I discovered Elephant Butte because of driving back to Tucson, AZ from Albuquerque, NM…read more We decided to stop by even with the pups and was pleasantly surprised. This lake is actually quite large with lots of camping areas on and off the beach. You just pay the small fee and can drive anywhere your car allows. They have port a potties located on the beach and more areas off the beach with restrooms. They also have a large boat section. "Elephant Butte Lake can accommodate watercraft of many styles and sizes: kayaks, jet skis, pontoons, sailboats, ski boats, cruisers, and houseboats." - http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/spd/elephantbuttelakestatepark.html If you're traveling or want to travel I would recommend this place because it does look very nice for a weekend get a way or even just a day pass.

This is the camp attached to the dam area. plenty of…read moreparking and clean restrooms and portables I didn't see any water fountains. i attached a pic of water level 5 years ago.

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

Frank is the ultimate fishing guide! You don't go fishing with Frank, you go catching! Just had my…read morefourth fishing experience with Frank. He never disappoints. He knows the lake like his own backyard. Frank is a great teacher as well. My wife is feeling much more confident and therefore having a more enjoyable time fishing because of Frank. We always feel valued and we'll taken care of. He provides a very clean and safe adventure on Elephant Butte Lake.

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!

in New Mexico i've visited the site on February twenty first and twenty second of this year , 2026…read more Established in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico was created to protect, restore, and provide a vital migratory stopover for sandhill cranes, geese, and ducks. Spanning 57,331 acres (30 000 are wilderness), the area has a deep history, having been a home to the Piro people and later named for the Apache tribes that used the riverside forest. The name means "woodland of the Apache" in Spanish, acknowledging the region's historical use by Prior to the 1600s, the Piro people lived in the area, with archeological sites like Qualu indicating substantial early settlements. The area was part of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal Road of the Interior Land), with Spanish caravans passing through the vicinity. It's not too far from the Salinas missions. The refuge was officially established in 1939 to conserve migratory birds, particularly after populations had dwindled due to habitat loss. It is famous for playing a critical role in the recovery of the sandhill crane population and serves as a winter home for thousands of waterfowl. It has become an income producer for the hotels. RV's parks and restaurants in the area. It helps rural New Mexico, like many parks in the country, help rural areas. Rep. Vasquez, a New Mexico Congressman stated the consequences of the cancellation of the annual Festival of the Cranes, a major cultural and economic event that typically brings $2 to $3 million in revenue to Socorro County and contributes to the refuge's broader $15.8 to $17 million annual economic impact to the rural area. Like most parks , it's hanging on having had its funding gutted by the recent federal government. Sadly , it's going from forty five staff to ten , which includes several volunteers. There's only two staff assigned to the water management of the wetlands now. They've been able to keep the Visitor Center open with volunteers and a staff member. as it helps provide information and some income from souvenirs. Quite frankly , it almost makes me weep with the amount of intentional destruction that the federal government caused. That's my opinion and I hope and pray that they'll survive to have some funding restored.

The park can see lot of snow geese and sandhill cranes. But at 7am, the temperature only 21degree…read more If you like to watching or taking pictures, you will not be disappointed in here. It is a good place to watch migration. Birds in February.

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.

This place ROCKS! Camping here has to be awesome, especially at night when you can see all the…read morestars. But the best part, especially for kids, is the unique rock formations. There's so much to explore and climb on. My kids could've spent hours there. We took some epic pictures. Drive around the place before you decide to park and choose a spot.

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.

As new residents of Las Cruces, we decided to spend New Years at the Old Dona Ana Courthouse. It…read morewas a haunted tour . So much fun! Great stories and good times

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.