When people think of New Mexico, they don't necessarily associate the state with beaches, but the Land of Enchantment is home to some lovely sandy strips and great water sources for sunbathing, swimming, water sports, and more. There aren't many beaches in New Mexico, but the old adage of 'quality over quantity' definitely applies to this state, with NM having a few beaches of truly exceptional quality. If you’re looking for a sandy spot to have some fun in this state, read through all the useful information in our New Mexico beach guide.
1. Elephant Butte
This is undoubtedly the most popular beach in all of New Mexico. The Elephant Butte Reservoir is a beloved recreational spot for the locals, with many people driving long distances from all around the state to spend a day here. The reservoir is situated in a flat area, offering incredible views all the way out to the horizon, but also meaning there isn’t a lot of shade, so you might want to bring a tent or umbrella on sunny summer days. Visitors to the beaches at Elephant Butte Reservoir can simply sit for hours and admire the views all around them. The reservoir is also situated in New Mexico's largest state park, so there's a huge array of other activities to enjoy here like hiking, cycling, boating, fishing, and more.
2. Tingley Beach
If you're looking for a good beach near New Mexico's capital city of Albuquerque, this is the one for you. Tingley Beach is actually within the city itself, so you won't even need to take the car to get here. There's only a small stretch of sand and this beach is hardly in the same league as some of the others on the list in terms of sunbathing and water recreation opportunities, but it's still a lovely little spot to check out if you're looking for fun things to do at the weekend in Albuquerque. The local ducks tend to claim the beach as their own, so it's a fun place to come with the kids and watch the wildlife and walk around. Fishing is popular here too and a great idea for couples is to rent a paddleboat and enjoying a romantic, relaxing afternoon out on the water.
3. Lake Carlsbad
Located on the Pecos River, Lake Carlsbad is only open through to the public through the summer, but attracts big numbers of visitors during this time of year due to its beauty and wide range of activities. Kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are both very popular things to do at this New Mexico beach, and you'll definitely find a lot of fun here, no matter who you're visiting with or how old you happen to be. There's a nice lively atmosphere at Lake Carlsbad too, and it's very conveniently situated near the center of the city and all of its amenities like shops, restaurants, and bars.
4. White Sands National Monument
Not far from Alamogordo, White Sands National Monument isn't a beach in the traditional sense as it doesn't actually feature any water. However, if you're not too interested in kayaking, fishing, or swimming and simply want to enjoy the softness of the sand and spend a long, lazy afternoon working on your tan beneath the beating sun, this is the place to be. The sands stretch out a long way in every direction, with lots of little dunes to climb and explore. Kids love it here and you can spend hours roaming around and feeling at one with nature.
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5. Lea Lake
Located in Bottomless Lakes State Park, not far outside Roswell, Lea Lake offers another excellent New Mexico beach location. All of the typical lakeside activities can be enjoyed here, and there are some excellent nearby amenities too, so you won't need to worry about having to go anywhere or get back in the car for simple things like restrooms or getting changed. This is a really nice place to bring the whole family and find a nice spot on the sand to share a picnic together or play some beach games. There's also a protected swimming spot with calm and shallow waters, ideal for little ones.
6. Navajo Lake State Park Beach
Just an hour away from Farmington, families can find the ultimate vacation getaway at Navajo Lake State Park Beach. The lake—the second largest in the state—has an expansive 150 miles of beach shoreline and experiences over 280 days of sunshine every year. And with its beautiful scenery and abundance of activities, it’s easy to understand why the park is so popular amongst locals and visitors. The 21,000-acre park offers a magnificent network of canyons that may be explored by boat, lake sporting activities, fishing, cliff diving, hunting, scenic trails, and wildlife viewings. Day-use areas are available for daytime visitors, along with camping areas and lodging for those looking to stay a few days.
36 Road 4110, Navajo Dam, New Mexico 87419, Phone: 505-632-2278
7. Conchas Lake
Located in Eastern New Mexico by Tucumcari, this beautiful lake is a hotspot for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Conchas Lake is surrounded by a unique variety of terrains from sandy beaches to canyons and hidden coves. Aside from the beach, visitors can hike around and view various wildlife living in the area, have picnics and camp overnight, or simply enjoy the marvelous scenery. The lake also has a boat launch ramp for those looking to enjoy some water-based activities. While the camping grounds and recreational areas are managed by New Mexico State Parks, the lake itself is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Visitors are invited to stop by the corps’ Administrative Office and Visitor Center to learn more about the area’s history, environment, and available activities.
