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    Oliver Lee Memorial State Park

    4.3 (29 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Distant views from Site 24
    Steve H.

    Love, love, love it here. Friendly staff and very clean and well kept bathrooms. We have stayed in sites 24 and 21. Both were sloped sites and required some tweaking to level out; but it was worth the hassle for the views. Site 24 is closer to the bathrooms by several yards; but you can hear the heat/ac/transformer units from there and it is a constant hum. Site 21 felt rather "remote" due to the way it sits a bit higher than the lower loop and is spread out nicely. The surrounding plant life does block some of the distant mountain view's; but again this is nitpicking on my part. Will gladly return to OL

    Kate W.

    Loved our three night stay here! It was easy to maneuver in and out of the park in our 30' 5th wheel. Showers were hot, and grounds are really clean and well maintained. Nice and quiet. We pulled in at night and was able to choose from numerous first-come-first-serve sites with the Self Pay station. Very dog friendly! Our dogs loved hiking with along the few trails around the park. We had about 3-4 bars of Verizon LTE - and we were able to work and stream just fine. We will definitely be staying here again!

    Panoramic view of campsites
    Adrienne K.

    Oliver Lee State Park was probably one of the best camp sites I've ever stayed at. There were a lot of amenities that made our one-night stay very comfortable. The camping area was clean and spacious, there were sites with shaded picnic tables, and every site had its own water source and was located near trash bins. The camping area even had plenty of bathroom stalls and showers for free, and beautifully landscaped and lit pathways (we didn't need headlamps to get around at night). I highly recommend camping here as an option if you're planning to visit White Sands National Monument or passing through this area.

    Self pay station
    Maria A.

    Nice place for couples or families Very clean and well kept They Have hot showers on one side and restrooms on both side Hope We will be back soon The best campground we've seen and stayed so far

    Our campsite with water, electricity, and great views.

    We just stayed one night at the Oliver Lee Memorial State Park Campground. Made our reservation online and did not need to check-in with anyone and the campground was organized very well and very easy to find our campsite. Very clean and pretty campground with great views. Our site had access to electricity and water which was really nice for it being really hot in June. Would HIGHLY recommend. Nice table for us to eat our meal at. Also just a 30 minute drive from White Sands which is great. No issues at all with the bathroom. Overall a great campsite!

    Rex S.

    Location of some of the most pitched Apache battles, this state park is busting at the seams with history. The visitor center has some very interesting dioramas, complete with union army swords, guns and other artifacts. The park itself has year round water flowing, making it rich with plants and wildlife. If you want to take the trail to the top, watch out... its a really steep climb. Beautiful New Mexico at its best.

    Caroline S.

    This place is truly a hidden gem. We came around 6pm because we had some time after checking into our hotel, and found out it was 24hrs. The self park box was closed so we didn't even have to pay the $5 fee. A hike here feels like being transported to the mountains in South America. The trails are scenic and beautifully maintained. This is a great place to watch the sunset, too.

    View from campsite
    Sue N.

    I miss this park already! Dog friendly and must be on a leash! They have two hiking trails - the Riparian nature trail that's .5 miles and the dog canyon trail that's 5.5 miles. Decided to stay here while planning a visit to the white sands dunes thats about 30 mins away. The nearest town is about 12-15 mins away that has all your restaurants, gas, groceries and Walmart. There are restrooms at the visitor center that's only available during open hours and there's a restroom with showers located between the two camping loops. There are also vault toilets located in loop B. The view is amazing! And the stars at night are the best I've seen, of course on a clear sky night. We got cloudy skies our second night so we didn't get to enjoy the stars. Also, when there's a thunderstorm, the winds are really really crazy. Almost thought our tent wasn't going to make it, but 5 hours later, we survived. Leave a voicemail, if you're trying to contact them and they'll get back to you pretty fast. The park wasn't that busy when we had visited, maybe total 6 campers total at a time. Which is great, felt like we had the campsite all to ourselves! There are some sites that provide shade and some that don't. There are some that provide water and electricity or just one or the other, so pay attention to which site you want! Our site, #2, didn't have any shade so mornings and afternoons were brutal. But we also had a cloudy day so that helped alot! This park really is a hidden gem. The view of Lincoln National Forest is amazing and the park ranger was nice! The park is nicely maintained too. The nature Riparian trail is also nice as it takes you along the empty rocky creek that could have potential flooding and Frenchy's historical home! It's a loop that starts at the visitor center. I would stay here again if I were to ever come back!

    Riparian Nature trail

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    Very clean camp sites and shower/bathroom facilities. Nice and quite and awesome view of the stars at night. Close to White Sands.

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    This State Park was absolutely beautiful at the base of Dog Canyon.

