Travel

New Mexico Great Outdoors

Here is a list of things to do in New Mexico.  Some are camping trips and some are day trips from Albuquerque.  This list includes both New Mexico State Parks (SP) and National Parks (NP).  Also, I have placed an * next to the places I recommend for each region.

Northwest Region

Bluewater Lake Camping Trip

Bluewater Lake – Prewitt, NM SP
El Malpais National Monument – Grants, NM NP
El Morro National Monument – Ramah, NM NP

Heron Lake Camping Trip

Heron Lake* – Los Ojos, NM SP (Suspension Bridge, near El Vado Lake, Wildlife Viewing, Boating & Sailing and Fishing)
El Vado Lake – Tierra Amarilla, NM SP

Chaco Canyon Camping Trip

Chaco Culture National Historical Park – Nageezi, NM NP
Navajo Lake – Navajo Dam, NM SP
Aztec Ruins National Monument – Aztec, NM NP

Jemez Springs Day Trip

Jemez Springs, NM
Jemez State Monument – Jemez Springs, NM

Albuquerque Day Trip

Petroglyph National Monument – Albuquerque, NM NP
Coronado State Monument – Bernalillo, NM
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail – Socorro, NM, TX NP

Bandelier Day Trip

Bandelier National Monument – Los Alamos, NM NP
Pecos National Historical Park – Pecos, NM NP
Old Spanish National Historic Trail – AZ, CA, CO, NV, NM, UT NP

Northeast Region

Sugarite Canyon Camping Trip

Sugarite Canyon* – Raton, NM SP (Lake Maloya, Wildlife Viewing, The Coal Camp Interpretive Trail, Captivating Caprock, wildflowers and butterflies)
Capulin Volcano National Monument – Capulin, NM NP

Coyote Creek Camping Trip

Coyote Creek – Guadalupita, NM SP
Fort Union National Monument – Watrous, NM NP
Santa Fe National Historic Trail – CO, KS, MO, NM, OK NP
Villanueva – Villanueva, NM (Part of SE region)

Clayton Lake Camping Trip (long road trip)

Clayton Lake – Clayton, NM SP

Ute Lake Camping Trip

Ute Lake – Logan, NM SP

Southeast Region

Sumner Lake Camping Trip or Clovis MCC Visit

Sumner Lake – Fort Sumner, NM
Bosque Redondo Memorial – Fort Sumner, NM
Oasis – Portales, NM SP

White Sands Camping Trip

White Sands National Monument – Alamogordo, NM
Oliver Lee Memorial* – Alamogordo, NM SP (Views of White Sands National Monument, Desert Garden, Wildlife Viewing, Education Programs, Interpretive Exhibits & Historic Structures)

UFO Camping Trip (July 4^th Trip)

Bottomless Lakes – Roswell, NM SP

Ruidoso Getaway Trip

Ruidoso Downs, NM
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument – Mountainair, NM NP (part of SW region)
Abo State Monument – Abo, NM (Ghost town)
Lincoln State Monument – Capitan, NM

Carlsbad Caverns Camping Trip

Carlsbad Caverns National Park – Carlsbad, NM
Brantley Lake – Carlsbad, NM SP

Southwest Region

Elephant Butte Camping Trip

Elephant Butte Lake – Elephant Butte, NM SP
Caballo Lake – Caballo, NM SP

Pancho Villa Getaway Trip

Leasburg Dam – Radium Springs, NM SP
Fort Selden State Monument – Radium Springs, NM
Pancho Villa – Columbus, NM SP (Martha’s Place bed-and-breakfast)
Rockhound – Deming, NM SP
Palomas, Mexico

City of Rocks Camping Trip

City of Rocks* – Faywood, NM SP (Star gazing at the observatory, Rock formations, Relaxing, Wildlife Watching & Interpretive Exhibits)
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument – Silver City, NM NP