This is my favorite place ever, In all of New Mexico -…read moreBirds Water Dog friendly And the Rio, Rio, Rio

I spent a week in New Mexico recently and I took a couple of hours to hike the Mesa View Trail…read more While the Visitor Center was closed, it was still staffed and a magenta-coiffed young woman was very helpful. The hummingbird feeders at the Visitor Center attracted numerous colorful hummingbirds. The Mesa View Trail was a moderate hike for me, but there are a couple steep inclines, including one with steps recently charred by a "controlled" burn. The views are spectacular. A recent rain had the wildflowers blooming. I highly recommend visiting Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge and hiking the Mesa View Trail.

San Lorenzo Canyon near Lemitar, NM. To get there, take…read moreI-25, if going north from Socorro, exit 156 to Lemitar, at the stop sign, turn left and go under I-25, then turn right on the frontage road. On Google map, search for Bee Chama Honey, go north toward it, once pass Bee Chama Honey, keep going north till the end of the road, turn left onto dirt road, you will then see the San Lorenzo Canyon sign. Follow the sign until about 4.5 mi later, you will see a big brown sign, turn right and it will take you into the canyon driving trail. Enjoy!

A great day trip to explore some interesting rock formations and a small spring that has the…read morepotential for seeing wildlife. You may have to ask the locals in order to find it but as you get closer there are signs.

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.

Still beautiful no matter the season. Must go if in the area. PAW approved on every levelread more

Absolutely gorgeous!!…read more - Difficulty level: easy-moderate - Pet friendly - Benches to sit periodically - mix of walking and incline/descent hiking - waterfalls

An outstanding experience in the middle of the 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest. This was my…read morefifth time at the ranch and I have already booked for a return trip for their opening week in 2023. Comfortable cabins, excellent food, well taken care of horses and super friendly and safety conscious owners and employees. If you want quiet and a great vacation - give Geronimo a try.

My husband and I went to the Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch because an acquaintance raved about the…read moreranch. We had an awesome time. Everyone at the ranch was very accommodating, the food was excellent and our cabin was nice and cozy. The scenery was beautiful and Maris and Seth explained the history. I hope to go back again soon.

Prior to reaching the Valley of Fires Recreation Area near Carrizozo, NM, we sat in traffic for…read moreabout a half hour due to heavy law enforcement presence due to what? I never found out. We stopped only for a moment to view the black lava flow that covered vast amounts of the surrounding area. It's fascinating. There were quite a lot of RV campers at the sites. Here's a quick overview I compiled: + camp host on-site + 20 RV campsites have 30 and 50 amp electrical hookups and water hookups + the above includes 2 RV sites that are accessible + group shelters + picnic shelters + tables + trashcans + BBQ grills + restrooms (also with accessibility) + showers (non-campers may use these for a fee of $6) + RV dump station + leashed dogs allowed + 3/4 mile Malpais Nature Trail "offers a close-up look of the lava surface." + visitor center, bookstore & gift shop available Hopefully someday sooner than later I'll be back to exhaustively explore this remote side of New Mexico. Works Cited https://www.blm.gov/visit/valley-fires-recreation-area

Nice camp area if you're passing through or wanting to stay away from the cities, but still near…read moreattractions in the area. Spaces for big RVs, and even solo tent spots at the very end. RV spots have water and electricity and a few also have tent pads. Reservation can be made online at recreation.gov, but a few spots are first come first serve. (See pic for FF spots) 3 vault toilets in the area, but they also have 1 main shower and restroom facility. The showers or free, but only for paying visitors. They also have a ramp that leads down into the lava flow. They actually built a trail that's handicap accessible all the way into the lava flow with some very old and faded descriptions as you go along. It's a pretty cool thing to enjoy and see but definitely go early in the day as it gets very hot and by the middle of the morning already. Park fees are $3 for single rider, $5 for full vehicle $6 for shower use. Camping fees are $19 for spots with electric and water, $12 for water only, and $7 for a tent spot. Current (Sept 2024) host is Daniel and he's a nice guy.

The whole area is lovely. The plaza itself is a green oasis. A nice shady place to while away an…read moreafternoon. It is well cared for and the flowering plants are so welcome. The farmers market on Saturday is well attended and a great resource for fresh fruits and veggies. Often, there are ceramic and other crafts available. Socorrofest is held here in the fall. That is a great party! And adjacent to the plaza is the Heritage wheel and park. Lovely and informative!

It's a cute little closet full of good information nice place to take the kids to play and spend a…read morelittle bit a time. I wouldn't let the kids be there by themselves some sketchy character for in the area. But with proper adult supervision I don't really see an issue. On our furniture sketchy characters someone had pulled up and was watching my kids play I didn't appreciate that I don't even know who this person was when I started staring back at them they proceeded to drive off.

We have been coming here for years and never have we ever been treated like we did this past…read moreweekend by the camp hosts. We had called and spoke to the owner to see if we could check in a bit early and be was completely ok with it. When we got there the camp host was extremely rude saying we were there too early being that no one was in our spot and there were so many other empty spots available. we then had our campfire on and eight at 10 she came and advised it was quiet time and the fire needed to be turned off due to "county law" which is complete BS mind you we were not even loud we were just hanging out and there are zero rules staring that fires need to be out at 10. The next night she again came rudely 3 minutes past 10 when we were already putting our fire out stating "REALLY 2 NIGHTS IN A ROW!!" we said we are putting our fire out and she said "well get your clocks fixed to be on time". we pay a lot of money to enjoy our time there. I feel the owner needs to look into this because the campground was not as full as it usually is and they may be running people out with that unnecessary attitude and rudeness.

I went camping here years ago with friends. We weren't smart and got in after dark and had a heck…read moreof a time trying to put tents up. There are some nice hiking areas around here.

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 came out yesterday, and had a wonderful time. So much so, that we came out again today! ‍…read more Bring shade! A tent, umbrella, some type of protection from the hot sun, because it is !! Parking is $10, by reservation only, on the weekends, and Monday-Thursday is first come first served, but also $10. If you have an established residence, second home, it's $10 for the entire season. Ignore the ticket taker's attitude as you drive in. We have been here three times, morning, and evening, and she's always here! Lol! She is extremely rude! She evidently hates her job because she is unfriendly and grills everyone to the third degree! Like I said, ignore her, and have fun! Registration is online at the Ruidoso Parks and Recreation website. The water park, known as The Wibit, is $20. This is a main attraction for family-fun. Life vests are required at all times while swimming, and using the water park, but they rent you one as part of the $20. Food and drinks are allowed, but of course, no alcohol is ever permitted. We most definitely will be returning, and highly recommend it!

Even though the wind harshed my picnic, making me retreat to inside my car to finish, still…read morefantastic.