501 Bell Ranch Road, Conchas Dam, New Mexico 88416, Phone: 575-868-2221
8. Bottomless Lakes State Park
Located less than half an hour from Roswell, visitors can check out New Mexico’s very first state park. The park is well known for its various lakes, which are actually sinkholes fed by underground water. Some of the sinkholes go as deep as 90 feet and are filled with greenish-blue aquatic plants, giving the lakes a near bottomless illusion. Visitors are welcome to enjoy non-motorized boating activities such as kayaking, fishing, pedal boating, and scuba diving. The park also offers over four miles of biking and hiking trails along with camping and picnicking areas, playgrounds, beach activities, and wildlife viewing opportunities.
545A Bottomless Lakes Road, Roswell, New Mexico 88201, Phone: 575-988-3638
9. Park Lake
One of the must-see spots in Santa Rosa, Park Lake is filled with outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy. The lake welcomes a number of water activities from swimming to boating and offers several water sports equipment for rent. There’s even an inflatable obstacle course out on the lake with a bouncing horse, climbing wall, and water slide. Out of the water, guests can bring their own food to enjoy in the shaded picnic areas or grab a bite to eat from summertime food trucks. Park Lake is open to visitors all year round but usually offers most of its activities and lifeguard supervision between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
913 Blue Hole Road, Santa Rosa, New Mexico 88435
10. More Info
The United States of America has an exceptionally long coastline, with a lot of states having at least some areas with ocean views and sandy spaces. The Pacific Coast, Gulf Coast, and Atlantic Coasts of America are filled with amazing beach locations from New England areas like Cape Cod in the northeast all the way round to Florida beaches like Miami and Clearer, across the southern shores of the country through states like Alabama and Mississippi, and then all up the western side through California and up to the Canadian border.
With such a long coastline, the country has a long list of incredible beaches to enjoy, but coastal locations aren’t the only ones to benefit from beaches. Inland beaches can be found all around America too, like in the Great Lakes region, and you can find beautiful beaches even in places where you’d least expect them. For example, despite being a landlocked state without any coastal areas, New Mexico has plenty of super beaches at lakes and reservoirs. These sandy spots allow New Mexico residents to enjoy all the fun of coastal cities without being forced to drive for hours to get there.
What are the 10 Best New Mexico Beaches?
The 10 Best New Mexico Beaches according to local experts are:
- Elephant Butte
- Tingley Beach
- Lake Carlsbad
- White Sands National Monument
- Lea Lake
- Navajo Lake State Park Beach
- Conchas Lake
- Bottomless Lakes State Park
- Park Lake
- More Info
More Ideas in NM: White Sands National Monument
Emerging from the heart of the Tularosa Basin in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico, White Sands National Monument is one of the world's great natural wonders. The glistening white wave-like dunes of gypsum sand engulfs 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dune field and breathtaking landscapes. The White Sands National Monument forms a large part of this unique dune field as a preservation area, which protects the unique flora and fauna that call the dunes home. The White Sands National Monument can be explored on a variety of walking trails which wind through the dramatic landscape of the dunes, including the Dune Life Nature Trail and the raised Interdune Boardwalk, both of which feature interpretive exhibits and information boards on the local wildlife. All trails begin at the White Sands Visitor Center, which has a variety of information about the White Sands National Monument and surrounding region.
The White Sands area was inhabited by the Mescalero Apache people who were already living in the field at the time when the dunes were discovered by U.S. Army officers in 1849. The area was first designated as a National Park in 1898 when a group of people proposed the region become a game hunting preserve, which did not come to fruition. After numerous proposals for the land, President Herbert Hoover created the White Sands National Monument in 1933, after which it was open to the public and still stands today.
The White Sands National Monument is located approximately 16 miles southwest of Alamogordo in the counties of Dona Ana and Otero and rests at an elevation of 4,235 feet within the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin. The southern part of the basin is made up of 275 square miles of pristine white sand made up of gypsum crystals, making it the largest gypsum dune field of its kind in the world. Various forms of sand dunes are found in the White Sands region, ranging from transverse and barchan in the center of the area to parabolic dunes on the northern, southern, and northeastern borders. The Monument is surrounded by military installations, namely the Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range and is sometimes closed to the public due to missile testing.
The White Sands National Monument is based next to the White Sands Missile Range in the heart of the Tularosa Basin in New Mexico and is open to the public at various times during the season. The Monument is sometimes closed for various periods of time due to missile tests on the White Sands Missile Range next door. Special permits for occasions such as weddings, commercial filming, and photography, and backcountry camping can be applied for. The White Sands National Monument has a ‘Leave No Trace’ ethic whereby the park aims to minimize human impacts on the environment.
