Really nice tribute park. Don't confuse it with the place to the right of it that isn't always open. Great outdoor space too. The movie gives a great overview of the time line. We learned a lot. Quite a bit of memorabilia inside. No souvenir sales there but there are some across the street.

Wonderful exhibit that teaches about the history of Smokey the Bear, has a wide variety of memorabilia, and educational content on both the causes of wild fires and the purpose that natural wild fires serve. The outdoor area is well kept with most of the plants marked so you can learn to identify the vast diversity of plant life.

We stopped here even though we knew they were closed that day, hoping we could maybe see something from the outside. One of the workers happened to be there for a private event, and she was nice enough to let us go take a quick tour of the outside and smokey memorial. Then she even gave us a couple stickers, postcard and pamphlet. She made our day!

Perfect little roadside attraction while you're going down the roads less travelled in New Mexico. Amazing history about 'Smokey the Bear' and the inspiration for Smokey himself. I really enjoyed stopping here. It was a surprise pitstop I really enjoyed. Right along the highway too.

Very cool historical park. Easy parking on a Sunday afternoon. Lots of facts about how Smokey the Bear came to be. The museum is $6 for adults and you’ll watch a movie on the history of Smokey the Bear and how Ray Bell took care of him and his history as he ages. Outside you’ll find his grave and a tribute statue to firemen who lost their lives trying to fight wildfires. Worth it to see. Lastly, There’s a very small gift shop beside the museum.

Stopped by on our way to Albuquerque. Very nice presentation including a 15 min video. The place was well organized and we appreciated the super clean restrooms.

The Smokey Bear park was something we happened on... Great place... loved learning the history of Smokey... and the story behind the Smokey... a bear cub found in the Capitan Mountains during a forest fire...

This was an interesting side trip for us when we were in Ruidoso. So much info stuffed into such a small package! Museum for Smokey and how fighting wildfire has evolved over the years and a gift shop full of a private memorabilia collection that shows the history and evolution of Smokey through the years. I highly recommend if you are in the area!

What a museum and gift shop! Smokey the Bear has been memorialized in such a special way. The history here and his story is amazing and will luckily live on in our hearts forever. The museum is a must. Then you exit out into the gardens. Beautiful and also contain his burial site. After strolling through the gardens you exit out to the nearby gift shop. Amazing memorabilia and special gifts are available to purchase. Nat was waiting patiently. Her knowledge and love for both Smokey and the town was impressive. This is a must stop for all ages.

The store keep was so sweet! Very knowledgeable about Hot Foot Teddy. Cute little gift shop. Not tons of stuff, but has tshirts and little trinkets and teddy bears for kids. Convenient location.

Great gift shop with some memorabilia. The young man working was very helpful. Pointed out some items we would have overlooked. It's overwhelming all of the cool old Smokey Bear items.

Super cute and worth stopping. If you have fun memories of our dear little smoky the bear then this is a must stop for you. It's not on the way and it's not convenient but also the drive through that area is pretty beautiful. Lots of cool exhibits and items for sale as well. Also grounds with exhibits outside.

Such a wonderful gem! Has the history of Smokey the bear with indoor and outdoor exhibits. A hispanic woman working today was super friendly and knowledgeable. She gave me good information on the park and surrounding areas. A must see.

This was a wonderful and very sweet stop on my trip. It's right on the 2-lane highway in a cute little town. The OG real life Smokey was born in the Capitan Mountains. After the rangers rescued him and fixed up his little burned bear paws, he lived in the zoo in Washington DC so people from all over could visit him. After his death, Smokey's body was flown home and this is his final resting place. The museum and gift shop is filled with incredible memorabilia. There is a ton of information and a short film about the Forestry's prior campaigns and how the idea of Smokey the Bear started, then how the real bear cub became the very effective mascot for prevention of forest fire. A neat bit about the gift shop is that it's made from reclaimed wood from the forest where Smokey was rescued. For $2 to enter the museum, it's definitely worth it to honor and learn more about the little bear that saved our forests.

Beautiful lake and forest combination. This place is good for swimming, kayaking, and fishing. There is no alcohol permitted but I saw many guests that had brought alcohol anyways. It has bathrooms with running water which is great! It is very busy in the summer. 4 stars because you have to haul all of your belongings from parking to the lake. So, if you go far around the lake to find a spot you have to haul your ice chest, canopy, and other belongings. Otherwise, great experience and beautiful views. Our family had a great time!

The lake is beautiful. Nice waters and super awesome hiking/biking trails all around. You can do it til your heart is content. The only downside is there is A LOT of people there and unfortunately they leave their trash behind. Take the trails to avoid the crowds. During two bike rides I didn’t encounter anyone on them. Such a shame because they offer amazing views.

Great location! The lake is nice, but it’s slightly dirty, we assume because it was extremely busy. The trails around the lake are perfect for trail running or biking which is why we would definitely return. Recommend going in the off season to truly enjoy this location.

Nice Lake at Ruidoso, NM. In Jan 2021, when we were there, some renovation works on road, base ongoing. Hopefully, after the work, whole place will be more charming. Boating was restricted due to COVID. Overall awesome lake nearby, especially who lives in El Paso TX.

My family and I were staying in Ruidoso and we were there from Las Cruces New Mexico getting my daughter from NMSU. We went out to grindstone for fishing loved it me and my daughter tried to hike the mountains but couldn't do it LOL but the fishing was great the weather was great it was a very nice Lake Big Lake full of people only said things Campground wasn't open there's a lot of people pulling in with campers and they had to turn around to leave because the campground was closed but other than that it was really nice like I said Lake was full bunch of people fishing caught a lot of trout

Wonderful lake. Full of water . Saw people fishing but we took the trail road. Be prepared with plenty of water some snacks and comfortable shoes.! Have some time to spare. it’s wonderful for singles , furry friends , couples and a bike ride.

Overall a great place to take the family.. Well maintained with many improvements coming. You can fish rent boats, hike and ride some bike tr trails. They have restrooms on site.

We had a great experience here. We did the tasting along with an amazing charcuterie board. Our server, David, was amazing. We will definitely return and visit the Albuquerque location!

We highly recommend the Charcuterie board. It’s delicious! We also enjoyed a bottle of Unbearably Good and a bottle of Y’All’s Mamma Texas Moscato (no judgement 😂).

one of my favorite places and favorite wines to get! only 4 stars because the white lights are hideous. a warmer, yellow light ambiance would make this place even more AMAZING. staff, DAVID, was PHENOMENAL!

Very nice building and patio. The pours were small (3-4 oz). The semi sweet Reisling was nice. The staff wasn't very friendly and the service was not good at all. We ordered food and wine and no one ever came back to check on us. There was maybe 10 customers. As we left, we thanked the staff and said goodbye. No one responded. Not likely to return.

Stopped by this winery after shopping. This place did not disappoint. Janet was very knowledgeable on the wines and suggested the ones we would like based on our tastes. We would definitely come back for more wine and cheese. This place has a very good chill vibe. Try out the Demigod room when there. We ordered the baguette platter, which was really good. If you are unsure of which cider to get, try the cider flight. The pomegranate one I liked the best!!!

