Camping

Elephant Butte Lake State Park (tel. 575/744-5923) welcomes backpackers and RVs alike, with 200 developed campsites, 150 RV hookups, picnic tables, and access points for swimming, hiking, boating, and fishing. Kids love the playground.

Not far from Elephant Butte Lake is Monticello Point RV Park (tel. 575/894-6468), which offers tenting and 69 sites with full hookups. Laundry and grocery facilities are also on the premises, as are restrooms with showers. To reach Monticello Point, take I-25 to exit 89, and proceed 5 1/2 miles east on the paved road -- follow the signs.

Lakeside RV Park and Lodging (tel. 575/744-5996), also near Elephant Butte, has 50 sites, two overflow sites (all 52 are full hookups), as well as a recreation room with cable and laundry facilities. When you are headed south on I-25, the RV park is 4 miles southeast of the I-25 and NM 195 junction (exit 83) on NM 195. To reach the RV park when you're headed north on I-25, take exit 79, go half a mile east on the paved road, 1 1/2 miles north on NM 181, then 1 1/2 miles east on NM 171, and finally a quarter mile south on NM 195.

Camping is also available at Caballo Lake State Park and Percha Dam State Park. For information on either park, call tel. 575/743-3942 or visit www.nmparks.com.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.