Artesia, Hobbs, Lovington, Portales
This is the land that oil built. Aside from ranching, the fossil fuel business is what keeps folks in beans here. Artesia displays a strong sense of itself as a community with civic roots and pride.
GUIDANCE Artesia Chamber of Commerce (575-746-2744; www.artesiachamber.com), 107 N. 1st Street, Artesia.
Hobbs Chamber of Commerce (575-397-3202; www.hobbschamber.org), 400 N. Marland Boulevard, Hobbs.
Portales/Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce (575-356-8541; www.portales.com), 100 S. Avenue A, Portales.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY Artesia General Hospital (575-748-3333), 702 N. 13th Street, Artesia.
To See
TOWNS Artesia is located on US 285, midway between Roswell and Carlsbad. This little town built on oil refining has a restored railroad station and an excellent small museum showcasing local history.
Hobbs, 63 miles northeast of Carlsbad on US 62/180, lies just across the Texas state line. Plenty of parks and swimming pools; fishing in Maddox Lake and Green Meadows Lake; and RV hookups, camping, and fishing in Harry McAdams Park make this friendly town a convenient stop.
Lovington, 44 miles east of Artesia on US 82, is the site of the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, housed in a historic hotel building. With homesteading roots, the town boomed from oil and remains a center of an agricultural and ranching economy. Chaparral Park offers lake fishing.
Portales, 18 miles south of Clovis on US 70, is famous for its peanut industry. It is also the site of Eastern New Mexico University, and north of town on US 70 is the Blackwater Draw Museum, where artifacts representing the oldest habitations in North America are displayed. Also nearby is the Blackwater Draw site, where the Clovis points were unearthed in 1928, along with remains of ancient bison and mammoth.
MUSEUMS Artesia Historical Museum & Art Center (575-748-2390), 505 W. Richardson Avenue, Artesia. Open Tues.–Fri. 9–noon and 1–5, Sat. 1–5. Closed Sundays, Mondays, and major holidays. Exhibits of regional material culture and social history in a 1920’s cobblestone-façade home. Free.
Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark & Museum (museum 575-562-2202; www.bwdarchaeology2enmu.edu). 1500 S. Avenue K, Portales. Museum open daily. Site: Closed November–March. Memorial Day–Labor Day Mon.–Sat. 9–5, Sun. 9–5. Closed Mondays. Site open Memorial Day—Labor Day 9–5 daily; April–May, September–October 9–5 weekends only. May be closed major holidays. Museum is 5 miles east of Portales on US 70. Site is 5 miles north of Portales on NM 467. This museum displays and explains the finds made at Blackwater Draw, recognized since 1929 as one of the most significant archaeological sites in North America due to 13,000-year-old remains of Clovis Man’s era. In addition to the finely carved “fluted” stone points of Clovis Man, other weapons and tools, as well as the remains of ancient bison, mammoth, and other creatures of the Late Pleistocene era, were found preserved here. $3 adults, $2 seniors $1 children ages 6–13 and students with ID, age 5 and under free. Fourth Sun. every month free.
UNIQUE ADVENTURES
Bat Flights, Carlsbad Caverns National Park (575-785-2232), (575-236-1374 for info on ranger talk), 727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway, Carlsbad, sundown, mid-April–late October. Witness an awesome living swarm of thousands of bats as they leave the caverns. Amphitheater seating is available. Free.
Dalley Windmill Museum (505-356-8541), US 70 and Lime Street in Roosevelt County Fairgrounds, Portales. Call for hours. Begun in 1981 when Bill Dalley obtained a Standard-brand windmill, this collection includes eighty-five restored, working windmills from around the world, each with a unique story, now preserved. Free.
Norman and Vi Petty Rock and Roll Museum (575-763-3435; www.pettymuseum.com), 105 E. Grand Avenue, Clovis. Open daily Mon.–Fri. 8–5. Closed 12–1 PM and Saturdays and Sundays. $5. Also, check out the Norman Petty 7th Street Studio (1313 W. 7th Street, Clovis). Tours by appointment call 575-356-6422 by reservation and two weeks advance notice only. See the original 1950s recording studio where Petty produced the “Clovis sound” back in the day that made stars of Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, and the Fireballs on the Nor-Va-Jak label. It is unchanged from those days, and the studio is in perfect condition. A must-do for rock ‘n roll aficianados.
Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame (575-492-2678; www.nmjc.edu), 1 Thunderbird Circle, Hobbs. Closed major holidays. Open Tues.–Sat. 10–5. Sun. 1–5. Located on the campus of New Mexico Junior College, this museum features exhibits of ranchers and rodeo performers while sharing history from the perspective of Indians, homesteaders, buffalo hunters, and soldiers. $5 adults, $3 seniors and students, children ages 6–18; under age 5 free.
To Do
BICYCLING AND WALKING Pecos Beach Park & River Walk (575-887-1191; www.cityofcarlsbadnm.com/parksrecreation), Carlsbad. Seven and a half miles of paved bike trails and walkways along the Pecos River are a pleasant way to explore the area. Three covered picnic shelters, too.
