Large park mainly about the lake but it's nice to hang out around too, there's a nice trail, picnic…read moretables, statues, with a tiny parking lot

I cannot believe there are not more ratings here! Great day trip from Albuquerque! We drove the 1.5…read morehours to Santa Rosa specifically for the WIBIT and other lake activities. It was very busy the day for good reason, low cost water park! A WIBIT, foot paddle boats, water slide, diving board, and swimming area. They allow unlimited WIBIT time until they reach capacity. Then its on 45min rotations and you have to wait in line. Get there early to find a shady spot and grab your spot. A day in the water was so much fun. I subtracted a point for dirty bathrooms, and some staff never said one word to us before participating in water activities which could be dangerous.

This spot was one of the stops on my road trip and it ended up being one of the most peaceful ones…read more I arrived right after sunrise and the whole place was completely empty which made it even better. It was just me and the Blue Hole in total quiet and that moment alone was worth the detour. I thought about swimming but that early in the morning the water must have been freezing and I was not trying to risk the rest of my trip by starting the day shaking. Still the view and the atmosphere made it easy to enjoy without even touching the water. There is something almost unreal about finding a bright blue pool sitting in the middle of the desert. It feels unexpected and a little magical. Even though it is tucked away in the middle of nowhere it absolutely deserves a spot on any travel route. Calm quiet memorable. I am glad I made this stop.

Fascinating, someone I know was scuba certified here. That's the reality of life in the West and…read morelandlocked states. Amazing this geologic wonder exists in the middle of desert New Mexico.

What an adorable place! Our dogs were So glad to be able to run around here after riding for a…read morewhile.

I love this dog park!…read more This is our 137th dog park, I think (we travel). What a treat to find this dog park at dinner time traveling through! Easy to find, so shady and pleasant! Well maintained, bags, garbage, fenced! Love you guys. Bob the Schipperke is in love!!

Take me to the great outdoors, where we can embrace the beauty this state has to offer. Well that…read moreis what we did. This lake (to those from New Mexico to others it maybe a pond) is big enough that you don't feel crowded. The water on a clear day is like glass. You can tear it up on a jet ski! The camp sites range from being able to rent it all they way to bringing your most luxurious RV. There is something for everyone. For the clamper camper there is a bathroom and shower place. It is the prefect getaway for a long weekend. Who would not want to spend the day on the lake and an evening under the stars. The only down side is there is not a lot of shade so make sure you pack a lot of sun screen. Being those sun shades as well. "Here fishy, fishy" that's right not only can you jet ski, wakeboard, and water ski but the fishing is pretty good. Tons of places to fish. There are a variety of fish from Bass to Walleye. Bring your fishing poles and gear. It most likely will pay off. Pack up the family and enjoy the fun. Make sure you bring cash. There is a charge per vehicle at the campsites. You can always phone a friend and ride together.

I just wanted to take a minute to give a hats off to The Northside Cafe at Conchas Lake Marina…read more The service was as outstanding as the food. I ordered the beef steak fajitas, I would have to truly say they were the best fajitas I have ever eaten. The meat was tender and seasoned to perfection, with fresh grilled peppers and onions. The restaurant was clean, fresh and full of friendly life. It is well worth the drive from Albuquerque. Once again.....Hats off!! Tom Keller

A Pristine Lake In the Middle of Nowhere!!…read more As I made my way down the '84 on my way to Roswell after leaving the Blue Hole, I saw the sign for Sumner Lake State Park. I have been to Fort Sumner before but never up to the lake. Being an explorer and not knowing when I would be back in the area I decided I had to check it out. I would be in Roswell much later than I had planned but I had the whole day to do whatever I wanted to. Off I went, I took the turn down the 203 and headed to the Lake. Please note that it's about 20 minutes to get there from the '20 unless you get stuck behind a massive slow-moving RV (just sayin'). As I approached the area I noticed a picnic area, which I stopped at and checked out. I went to the west side of the lake and drove along the dam and into the park. When I got out I was on a high ridge and quite a drop to the lake so I walked along on of the lake trails and saw a really nice lake, surrounded by rock and sand and dirt, but very scenic in a desert sort of way. I found a little path that took me right to the water. The water was clear but you could see its a muddy. silty bottom. Even so, I changed into my shorts and went for a swim. The water was very nice, cool but not cold. Like any lake the closer you are to the shore the warmer the water. I didn't go out too far as it was an unfamiliar body of water but I got a good 10-minute swim before I decided to check out more of the lake. I didn't find any showers but I was able to clean up sufficiently in the of the restrooms. I drove around the park and took in the amazing view and drove around some of the cottages and homes in the village. You can't really get to the other side of the lake without a truck, jeep or quad, but there are trails so be warned. The other side of the park is very nice as well, the camping and trailer spots are clean and well kept. There are trails and paths and inlets and lagoons all around the lake opposite the dam, so you can spend a few hours, a day or a few days at the lake and not get bored. The Lake has fishing, boating, and you can canoe and kayak as well as swim, and the area is really worth exploring. I do recommend a visit if you're looking for something to do. Be careful it is hot and dry you can get sunburned quite easily if you're not careful but it is really worth checking out.

