry camp at Caballo Lake State Park ranging up to a high of
$150 a month for a full service hookup space at Lil' Abners.
Some
parks provide electricity for the fee they charge, and others charge extra
for it.
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