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

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

On both sides of a drainage canal/river (and I'm not sure if it includes the other side of…read moreWashington Avenue), Washington Park is a medium-sized park. On the one side, a playground and parking area with a concrete structure that has restrooms. On the other side, an amphitheater, skate park and open grass areas that appear to have been used for soccer and baseball. The park also has a fenced-in tennis court with bleachers and some benches with awnings for shade. We're in New Mexico now and the sun is brutal. [Review 17471 overall - 81 in New Mexico - 989 of 2022.]

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six-week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. Sometimes that means a few hours, sometimes several days. White Sands National Park was, without question, one of the most unforgettable and magical places of the entire trip. The first surprise is that these are not sand dunes at all. They are made of gypsum crystals, creating endless waves of brilliant white dunes that seem to stretch forever. Because gypsum doesn't absorb heat the way regular sand does, you can actually walk barefoot, even on a warm day. That alone feels almost magical. The landscape is unlike anywhere else I have ever been. As the sunlight changes throughout the day, the dunes constantly transform, shifting from brilliant white to shades of silver, blue, and soft gold. At times it felt less like Earth and more like walking through another world. The silence, the vastness, and the simplicity of the landscape create an almost meditative experience. I could have hiked there for hours. There is something incredibly peaceful about wandering across the dunes, following only footprints that the wind may erase a few hours later. It is one of those places where you naturally slow down and simply absorb the beauty around you. Beyond its beauty, White Sands also has fascinating geology and ecology. Despite appearing barren, many plants and animals have adapted to survive in this remarkable environment, and learning how life has evolved in such an unusual landscape made the visit even more interesting. We stayed in nearby Alamogordo, which turned out to be a charming town with several very good restaurants and plenty to do. We enjoyed learning about the area's famous pistachio farms and wineries, and there are also family-friendly attractions that make it an excellent base for exploring the region. Overall, White Sands National Park exceeded every expectation. It is beautiful, peaceful, unique, and unlike any other national park we have visited. If you have the opportunity, don't just drive through, walk into the dunes, take your shoes off, and let yourself experience one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the United States.

Pros: Beautiful and natural landscape..view native plants and watch the sunset…read more Cons: Many state parks and businesses close early. The park office closes early and you won't be able to stamp your travel book etc.

Beautiful, quiet park with clean camping facilities. Has restrooms and showers. Great sleeping in…read morethe Chihuahua desert. Close proximity to White Sands and Los Alamos. There is the Dog Canyon trail, which is worth the trek. We didn't make it all the way through due to timing, but will definitely be back to finish.

Quiet and spacious campground for star gazing and close to White Sands NP. We would definitely stay…read morehere again. Friendly camp hosts. They also have sleds to borrow at the camp host station for sledding the dunes at White Sands.

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.

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.

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.

Yesterday was my first time at Elephant Butte state park. My friend had been there and invited me…read more I took my dog with me. We had a great time. It was super fun to swim. The views are beautiful!

We heard this was a nice park so we had to check it out. It is clean! Very pretty. I like all the…read moreducks!! Some people were even fishing.

Nice park, great place to walk my little girl Sydney, since she is blind. She doesn't do well in…read moredog parks with a lot of other animals.

What a blast walking on this cute little trail! We came mid week so there wasn't as many people as…read moresome say there is on the weekend. Cute kids looking for the doors everywhere. Lots of wildlife out when we were out. We went as far on the trail as we could before it ended, if it was a little longer would be ideal but we lived it none the less!

THIS is THEEEE BEST PARK I've ever been too !! We've been traveling in our RV & New Mexico is our…read more8th state so far and we have done so many parks. This has got to be THEE cutest park ever!! (Yes, I'm shouting ) We stayed near town to hit up White Sands & we loved it there too & wanted a park to eat, take a hike & relax. First off we parked in the wrong section ‍. We parked by the first bridge (Tom's bridge). So first you want to find the main entrance. There you will see a wonderful map of the adorable park & the fairy homes. I'll give you a clue, don't use the map, it's not that great BUT is adorable for pictures! Look on the ground for a white fairy wand & you are close to a fairy house. If you find a T, then look for a Troll home. I saw online ONE cute fairy home & thought I would surprise our teens with one cute fairy home. Boy, was I wrong! There's 10 !! We did 9/10. It starts to get into a residential area & maybe it was us buuuut a little old lady didn't look to please that we were there looking for the 10th one. Sorry Lady! They have great picnic spots, benches to sit everywhere! I'm a big big girl and I walked one way the whole thing than my wonderful husband ran back to get our car for me & the kids. We had packed a picnic & parked by the big picnic area. There's about 2 parking spots. All & all, we had a blast ! Greatest Park Ever !!