Alan W. asked, "how is the weather in southern NM in Jan/Feb?"
January: We can get temps in the 70's to very cold indeed, in the 20s or even lower. Average I'd guess 60 for high and 30 for low. However, the Weather Channel has them as 57 and 26. It is just a little colder than December, can be our coldest month. A Las Cruces web page says average is 55/28. ?
February: We can get temps in the mid 70's to very cold indeed, in the mid 20s or even lower. Average I'd guess 65 for high and 34 for low. However, the Weather Channel has them as 62 and 30. Some years some fruit trees will start to bud, and then get hit by a freeze. Very flexible. Almost any month can be in New Mexico, especially winter and early spring. A Las Cruces web page says average is 63/31.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/gene...aph/88001?role=
Spring Wind is normally not a factor during this period, but March/April it can and normally is. But again one day can be as different as night and day here.
http://www.lascrucescvb.org/html/las_cruce...co_facts__.html
Las Cruces enjoys 350 days of sunshine a year. Temperatures in the summer months routinely reach the high 90s, with nighttime lows in the 60s. The
fall air is a bit cooler with daytime highs of mid 70s to low 80s. During the winter, when northern states are digging themselves out from under the snow, Las Cruces basks in daytime temperatures ranging from the upper 50s to lower 60s. As spring arrives in March and April, temperatures climb steadily from the low to high 80s. Las Cruces receives an average of 8.5 inches of rain per year and no more than two inches of snow in the winter.
Other Places to eat in Las Cruces:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseacti...54.cfm#23406354
Guadalupe Mountains National Park (
Guadalupe ) is located in far West Texas on U.S. Highway 62/180. The driving distance is 110 miles east of El Paso, Texas, or 56 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico. It is close enought to drive to Carlsbad Caverns
National Park from the campground as a day trip. One could also get to it from Van Horn, Texas off I-10.
Leasburg Dam
State Park near Las Cruces, nice desert camping above the Rio Grande if needing a different place to stay in the area.
Fort Selden State Monument is just next door as well.
Fort Selden History.
If you are looking for things New Mexico, just to the west of Las Cruces is Historic Old Mesilla. If you will be looking for Indian jewelry or other crafts, Mesilla may have better buys than up north, mostly the same stuff.
Old Mesilla

I do not like driving in El Paso. It seems semis have a tendency to flip over there a lot. Not sure why. If you are wanting quickest route, that would be it. If want more scenic route consider taking Exit 6 in Texas off I-10 on the way to El Paso TX, Route 375 (Transmountain Road); keep on Loop 375 all the way to I-10 to by-pass most of El Paso; or get off when you get to US 62; go east towards Carlsbad & Guadalupe Nat'l Park. You may go to Carlsbad or take TX 54 to Van Horn and back to I-10. Or just be very deligent and go through El Paso, we have many times and will again. It is the quickest shortest way.
However, another way to by-pass El Paso & I-10 to Van Horn all the way to Fort Stockton, take US 70 at Las Cruces to Alamogordo; then US 82 to Cloudcroft & on to Artesia; take US 285 to Carlsbad and on to Pecos TX and on to Fort Stockton TX. It is longer this way and slower going but you miss El Paso and the long boring road to Van Horn.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseacti.../1.cfm#23298113
You go by White Sands Nat'l Monument & through some of White Sands Missile Range and Aguirre Spring BLM Campground & Rec Area on US 70 from Las Cruces to Alamogordo.
http://www.casitaforum.com/invboard/index....pic=4265&hl
US 70 can be closed at time for short periods of time when missiles are fired, etc. but not too often. Local radio stations tell of road closures.
Balmorhea Off I-10 on the way to Ft Stockton from I-10/I-20 interchange or from Pecos on Hwy 17, Balmorhea State Park is located in the foothills of the Davis Mountains southwest of Balmorhea and nearby
Davis Mountains State Park (along with the famous
Big Bend Nat'l Park) are very nice places and one could spend a long time at each. Been to all except Davis, but it is nice areas, be sure to visit the old
Fort Davis a nice place to see.
Big Bend Park maybe not great for a summer trip, but very neat in the
fall, winter and spring.
Texas Hill Country Info:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseacti...96.cfm#23180896