Become immortal…drink wine at @noisywaterwinery 🍷 My humans did a wine tasting and loved every single wine they tried! The charcuterie board was amazing and filling🧀🍇 I got so much love from everyone there, it is super dog friendly!❤️ This location is in the heart of Ruidoso, which has a relaxing vibe where you could stay all day to sip, then shop! You have to check out the Noisy Water Winery. -@brewskibrewreviews

Great people, great environment and great wine! What more can you ask for! Update: we've been members for several years now and couldn't be happier. This business continues to evolve in a oh so positive way. David always greets us with a big smile and great service. The wine is excellent and the charcuterie boards keep getting better.

Just had my 22nd birthday here yesterday. I brought my friends (all them are also adults with no children) and we had a great time! We did mini golf, bumper boats, the maze, panning for gemstones, and the pro go kart track and no children necessary it was so fun for us. We drove all the way up to ruidoso from Artesia, and it was worth the drive. The weather has been really bad this month, with the whole town of ruidoso flooding a few days ago so I called the day before to make sure they’d be open, and we would be safe to drive up there. The man on the phone was super nice and let me know we would be good to drive up there but there would be a few bridges in town that are closed, and he was spot on we had no trouble on our drive up there despite the rain. It was raining still a little when we got there, but all the attractions were still open! The rain broke after a while and the sun revealed to us the beautiful location this park is set in. Idk if kids would appreciate it like we did but the park was the cleanest amusement park I’ve ever been to, and every activity we did came with a breathtaking view of the trees and the mountains. 💞💞

Very fun place for kids and adults to play! We used the $100 discount ticket bundle and it was enough for 6 adults and 4 kids to play for a couple of hours. The bumper boats were the crowd favorite- perfect to cool off in the summer. Adults loved the pro track and fast go-carts. Great family run institution!

We are here on vacation so despite it raining we chose to take our kiddos here. I’m so glad we did! We were the only group there. The workers pretty much just followed us from attraction to attraction. They were so friendly and helpful despite having to run the go karts and boats while it drizzled on us. Great service and great staff!

This place was super fun we enjoyed it, lots of fun activities to do and enjoy with family , one thing I commend was that staff were helpful, when my husband lost his wallet they found it and were kind enough to return it, considering we are not from Ruidoso. Big thanks for the help we appreciate your kindness. ❤️

Only played mini golf. The course has too many holes where the challenge is the slope. When all players take the six-stroke maximum and give up, that's not a good hole. Some holes had damaged "turf." We still had fun, and the setting is pretty, but the course itself is not so great. Nice staff or else I'd rate it the three stars it more deserves.

Such a fun place! We spent about 3 hours there and did ALL the activities. I highly recommend Pillow's Funtrackers, especially if you have kids or are yourself a kid at heart!

Fun for every age... Lacks with politeness but seems to be a trend I have encountered in the area. But the things to do were great!

Interesting array of different archtecture thru the ages it was actively being used from 1855. It's been a tuberculosis hospital, POW camp, and of course, a US Calvary fort. Many buildings are open to walk through.

So much history at this one place! The varied uses through the years make a visit very enjoyable. Many of the buildings have fallen into disrepair, but restoration is ongoing and the completed areas are great!

Fort Stanton offers an impressive experience. The visitor center provides ample parking, and the staff are exceptionally helpful, offering a wealth of information and a comprehensive guide map. The resources and accommodations surpass those of many other New Mexico forts. A recommended highlight is the 11-minute film detailing the fort's history. This informative movie reveals that Fort Stanton served as New Mexico's first German internment camp during WWII. (It's worth noting, from personal family history, that another German internment camp existed near Carlsbad, NM.) The fort itself is remarkably well-preserved, featuring brick and rock structures that remained in continuous use until the early 2000s. Three buildings particularly stand out for me: the new hospital, which houses equipment from the 1940s, and the Barracks/Dining hall, so authentically arranged that it transports visitors to the mid-to-late 1800s when the fort functioned as a military post. Finally, The Catholic Chapel is remarkably well-preserved, appearing as if a mass has just concluded. Overall, Fort Stanton Historic Park is an exceptionally worthwhile destination.

We stumbled across this site while looking for a hike. Its a fantastic place that is working hard to save history. We ended up spending almost 3 hours walking around, going into the open buildings, and the visitors center. The museum and visitors center is really well done and the volunteers a wealth of information. Ended up doing the cemetery hike which was lovely. About 2.5 miles long

Very cool place to go check out. A ton of history at this fort. We really enjoyed being able to walk into some of the buildings and see exhibits that took you back in time. The fort does a great job at telling the history, along with pictures and pieces to help with the visual including trying on old uniforms and ringing the church bell. Inside the museum there is a little gift shop and you can watch a 10 minute video telling the history of the fort and the area. $7/person with kids under 16 free. This is definitely worth going to see if you are in the area. Restrooms on site as well with benches scattered throughout the fort.

Great piece of American history. There is a fantastic small museum and then several original buildings to walk through. They are in various stages of reconstruction, with some returned to almost original states, some representing the tuberculosis hospital stage and some still ravaged by time and various construction phases.

An immensely well kept and preserved historic site with original buildings from years past, some that still show the passage of time. Although I arrived late and was unable to do a full tour of the place, it was interesting to see the buildings, the barracks, officers quarters, medical area, etc and felt like you took a leap back in time.

The best thing about our visit was the weather. This was our first and last visit. We chose to buy tickets in the back row of the open air seating section to avoid the sun. A couple was sitting in our seats when we arrived and when we told them they were in our seats, they asked if we had tickets. We showed them our tickets and only then did they move a few seats down. We asked where their tickets were and they said they didn't have any! As the next few hours unfolded, several other parties arrived that obviously didn't have tickets, as they were trying to decide where to sit. We heard a few say that tickets aren't required in the open air section. Well, evidently, they're only required for honest people. Everyone else is entitled to ride on the backs of those who pay the hefty ticket prices. We saw plenty of security staff walking around, but none checking tickets. If facility management isn't going to prioritize this, then why shouldn't everyone know about it? Everyone should get in for free!

This track charges ridiculous amounts for every seat, including those in the sun, probably why it's not very well attended. Also, no one maintains the chairs, so even after paying $45, you still have to get napkins and wipe the dirt from your chair and table. The sound system is terrible so you cannot hear the announcer call the race unless you're under a speaker or TV. Been to better tracks with a more enjoyable atmosphere. This one is solemn. I gave it a 4th star just because of its view of the Lincoln forest and mountain air, but that's really more of a comment on its location than the track.

It was my first time at a horse race! It was so much fun! We sat, we stood by the rails, we bet. We did it all. Everyone was nice and one of the horses came up to us and we were able to pet it. They are definitely people oriented. They want you to have a great time. The bar area is clean and the atmosphere amazing! Will he going back!

First time visiting this place and I was impressed. The General Admission parking and the Casino parking are free. I visited to see a free concert. Little Joe y la Familia was SO good. The concert was held in a big white tent that is closer to the casino parking lot. All the employees were helpful and kind. There are port-a-potties outside the tent. They offer food, drinks, and alcoholic beverages there. They had chairs and tables (first come first serve) and a dance floor. The parking is very hectic, but there are sufficient amount of spaces, you just have to walk a bit. There are bathrooms inside the casino, too, that is directly across the tent. I definitely recommend the concert events.

