How do I camp under the stars in New Mexico?

Question

Hi there. I'm looking to do some camping while on a one week trip through New Mexico. Seems a lot more fun to grab some time under the stars rather than spend each night in a motel.

My question: What's my best bet to comfortably sleep outside while in the southwest in August? I'd prefer to do it without a tent. Do I need a sleeping bag? Sleeping pad? No fear of the outdoors here, just never roughed it quite this thoroughly.

Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

It does get chilly overnight in NM, even in summer, especially on clear nights. You definitely need a pad to sleep on both to insulate your body and for comfort. If you're on a budget you can get a 24" x 72" "egg-crate" foam pad pretty cheaply -- I've even bought the ones you can use as a mattress topper from a discount store. If you can afford a little more, get a cloth-covered one from a camping store. On-line, CampMor's catalog has good deals. Take a small tarp or old shower curtain to put under it to keep it clean and dry. For a sleeping bag, either get an inexpensive light nylon bag with polyester fill or get one of the inexpensive polar-pile zippered bags AND a travel sheet liner (you can get these at CampMor or in places like Bed, Bath and Beyond.) The advantage of using the travel-sheet and polar-pile bag together is if you get too warm you can fold pack the pile and sleep under the sheet only.

Though it is great to sleep under the stars there is always the possibility of a shower and, more importantly, critters that will want to crawl in that nice warm bag with you (I don't want to scare you, but I woke up once in southern Utah to find a tiny scorpion had crawled in with me -- I was able to shoo him out and neither of us got hurt). I'd recommend getting a mosquito-netting backpacking type tent with a separate rain fly. I have one and it's nice to sleep out with the open sky but the protection of having the netting keeping the insects, ground squirrels and even tumbleweeds from landing on you. And if it starts to rain you can quickly clip on the rainfly. You can even get what's called a "bivy bag" which is a nylon sleeping bag cover that has like a mini tent of bug netting at the end around your head. CampMor has those as well. You could probably get everything you need for under $100. Here are links to examples of what I'm describing:

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=7581&memberId=12500226

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39293865&memberId=12500226


Have a great trip -- NM is a beautiful state.

Answer 2

Poor Watson all that work for nothing. Loved the joke!