New Mexico

Bandera Volcano

From the 50 State Visitor Guide:

N.M. Stat. Ann. 2019  §§29-11A-1 through 29-11A-10

N.M.A.C. §1.18.790.157

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

5 business days for initial registration & updates. §29-11A-4.

State law requires “sex offenders” to register, which includes one who: (1) establishes a residence [not defined] in NM; (2) “stays in multiple locations in NM,” or (3) is enrolled in a NM school, or (4) is employed in NM for more than 14 days or an aggregate period exceeding 30 days in a calendar year. §29-11A-3.

Visitors: NM State Police say: “If convicted prior to July 1, 2013 you will need to register if in the state of New Mexico for longer than ten (10) days. You will need to register within five (5) days if convicted after July 1, 2013.” §29-11A-4 says business days.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

State pre-emption: Cities, counties & other political subdivisions are prohibited from adopting any ordinance, rule, regulation, resolution or statute on sex offender registration and notification and from imposing any other restrictions on sex offenders that are not included in the state SOR Act. §29-11A-9.

Duration & updates:

10 years to life. Updates are every 6 mo. or every 90 days depending on offense. §29-11A-4.

Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument

Most recent visit: October 2023

If your conviction was prior to July 1, 2013 New Mexico will require you to register if in the state for longer than ten days. However, if (like me) your conviction was after July 1, 2013 you only get five days. Two pieces of good news: N.M. Stat. §29-11A-4 says that either way, it’s business days. Also, there appears to be no limit per month or year, so you can leave the state for one complete calendar day (including the two nights on either side of that day, and making sure to keep your receipts to prove your whereabouts) and restart the clock again when you return.

One other piece of very good news is that not only does New Mexico have no statewide presence or residency restrictions, it is also one of seven states that statutorily pre-empt local governments from adopting any ordinance or regulation more restrictive than state law. So you can travel in New Mexico without fear of unknowingly tripping over some local land mine.

In October 2023 I was on my way to the annual ACSOL Conference and took the opportunity to see some parts of this state I’d never visited before.  I was in the state for parts of three days, entering on a Saturday and leaving on a Monday which so happened to be Indigenous Peoples Day (a.k.a. Columbus Day), so I was in New Mexico for zero business days and never actually started their five business day clock toward a registration requirement.

Entering about mid-morning of Day 1 from Colorado on I-25, I quickly ditched the interstate highway to explore New Mexico’s rugged north country on U.S. 64.  Passed by Philmont Scout Ranch where I had lead a group of teens on a backpacking adventure a lifetime ago.  Did not hear any hum in Taos.  Took a few side trips to peak at Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument, Bandelier National Monument and Valle Grande National Preserve.  All worthwhile places to visit – maybe I’ll stay longer next time.  

Church in San Ildefonso Pueblo

Another interesting stop late on Day 1 was San Ildefonso Pueblo.  As a rule, I have found that the people of the indigenous pueblos of the Southwest would much rather be left alone, but they know that tourists want to gawk at their pueblos, especially an authentic place like San Ildefonso.  The people here have put a Visitor Center at the entrance to their pueblo (closed that afternoon on account of a traditional ceremony) and have established a short driving tour you’re allowed to take as long as you stay the heck out of the rest of their community. Very interesting!  

Spent the night in Los Alamos (the town, not the military base).

Chaco Culture National Historic Park

On Day 2 my main adventure was Chaco Culture National Park. I entered from the north from U.S. 550. Peering down the dirt County Road 7900 I thought, this is an official county road leading to a national park – surely it’s well maintained, right?  And it was – until it wasn’t!!  After that you and your car’s suspension are on your own!  This just illustrates how neither the Navajo Nation nor any other local government has no particular interest in whether you can get to Chaco Canyon or not.  

Ancient communal dwelling a Chaco Canyon

But just when I was sure my car was a goner I passed the park entry monument and Tadahhh !! everything inside the park is nicely paved.  Later on, leaving by the south (CR 14) was also dirt, longer but a much easier ride – although it had its moments.  I was told that these road conditions can vary widely from year to year and season to season.  Just be ready for anything.