My family has been going to Ruidoso Downs for years. We are New Mexico horse breeders and racers. Ruidoso Downs is a favorite track of ours. The facilities are aging but it is still a thrill to head to the races. The horse facilities are very nice, the barns are well maintained and the barn staff is good. At the track the management and staff are top notch. The valets go above and beyond to get you parked and take very good care of your vehicle. In the stands there are many seating options to enjoy the days races. Be sure to get a program to be informed about the races and the horses. Up in the turf club and the Jockey's club meal options are wide and good. There is no shortage of food here. The wait staff again are top notch and go above and beyond to take care of you. I really love Ruidoso Downs and highly recommend a visit. The open Memorial Day and the meet ends Labor Day with the $3million All American Futurity. See you in the winners circle!

Three Stars because it was a nice family event. We enjoyed watching the races from the table in the smokehouse area. We paid $120 for a table not covered. If we were to do it again I would definitely get covered, as it was very hot. Service in this area was non existent. We had to walk to the bar to order everything we wanted. I asked about food and she said she would send someone over to take our order. About the 15 minutes later someone arrived to take our food order. The only time I saw the server was to take order, drop food, and bring the check (which I had to go find her to ask for) I was overcharged for two double mixed drinks. I showed her on the menu where it had the prices listed for a double. She called the manager. I waited probably another 15 plus minutes and no manager showed. She ended up giving me the difference in cash and said the manager would reimburse her. I did assure that she was for certain going to get reimbursed, as I didn’t want her to personally give me money out of her pocket. She said she would. Overall we enjoyed the day and experience.

Race track was great the casino was not so good most of the help was good I was on a gameking Keno machine the erase button would make a max bet and play. The technician on Friday at 6:00 PM attempted to test the game with my money and advised me the games were too old and nobody that knows you shouldn't play Keno anyway. As a retired casino executive with 35 years in the slot field I found him unprofessional and poorly trained.

I arrived after the place had closed for the day, so I just did the little trail outside and read about the different horses. I'd like to go back and look through the museum itself but with hours like that I dont see it happening. The grounds are clean and the states are very lifelike (at least to a guy who knows nothing about the breeds ha ha)

You must visit! It is an amazing museum full of history and information. Great place for kids and adults. They have areas for kids to touch and play, they can also to dress up. Museum is well kept and clean. It is wheelchair accessible so no one can miss the fun. They also have an area to buy souvenirs.

I love how realistic the displays were set up here. A true representation of the rich history of the Wild West. And you get to play dress up in styles of clothing from that time period. Fun for the entire family.

We spent hours here! The kid's dress up & imagination areas were wonderful! They can also complete a booklet and get a prize. No kids? There is a lot to see. Art, wagons, clothing, etc. Dont miss the horse sculptures outside! Handicap parking is available on the lower level.

A wonderful depiction of the American West. Lovely buggy's, wagons, chuck wagon and other items used to live in the wild west. Beautiful jewelry and household items from The Anne C. Stradling collection. A great place for children to explore. Along with a wonderful reading corner or a buggy to climb on. Take a couple of hours and go explore the history of the area. Note; handicap parking is on the lower back side.

Beautiful little museum in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Wish we would have came here 20 years ago with the kids before they were all grown. Great lil souvenir shop as well... Well worth the visit and good for kids.

Great place with lots of history of the American west. From weapons, pictures, demo houses to wagons and chariots. First time my mom says she enjoys a museum

Fantastic spot! Trustle Depot offers beautiful views and a peaceful atmosphere. Perfect for a relaxing day outdoors, with easy access to trails and scenic points. Great for unwinding and enjoying nature's beauty. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a serene escape!

Nice park with picnic tables, fire rings and grills. There is a fee if you don't have a national park pass. The bathrooms were clean and have running water in the sinks. I did the loop trail and really enjoyed the views.

It was an intermediate hike for us after all The rain. We made it all The way through The Trestle with lots of stops. The Benches were very useful. They have them Every 100-200meters. Bring lots of water. The hike is 1hour each way. The directions are very confusing so make sure you grab a map.

I hiked the Old Cloudcroft Highway Trail. Very nice views and some fun history along the way including parts of the historic railway and Bonnie’s Trestle. Also it had just snowed and not ever seeing much snow it was a nice plus. Made a beautiful place even prettier.

It's a beautiful view. Highly recommend going a couple mile up the road and walk the trail. The devil's elbow is a pretty nice trail. Looking forward to doing the 8 mile trail soon. There is four trails there done them all except the 8 mile one.

Nice little hike. We got there right after it opened and it was probably an hour or more before others showed up. Signs were a little bit confusing at times but definitely won't get lost. Amazing what people could do in that time period by hand. Sorry I may have gotten the photos a little out of order.

This is the trail I love to hike on my days off, really calms me down after all the stress of work, would definitely recommend visiting at the beginning of Autumn, when the leaves just start changing colors, the views are beautiful with all the colorful oranges, golds and reds, one tree in particular halfway to the trestle looks like fire!

We love the tubing experience in Ski Cloudcroft!! It took around 15 mins for each round (including going up to the top and tubing down). We played 8 rounds for the 2 hours session in the weekday. Easy to park. Staffs are friendly.

Great family friendly environment. The staff is helpful and kind; they seem to enjoy being there. The tubing was excellent, especially for those not wanting to ski/snowboard. The skiing was great too. We are a family of beginners and it was perfect for us. There are runs for all levels, including black diamond courses. The green beginner course is called Happy Valley. You should master the bunny slope before going on that run. The ski school is worth getting. If you don't want a scared kid, let them do the school first before trying to go down the bunny slope on their own, unless they are fearless.

Awesome experience. Went tubing here and will definitely go again when in the area. You have to sign up for an allotted time (there’s a max limit of people per time slot so make sure to get there early). You can go up and down as many times as you want during that time slot. This means when there’s less people you get more rides since there’s less of a wait time. Its in the middle of a forest so you can go hike afterwards as well.

Great mountain. Not super big, but enough runs to keep you busy for the whole day. Full day ticket is cheaper than Ski Apache half day. It has more of a forest feel to it. The staff members are super nice and helpful. And a very chill, calm vibes! Highly recommend it!

The people make this ski resort! Our first time ever skiing and from start to finish the service was excellent. Affordable. My son was able to learn how to ski for his first time and make friends while doing it. Making multiple runs on the 🟢. We will definitely be back, with the whole family next year! Thank you Ski Cloudcroft for the best experience! I do recommend checking website to make sure top of the mountain is open. Huge shoutout to Jessica, very knowledgeable and caring person, good people. We stayed at, The Summit Inn.

We had the best time at Ski Cloudcroft! We were hoping for our daughter to get in some ski lessons, but she wasn't feeling well. My husband and I went tubing there on two separate days, though, and loved it. The staff could not have been nicer. We will definitely be back on a future trip to the area!

