Best part was the falls. Otherwise windy, unsteady terrain with mid views of a lot of brownread more

Couldn't check in because of lack of phone internet, then said I was too far away to check in. A…read morebeautiful drive to the park but watch for the range free cattle near the roads. A whole day can be spent here with the sites and the swimming pools at bottom of falls. There's also some great covered picnic sites with a grill and plenty of tables. To park at the falls lot is $5 and it's self service so have correct amount.

I'm always impressed at the lengths NPS goes to accommodate all visitors, from infants and toddlers…read moreto the elderly; from hardcore hikers to people with mobility issues. How cool is it that they installed elevators in a cavern this deep (750+ feet underground) just to help everyone enjoy the natural wonder? The park is small but packs a big punch. The cavern is obviously the main attraction, make reservations in advance if at all possible to secure your spot. There's a lot to see down there; just a walk to and around the big room will take 90-120 minutes round trip (take the elevator back up). The path is dimly lit and has guard rails throughout, so it's not particularly challenging. And there are restrooms at the very bottom in case nature calls. The cave is really unique, and there are lots of cool formations to learn about throughout the entire descent and in the big room. Well worth a visit!

Free for active duty military!…read more Beautiful drive to the facility and wonderful inside. There's lots to do/look at while you wait for your elevator down to the cavern. They had sculptures, information about the caverns, and even a junior ranger section stocked with books, coloring pages (upon request), and things you could touch. Bathrooms were excellent and super clean. It's easier to make an online reservation to secure your spot, as tickets sell out quickly. The only downside was there was no separate line for online purchases vs in house ones and we ended up missing our 10:00 elevator and had to wait for the next one down. They have several cave tour options-- a descent from the surface, bat show, self guided, etc. We chose the self guided, as we had small children and it seemed easiest. Strollers are not allowed in the caverns (some-- most-- of it is wheelchair accessible though), so we carried our youngest in a hiking backpack. Inside the actual cavern, there are bathroom facilities, a small cafe, and gift shop. You can only eat in the area provided, otherwise you can bring water into the cave. The entire tour took about an hour and a half and was absolutely wonderful. Our kids are pretty young, so they weren't as impressed, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The cave was well lit in most places and there were emergency phones scattered throughout. The path was walkable and had guard railings. I let my 20 month old son walk around for some of our time there, but occasionally picked him up because some spots he could duck under the railing and get into trouble/hurt. They recommend that all children be kept within arms length reach and for good reason. During our stay, a little boy got separated from his family. The rangers were extremely kind to him during his wait for his parents' return. Luckily, he didn't have to wait long, but the whole situation seemed to be handled well, especially communication between rangers to locate the boy's family. The gift shop is huge and stocked with everything from pressed pennies, magnets, ornaments, to shirts, gear, and jams/jellies. Outside, there's ample parking and even picnic areas/senic overlooks. If you're in the area, I would make a stop!

So I spent part of the week here exploring and I really enjoyed my time here. It is the smaller…read moreNational Park in Texas on about 85,000 acres (compared to Big Bend National Park which is 800,000 acres) but still plenty to explore. This park is more for folks that really like to hike, explore and camp. There are a few entry points into the park but there really is no scenic routes through the park. You are expected to park somewhere and walk to your destination instead which I find very interesting to do (can see alot more too). I've visiting the frijole ranch that had a small museum inside explaining the history of the park. Attach to it there are a few trails you can take off to do. I did the smith springs and it was very pretty to see. Once you manage to get up the hill there were some seats and rails you can hang onto and relax while watching the spring. I also did the Guadalupe Mountain Peak trail, which is the highest peak in Texas. That one takes about 6 to 8 hours to hike (round trip) and it had amazing views. There was also a mark at the to there you can take a picture too which was cool. Definitely need to be prepped to do this or any of the hikes (water, food, first aid, hiking stick and good hiking boots). The Salt Basin Dunes were also really nice to explore but expect to do half a day here. That one you drive over dirt road to get to but very nice views of the mountain. It also had a place you can use the restroom and sit down to eat. The place is exactly what you expect...alot of sand hills you can climb but very soft and cooling (just watch your step). I didn't get to explore all the park since there was a government shut down and closed one of the trails I wanted to do but overall It was definitely worth the trip to visit. I plan to come back next year when it's not too hot (best time for fall colors and cool air for tough hikes). I would absolutely recommend anyone to at least check this park out at least once in your life. Make sure do your research and bring what you need.

