This waterfall blew my mind! I didn't know that such a large waterfall existed in NM! I'm so glad…read morewe hiked it, and I'll be back! The water was pretty frigid, but still fun!

The staff here is rude and act like they are doing you a favor by letting you pay them $20 to see a…read morefalls, the view of which is ruined by the dam, clearly built above it. I do not recommend.

Easiest day trip everrrrr. We left Albuquerque around 7am, and pulled in around 8:10ish. We spent…read moreabout 2 hours fishing at the lake, and then drove up a few miles and found a great chill spot to fish the river the rest of the day. This is a fishing only lake, no swimming or boating, no campfires or camping allowed. Fishing licenses are required for anyone 12 years or older (if you're fishing, of course), no license required to chill. They are open 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset, and there are portable toilets on site. Owned by the Benedictine monastery, public access is leased from the monastery by the NM Dept of Game and Fish through the Open Gate Program. There is a small dirt trail around the lake, and the lake itself covers six acres and is appx. 20 feet deep. The pond is regularly stocked, and provides good handicap access. It's a nice little spot, it wasn't crowded, even the day before 4th of July, and it was truly an enjoyable morning spent.

What a fun day to go fishing or for some outdoor enrichment! If you are in the Albuquerque or the…read moresurrounding area and interested in fishing or walking around the great outdoors, Monestary Lake is a nice day trip to go check out. The the best of catch spots but serene nonetheless. Of course there is no liquor or glass items but you can bring your dog for an on leash trail walking or food for a picnic. The lake itself is small and there is a larger crowd but enough space to have some privacy but you will hear the joy from others when they catch a fish! Located in the Pecos, as you continue from Monestary Lake there are other fishing opportunities. If you are day tripping or hitting up different fishing spots to your destination, check out Monestary Lakes!

Manager doesn't know how to manage. Weeds overgrown, bathrooms trashed and full. Disgusting place…read more Don't waste your time

This is a miserable place to spend a night in the winter. Wind blows constantly and no one is…read morearound to answer questions. The gates close at 5pm so dinner out is out. Lake wa primarily clear of ice on Feb 16, 2024. No water is available in campgrounds so trek to the dump station. Overall a really crap place to stay, better off staying at a private place! You could even go out for dinner.

Pretty little lake. Great for kayaking or paddle boarding. Fission is not bad here either but it's…read moreincredibly expensive. $25 per day per person.

Great little lake with options for pedal boats, SUP boards, canoes, and kayaks with low prices…read more Wonderful area for fishing as well. We had the chance to take the SUP boards for a ride while the other half of the family were able to catch 3 beautiful 16" long rainbow trout. A family of deer came up to us and explored the lake during our time there. Steve at the office was just a ray of joy. We felt like he was part of our family during my brother's birthday trip. I hadn't been on a lake fishing since I was a kid; this experience brought back that nostalgia and I couldn't ask for more. Will definitely make the trip from Albuquerque here again :)

Beautiful place for a hike! We did the moderate level…read moreChamisa trail. It had elevation and rocky sections. Definitely not for beginners. If doing this trail, ensure you are wearing hiking shoes/boots and bring plenty of water.

(September 27):…read more What a great drive! I've always wanted to see the Fall Foliage in Santa Fe. I absolutely loved the breathtakingly refreshing views and crisp air. Every turn was better then the first and there are a few pull outs, nice to take pictures. Can't wait to go back.

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).

Decent little marina that carries probably everything you need for the lake here. Plus souvenir…read moreshirt and some other stuff. Some really cool crossbow. Friendly enough staff.

Ok, the other reviews are old and not so great. I can speak to this year 2018. I have spent a month…read moreup in the Eagles Nest area, I have rented boats, bought tackle and bait and just chatted with the folks who run the marina. I could be more pleased with their help and service, Renita is a very sweet lady and her son Tony was very helpful and pleasant. Nothing but a great family run business. I have been in the store when families with children were treated with great kindness and an obvious desire to see that they had a fun time on the lake. I have also seen the old timers treated just the same. Time for yelpers to bury the old owners reviews and give credit to the new folks!

Great 4x4 trail that leads up to a Beautiful mountain lake,great views. You can also hike up, its 2…read moremiles each way.If you don't have a 4x4 you can rent a jeep.The town of red river is small and also has a small ski slope for all you Texans..Not to far from anglefire and eaglesnest,taos. Theres a lot of 4x4 trails that will bring you right by old mining sites. About a 5 hour drive from Albuquerque.

Just hiked this trail today and its one of our favorites. The meadows along the way are just…read morebeautiful! You follow a stream most of the way up so it is wet with lots of vegetation so you might want to wear long pants. A few short steep sections but a great trail. The locals sometimes call this old bones trail so plan to be off the trail by 4:00 since there are mountain lions and you will sometimes see bones along the trail. There are a couple of river crossings that are a tad dicey but nothing too terrible. Take an extra pair of socks if you don't like to hike in wet ones in case you fall in.

A beautiful lake and campground. Quiet. Turquoise blue waters. Able to see deer and eagles on your…read moredrive up here. Just wish that the lake levels haven't been so low the past few years to the point where it was impossible to use the boat ramp. Also, having water close to Albuquerque is a necessity and makes the 6 hour roundtrip day trip worth it

This is a nice place to go hiking and kayaking/canoeing. There are several campgrounds in the area…read morebut most of them are closed due to Covid. The hiking and water activities is worth the trip!

Beautiful place. Cold nights year round. Nightly Frost expected even in the warmest months of summerread more

We came up here and seen the established campgrounds had already been occupied and I really wasn't…read moreinterested in camping with neighbors. We drove a little ways in and sought at a clear space, slight slope, off of a dirt road. We walked in and foraged our spot. I definitely liked what we had found and carved out as our own. We stayed here one night unfortunately, I personally would have rather we stayed another few night but the husband likes to camp lakeside and the only place to do that really is at the west neighboring el vado/heron lake. We made wonderful memories here. I would definitely come back