The White Sands National Monument offers guided field trips for visitors of all ages with fact sheets for young learners and students. Field trips to the Monument can be enjoyed in a variety of ways – as self-guided trips, ranger-guided programs for youth and students, or ranger-guided curriculum-based programs for all ages. The Park also participates in a special Junior Ranger Program, which features a variety of age-group-specific activities.
White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, Phone: 575-479-6124
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More Ideas in NM: Carlsbad Caverns
The Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the southeast corner of New Mexico in the Guadalupe Mountains. The desert landscape offers tabletop mesas, rocky canyons, and a network of over 100 underground caves beneath the Chihuahuan Desert. A visit to the park may begin at the Visitor’s Center with the 16-minute film, Hidden Worlds - Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The film uses high definition photography to showcase the natural wonders of the park including the caves, desert wildlife and flowering cacti.
The Natural Entrance Trail at the park guides guests along a stone walkway just over 1 mile into the Big Room chamber of the cavern, located over 750 feet below the surface. The Big Room is a 4,000-foot long natural chamber of limestone with a ceiling as high as 255 feet in some places. The chamber is the fifth largest in the United States, and the 28th largest known underground chamber in the world.
Guided tours take guests beyond the Big Room to several other named rooms among the underground network. Among these are King’s Palace, a highly decorated chamber which reaches depths of 830 feet below the surface. The 90-minute 1-mile tour requires a descent and a steep uphill exit. The Left Hand Tunnel tour is a moderately difficult lantern-guided tour. The 2-hour tour includes navigating steep, slippery slopes and is not recommended for those with difficulty seeing in low light. The 3-hour Lower Cave tour takes visitors down 60-feet of knotted ropes and wooden ladders into different chambers to view formations such as The Rookery, the Texas Toothpick and Colonel Boles Formation. The Slaughter Canyon Cave tour is a moderately difficult 6-hour adventure that takes guests to see one of the world’s tallest limestone columns, the 89-foot Monarch. Additional formations include the crystal-decorated Christmas Tree column, and the Chinese Wall. The cave is illuminated by flashlights and headlamps only, and all guests are required to bring three spare AA batteries for safety.
Above ground, several trails and backcountry treks allow guests to explore the Chihuahuan Desert, including the flowering cacti, agave and yuccas. The park is home to over 900 species and subspecies of vascular plants. Birding in the oasis area of Rattlesnake Springs is another popular activity. Over 350 species of birds can be found in the park, many in the isolated areas adjacent to the natural water source. The Rattlesnake Springs Historic District is a landscaped area surrounding the springs with a Pueblo Revival Style pump house built in 1933 and a Ranger’s Residence built in 1940.
History: The Park’s underground caverns were formed between 4 million and 6 million years ago when hydrogen sulfide escaping from fissures and faults in the limestone began mixing with the oxygen in rainwater to form sulfuric acid. The acid dissolved the limestone rock leaving behind clay, silt and gypsum deposits in the underground caves. Humans have been exploring the caves since pre-historic times, as evidenced by archeological finds in the area. Many of the cave’s ‘rooms’ were originally named by Jim White, who explored the park as a young boy in 1898 and later became a Park Ranger. Carlsbad Cave was designated as a National Monument in 1923, and was upgraded to National Park in 1930. Approximately two thirds of the park has been designated as a Wilderness Area, meaning no further changes will be made to the natural habitat. Both the Caverns and Rattlesnake Springs have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over 380,000 guests visit the National Park each year.
Ongoing Programs and Education: The Bat Flight program takes place at Carlsbad Caverns from May through October each year. Visitors witness thousands of Mexican Free Tail Bats as they exit the caverns each evening at dusk in search of food. Bat Flight viewing takes place at the amphitheater outside the cave’s Natural Entrance. During the winter months, the bats migrate south to the Sierra Madre Oriental range in Mexico. Night Sky events are also popular as the park is located far from the city lights. Star Parties take place from May through the October immediately after the Bat Flight program. Guests may view the stars through the park’s high-powered telescopes. Rangers are on hand to answer questions, and educate visitors about the constellations, astronomy and local folklore. The ‘Give Me the Sun and the Moon’ program combines hiking with stargazing. On New Moon and Full Moon evenings, visitors hike with park rangers up to 1.5 miles through rugged desert terrain.