I stopped in this camp when taking a brief trip through Fort Sumner on the way back to Texas from…read moreLas Vegas. The town of Fort Sumner itself is known for its Billy The Kidd presence and there are many things to do in the area in regard to that which are interesting. But just as much as I wanted to check that out, I wanted to check out another unique spot in New Mexico to stay the night and this campsite seemed to be one of the closest. I liked this because there were both tent and RV sites, so naturally I felt a bit more at home than I would have it had ben a park which focuses daily on RVs and leaves tents as an after thought. The lake itself wasn't my favorite lake of New Mexico, though it seemed large everything around it was pretty dry. The banks were more of a gravel than a beach and some of the areas were rocky with larger boulders making it a little more difficult to find a recreational place to just enjoy the water. I definitely needed water shoes to get into or near the water. I chose a primitive site although they do have some which have connections, my reason for selecting this site was its location which I thought would have a great view of the sunrise and the lake, unfortunately it ended up raining the morning so there was no beautiful sunrise. But for only $8 I couldn't really complain especially since I was able to take advantage of the lake a bit the evening before. I noticed the lake was typically of any lake with a lot of the activities of the park centering around it, however they also had a few hiking trails, a small visitor center to check out a little light information about the location and outdoor education programs which were mostly held on weekends. It wasn't really that busy when I was there on the weekday I passed through and camp felt pretty quiet throughout the duration of my stay. Restrooms located near me were vault style but they did have a bathroom with running water and showers as well, depending on where you elect to stay you will be nearby some kind of accommodations. My site being primitive was really primitive and had no table or fire ring, but I did notice for $10 you could have both just a little distance from where my site was located. I personally didn't need either when staying. TIPS: Check into the park office for minor supplies, anything bigger you will need to travel Into town where there are numerous stores. When in the area make sure to stop in at the Billy The Kidd Museum and Bosque Redondo Park both are staples of the area and contain a lot of history which will tell the story of New Mexico past in some of the most infamous ways.

Great candy selection Clean bathrooms…read moreIt's also larger than your average gas station mart

Always clean restrooms and friendly staff. We appreciated the dog area for our pups. Was nice…read moreplace to get a snack and let dogs stretch their legs. Keep it up!

When I was searching for things to do in Santa Fe I stumbled upon this park. I was thinking to…read moremyself that it looked kind of boring, but it turned out to be a really cool place. Admission is only $3 per person. They give you a pamphlet/laminated book type thing and you follow the trail and read the information as you go. They did an excellent job of describing life at the pueblo and it made the trip super interesting. There is a lot of opportunity for great photos. Dogs are allowed throughout the park as long as they are leashed and picked-up after. They had a movie in the visitor center, which we watched after our walk, it was informative, but not necessary.

Nice NPS site. Well designed walking path through ruins. Trail guide is informative. You can…read moredrop into the kivas, which my kids thought was fun. Friendly rangers. Just not a lot of unique content. Would stop by if in area but probably not a facility to go out of your way to visit.

Such a beautiful park. It's super clean and has plenty of areas you can rent to camp. During this…read moreseason it's free to hike the trails. I did a small river trail and it was beautiful. The river wraps around and gives it a scenic view. Love it here.

Golly, what a nice state park - and what an easy drive from either Albuquerque or Santa Fe…read more Nice campsites and impeccably well kept trails. Two moderate and reasonably short trails (up the canyon sides and around on top - both under 2 miles total) and one easy one (along. the river, an out-and-back just over half a mile long). Lovely views on every trail. Nice employees. $5/car for day use. You'll fill out a ticket, stick your fiver in an envelope and shove it into one of those posts with a slit (on pain of a citation). It's well worth it. Villanueva is easily accessed from either Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Beyond that, follow the state park signs that are easily visible on the road and not your Google Maps if you want the least adventurous last mile on your way in (Google will cut off some driving, but you'll be on a one-lane barely improved gravel road that sometimes washes out). Bear in mind, you're climbing over sandstone and you'll want boots with ankle support and good tread for safety. You'll want to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes at the appropriate times and places and I noted a bear track today so keep your kids and dogs close. People who are freaked out by heights might not dig the views or the climb up the canyon walls, but there's no place where you're in danger of falling off. However, you're most definitely in danger of turning an ankle if you're not paying attention, so pay attention! Bonus tips: Villanueva State Park is a great place for a picnic or to bring fit tourists on a half-day adventure. Starting in Albuquerque, you can easily go out I-40 and loop back on I-25, stopping in Santa Fe for lunch or supper. Villanueva is also pretty close to Las Vegas, NM, and there are definitely things there worth checking out (and good places to eat).

Great park to bring the pup and sit and have a meal at the picnic tables! Seems like a popular…read morepark, but not overcrowded!

nice park, though they really need to fix the lights because they don't turn on anymore at night,…read moreso the park just looks TERRIFYING like you'll get murdered if you go walking around... besides that's it's pretty good, lots of open space.