HIKING Rattlesnake Canyon, (575-785-2232) Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Features a 670-foot descent into the canyon on an easy 2.2-mile hike. If there has been precipitation, wild flowers are stunning in spring. Excellent cacti displays. Trailhead #9 on Desert Loop Drive.
MOUNTAIN BIKING Cueva Escarpment Mountain Bike Trail (575-887-6516), Carlsbad. Three miles of single-track riding at Bottomless Lakes State Park.
WILDER PLACES
Hondo Iris Farm and Gallery (575-653-4062), US 70 and Mile Marker 284, Hondo. Open Tues.–Fri. 10–5. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Perhaps not exactly wilder, but definitely off the beaten path, this exquisite display of hundreds of varieties of iris, a botanical garden of sorts, is at its height during mid–late May. Exquisite picnic site, outstanding gallery of imported clothing and home fashions, and Alice Seely’s affordable, fine original silver jewelry. Magical! Free. Weddings.
Lake Lucero (1-877-444-6777; www.nps.gov/whsa/planyourvisit/lake-lucero-tours.htm), White Sands National Monument. January–April and November–December monthly, three-hour guided tour of the dry lake that is the source of the White Sands. Advance reservations necessary, group size limited. Drive 18 miles and hike 0.75 mile to Lake Lucero. $8, $4 children 15 and older.
Mescalero Apache Reservation (575-464-7777), 16 miles east of Tularosa on US 70. A magnificent forested place deep in the Sierra Blanca mountains, recognized in 1874 as the Mescalero homeland, it is home to 3,100 Native Americans. Famed for its fierce warriors, the tribe is now known for its tradition of Kenalda, the Apache Maidens’ Puberty Rites, with dances of the Mountain Gods, celebrated in annual July 4 festivities at Inn of the Mountain Gods, Ski Apache, and St. Joseph Mission. Murals depict the history of the people. You can find fishing in Eagle Creek Lakes, which also offer camping, and Mescalero Lake, as well as horseback riding, and the fabulous Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort, with Las Vegas–style gambling.
Slaughter Canyon Cave (877-444-6777; www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/slaughter_canyon_cave_tour.htm), Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carlsbad. Check for hours tours are offered. Strictly for the adventurous, this challenging six-hour tour explores an undeveloped cave 23 miles from the visitor center. Here find unearthly beauty deep within the earth, with formations not seen elsewhere. Meet at Visitor Center. $15 adults, $7.50 children. Children under 6 not allowed.
Green Space
RIVERS AND LAKES Bottomless Lakes State Park (575-624-6058), 14 miles southeast of Roswell via US 30 and NM 409, 545A Bottomless Lakes Road, Roswell. Open year-round, daily, 7 AM–9 PM. Hang out among eight small lakes bordered by high red bluffs with walking trails, plus pleasant swimming, fishing, and rental paddleboats. Non-motorized boats OK. $5 per vehicle day use; $10–18 camping.
Brantley Lake (575-457-2384), 16.5 miles northeast of Carlsbad via US 285 and County Road 30; 33 East Brantley Lake Road, Carlsbad. Find here boating, waterskiing, and fishing, with lakeside camping on 3,800-acre Brantley Lake. Excellent birding. $5 per vehicle day use; $18 camping.
Oasis State Park (575-356-5331), 6.5 miles north of Portales via NM 467. 1891 Oasis Road, Portales. Truly an oasis in the high plains, with tall cottonwoods and a fishing pond stocked with catfish and trout. Plenty of wildlife and over 80 species of birds to spot. There’s camping, easy hiking, and a playground. $5 per vehicle day use; $14 camping.
Sumner Lake State Park (575-355-2541), 32 Lakeview Lane, Sumner Lake. Calling all water sports lovers: powerboats, canoes, sailboats, and windsurfers abound here. This park makes a great camping base to explore nearby Billy the Kid sites, with sites for large RVs to simple tenting alongside the lake. Gently rolling juniper-covered hillsides frame the rocky shoreline. $5 per vehicle day use; $14 camping.
White’s City Water Park (575-785-2291), at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Open seasonally. Two two ample pools, two spas, and two 150-foot water slides. Admission included for resort guests.
MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS Lincoln National Forest (575-434-7200), 3463 Las Palomas Road, Alamogordo. A million acres of hiking, backpacking, trail riding, camping. A 20-mile drive goes through terrain from desert, hills, and valleys filled with orchards to high mountain meadows and peaks covered in tall evergreens. A haven for alpine sports in winter, with good cross-country skiing through the Sacramento Mountains near Cloudcroft. Many camping facilities are located within a 4-mile radius of Cloudcroft, accessible by Highways 82, 130, 244, and 6563 in the Sacramento Ranger District. Contact listed number or drop by the office for maps and permits. Near Carlsbad, the Guadalupe Ranger District of the forest includes 285,000 acres and Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area, open October–March 8–5 and April–September 8–6, with a 150-foot waterfall. $5 per vehicle.
