National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National ParkWhile a cave might not sound quite as sexy as redwoods, geysers or the Grand Canyon, there’s no question that this one measures up on the national parks’…
Southeastern New Mexico
Two extraordinary natural wonders are tucked away in New Mexico's arid southeast: the mesmerizing White Sands National Monument and the magnificent Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Also impressive, if less well known, are the thousands of petroglyphs at the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site and the sprawling lava flow at Valley of Fires Recreation Area. This region also swirls with some of the state's most enduring legends: aliens in Roswell, Billy the Kid in Lincoln, and Smokey Bear in Capitan. Most of the lowlands are covered by hot, rugged Chihuahuan Desert – once submerged under the ocean – but you can always escape to the cooler climes around the popular forest resorts of Cloudcroft or Ruidoso.
Explore Southeastern New Mexico
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southeastern New Mexico.
National Park
White Sands National ParkUndulating through the Tularosa Basin like something out of a dream, these ethereal dunes are a highlight of any trip to New Mexico, and a must on every…
Museum
Roswell Museum & Art CenterRoswell's excellent museum deserves a visit. Twelve galleries showcase Southwestern artists including Georgia O'Keeffe, Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth,…
Museum
International UFO Museum & Research CenterThere’s a lot of reading to be done here and exhibits dive right into the nitty-gritty, assuming familiarity with Roswell's extraterrestrial past. Display…
Historic Site
Lincoln Historic SiteIt's hard to believe that in Billy the Kid's era Lincoln was home to a bustling population of nearly 900. Today it is essentially a ghost town, with only…
Archaeological Site
Three Rivers Petroglyph SiteThe remote Three Rivers Petroglyph Site showcases over 21,000 petroglyphs, incised six centuries ago by the Jornada Mogollon people onto the flat surfaces…
Museum
New Mexico Museum of Space HistoryLooming over the northeast corner of town and nicknamed 'the golden cube,' this four-story museum is surrounded by historic missiles, and holds excellent…
National Park
Valley of Fires Recreation AreaAt the Valley of Fires Recreation Area, 4 miles west of Carrizozo, you can explore the rocky blackness of a 125-sq-mile lava flow that's 160ft deep in the…
Gallery
Hurd-La Rinconada Gallery & Sentinel Ranch WinerySan Patricio, a tranquil country village along the Rio Ruidoso, has the kind of golden glow and gentle scenery that's been drawing artists to New Mexico…
Viewpoint
Mexican Canyon Trestle OverlookBuilt in 1899 to carry timber down to Alamogordo for the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad, the railway line here twisted up the Sacramento Mountains for…
Museum
Hubbard Museum of the American WestThis town-run museum focuses on local history, with a wonderful gallery of old photos, and also displays Native American kachinas, war bonnets, weapons…
Area
La Luz & TularosaThe painters, writers and craftspeople who live in the tiny enclave of La Luz, 4 miles north of Alamogordo, share a passion for creating artwork and…
Wildlife Reserve
Bitter Lake National Wildlife RefugeWintering water birds gather at this 38-sq-mile refuge, 10 miles northeast of Roswell; many birds remain to nest in the summer. Bring your binoculars for…
Sports Ground
Ruidoso Downs RacetrackNational attention focuses on the Ruidoso Downs racetrack on Labor Day for the world's richest quarter-horse race, the All American Futurity, which has a…
Museum
Historical Center for Southeast New MexicoHoused in the 1912 mansion of local rancher James Phelps White, this property is on the National Register of Historic Places, and its interior has been…
Zoo
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State ParkNorthwest of town, this state park is a great place to see and learn about reptiles and roadrunners, wolves and elk, along with desert plants such as…
Museum
Toy Train DepotRailroad buffs and kids flock to this 1898 railway depot, for five rooms of train memorabilia and toy trains, and a 2.5-mile narrow-gauge minitrain ($5)…
Museum
Carlsbad Museum & Art CenterThis museum displays Apache artifacts, pioneer memorabilia from the region and paintings by artists from the Taos School. Ask staff about the resident…
Observatory
Sunspot Solar ObservatoryOne of the world's largest solar observatories is near Sunspot, 20 miles south of Cloudcroft. Though it's primarily for scientists, tourists can enter the…
Indian Reservation
Mescalero Apache Indian ReservationAround 4000 Apache – not only Mescalero, but also Chiricahua and Lipan – live on this reservation, stretching approximately 720 sq miles south and west of…