We visited for Tubing. It's $25 per person for a two hour time slot, and this includes tube rental. The tubes are in good shape. They have bathrooms available where you purchase tickets. We didn't wait very long in between going down the hill, you slide down and take your tube back to the lift, ride up, slide down, repeat. Not a lot of waiting in between! Associates were all friendly.

Husband and I stopped here just to switch drivers and decided to go in and get a drink….best decision ever!!! Got a tour of the place from Brenda, and then got to sample the green chicken enchilada soup 🤯🤤 it was amazing!!! We then found out the had rooms available and a great steak dinner! So we decided to stay, room is huge!! So clean and beautifully decorated. We then had dinner, ribeye steak and chicken fried steak….both were so delicious! Steak was tender and flavorful! And the cheesecake 🤌🏽 We definitely plan on going back!! Thank you for your amazing hospitality Mike and Brenda!!

If you really enjoy history about the Lincoln County War and ask about the hangman’s tree. Stop and visit with the staff. That is just a tip of the history of the place. Plus enjoy the great steaks that is from local ranches. They have a great ghost story too.

What an amazing restaurant! The food was delicious, the service excellent and the atmosphere unforgettable. The owners gave us a tour of the historic building and shared some great stories with us. Well worth a stop if you are in the area.

Haven't stopped by here in years, but did this last Sunday. The little shop didn't have much in it, they're doing some renovations, but I found an awesome cup to buy. Met Brenda and Mike ... awesome visiting with you! Enjoyed hearing the history on Tinnie. We will be back.

My husband always tells me I should open a restaurant, and I tell him it's too much work. Well, tonight we ate at this gem of a place that has great food and tasted just like my cooking. They are extremely friendly too, Chef Daniel even came out and sat with us a bit. He ended up showing us a room they rent out. We were just passing through, and wish we hadn't already made reservations for the night an hour away. The room was amazing. We will definately come this direction and stay here during our next trip.

We stayed night on our journey to areas. Owner Brenda & staff fantastic! Beautiful venue. *2nd STAY EASTER 2023: Stayed in King Suite was beautiful, large, wonderful stay. Extremely friendly staff, we thank Daniel for going the Extra Mile for us! I recommend this Venue to all!

With a tour by Casey J. Conlee, General Manager, our Tinnie Silver Dollar experience was complete. My wife and I came to celebrate our wedding anniversary and stayed in one of the two rooms, easily available on Airbnb. We had a lovely dinner by the fireplace Saturday night, and enjoyed Sunday brunch with the same caring staff. The Tinnie Silver Dollar General Store is a delight, and astonishing to know it was the old stables in the original two buildings. This is by far the most interesting place to stay and enjoy incredible hospitality between Roswell and Ruidoso.

Great family time spent. I will say where we stayed the campsite was VERY quiet and managers are patrolling around very often watching everyone. Campsites are superrrr close to each other. Went in August so it was very cold but no mosquitoes!! Huge win for me. Also dolar tree is just 10min away

Beautiful national forest. Went during the summer and it was still snowing and chilly so can just imagine how it’s like in the winter. Lots of hiking spots and has a little small town that you can go into for food and lodging. Make sure you have some sort of app (like all trails) or maybe a map because some of the hiking spots can be easy to get off track, especially in the snow.

We stayed in Ruidoso, and went fishing at Bonito Lake it was beautiful. Wish we had more time to stay.

Such a beautiful forest in the foothills and above. The rain made everything pop and all the flowers started to bloom. There is a ton of camping spots tucked away and off of the main roads. Elk, deer and so much more are in abundance throughout the park. Take a drive and a hike. Enjoy nature and all of her splendid beauty.

We had a fantastic week here in August escaping the heat of Arizona. The location was perfect for hiking, exploring, and quick trips into the little town of Cloudcroft for essentials or non-essentials like Forest Pie at the Black Bear Bakery! The sites are a bit close together, however, being nestled among the tall pines gives you an element of privacy. The camp host (Mark) does a fabulous job of maintaining this campground. The pit toilets are the cleanest we've experienced anywhere (!), generator hours are limited, and a leash law is strictly enforced (which we greatly appreciate since we've had issues with large, aggressive, non-leashed dogs in campgrounds). So happy to have found this summer getaway and we will certainly be back!

Bring water and good boots, I took two trekking poles with me and I'm really glad I did. Plan on stopping at the scenic overlooks to enjoy the scenery, the views are beautiful. The ranger at the station was very friendly, helpful and professional. He answered a lot of questions, gave me some maps, and helped me to know what to expect on the trail.

Excellent "off grid" camping, endless trails to explore that just go and go. Went to go see the eclipse with friends, wonderful time!

Locally made jams and other stuff is available. It was a fun, calm spot to stretch your legs during a long drive.

We happen to find this cute little zoo/ ranch on our way to Arizona. This is a diamond in New Mexico. Their little stand has all homemade jellies honeys. What can I say about this place? It is a true find and treasure, especially for families. What I liked about this place most is that they allow you to trout fish and you don't have to have a license. The kids can come and look at all the animals and walk around the ponds which are absolutely beautiful. The people are just so nice Pam. I got to meet her and her lovely daughter and husband. This truly is just a cute family I understand. Just trying to bring joy to everybody else. Do yourself a favor come on by and support this local family and ranch. I will definitely be coming back through! And what can I say about that amazing cherry cider? Get a dozen of them. It's worth it.

Sweet stop! A farm stand with local and homemade goodies alongside national brand snacks and beverages. Some gifts and toys to purchase to help occupy the kids on a long car ride. A variety of animals to view and interact with and friendly folks to chat with. Small but clean bathrooms by the camels were worth the snack purchase to support the local small business. Way better than any gas station rest stop for sure!

Great to stop in and get something cold to drink real quick, and if you're a paying customer, they'll let you use the restroom. Bonus points because the restroom is right next to the giant camel animal in a pen. Also the gate squeaks like something out of a horror movie, and I love that quite a bit

Came here with my sister and her family (they recommended this as a great place for us to spend time). Had a blast ! They have Goats to feed, a Zebra, even rainbow trout! Prices are very reasonable too for the feed bag. Shop has all local stuff and the staff are very friendly. Very nice place to sit down and relax too. Right off the US 82 highway between Artesia and Cloudcroft. Very responsive on the phone + Google Maps messaging.

It's simple but sweet. The trout look so pretty in the ponds, and feeding them is a fun frenzy!!! Unfortunately, the other animals can't be out like they used to be, but oh well!!! They had sooo many new baby animals it was the cutest!! I had the best stop right before our stop in Cloudcroft for lunch. Show Runyan Ranch some love and enjoy the smile!!

While driving through New Mexico we came across this small petting zoo along the side of the road. The whole family had a blast petting and feeding the animals. The selection of animals was quite larger than just the expected goats! There is a small gift shop with food goodies and souvenirs. Definitely a great little stop along the road trip! The animals were all just too sweet and adorable!

If you are going to this museum for primarily extraterrestrial related exhibits than you should really save your time and money. Now that is not to say that this museum was a waste of time. The museum was very clean and had excellent exhibits. There were a number of exhibits regarding Native Americans, weapons and the first rockets ever launched by the United States. There is also a very exciting planetary laser show in the auditorium at the museums entrance. The show is held several times a day at set times that you will be informed of at the front desk. There is also a fair amount of interesting art that is on display there. Roswell sure had a lot of extraterrestrial paraphernalia in the town but things like this museum teach you little more about the town. I believe you and your family will have a fun time navigating the exhibits.

