Exploring the Vibrant Life of America’s Deserts in the Spring

Blooms, Birdsong, and Blue Waters—A Springtime Road Trip through the Southwest

By Oana Harrison

PUBLISHED in ROVA Magazine, March/April 2025 issue

The desert: dust, death, and desolation. Or at least that’s how I used to think about it before our springtime road trip to the Southwest. Eight months into a full-time RV year that my husband, David, and I had embarked upon, we headed west through Texas to New Mexico, Arizona, the California coast and back. Along the way, we discovered unique places in the Chihuahua, Sonora, Mojave, and Colorado Deserts. The Southwest offered incredible natural nuances, from shifting sand dunes to endless canyons, to lush oases and blue lakes. This landscape I’d once viewed as dead and quiet, the desert was teeming with life. And nothing prepared me for the intense orange-purple sunsets or the Technicolor desert in bloom.

Continue reading “Exploring the Vibrant Life of America’s Deserts in the Spring”

Snow and Sunsets in Albuquerque

Mid-April 2020, we followed Route 66, and found ourselves once again in New Mexico, just outside of Albuquerque. We drove past the billboard featuring a Route 66 postcard that marks the entrance to Enchanted Trails RV Park, and settled into our parking spot behind the now familiar vintage RVs.

Continue reading “Snow and Sunsets in Albuquerque”

Hidden Desert Gems: Elephant Butte and Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

The Chihuahua Desert holds a few surprises, among which hot springs, fishing opportunities, and quirky little towns such as Truth or Consequences.

Continue reading “Hidden Desert Gems: Elephant Butte and Truth or Consequences, New Mexico”

Santa Fe, New Mexico

A trip to New Mexico wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Santa Fe. Even in early spring, when the air is still chilly and many of the shops are still hibernating, the town has plenty to offer.

Continue reading “Santa Fe, New Mexico”

Things to See Around Albuquerque, New Mexico

When someone mentions Albuquerque, we might immediately picture colorful balloons floating into the October sky. However, there is more to the town than hot air: historic Route 66 runs through town, ancient petroglyphs adorn volcanic rocks over 17 miles in Petroglyph National Monument, and one can get a good look at Native American history and culture at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

Continue reading “Things to See Around Albuquerque, New Mexico”