However, the park itself is truly spectacular.  The canyon is beautiful, and the ancient pueblos and kivas are among the best preserved you’ll see anywhere.  Even I who have no military experience could see that the three main pueblos are strategically located so that, between them, the entire canyon could be well defended and the Anasazi could see any unwanted visitors approaching.

Ancient Kiva at Chaco Culture National Historic Park

That night I camped that night at El Malpais (“The Badlands”) National Monument before taking a tour of its wonders the next morning, Day 3 of my tour of New Mexico.  That morning I also stopped at Bandera Ice Caves & Volcano, a private attraction that’s really worth the stop, and El Morro (“The Headwaters”) National Monument which has petroglyphs, a pueblo & kiva, and the graffiti of early Spanish explorers.

Zuni Pueblo

As I was departing New Mexico on State Road 53 I decided to stop in Zuni Pueblo, the largest town of the Zuni Nation.  It so happened this was on Indigenous Peoples Day (a.k.a. Columbus Day) and I was feeling guilty about wandering down the side streets of Zuni Pueblo on a day when the people would want more than anything not to be reminded of Europeans’ existence.  There is a small visitors center but guess what?  Appropriately enough, it was closed for Indigenous Peoples Day!

If you want to gawk at reservation poverty it would be hard to pick a better pueblo to do that than Zuni Pueblo.  Unlike San Ildefonso Pueblo which I had visited two days earlier (see my New Mexico post) there was no auto tour posted outside the visitor center, and there was almost no adobe architecture, authentic or not.  Instead it’s mostly run down shacks and mobile homes.  I didn’t take any pictures. By noon I was crossing the state line into Arizona.

Previous visit: October 2021

When I entered New Mexico from Texas in October 2021 I had a reservation for a tour at Carlsbad Caverns.  Technically, you are required to have such an advance reservation, but on the shoulder season day I arrived it wasn’t booked up so I could’ve bought the $1.00 ticket at the counter.

Wow!  Best. Cavern. Ever! Just go, and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Carlsbad caverns

From Carlsbad I traveled west on U.S. 82 & U.S. 70, which took me through Lincoln National Forest and past White Sands National Monument (both very beautiful in their own ways and well worth a stop) but unfortunately I couldn’t figure out how to get to Organ Mountains Nat. Mon. from any direction. Is that deliberate? The peaks sure look spectacular from I-10.

  Wyoming

Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis

From the 50 State Visitor Guide :

Wyo. Stat. 2021 §§7-19-301 through 7-19-320

AWA Compliant

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

Three business days for initial registration and updates, including temporary trips and vacations. “Temporary residence” includes hotels, motels, camping areas & parks. §7-19-301(xi)(C).

Visitors must register within 3 business days. §7-19-302(c)(iv).

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Residence restriction: Adults “who are required to register … pursuant to §7-19-302” may not reside within 1,000 ft. from schools. §6-2-320.

Presence restrictions:  Adults “who are required to register … pursuant to §7-19-302” may not enter school grounds if s/he “has reason to believe children … are present and are involved in school activity or when children are present within 30 minutes before or after scheduled school activity” and may not “knowingly loiter on a public way within 1,000 feet from the property line of school grounds.” Various exceptions apply. §6-2-320.

NOTE: Because §6-2-320 says these restrictions apply to adults “who are required to register … pursuant to §7-19-302”, and visitors in state for less than three business days are not required to register, such visitors would, in theory, not be subject to these restrictions.  However, this theory remains untested.

Duration & updates:

Lifetime; petitions for removal available. §7-19-304.  Updates: §7-19-302.

Trilobite Mass Death at Wyoming Dinosaur Center

Most recent visit: September 2023

Wyoming is yet another one of those states where visitors are required to register within three business days.  Partial days count and the third day triggers your obligation to register, so make the most of the two business days you actually get here.  The silver lining is, if you enter the state on Friday morning and include a weekend, you can be in Wyoming for four days.

Also, Wyoming has no limitations on the number of return visits per month or year.  This is an important consideration for registered visitors because it means that if you leave the state for at least two nights and one day (so that the intervening day can’t be counted against you as a “partial day”) you can return and restart the clock.  You can leave Wyoming late on Monday, spend Tuesday to Thursday somewhere else, then return for another extended weekend in Wyoming.