This was not the UFO museum, but it was SO much better. So happy we stayed to look around because it was such a well-built museum. Roswell has such a rich and beautiful history and it was so nice to see it preserved here. Please visit this museum if you're in town!

I honestly had no clue what to expect. I just drove to the closest place of interest that my hotel pointed me to. I had fun, it was a bit like a maze and the lady in the gift shop was wonderful to talk to and a wealth of neat facts about the different resident artist. I enjoy history and they had 2 interesting history areas, one on the American west and the other on Robert Goddard. Some of the themed installation were truly imaginative. Would love to come back for the next theme.

Stunning museum, way more stuff on show then I ever thought. Probably one of the best small town museums I've ever been to, totally worth the entry fee and an hour to walk around in the air conditioning. Huge exhibits to art, science and history. Rocketry room donated by the Goddard's was a fascinating look at the early days of rocket science in America. All sorts of interesting details of the tools and equipment used. Huge number of historical artifacts as well, from ancient New Mexico history, to early guns and weapons used in a range of conflicts, even a couple of suites of armor! Staff was helpful and kind, entire place was clean and cool.

We spent about an hour and a half here. I wouldn't expect spending anymore time than that. Had some interesting displays and the kids thought about half of them were interesting. Had American west historical stuff along with rocketry history with Robert Goddard and some native American cultural stuff. Worth checking out if you have an hour or so to spend.

The Roswell Museum was founded in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and opened in late 1937 . This magnificent museum exhibits the art and cultural history of the American Southwest, and also houses a very realistic reproduction of the laboratory or Robert H. Goddard of Worcester, Massachusetts, an early rocketry pioneer. In addition, the museum includes an advanced planetarium and an artist-in-residence program.

Awesome art and we did a show at the planetarium...me and my wife were only two people in there. It was sad because the presentation put on was awesome! Can't believe more people don't go! The guy who did our viewing was great and really knowledgeable!

One of the nicest restaurants/wineries in town. We came during the lunch. They provided a parking lot, but when we got there only 1 spot left. As for the town's theme, an alien statue welcomes you at the door. We seated quickly and live music was going on. Moderate crowd and noise were there. We seated one of the high tables by the wines. I got a bowl of soup of the day and a half sandwich; number 7 (turkey with chipotle puree and red onion). and also got a wine flight. The soup was good it had pork and chickpeas. Cooked perfectly fine, and had fewer pieces of pork but still good. The flavor had a good balance. I enjoyed it. About the sandwich; even though I ordered a half, I thought it was going to be a little bigger than what they served. It finished in 2-3 bites. Good for a kid. At least it had a good amount of turkey for a small bite. About the wine flight; since I had not tried any of their wines before, I just asked for something red but not sweet or super sweet. The flight came with 3 wines. Only one of them was enjoyable for my taste. And, one of them was super sweet, it tasted like a German hot wine but not hot. My husband got a burger with mushrooms and a beer flight. The burger was good. As for the beer, we weren't able to pick. It was whatever was on draft. Some of them were good, the others were bitter. It was my birthday, so we wanted to try one of their desserts as well. Went with the raspberry cheesecake. It was a good touch, not overly sweet. They put a candle. Cute. But no clean utensils for the dessert. As for service; our server was nice, but seemed like running around a lot, passing around the tables with nothing. We had to draw attention a few times. And, definitely, no one took off the empty plates from the table. The table was already small with plates, flights, and water glasses even for 2 people, once the dessert came we had to put the plates together. My husband even asked if she could remove them, she said in a second but those were there until we left. Same with the bill; we asked for the bill. It came, we put on our credit card and waited, waited and waited. I could ask for another flight while waiting. Anyway, we were so over with it, and collected all the cash on us to pay the bill & tip. It wasn't like only one server working thing. Even so, if a server brings something to any table, should take a dirty one from any table while going back to the kitchen. This is time management and saving the trip.

This place is not well known, but it has a cool atmosphere, great live music on certain days, and really good food. I believe they have the best cooks in town. I haven't had a meal that I haven't enjoyed. My server Danielle was awesome and was very attentive to my needs and always checked in on me. Great experience!

This place exceeded expectations for sure. The green chile burger was phenomenal. Huge juicy patty. Flavorful chiles. Perfectly crisp bacon. Really good. Alien IPA also better than expected.

Delightful find!! We shared Beef Wellington bites...very tasty! Our Charcuterie Board was delish with a good mix. Drinks and wine were perfect! Friendly Staff and live music! Try it...you'll enjoy!!

What a great place. Traveling from FL and Geri was our amazing hostess. Recommend the Dos Equis “dressed” and the berry cider. LOVED the Caesar salad and the pumpkin butter board. Highly recommend

We hosted a bridal shower here for my niece at the winery and besides the exceptional hospitality Adele was an amazing host she took care of everything! Highly recommend the Winery for any occasion and if you have the opportunity to have Adele you will not be disappointed!

This is just off the beaten path in Roswell and is the nicest restaurant we found while there. The staff is outstanding, very helpful and informative about the wine they make and about the menu. We went for lunch and had a lovely time, we were never hurried as we ordered an hors d'oeuvre, entrees and finally dessert. We took our time to dine, it was a treat. Food is excellent, comes out hot and beautifully presented. Our server was delightful and patient with our questions about the wine. We sampled several ones and then ordered 3 different flights. We sampled quite an assortment of their wines. I highly recommend the white wines over the reds. The Pinot Grigio and the Cabernet Blanc were dry, light bodied whites, served chilled, nice for a hot summer day.

Come to get your photo with Aliens! It’s free from the Visitors Center. They will also give you a map of alien spots to visit around Roswell. If you are into the Alien story this is a great place to come. The actual site of the landing is actual quite far away from Roswell and not open to the public.

The staff were helpful and they did recommended a lot of great places to check out. Always fun to stop by a visitor center in a new town. They have some souvenirs of roswell.

Nice little spot in downtown. You can get some good information about the surrounding area. Even get your picture taken with some aliens!

The woman who worked there was friendly. The visitor center has a camera system that can take photos of visitors posting with the alien manakins. The photos can be printed out and emailed for free.

They were really nice and the bathroom pretty clean. We bought a lot of souvenirs there and they were very informative about the town. I would recommend going in there if this is your first time.

I opened the door, looked in and left. Roswell looks like a great place. The to and from Roswell is tedious.

Great visitors center- it’s a must stop! They have the best souvenirs, nicest employees and coldest air conditioning in town.

This was a fantastic place to learn about aliens and the history of Roswell. I especially enjoyed the museum’s library wing, which is filled with fascinating alien-related materials as well as historical archives from the region. The main exhibit area was equally impressive, offering an engaging and extensive collection of displays that bring Roswell’s unique history to life.