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park (575-437-8284), 12 miles south of Alamogordo via US 54 at the western base of the Sacramento Mountains. Open year-round. Tour Oliver Lee’s restored ranch headquarters and picnic, plus camping at one of 44 developed sites. $5 per vehicle day use; $18 camping.
Valley of Fires State Park (575-648-2241), 5 miles west of Carrizozo on US 380. The park is 426 acres, with picnic and camping areas and a playground. The nature trail has a 0.75-mile wheelchair-accessible portion. The entire Malpais, or badlands, of the lava flow covers 125 square miles. Here are archetypal, dramatic landscapes photographers will exalt in. $5 per vehicle; $18 camping.
WILDLIFE REFUGES Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge (575-623-5695), Roswell. North on US 285, east on Pine Lodge Road, 9 miles to headquarters. Open daily year-round, dawn to dusk. This Pecos River wetlands is home to over one hundred species of dragonflies and damselflies, one of the best places to see these species in the US, and 357 bird species visit or live here, plus some endangered species. Several short, easy hikes feature native plants and butterflies. Eight-mile auto tour is an excellent way to spot wildlife. Bike riding is available on the 8-mile gravel drive of the paved 4-mile round-trip trail; hiking, horseback riding. Quite a bit of hunting goes on here as well. The best viewings are available a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. One of my very favorite New Mexico places. Free.
Lodging and Dining
No Whiner Diner (575-234-2815), 1801 S. Canal Street, Carlsbad. L, D Mon.–Fri. Closed Saturdays and Sundays. Old-fashioned all-American home cooking in small-town diner style—generous portions of real food—meat loaf, chicken-fried steak—prepared and served very nicely. Prime rib specials Thurs.–Fri. Emphasis on homemade and fresh. Mom and Pop all the way. Inexpensive.
Trinity Hotel (575-234-9891), 201 S. Canal Street, Carlsbad. Skillfully renovated downtown 1892 bank building with seven rooms provides an interesting alternative to chain motel lodging. In a word: class. Restaurant, coffee bar, wine tasting. However, a bit pricey, for Carlsbad, and the rate does not include breakfast. $169–$239.
Adobe Rose (575) 748-3082; 1614 N. 13th Street, Artesia. Five rooms plus a classy restaurant, with chef Chloe Winters, NM Chef of the Year, on the premises serving a creative seasonal menu. Gorgeous food. Beer and wine, live music on the patio in warm weather. $109.
Special Events
April: Trinity Site Tour (575-678-1134).
May: Smokey Bear Days (575-354-2748), Smokey Bear Historical Park, Capitan, first weekend, with parade, crafts marketplace, chainsaw carving, music.
June: Mountain Park Cherry Festival (highrollsfestivals.com), High Rolls, midmonth. Old Fort Days (575-355-7705), Fort Sumner, midmonth. Storytelling and book signing featuring Navajo literature.
July: Roswell UFO Festival (575-914-8018), Roswell, first week in July. Fourth of July Celebration (575-464-4494), Mescalero; Apache Maidens Puberty Rites, powwow, rodeo. Smokey Bear Stampede (info@smokeybearstampede.com), Capitan, Fourth of July week; more contestants than any other US amateur rodeo. Art Loop Tour (www.artloopstudiotour.org/), Lincoln County, first weekend. Tour of diverse artists’ studios for some of the most original jewelry, pottery, fiber art, and fine art to be seen anywhere. Bluegrass Festival (bluegrassfestivalguide.com), Weed.
August: Lincoln County Fair (lincolncountynm.gov), Smokey Bear Historical Park, Capitan, second week. Old Lincoln Days, Billy the Kid Pageant (575-653-4372), Lincoln Pony Express Race, Capitan Gap to White Oaks. Lea County Fair and Rodeo (575-396-8686), largest county fair in state. Art and Wine in the Cool Pines, Cloudcroft (575-682-2733; coolcloudcroft.com/art-wine-in-the-pines/), Alto Artists Studio Tour (www.altoartistsstudiotour.com).
September: Chile and Cheese Festival (575-914-8018), Roswell. All American Futurity (575-378-4431), Ruidoso Downs, the world’s richest quarter-horse race. Clovis Music Festival (575-763-3435), Clovis. Rock and roll like back in the day.
October: Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium (575-378-4140), Glencoe. Second weekend in October. Chuckwagon cook-off, cowboy poetry, swing dancing, western art, crafts, cowboy gear, rodeo, roping for kids, country music concert. Christmas on the Pecos (575-628-0952). November 23–December 31. Closed Christmas Eve. Twelve departures nightly view; over one hundred homes decorated with holiday lights along the banks of the Pecos River.
December: Christmas Eve Luminarias (575-257-2002), Historic Lincoln. Santa Land (575-682-2733), Zenith Park, Cloudcroft. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive with candy and cookies, hot cider, and holiday music.