3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220, Phone: 575-785-2232
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More Ideas in NM: Taos Ski Valley
Located in Taos County, New Mexico, Taos Ski Valley is an alpine ski resort village town offering access to peak slope elevations of 12,481 feet, along with a resort village and suite accommodations. The present-day site of Taos Ski Valley was once home to the copper mining town of Twining, which was abandoned in the late 1800s. In 1955, the Taos Ski Valley resort was opened by Ernie and Rhonda Blake of Santa Fe, the managers of the Santa Fe Ski Basin.
History
At its opening, the resort featured access to a single ski slope, named Snakedance, and had little access to modern buildings and amenities until the mid-1960s, when the village area was incorporated. In 1956, a J-Bar ski lift was installed for the Snakedance slope, and the following year, a second chairlift was installed. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the resort continued to add slopes and amenities, including a resort village and condominium accommodations. In 2013, the resort was purchased by American investor Louis Bacon, the founder and CEO of Moore Capital Management.
Permanent Attractions
Today, Taos Ski Valley is home to more than 55 independent businesses, including a variety of restaurants and overnight accommodations options. As the highest-elevated municipality in the United States, the 2.4-square-mile ski village sits at a maximum height of 12,581 feet, with average skiing elevations reaching 9,207 feet. Tourism comprises the majority of the village’s industry, with more than $12 million spent annually on skiing operations.
Five distinct skiing terrain parks are offered, including the Lower and Upper Front Side areas, the Bcak Side, the Highline Ridge, and the West Ridge. 110 skiing trails are featured, accommodating beginner, intermediate, and expert skill levels. Beginner and intermediate areas encompass roughly one-half of ski terrain and include Bambi Glade, Strawberry Hill, Whitefeather, Mucho Gusto, and Powderhorn. Higher-skill slopes are divided into advanced and expert categories and include Edelweiss, Inferno, Longhorn, Thunderbird, and three Kachina slopes, reaching a peak elevation of 12,481 feet. 15 chairlifts serve the slope areas, including the Kachina Lift, the highest triple chairlift in North America.
Located adjacent to Lift 1, The Blake is an 80-room alpine lodging house offering one- and two-bedroom, deluxe, and king suites. All guest rooms include amenities such as refrigerators, coffeemakers, and televisions serviced with DirecTV channels. Suites also include a gas fireplace and full kitchenette and laundry room area. Pet-friendly rooms are available upon request. The resort’s 192 at the Blake restaurant blends alpine and New Mexican architecture and decor styles, offering flatbreads, tapas, fine wine, and seasonal craft beer. A Spa and Wellness Center also offers massage, aromatherapy, and facial treatment services, and ski equipment and apparel can be purchased or rented at Taos Sports.
At the base of Lift 4 and Kachina Peak, the Bavarian Lodge and Restaurant offers four suites available for rental throughout the winter skiing and peak summertime seasons, including a three-bedroom suite for larger group accommodations. The resort’s restaurant offers a variety of authentic German dishes, including sauerbraten, wienerschnitzel, and käsespätzle, along with a large selection of imported German beers. American fare options such as sandwiches, salads, and burgers are also offered. Skiing packages through the resort offering complimentary lunch or dinner along with ski times are available for booking.
A variety of other dining options are offered throughout the resort area, including Rhoda’s Restaurant, which serves authentic New Mexican cuisine made from fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. At the base of Lift 6, the Whistlestop Cafe offers custom-made flatbreads and soups served in bread bowls, while the Phoenix Grill, located at the bottom of Lift 4, serves pulled pork dishes and craft beers. Grab-and-go options are offered at the Tenderfoot Katie’s Food Court, and after-ski cocktails are served at the Martini Tree Bar.
Ongoing Programs and Events
A number of annual skiing competitions are hosted at Taos Ski Valley throughout the year, including the Junior Taos Freeride Nationals, held the second week in February. Also in February, the Rio Hondo Rando Raid event is host to the US Ski Mountaineering Nationals Sprint and Team Races. Public special events throughout the skiing season include a Femme de Freeride women’s skiing festival, a Brewmaster’s Festival, and New Year’s Eve festivities featuring midnight skiing, a torchlight parade, and fireworks. A variety of arts and culture events are also hosted throughout the year in the village of Taos, including the Frank Morgan Jazz Festival, film and lecture series hosted by the Taos Center for the Arts, and First Friday gallery crawl events in the village’s arts district.
116 Sutton Place, Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525, Phone: 800-776-1111