Visitor Guide: What to Expect at the Roswell UFO Museum If you're planning a trip to the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico, especially because of the legendary 1947 Roswell Incident, it’s worth going in with the right expectations. Much like the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, this is more about myth, inspiration, and lore than hard evidence or high-tech immersion. Let’s start with the basics. The museum has relocated in recent years, and the signage makes it easy to find. Admission is inexpensive, the facility is clean, and everything is easy to navigate on foot. But rather than a traditional museum with interactive exhibits, the experience leans more toward an archive-style presentation with static displays and research materials. About a third of the exhibits focus on the Roswell crash itself, though much of that section is filled with photocopied documents, legal affidavits, newspaper clippings, and personal statements. These are interesting from a historical perspective, but they can also be a bit confusing or inconsistent. For example, one account described an egg-shaped craft on a military truck, while another mentioned four alien beings instead of the commonly reported three. These contradictions are thought-provoking, but they may leave you uncertain rather than enlightened. The museum’s standout feature is its library. For serious UFO researchers or long-time enthusiasts, it’s a goldmine, offering thousands of books, magazines, and original articles. If you’ve got time and curiosity, you could spend days here. But if you’re just a casual visitor looking for a dramatic retelling or visual recreation of the Roswell incident, this may feel underwhelming. That brings us to what’s missing. There’s a crash simulation video reenactment, but it’s not of the 1947 Roswell crash. You obviously won’t find any original debris or declassified documents, only replicas and interpretive summaries. Interactive exhibits are minimal, and while there are a few side rooms with additional content, most of it is modest in scope. Roswell itself is quite isolated, with very little else to do in the area. The museum can be fully explored in two to three hours, and for many visitors, a half-day is more than enough. If seeing it is a lifelong curiosity or bucket-list item, it’s worth the drive. But don’t expect a sprawling entertainment complex. A side note: The front desk staff mentioned to my wife and I that the actual crash site was once open to visitors, but access has been revoked due to repeated issues with disrespectful tourists. Today, it’s just a quiet ranch with no public entry. In the end, I’d rate the museum three out of five stars. One star off because I hoped for a deeper focus on the Roswell crash itself, and another due to the location’s remoteness and lack of surrounding attractions. Final thought: If you’re passionate about UFO history and love digging into primary sources, this place has real value. But if you’re chasing a cinematic experience or looking for definitive answers, you may leave with more questions than when you arrived. Either way, safe travels, and keep an open mind.

This is such a fun place to visit whether you are a believer in UFOs or a skeptic. There are so many displays & pictures to read about, so you can make up tour own mind based upon the information provided. You can spend anywhere from a couple hours to all day. Would highly recommend & would happily return.

Fun museum to wander thru! A lot to see & read. There is also a 25 minute video. Good price for admission.

It was great to get to this museum. It is small and easily navigable. Lots of photos and reading, some video, on display, done on a timeline- more of a historical recount of significant events and people, very informative for newbies. My favorite part of the museum was the back wall which displays a quote by Stan Friedman. The gift shop has something for everyone! Parking is easy, the museum has two lots one right next to the building, the other is directly across the street. This really is a must see for anyone interested in the topic. It will take a leisurely one hour to get through it, if you are intent on reading all parts of the exhibit, you will need more time. The museum is located right in the heart of the Main Street of Roswell close to other attractions and restaurants. It is an easy walk in any direction to see other things on your check list.

This was a walk on your own museum tour. They have every alien ufo encounter documented in binders. You learn as much as you read for yourself! They do allow pets on the tour which is so helpful when traveling with fur buddy’s!!!

We always look for fun, unconventional attractions in our travels and this museum certainly fit the bill. Doesn't matter if you're a believer or skeptic it's a nice place to visit. There are some cornball displays that will amuse you, and some more serious displays that just might leave you questioning some things. A real highlight of our trip and definitely recommended

With a city population under 50k I'm impressed Roswell has a Zoo, especially being free. Donations are greatly appreciated! We relocated here 3 weeks ago from another state and have been three times. It's great for toddlers. The animals are not out regularly and it's taken three visits to see all of them. There are also plenty of covered picnic tables and 2 playgrounds however one playground is blocked off. Roswell had extensive flooding October 2024 and several places are still in recovery mode. If you're an out of towner this is a great place to burn some time (15-20 minutes) and if you're new to town it's a nice little outting for little ones.

It's free. Small. But has some fun animals. Only took 2 grown adults about 15 minutes to walk through. Definitely a great way to take some kids out for free entertainment. But consider donating to help keep these animals healthy.

When I got to the parking lot I couldn't see the zoo and they have a big trailer home next to the entrance. I thought you were supposed to go to to get tickets. Finding it empty, I walked into the zoo and found the first couple cages warn out, going a little farther in everything changed. They had it fixed up, remodeled and more changes coming. It's a free zoo looking for donations. As I got more into the zoo the more it was impressive. Lots of people were working, but no one said a word to me. I was the only person touring the zoo which was fine. I was there for about an hour and all of a sudden people started to come in. Meeting many of them I found people to be friendly and personable. I left with a smile on my face and lots of animals and people that greeted me.

Great little small town gem. I recommend visiting. Animals seem well cared for even if the property is run down and they are close to you while viewing.

Absolutely the worst zoo I’ve ever been to. My son was so traumatized it was tragic. The animals are neglected, there’s no shade for them. I didn’t see any water. Every other 4 cages had actual animals to see. It was desolate and no caretakers in sight. They need to shut this place down.

This free zoo is amazing just because it's free.

Very nice place, there should Family events held there, great location beautiful environment and show love for the animals.

Beautiful grounds with many species of birds, flowers and wildlife. Visitor Center movie is very helpful to ID birds and critters. It was stormy so only stayed near VC. But did walk the Butterfly Trail. Some steps but not too strenuous.

Happened to come across this place headed to mosque del apache and was surprised how neat it was. Gravel road takes you around the loop. Easy to follow. Easy to get the light in your favor for photos. Saw snow geese, sandhill cranes, and hawks. Very active place and the birds make alot of music. Highly recommend 👌

I love this place! Bitter Lakes Wild Life Reserve is beautiful, with great sites and fun easy trails. The whole family will enjoy it and get to see a lot of amazing animals.

A great drive with easy and dog friendly walks. Very helpful volunteers and a nice gift shop. We bought a t shirt as a gift.

This is a hidden gem.in Roswell. Beautifully maintained with a long driving loop with various stops along the route. We saw many different types of birds while we were there. Be sure to.bring your binoculars!

Our old and outdated GPS took us to an entrance that was closed. That’s nobody’s fault, but when we called the number on the sign, we were told we had to backtrack all the way to Roswell, which was ridiculous. We found our own way to the correct entrance, pulled up to the visitor center, but couldn’t go in as there was a large rattlesnake blocking the door. This was the theme of our visit. Every pull off and scenic view was occupied by at least one rattlesnake and a ton of mosquitoes. We couldn’t get out of the car save for one area. I’m guessing this is a time of year thing and we should have done better research but nothing I saw mentioned an abundance of rattlesnakes in early August. At least the visitor center was actually open, whether anyone could get to the doors or not.

