As the weather turns around and summer is on the horizon, are you Lobos looking for a fun escape for you and your friends? Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is the perfect option for all your camping dreams. Nestled at the west foot of the Sacramento Mountains, just half an hour east of White Sands National Park, this wonderful campsite awaits.

The state park is named after Oliver Milton Lee. He built a ranch at the mouth of Dog Canyon that reached up to one million acres. His work at his ranch was vital in the establishment of the nearby town, Alamogordo. The ranch’s home has been reconstructed, and tours can be taken weekly at the campsite!

This site features spaces for both RVs and traditional tent camping, both equipped with fresh water, electricity, areas for campfires depending on fire regulations, and tidy community bathrooms. Beyond having everything one would need to have a wonderful camping experience, the state park has an informative visitor center (where you can learn more about Oliver Lee and the area’s history), staffed with very kind and helpful rangers, multiple, varying-length hikes dabbled with informative plaques to learn about the area’s history, local wildlife and the geology of the mountains. Located in the southern part of New Mexico, the state park is a desirable location all year round! Its distance from campus makes it the perfect getaway for you and all your Lobo friends! If the wind and regulations allow it, smores are a must!

Being the closest state park to White Sands National Park, along with its various geological significances, Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is a must-visit site for an upcoming adventure weekend.

Oliver Lee Memorial State Park