My husband and I visited in December 2025 and decided to climb Guadalupe Peak. It was amazing…read more The trail was maintained. A search and rescue ranger was walking the trail to keep a count of the hikers, which made me feel safe. I was so stoked that we were able to summit. We went to the ranger station afterwards to buy souvenirs and share our achievements. The rangers just looked deadpan at us after sharing our news. It left me disheartened. They could have pretended to care about our little victory. Would have liked to hike Devils Hall, but we were beat after the peak.

You don't accidentally end up at Bottomless Lakes State Park you make the choice to drift a little…read moreoff the grid. It's a short drive out of Roswell, but it feels like you've stepped into a quieter, older story. Legend says they tried to measure the lake with ropes tied end to end and never hit bottom. Maybe that's true. Maybe it's just a good tale told over a couple beers. Either way, standing there, staring into that dark water, you start to feel it--that little itch in your brain that wonders if everything you've been told is only half the story. We rolled in like we knew what we were doing cooler packed, grill fired up, chicken skewers sizzling, jalapeño poppers snapping over the flame, and my buddy throwing together something that leaned suspiciously close to Hawaiian poke. No crowds. No noise but what we brought with us. Bose speaker cranked, music bouncing off the water, beers cracking open one after another like punctuation marks in a long, lazy sentence. It wasn't polished. It wasn't fancy. It was just right. That's the thing about a place like this it doesn't try to impress you. It just sits there, quiet and a little mysterious, letting you project whatever story you came with. Some of it feels real. Some of it feels like the kind of myth you tell because reality isn't quite enough. Either way, it sticks with you. Bottom line off the beaten path, a little rough around the edges, and exactly the kind of place that earns its spot on the list.

Just outside of Roswell is a wonderful camping park surrounded by Pecos Diamonds, short trails, and…read moreswimming holes. We just dropped in during the winter months on a beautiful sunny afternoon to watch the NM sun go down over the west horizon. We stopped by the visitor center and met volunteers, Will and Jody. Let me just say they were super friendly and knowledgeable about the park. When we come back it will certainly be because of these awesome hosts...they were living their best lives. I was jealous. We drove over to a couple of the lakes. We checked out Mirror Lake and the Devil's Inkwell. They both had small trails around them to view the watering hole and the surrounding layers of red quartz on limestone. The area around Lea Lake is better set up for picnics, swimming, and water sports. It was closed for the season, but would open in the Spring. Tip: Make a reservation for space during the warmer months. It was a great outdoor distraction just outside Roswell. Beautiful sunsets, and super calm during the winter.

A wonderful State Park, located on Brantley Lake! There are 47 camp sites with water and electric…read more They also have dispersed sites as well.

We have stayed here for 14 days. It is a nice secluded park, quiet, and dark but still close enough…read moreto Carlsbad and local attractions. We went to Carlsbad Caverns and Bat Flight Program, Sitting Bull Falls and The Flume during our second visit to this area. The park is in need of some trimming and weed control. Our site is filled with Texas Star Thistle. We had to do yardwork before setting up our pet fence. I mean it is everywhere here. There are dead trees at sites which should be taken down before they fall on someone. The sites are not level. The dump station is closed. They said they are taking bids from local companies and should be up in two weeks but it has been two weeks. We were able to use our blue boy and dump at a vacant host site. The park would be so much nicer if a little care was taken to clean the sites of vegetation. I'm not sure if we would stay here again.

I wanted a hiking and an outlook experience and this place did not disappoint. Meandering through…read morethe grounds, there are is an aviary, pond, creature cave, outdoor elk & sheep pen, gardens and more. Lots of panoramic views. Indoors, there are a bunch of displays, restrooms and a gift shop. An easy 1 hour exploration of the grounds. Lots of free parking.