What a beautiful natural area! So much peace and quiet and bird life on the waters! This is a great place for a picnic, a hike, or just some meditation time! The visitor center is absolutely stunning inside and out, and the guide is very friendly and helpful. We got to see a resting owl in the eastern viewing area and baby swallows that had left the nest and were waiting for their mom. This isntruly a beautiful quiet place, and we are glad to come here once in a while for nature photography and a nice picnic.

It's a place that looks beautiful from a distance, but when you get there, it's not. Entrance costs $10 per car, whether you're entering or leaving. The sand is muddy, and the water is still flowing. I don't recommend swimming. If you're going to barbecue, I recommend getting up early. I think it's the only place within a 100-mile radius that the locals have to enjoy.

We went during the week on a Tuesday. It was empty for the most part. Very pleasant and quiet. We picked a shaded picnic area and spent 4 hrs just enjoying the scenery and cool water of Lea lake. It was a 90° day but the breeze was perfect! Amazing geology!

My family and I had a wonderful time camping here! We stayed in a tent at the campground and really enjoyed how spacious it was. We booked a site with electric and water hookups, plus our spot included a picnic table and some nice shade. The restroom and shower facilities were clean and the showers had good pressure and plenty of hot water, which was soothing after a long day outdoors. During our stay, the campground was peaceful, with everyone keeping to themselves and no noisy campers around. The only odd thing was that someone (likely a park employee) decided to use a leaf blower at 5am, circling the park and waking everyone up. That was definitely unexpected! Other than that, the park itself is absolutely beautiful and full of scenic trails, rocky canyons, and great photo opportunities for anyone who loves nature and wildlife. The lakes are clear and refreshing, with designated swimming areas. We also saw park rangers making their rounds, keeping everything in check, which made us feel safe. We enjoyed our stay and highly recommend visiting or camping here, especially in the Fall season.

This was a nice, quiet park to stay in while we visited the Roswell area. There is a Camp Host, and Bathrooms were attended to daily. Each site had a standing charcoal grill just outside of a covered picnic table. There was a nice boardwalk across the street, and the lake/ beach were empty (we stayed during the week M-W) Also, there was dispersed camping outside of the Lea Lake Campground, near the Visitor Center. We did not go into the visitor center though! A good place to stay for travelers needing some rest :)

It may have been due to visiting near the end of the season, but the area appeared somewhat run-down. Several buildings had broken windows, and both the restroom and play area were infested with wasps. The highlight of the visit was the beautiful view of the lake framed by striking red cliffs. We also discovered another lake within the park; however, it was mostly dried up and had a noticeable sulfur odor.

Such a fun place to visit. They have a swimming area with paddle boats, picnic tables, nice, clean restrooms, and a really cute pavilion. If your near Roswell I highly recommend visiting

Beautiful place, with clear water and lovely scenery. Watch out for the racoons at night time. Those little buggers ripped open our tent, to try to get our food in the middle of the night. YIKES! 😬

Love coming here, have different stages for children, they have a place for children, teens and adults. Good place to fax and print papers. Employees are very friendly. Lots and lots of books.

wow probably the nicest library i've ever been to. some of their study rooms come with a macbook laptop and they even have a study room thats a makeshift sound studio. super impressive!! their IT department is working on their computer systems up and running right now but aside from that it's so nice.

Great Library It's Nice And Respectful Workers It's Great Place To Go For Homework And Good Place To Read Food For My Children...

The librarians are wonderful and their Children’s library is cozy and has a plethora of things to do for kids! Their STEM packs you can check out are awesome!! One of our favorite places to go in Artesia!

Super nice and totally up to date great job guys

Architecturally and aesthetically this is a beautiful building. Nice, comfortable, and clean and has multiple study rooms. My 5 year old had a blast in the Lego room in the children’s section. Great way to pass the time with kiddos.

Everything about this place is wonderful, but the hours are difficult for students to work with. In my opinion, closing at 6 is way too early for students to actually utilize this library. College campuses often have locations for studying like this, but sadly, not Artesia.

An oasis in the middle of nowhere! Gorgeous area, bathrooms. Picnic area

This place is beautiful. Only an hour and 15 minutes from Carlsbad and it feels like a different world. Beautiful drive and scenery. I swam at the base of the waterfall and although brisk, very refreshing, worth it, and rewarding. Highly recommend a visit! Bring your bathing suit, towel, and a change of clothes. The rocks are slippery so enter in the middle section. It closes at 4pm daily. The walk to the falls is only about 10 min max from the parking area. Bring $10 with you in cash for the entrance fee. There is no gate or attendant, you put your money in an envelope and drop it in a box.

Absolutely stunning view of a waterfall surrounded by foliage into an ice cold spring. You can swim. It’s about 6.5 feet in the absolute deepest part, and less than a foot in the shallowest. There’s large rocks and small pebbles on the bottom of the spring bed. The water is so cold it’s shocking to get into, but it feels so nice to dry off in the sun when you’re done swimming. Truly a stunning oasis in the midst of the desert. Absolutely worth the long and windy drive to the spot. It closes at 4 pm, so be sure to get there before 4. As long as you’re there before 4 you can stay later.

With myself and my family being part native American Indian it was very important to show them this beautiful and very peaceful peace of our heritage.

Easy .25 mile from the parking lot. For the less traveled pools of water that are deep enough to dive into, take T68 trail up from the parking lot for .4 miles up above the falls. This was my kids favorite part.

Truly an amazing place. The peace and serenity of the place can be felt making the hike around the area. It clear to see why ancient people groups would have chose this as an oasis get away. Super dog friendly and since it a smaller park there is normally plenty of room for the pawers to run and play.

Great place. Relax 😌 Water fall is small but still a great place.

I attended a wedding this past weekend for a friend. It looked beautiful and wonderful! Until I heard the owner LOUDLY trash talking the bride, aka my friend!! The picture attached is what the bride had to walk on when she and her planner were told there would be a walk way going from where she came out to the beginning where they got married. Because of this the bridal party and the bride almost tripped multiple times!!! The bride was holding back tears the whole night due to the disrespect the owner Toni was giving her. We even ended up leaving early as the bride was tired of hearing all the rude comments from the owner and her staff! Please DO NOT book this venue!

Hands down, the sweetest people. Such a family friendly environment. All the animals are so sweet and obviously well loved and cared for. Prices are fair. MUST VISIT

We visited the pumpkin patch and it was so great for my kids!! So many great activities for kids and for adults to enjoy. It is definitely worth the price. We were there for two hours and still didn't do everything that they offered.

They have lots of activities and cool things for the kiddos. We had their lemonade and were hoping to try their apple cider doughnuts but they were sold out. They have a tractor ride to pick a pumpkin and pumpkin slingshots and a fairy garden where they sold (pricey) fairy wings and wands and crowns so it was cute but we didn't buy those things. They were cute. We paid $12 a person to get in. Under 2 get in free. Took star off for those prices. They have something for most ages. Barn bingo and gel blasters too. Bouncy farm and petting zoo and bamboo maze and fishing pond with pole you can use. Was warm today so the lemonade hit the spot. Will go back next year. Didn't try any wines but they are a vineyard and have wine tastings. And they sell some concessions in the barn and there's a restaurant too

Cool place for us to stop on the way to Roswell, New Mexico for the kids to get out of the RV and play a little bit. They got pumpkins and played some games and had a good time.

