Oliver Lee Memorial State Park RV & Campground Guide
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View a historic 19th-century ranch house, take in breathtaking mountain vistas, and enjoy a peaceful overnight camping trip when you visit Olive Lee Memorial State Park in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico. Before the arrival of European settlers, the surrounding area was home to the Mescalero Apache Tribe, whose nomadic ancestors once hunted mammoth and large bison. Visitors to the park today can enjoy the environment of the Chihuahuan desert, hike along Dog Canyon, and access the natural springwater stream that flows through the park.
Spring 56-86 F
Summer 67-94 F
Fall 59-86 F
Winter 30-57 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
The park's campground is small yet offers a variety of different sites to choose from. Some sites have water and electric hookups, while some are non-electric. A few sites are ADA-accessible. Among the amenities available to overnight campers are restrooms with flush toilets, showers, and an RV dump station. A group picnic shelter and a group campsite are also available to reserve. A few of the sites can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet long, but most are a bit smaller, with a driveway that's only 30–35 feet in length. The campground is open year-round.
What to Do at
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
Take a guided tour of the old ranch house, or sign up for ranger-led interpretive programs such as guided hikes, star parties, and Q and A sessions. Enjoy a strenuous hike or a relaxing nature stroll. You can also reserve one of the group picnic shelters if you're looking for a place to host a larger event.
Nature Watching
To learn more about the local flora and fauna in the park, follow the nature trail, which is a relatively flat and easy walk with interpretive signs to help you learn more about the area's natural history.
Stargazing
The park staff hosts regular star parties in partnership with the Alamogordo Astronomer’s Group. View the full moon from a telescope, spot Jupiter, Venus, or Saturn, or just gaze at the heavens above to view the galaxies and the wonders of the night sky.
Flora and Fauna
The desert environment at Oliver Lee Memorial State park provides a home to plants such as Rio Grande cottonwood trees, mesquite, shady cottonwood trees, ocotillo, creosote, cane cholla, yucca, and a variety of desert grasses and cacti, including bright-red strawberry hedgehog cactus blooms. Desert shrubbery includes four-wind saltbush and creosote bush. Cattails can be found near the stream, and in the cooler and shadier parts of Dog Canyon, you can find wild grapes and maidenhair ferns. When it comes to wildlife, you might spot turkey vultures, North American porcupines, lizards, red-tailed hawks, and a variety of toads and salamanders during your visit. The collared peccary, which resembles a wild pig, also makes its home in the park.
Hiking
You have a few trails to choose from at this park. Experienced hikers can enjoy strolling along the Dog Canyon Trail, which winds up the canyon for 5.2 miles, gaining 3,200 feet along the way. Be sure to pack plenty of water and snacks if you're up for this challenge. For a gentler hike, head out along the mostly flat Riparian Nature Trail which leads to a picnic area with a fantastic view. The Lawson Springs Trail is also easier, at just 101 feet in elevation gain over 0.36 miles one way. When hiking, take precautions to avoid the poison ivy that is sometimes seen along the trails.
How to Get to
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
If you're coming from Albuquerque, get on I-25 going south. Take exit #139 for US-380 E toward San Antonio/Carrizozo. From there, turn right to merge onto US-Highway 54 South. When you reach Dog Canyon Road, turn left, and the park will be on your right after about 4 miles.
Entering Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
Upon entering the park, you'll see the Visitor's Center, a parking lot, and a pay station. The trailheads all start in this area as well. If you're staying overnight, head past the Visitor's Center to the right to find the campground loops. Head past the campgrounds to find the historic ranch house.
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park Entry Fee (daily) : $5.0
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park Entry Fee (annual) : $40.0
Frequently Asked Questions About Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
Overnight temperatures can get chilly in the winter, with a few nights below freezing, and summer temps soar into the 90s but rarely hit higher than 100 degrees. With these relatively mild temperatures year-round, you can enjoy a visit to Oliver Lee Memorial State Park at any time with a little advance planning. Keep in mind that the desert environment is more arid than you might anticipate, so be sure to pack plenty of water and stay hydrated during your visit.
The desert environment at the park provides a home to the collared peccary, raccoons, some turtles, and the threatened Texas horned lizard, as well as predators such as bobcats, badgers, North American porcupines, cougars and black bears. Visitors most commonly spot mule deer, bats, skunks, desert cottontail rabbits, black-tailed jackrabbits, and ground squirrels. Astute birdwatchers can try to spot hummingbirds, red-tailed hawks, mourning doves, wrens, and warblers. When hiking along the trails, keep an eye out for poison ivy as well as western diamondback rattlesnakes and black-tail rattlesnakes.
RVs are welcome at any of the campsites, though amenities vary from site to site.
Camping reservations are available year-round, though some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis from June to September. The campsite at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is relatively small, so make reservations in advance if you can. Overnight camping fees start at $10 per night with an additional cost for sites with electric and water hookups.
You can bring your pets when visiting Oliver Lee Memorial State Park even if you are staying overnight in the campground. They must be kept on a leash at all times.