Yesterday was my first time at Elephant Butte state park. My friend had been there and invited me…read more I took my dog with me. We had a great time. It was super fun to swim. The views are beautiful!

Do not waste your money coming here unless you want to spend your family day stranded in the…read moreblazing sun. We paid the entry fee to take our kids and dogs to the lake, followed the main road, and immediately turned toward the water only to get violently stuck in deep, un-warned soft sand. We spent nearly an hour freaking out in the brutal heat, shoveling sand, and panicking with our kids and pets in the vehicle. When I called the park office for assistance? Absolute silence. Nobody answered, nobody was available to help. If it weren't for the sheer grace of a random Good Samaritan who stopped to shovel and pull us out, we would have been completely stranded. What makes this infuriating is the absolute lack of accountability and communication from the staff. The girl who checked us in and took our money didn't say a single word, offer a map, or give any warning about the driving conditions near the water. As a state park, it is incredibly irresponsible not to warn paying customers and New Mexico residents about these massive sand traps. Total safety hazard and zero customer service. Avoid this place.

We had an excellent trip with a great guide and caught tons of fish and will definitely be looking…read moreforward to coming back.

We had a blast with Frank! His boat and equipment are clean and top of the line…read more He took care of everything and worked hard to get us where the fish were. I highly recommend him - great service and wonderful experience! He definitely knows his stuff!

Beautiful place. Quite and peaceful. Great place to clear your mind . A good to stop on your way to…read morethe Cliff dwellings. Great place to go fishing, I haven't gone fishing in a while, I've always gone fishing on a beach with my dad so this is my first fishing in a lake. I love it cause it's a whole nother environment. It's more quiet, the water is still, being able to bring your canoe or kayak. Just a fun place to be at.

Great White Bass fishing. The lake is very shallow in the north end which makes it great for shore…read morefishing or even a kayak.

Not super clean but adequate for swimming in summer months. You can rent boats year round for…read morefishing and sight seeing. They have a mix of sandy and rocky beaches so during peak months you better get there early to snag a good spot to set up! The drive is only 90 minutes from El Paso making it the shortest distance to water! Overall enjoyable and we will be back every year without a doubt.

We were in a motorhome with electric and water hookups, spaces between each site are wide and…read moreroomy, clean bathrooms and showers, so quite and peaceful lots of walking trails and birds even saw pelicans! Great place for families with children or just sitting outside and enjoying doing nothing the camp hosts Kathy and Billy were fantastic we are definitely putting this on our coming list

This is a gorgeous state Park with very nice large sites. We are in Palomino Loop which is high and…read moreoverlooks Caballo Lake. There are hiking trails all over, a boat launch, and beach areas on the water. We will be kayaking once the sun comes back out. Will definitely stay here again.

My family rented kayaks and paddle boards all summer at Zia. Every time we went inside, the staff…read morewas professional and friendly. We will be back next year! Thank you!!

We rented two kayaks at 11 am and they told us an all-day rental means 24 hours ($29.95 each--a…read moregreat price) and allowed us to leave the kayaks on their property overnight and then even opened early so we could take them out again and even allowed us to change one of the kayaks for a stand-up paddleboard! They were so very helpful and friendly, I can't praise them enough!

I went for ham radio to operate from the park in an event we call POTA - parks on the air. This is…read morea fabulous place to visit and see nature at its pristine natural condition.

Amazing trip! We arrived on a Sat. around 3pm, in time for a walk around the arboretum, golden hour…read moreon the marsh boardwalk, and a drive around the south loop. Within hours, we'd already seen so many critters, but by end of the following day, we'd counted 46 different species! Bring your binoculars. Get up early and arrive 45-60m before sunrise (it's worthwhile), especially in the summer when so many of the animals hide from the sun. Really impressive birding. The vermillion flycatcher was my favorite, and my husband's was the great horned owl. Drive slow, so you don't miss a thing!

A state park we visited for the day in New Mexico during our stay at Rockhound State Park…read more It has full hookup sites as well as a day use area. It is on the site of an area where several million years ago, a volcanic eruption threw numerous large boulders on to the landscape. The park has driving areas and hiking trails around and between these boulders. We spent several hours waking through and had lunch in the park at the picnic area. We had a good time exploring the park and recommend a visit if you're in the area.

Great little park. The visitor's center is interesting and the city of rocks itself is a really…read morefun place for kids and adults alike to hike, climb and explore. In between the rocks are plenty of oak trees and shady spots where you can get out of the sun. There are plenty of beautiful views as well. I can tell it'll also have good dark sky viewing but didn't get to that on my visit.

Great time tubing down the river. My wife and I had a great time. Saw wildlife, birds, and finished…read moreso relaxed. It is a river so be prepared to navigate using common sense. David our tour guide checked us in and helped us to get in the water onto our tubes. Great time!

I went on three different expeditions with this company. The first, a trip from Radium Springs to…read moreLa LloronaParkk on the river ,which I would not recommend. That stretch of river is very hot and has a lot of bugs and no shade. It was 100F out, as it often is in June, and when we reached the pull-out, we were unable to get hold of the guy to pick us up and had to call a friend to take us back to our car! The owner, David, literally said he had fallen asleep. Giving the company another chance, the second expedition was a float on Caballo Lake, with storytelling, in the evening. That was ok, although we didn't stay for the campfire afterward. The third time we went with the outfitter, we were just doing a float from La Llorona Park to the Calle del Norte bridge, at the end of which, it was impossible to steer toward the take-out, we had to get out of our tubes to not continue floating downstream, it was very hard to get my footing, I lost my inflatable water bottle, and I would never feel comfortable traveling with this outfitter again. People drown in the river--the current can be more challenging than you think.

This little park area is so adorable and definitely worth a visit. There is aa lIttle lake for…read morefishing with lots of ducks. The lake is stocked with fish for people to catch. There's also a small island with a bridge so you can walk out onto the island. ( must have Nm fishing license). There's a camping area and a very nice playground for the kiddos too. This area seems to be pet friendly as well.