This place had some good wine, cool booths, crazy good food, cute little pumpkins, blow up for kids, animals to see and pet. We went for the very last part of the sunflower festival. We got drunk and ate, we had a good time, and I loved it. Totally recommend for anyone of all ages. Very cute off the beaten path type vibes 🤙🏼

Love love love the Vineyard! Had my wedding and my baby shower there and they go above and BEYOND. They truly made all my dreams come true!! I will forever hold all my future events at this beautiful place! Love all their incredible home cooked meals, house drinks, and hospitality 🤍 They also have such fun & creative events, such as Ladies Nights, field trips, Date Nights, Comedy Nights, holiday events, and so so much more!! Truly a great time for everyone!!🤍

Very helpful person at the entrance gate Sites are nicely spaced and fairly level. It's a very pleasant campground to stay in for visiting Carlsbad Caverns, Sitting Bull Falls, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Want to say a couple of things about Brantley State Park: if you have ever camped in the desert in the summer, you know two things: lots of bugs and it's very hot. Brantley State Park staff take incredible time and care to clean the campsites and showers. The showers are free and clean. The bathrooms have a working AC running, giving you a cool place to shower and cool down. The toilets are clean and the stalls have no bugs in them. Very few crawl around. The bathrooms have plugins where we could charge our fans (which I highly recommend having in the summer months). There are tarantulas and snakes nearby but we never had any close calls near our tent. It's been wonderful camping here even if the desert makes it difficult. Thank you to the staff who take care of this park.

Quiet park bench areas. Clean! Spectacular views of Dam and the lake. All Seasons photos

Great park. Lake view. Large , level sites. Beautiful. Not close to Carlsbad but doable. I’d definitely go there again.

Stunning, quiet and nice place. Highly recommend. Close to carlsbad caverns.

The best state park campground that we’ve been to. Affordable. Picnic tables are covered. Great views of the lake. Bathrooms have been recently renovated. Good running and mountain biking trails (short paths for mountain biking). Convenient distance to Carlsbad Caverns.

Very nice New Mexico State Park. We stayed at the Limestone Campground and visited the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Fun zoo with paths to guide you through, so you don't miss anything. Able to see creatures up close. Beautiful gardens and pond. Nice visitor center with lots of information about local flora and fauna. Also, it is very close to Ocotillo trail for walking or hiking.

We arrived at the Living Desert Zoo around noon. The temperature was 95-100, so we had sunscreen and water. We wore short sleeves, shorts/capris, hats, and hiking boots/shoes. There are paved roads, so as long as you're comfortable, you should be okay. Once inside, we were greeted and paid $10 for an adult and $5 for a child. The gentleman was polite and extremely helpful. He gave us a map, explained the trail, and a shortcut in case the heat became unbearable. We took our time and enjoyed every bit of it. The main building has restrooms, a touch table for the kids to explore, and other educational exhibits. Outside are some restrooms. We used the highly recommended ones next to the reptile exhibits. The women’s facility was easily accessible and clean. There's a picnic area, so once we were done, we retrieved our food from the car and enjoyed a relaxing outdoor picnic. Before leaving, we got a few things from the gift store. If you're an active duty service member or a retiree, you can receive a veteran 10% discount. Overall, this is a nice place to enjoy nature and the animals of the desert. It was not crowded and a great break away from busy attractions. We spent about three hours there since we were not in a rush. We loved it and were happy we got in the car before a thunderstorm hit.

Our family loves this local zoo! We've been a few times in different seasons & it's always a fun, active mini adventure to take with the kids. The gift shop has some pretty cool stuff too!

Visited the Living Desert State Park in New Mexico, and while it’s still a very nice place to spend a couple of hours, there are a few things to know ahead of time. First off, the new visitor center is absolutely amazing—beautifully updated, interactive, and packed with good info. Honestly, it's a highlight all on its own. It has a great gift shop too, where you can even buy local plants. It does have a little something for everybody. That said, the rest of the park is showing its age a bit. Some areas are looking a little run down, and there weren’t as many animals as I remember from past visits. A few enclosures were empty or looked like they were in the process of being fixed up. The Cactarium was especially sad. Still, there's a lot to see and do, especially if you're into desert plants and beautiful views. The walking paths are peaceful and scenic, and it’s a nice way to get a feel for the local landscape. Definitely worth a visit—just go in with the right expectations. It is still a very good deal for $10.

My husband and I loved strolling thru the grounds. Saw some great animals. They are slowly working on improving the site. Nice area for a picnic

This is an absolute hidden Gem in Carlsbad. It's a nice stroll through some natural desert habitat and a number of critters. The small museum is a nice little touch too.

We had a wonderful time here. Enjoyed the walk around the grounds and learning about native plants and animals. We were sad that the cat enclosures were empty, but did enjoy seeing the other animals like the Mexican Wolves, Pronghorn, and Elk. In addition to the usual fare, the gift shop also had plants available for purchase.

I recently sent proof to the higher ups about confidential files being shared by an employee.. and this includes information that isn’t public, a check stub (not mine) with the numbers not covered(account and bank numbers), even a domestic case. I highly suggest everyone find a different court to file things. Especially if this employee is still employed here because it wasn’t once, or twice or three times it was numerous times. Just be careful if you really want stuff to stay private that doesn’t go public. Her name was Lasey Garcia. From what I hear though this office Has eachothers back which is good until people don’t do their jobs correctly.

Although they say they are open until 5:00 they do not conduct business after 4:30, they have already closed their cash drawer. I wouldn’t consider this being open for business until 5:00 if they can’t process my court petition after 4:30 after I drove 45 minutes to get to the courthouse. I also hope security and timeliness is not of your concern when using this court. I’ve been through security many times and not once has my bag been checked by security. They ask if I have weapons so even though I’m able to walk through the metal detector with alarms going off, they seem unbothered. A retraining order I filed took over three weeks to be denied by the judge, good thing my safety from the person I was filing the order against wasn’t an issue.

The people are very slow and behind in all aspects of the system for people luke me that has to keep moving and always on the go. I have to pay child support for 5 children, so my absence from my employer takes money out of my children mouth. Whenever my license are suspended, all my other children suffer as well, and this office is causing all my cases to go into the arrears, and i believe that they are doing it intentionally. They say they care about the child, but that is a lie, because the parent came before the child, and if the parent is not allowed to move and function without constant harassment then they are liars and can't see the entire picture. I am a professional truck driver, i haul frac sand, when it slows down Judge Romero and i have to come to work in New Mexico i can not because my license are suspended, so the money stops until the work picks back up somewhere else besides New Mexico. The imbeciles down in Roswell, are still not quite understanding, or they are just putting me farther in tbe arrears intentionally aa i have stated above.....so i rate this court 1 star because you are so far out of touch with reality, and on the verge of being racist, and discriminating against me because of my color, background, and occupation

I had jury duty at the end of 2021 and I just got summoned again. Also why don't they excuse people who don't have childcare? Where are my children supposed to go? Our courts are awful and the people who work there are incompetent.

Main entrance deputies are unfriendly, uninformed. Treat citizens without respect. Employees get preferred parking instead of taxpayers.

Poor Customer Service.