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.

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!

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

I was driving by and saw the sign and I pulled in. I had never heard of it and I'm glad I did. I…read morewalked the loop and was amazed by the plants That had grown all around the lava flow

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Grindstone Lake was one of our favorite parts of visiting Ruidoso! I know there are other lakes…read morenearby, but this one is definitely a must-see. You pay per vehicle, and you can bring your own chairs, food, fishing gear, kayaks, or anything else you want for a fun day by the water. There are a few benches, but they fill up quickly, so I'd recommend bringing your own chairs. The inflatable water park was the highlight for our kids! Life jackets are provided, and they had an absolute blast. They couldn't stop talking about all the fun they had. There's also a restroom on-site, which made our visit even more convenient. We had such a great time and would absolutely come back!

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!