*** mountain lions and a bobcat are here now! ***…read more My young daughters and I loved seeing black bear "Maggie" open her 20th birthday present on 1.18.2025. We had no idea this event was happening prior to our visit that Saturday, so it was a special treat. Adult admission is now $10. Kids ages 7-12 are $5. I will always be a fan of this park because of certain staff members and the animals... Chihuahuan desert animals are the absolute best! Note, this go around we did not see the bison or a single scorpion. In saying this, I would NOT plan a trip just for this state park. It's not where it should be. The map they handed us clarifies that a new Framework Plan is in the works, but its implementation has seemingly been prolonged. There needs to be certain renovations and maintenance done before I would ever recommend this as a key destination. Before you visit, check out their hours ahead of time and set aside at least an hour for a self-guided tour. The signage going to this place absolutely still sucks. I'll never understand why New Mexico is like this. How do non-natives of this area even find this place without a GPS? Seriously. Ample free parking for RVs, trucks, my Jeep, and the usual boring cars. Bring water, a hat, & comfy walking shoes.

What a shock! Gorgeous visitor center with incredible views, great gift shop, a few hiking trails,…read moreand a viewing loop to safely check out the migrating birds. This may be one of the best kept secrets in New Mexico. That said, there's also quite a hornet infestation outside the entrance to the building and the patio, so do be mindful of that. Hopefully the staff will see that it is addressed.

A nice ride to the bitter lake National wildlife refuge. Great place to unwind, take a bike ride,…read morewalk, see wildlife, go on a picnic. Lots of land and nature to view. Lots of ducks, birds ect. as well as a nice place to catch a sunset. Nice place to visit and is free to the public.

The Lovington Highway Health Walk is a public trail in north Hobbs, NM…read more It runs parallel to the railroad tracks, crossing over them in some areas. The entire length which begins relatively close to the Rockwind Community Links golf course to the end which is at the intersection of Lovington Hwy and Bender Blvd comes out to 7.15 miles. Features include a wide, cement path good for walking, running, roller blading, biking, scootering, and more. There are a few benches scattered. Several dog waste bag bins with the small black plastic bags stocked. Please clean up after your dog. Larger trash cans. Shade trees. Other landscaping to compliment the natural desert terrain in Lea County. Grassy areas. I was disappointed that the water fountain was not in working order. I am always prepared with water for my dog, but I was curious to see if it was available. It was not on 3/17/2023. Just be careful because some people don't give pedestrians the right-of-way like they're supposed to. This town is not yet a pedestrian or bicycle-friendly community. There are parking lots in various areas near the NMJC. Enjoy!

This place was a nightmare. Over priced cheapy dirty lodging. The cabin was not as listed. It's a…read moreSHARED double wide trailer with the owner although listed (and priced) as a private cabin. Listed as family friend, yet we got a complaint that our kids noise was excessive from INSIDE of the cabin. The cabin comes with bad views and lots of attitude. Lodging walls are plastered in cheap tacky prints in goodwill frames with price tags on every single one. The "maintenance guy" came onto the property on our 1st morning to yell at us and treat us like children over the fire pit we used the night before, while my husband was still sleeping. He came trying to intimidate us, threatening that we are going to be charged for excessive damage, at the very start of our stay. There is NO communication here. No instructions, no checkout or checkin information, nothing. We placed a log on a propane firepit because we were supplied a nearly empty propane tank, and were unaware we could burn a log. Again, no information about ANYTHING anywhere inside or out, just an inaccurate map. After being berated and yelled at by the "maintenance man" multipe visits, we spent our Saturday morning cleaning out that firepit with our bare hands. It looked and functioned 10x better than when we arrived. Not my idea of vacationing! So we didn't mess with it the remainder of our 2 days there, robbing us of one of the few amenities we came for. We came for the view and campfire, both we didn't get to experience here. We went to politely and professionally talk to the owner after the maintenance man drama and he could care less and then sat there making lavish statememts, and saying comments like, "wheres your realtors license"... huh?!?! There's lots of lodging in this area, stay anywhere but here! You will find better accommodations at cheaper prices. Also, after reading my negative reviews, the camp sent me a private message on social media calling me "low life". The owner also made a very bizarre comment on my Facebook review requesting that I friend him. This is the usual MO with any negative review (guest shaming and intimidation) as you can see on any site with 1 star reviews.

Great location, was passing through and was able grab the "cozy cabin" for a night, but the star…read moreof the show is the ristas food truck, ristas was insanely good, the seared ahi tuna, and a monster quesodilla were better than any sit down I've ever been to. Tons of wildlife on the property, camp host even tried to lure them closer to get pics! Best spot in NM!