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    Grindstone Lake - Grindstone lake

    Grindstone Lake

    4.8(20 reviews)
    42.1 mi

    Grindstone Lake was one of our favorite parts of visiting Ruidoso! I know there are other lakes…read morenearby, but this one is definitely a must-see. You pay per vehicle, and you can bring your own chairs, food, fishing gear, kayaks, or anything else you want for a fun day by the water. There are a few benches, but they fill up quickly, so I'd recommend bringing your own chairs. The inflatable water park was the highlight for our kids! Life jackets are provided, and they had an absolute blast. They couldn't stop talking about all the fun they had. There's also a restroom on-site, which made our visit even more convenient. We had such a great time and would absolutely come back!

    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!

    Photos
    Grindstone Lake
    Grindstone Lake
    Grindstone Lake

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    The Camp @ Cloudcroft

    The Camp @ Cloudcroft

    4.4(16 reviews)
    27.3 mi

    This place was a nightmare. Over priced cheapy dirty lodging. The cabin was not as listed. It's a…read moreSHARED double wide trailer with the owner although listed (and priced) as a private cabin. Listed as family friend, yet we got a complaint that our kids noise was excessive from INSIDE of the cabin. The cabin comes with bad views and lots of attitude. Lodging walls are plastered in cheap tacky prints in goodwill frames with price tags on every single one. The "maintenance guy" came onto the property on our 1st morning to yell at us and treat us like children over the fire pit we used the night before, while my husband was still sleeping. He came trying to intimidate us, threatening that we are going to be charged for excessive damage, at the very start of our stay. There is NO communication here. No instructions, no checkout or checkin information, nothing. We placed a log on a propane firepit because we were supplied a nearly empty propane tank, and were unaware we could burn a log. Again, no information about ANYTHING anywhere inside or out, just an inaccurate map. After being berated and yelled at by the "maintenance man" multipe visits, we spent our Saturday morning cleaning out that firepit with our bare hands. It looked and functioned 10x better than when we arrived. Not my idea of vacationing! So we didn't mess with it the remainder of our 2 days there, robbing us of one of the few amenities we came for. We came for the view and campfire, both we didn't get to experience here. We went to politely and professionally talk to the owner after the maintenance man drama and he could care less and then sat there making lavish statememts, and saying comments like, "wheres your realtors license"... huh?!?! There's lots of lodging in this area, stay anywhere but here! You will find better accommodations at cheaper prices. Also, after reading my negative reviews, the camp sent me a private message on social media calling me "low life". The owner also made a very bizarre comment on my Facebook review requesting that I friend him. This is the usual MO with any negative review (guest shaming and intimidation) as you can see on any site with 1 star reviews.

    Great location, was passing through and was able grab the "cozy cabin" for a night, but the star…read moreof the show is the ristas food truck, ristas was insanely good, the seared ahi tuna, and a monster quesodilla were better than any sit down I've ever been to. Tons of wildlife on the property, camp host even tried to lure them closer to get pics! Best spot in NM!

    Photos
    The Camp @ Cloudcroft - Large Shaded Sites

    Large Shaded Sites

    The Camp @ Cloudcroft - Live Music in the Pavilion!

    Live Music in the Pavilion!

    The Camp @ Cloudcroft - Bathrooms

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    Bathrooms

    Blue Lizard Climbing and Yoga - Beth Marek bouldering in Hueco Tanks, Moonshine Roof.

    Blue Lizard Climbing and Yoga

    5.0(6 reviews)
    57.7 mi

    I had a great experience bouldering with Blue Lizard Climbing and Yoga in Hueco Tanks. They…read moreprovided guiding services for my partner, two friends, and me (4 people total). Our guide Steve support us with hauling pads and setting up below climbs. He shared beta (only when we wanted it and without spraying), taught us about the historic significance of the park, and helped us respect the land's integrity while we were climbing together. Steve has a positive spirit and love for climbing that made the experience extra special. I recommend Blue Lizard Climbing & Yoga to anyone who wants to boulder at Hueco Tanks.

    I cannot stress enough how top notch Blue Lizzard Climbing and Yoga is!…read more Myself and three friends went out bouldering with Stephen in Heuco tanks. I have worked previously for guide companies, so I say this with a certain level of authority. Stephen was knowledgeable, professional, personable and an over all incredible guide. He went far above and beyond what I would a have expected of a single guide. I fully expected to more or less just be paying for access to the park and maybe someone to show us where certain problems were. Not only did they manage all permit issues, but Stephen joined in humping pads, knew not only where the climbs were but also about the geology and history of the park, knew where the cave art was, was knowledgeable about beta when we got stuck, led in managing pads to ensure safety, and on top of that he took pictures and was a fun guy to spend a day with. Superb service! I'll be looking them up again next time I'm around.

    Photos
    Blue Lizard Climbing and Yoga - Yoga classes include hikes through Hueco Tanks.

    Yoga classes include hikes through Hueco Tanks.

    Blue Lizard Climbing and Yoga - Apache pictographs in Comanche Cave, Hueco Tanks.

    Apache pictographs in Comanche Cave, Hueco Tanks.

    Blue Lizard Climbing and Yoga - Steve Marek working Dry Heaves, Hueco Tanks.

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    Steve Marek working Dry Heaves, Hueco Tanks.

    Oliver Lee Memorial State Park - hiking - Updated September 2026

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