Elephant Butte Lake State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Elephant Butte Lake State Park is the largest state park in New Mexico, and it features the state’s largest reservoir, which is approximately 36,000 acres. At the visitor center in the park, you'll find information about the construction of Elephant Butte Dam, which was built in the park between 1911 and 1916. The park and reservoir are both named after a rock formation that looks like an elephant, and this formation still stands right beside the dam today. In 2014, fossils of a stegomastodon, an extinct species of mastodon, were found at this park by a group of campers.
Nearby Cities
Las Cruces, NM
Socorro, NM
Elephant Butte, NM
Truth or Consequences, NM
Spring 38-70 F
Summer 67-96 F
Fall 35-66 F
Winter 27-57 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Campground Accommodations
Desert Cove Campground
Water hookup: No
Electrical hookup: 16 sites
Sewer hookup: No
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Max RV length: 40 feet
Other amenities: Restrooms, dumpsters, fire rings, and picnic tables
Lions Beach Campground
Water hookup: 32 sites
Electrical hookup: 48 sites
Sewer hookup: No
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Max RV length: 40 feet
Other amenities: Restrooms, fire rings, picnic tables, and showers
Quail Run Campground
Water hookup: No
Electrical hookup: 25 sites
Sewer hookup: No
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Max RV length: 40 feet
Other amenities: Restrooms, fire rings, picnic tables, and showers
Elephant Butte Lake State Park Campground
Stay close to the water by booking your camping adventure at one of the 173 campsites in Elephant Butte Lake State Park. Rates start at about $10 per night. You can find sites that are accessible only by boat, or you can opt to camp on the beach.
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes for fee
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Dump station, fire ring, picnic tables
Enchanted View RV Park
Enchanted View RV Park is located within easy walking distance of most Elephant Butte businesses. This site offers a clubroom with a covered patio, book exchange program, laundry, and more. Rates start at about $15 per day, with weekly and monthly rates available.
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Laundry, covered patio, library
Cedar Cove RV Park
You may never want to leave Cedar Cove RV Park as it has a nail salon, convenience store, and fitness center. Lots of organized activities make this a fun place to camp, so you may want to consider the long-term spots that come with their own storage shed. Rates start at about $40 per night.
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Restaurant
RVshare’s Top Picks for Nearby RV Parks & Campgrounds
What to Do at
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
There are plenty of water-related activities to enjoy at the reservoir at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, including water skiing, beach-going, and even scuba diving with or without a guide. There are also some historic sites to check out while at the park, such as those found in the Elephant Butte Historic District, plus a large picnic pavilion and children’s playground. There are also boat rentals found at each of the three marinas within the park.
At Elephant Butte Lake State Park, visitors can enjoy activities such as volleyball and camping on the beach, plus the park's Balloon Regatta features a hot air balloon show over the water once a year.
Inside Elephant Butte Lake State Park
On a hot summer day, you'll see all types of boaters on Elephant Butte Lake. Most have used one of the park’s three marinas to launch their watercraft. You're also likely to find people having fun on the beach and playing in the lake as well. The marinas are popular places to go bird watching in the spring and fall. You may spot shorebirds, gulls, terns, waders, and ducks.
Fishing
Some incredible fish have been caught in the reservoir at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, including a 42-pound blue catfish in 2019. Anglers can also find bass, walleye, crappie, and stripers in the water. Some fishing sites at the park include Winding Roads Picnic Area, Dam Site Marina, Hot Springs Landing, and Rattlesnake Island.
Geocaching
Elephant Butte Lake State Park frequently hosts geocache series, such as its New Mexico State Parks 75th Anniversary Series. Private geocache users can also place items around this state park to share with others.
Nature Watching
Lots of visitors come to Elephant Butte Lake State Park between September and May to go birdwatching along the lake or at the picnic and day-use areas. Bird species that are often spotted include American white pelicans, western and Clark’s grebes, terns, gulls, waders, and ducks. Loons can also be seen along the southern end of the lake. Birdwatchers can also enjoy nature watching from Long Point, Three Sisters Point, and South Monticello Point.
Hiking
There are 15 miles of hiking trails found at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, including interpretive trails and accessible trails. Trails of the park include the West Lakeshore Trail, which travels from the north end of the park to Rock Canyon Marina, and the park visitor center trail.
Boating
Visitors can take a motorized or non-motorized boat out on the lake at Elephant Butte Lake State Park. Kayaks, paddle boards, and boat slips are available to rent from Dam Site Marina while boat slips, pontoon boats, pontoons ski boats, and slide boats are available to rent from Marina del Sur. There is also a boat launch area found at the South Monticello Campground within the park.
How to Get to
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Elephant Butte Lake State Park can be accessed from the north or south via I-25. To get to the park from the interstate, take Highway 195 East, and then turn north onto Rock Canyon Road, which enters the park directly.
Entering Elephant Butte Lake State Park
There is a $5 fee per car to enter the park, and there are multiple day-use parking areas near the trailheads. There is no additional charge to park in any of these lots.
Elephant Butte Lake State Park Per Person : $5.0
Elephant Butte Lake State Park is a fantastic place to visit. If you've visited recently, then tell RVshare about your experience. Be sure to tag RVshare on social media. You may also send your stories and photos to [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions About Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Perhaps the best time to visit Elephant Butte Lake State Park is in the summer during fishing and boating season. Visitors can also swim in the reservoir during the summer months.
Lots of visitors come to this state park to spot the wild birds of the area, which include American white pelicans, Clark's grebes, and seagulls. In March and April, visitors can also see migrating butterflies at the park.
There are 150 campsites that can accommodate RVs at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, including group sites, and 130 of these sites have electricity. Sites found at Lions Beach Campground also have water hookups for RVs.
Campsites should be reserved prior to your stay at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, and reservations can be made online. The rate to stay at the campgrounds found at the state park is $10 a night for a developed campsite and $14 a night for a campsite with electrical or water hookups.
Pets are allowed at this state park so long as they are kept on a leash at all times and are not left unsupervised, for example, at a campsite alone. Pet owners should also pick up after their pets while at the park.
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