As noted above, because Wyoming’s law explicitly says that its residency and presence restrictions only apply to adults “who are required to register … pursuant to §7-19-302”, and visitors in state for less than three business days are not required to register, such visitors would, in theory, not be subject to these restrictions.  

However, this theory remains untested and I’m not going to be the one to test it.  My advice is to act like these restrictions apply to you anyway while in Wyoming just in case.  Fortunately all of Wyoming’s restrictions involve schools, which are relatively easy to stay away from unless your son has invited you to attend your granddaughter’s middle school graduation.  Then you’re screwed.

Grand Tetons National Park

Grand Teton National Park

In September 2023 I was in Wyoming for parts of three consecutive days, but because that third day when I was out before 8:30 am was a Saturday I was in compliance with state law no matter how harshly you interpret it.

I entered Wyoming from Idaho early on Day 1 on State Road 22.  My plan was to spend the morning at Grand Teton National Park, which I knew from a 2015 visit wouldn’t be nearly enough time to see it all.  Nevertheless I got many fine photos of the mountains, gawked with a crowd watching a few moose frolicking in the water of the Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve, and walked the Lakeshore Nature Trail near the Colter Bay Visitor Center.  

As rushed as my time at Grand Teton was, I was still running behind my planned schedule by the time I was heading east on U.S. 26.  I had thought I could make it to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center and Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis before they closed for the day but it soon became obvious that wasn’t going to happen, so I stopped in the dumpy little town of Shoshoni where I spent the night at its nice new town RV park.

Wind Canyon - a Wyoming must-see

Wind Canyon

My revised plan to see Thermopolis in the morning turned out to be a much better idea.  On my 2015 trip to Wyoming I had entered Thermopolis from the north, made a quick hit at the Dinosaur Center and zoomed off toward Yellowstone without seeing the Hot Springs – which are amazing.

Furthermore, because I was approaching Thermopolis from the south this time I drove, both coming and going, through Wind Canyon on U.S. 20.  What? I hear you say – Wind Canyon? Never heard of it!  I hadn’t either but it’s absolutely breathtaking!  It’s also contained entirely within Boysen State Park and the Wind River Arapahoe and Shoshone Reservation, so it’s completely protected.

At one of the scenic overlooks on my return trip through the canyon I happened to meet a geologist who was there making videos to use in his university classes.  He couldn’t stop gushing about how important this canyon is, how its exposed rock layers show the geologic history of the region, etc. etc.  And yet this canyon isn’t on anybody’s map.  I mused that the tribes must consider this canyon sacred and would rather keep tourists away but he said Nope!  The Arapahoe and Shoshone tribes were both dragged here from somewhere else, the canyon is not sacred, these two tribes are not exactly bff’s and live uneasily together on the reservation.

To which I say:  Dudes!  If the canyon isn’t sacred, stop bickering and start monetizing it – there is a lot of tourist money to be made here!  Turn most of the scenic pull-offs into “fee areas” and create canyon nature trails to justify the fees.  Run canyon tours like the Navajo do at Antelope Canyon, and be sure to include a side trip to Sacajawea’s grave which is right on your reservation.  The Museum of the American West and the National Bighorn Sheep Center are also nearby.  But don’t stop there – set up a “historic train ride” on the railroad that already goes straight through the canyon.  Be sure to offer tours of the Dinosaur Center and the Hot Springs (for an extra fee of course) while the train is waiting in Thermopolis.

And last but not least, you need to get this set up on your reservation before those greedy white men up in Thermopolis steel this idea.  There is a lot of money to be made here, and a lot of jobs for your people.  But unfortunately I’m quite sure no enrolled tribal member of the Wind River Reservation will ever even read this little travel blog, never mind act on it.

Ayer's Natural Bridge

Anyway, from Wind Canyon I proceeded east on U.S. 20 and I-25, stopping to take in Hell’s Half Acre (which is actually 320 acres) and Ayer’s Natural Bridge on my way to my planned campground in Medicine Bow National Forest.  That campground turned out to be waaaaaaay more remote than it looked on the map, but it was also completely empty so I had the whole place to myself.

The next morning I got an early start and zoomed out of Wyoming.  I made it home to eastern Iowa by that night.