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Promoting All of Sierra County throughout New Mexico, the United States and the World A project of the Sierra County Recreation and Tourism Advisory Board. Paid for in part by Lodgers Tax. |
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ACTIVITIES / THINGS TO DO IN SIERRA COUNTY
FEATURED EVENTS |
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upcoming event info: Annual Events or SierraCountyEvents.com
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If you'd like to be notified of upcoming local events, sign up to receive the twice-monthly Go Sierra County email.
SIERRA COUNTY MUSEUMS
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Black Range Museum Highway 152, Hillsboro 575-895-5685 or 575-895-5233 hours: Thursday-Saturday 11–4 Sunday 1–5 or by appointment admission: donation |
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Geronimo Springs Museum 211 Main Street, T or C 800-831-9487 / 575-894-6600 hours: Monday - Saturday, 9–5; Sunday 11–4 admission: Adults $5; Students $2.50 Children under 6 with an adult get in free AAA and tour discounts |
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El Camino Real International Heritage Center Located between T or C and Socorro, just over the Sierra County line. From I-25: exit 115, east to Hwy 1 frontage road, south 1.5 miles, turn east onto County Road 1598 and proceed 2.7 miles to the Center. 575-854-3600 hours: 8:30am - 5pm, 6 days a week. Closed Tuesdays and New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. admission: $5 adults; children 16 and under free. |
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Percha Bank Museum Main Street, Kingston 575-895-5032 hours: by appointment admission: donation |
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Pioneer Store Museum Wall Street, Chloride 575-743-2736 email: dedmund@windstream.net hours: open 7 days, 10am-4pm admission: donation |
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museum hours: Tues-Sat, 9am-4pm |
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SPACEPORT TOURS
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(More info on the Spaceport is on our "about" page and in the Press section.) |
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HOT MINERAL SPRINGS / SPA TREATMENTS
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Truth or Consequences is truly America’s most affordable spa town! T or C's Hot Springs Bathhouse Historic and Commercial District sits above one of the largest aquifers in North America, estimated to produce 2.26 million gallons of hot, perfectly balanced mineral water per day. Long before white settlement of the area, the Southwest’s indigenous people considered the site to be a place of healing. The first bathhouse is believed to have been built circa 1882 by the John Cross Cattle Company for use by its cowboys. 
Today, most of the baths in T or C are open to walk-ins who can pay to soak by the half hour or hour. Lodgers seeking in-room private baths will find several to choose from in the downtown area. (See the Hot Springs District map or our Lodge and Soak section for contact information.) Charmingly restored, most of T or C's hot spring spa establishments date from the 1920s and '30s when the town was still called Hot Springs (hot mineral water treatment was an accepted medical practice then, and the town's motto was "The City of Health"). Some spas also offer a full range of massage in addition to other pampering and healing arts. |
ARTS & CULTURE
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Sierra County is home to an extraordinary and eccentric group of artists. Traditional arts and crafts flourish side by Information for many of artists and studios can be found on the Sierra County Arts Council website. Other galleries are listed on the sites of our two local Chambers: Elephant Butte and Truth or Consequences / Sierra County. Another good resource for art exhibits in Truth or Consequences that occur as part of TorC's monthly Art Hop, is www.torcart.com.
Fiber art is also alive and well in Sierra County. "New Mexico Fiber Arts Trails: A Guide to Rural Fiber Arts Destinations," published by New Mexico Arts in '07, recommends several local sites for fiber art. For more info, download the booklet from their website. For more information on upcoming or current exhibits, see SierraCountyEvents.com. |
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side with cutting-edge contemporary art, creating a lively creative environment. 
The Art HopSHOPPING AND DINING
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In Truth or Consequences, boutiques have opened featuring the work of clothing and jewelry designers. The town also offers trading posts, antique and thrift stores, bookstores, and gift shops.
Sierra County's former mining towns are also alive with vibrant new enterprises. Workshops in straw bale construction, galleries and antique stores, and exotic cactus and lavender farms can all be found tucked into the nooks and crannies of the county. Retail establishments inhabit storefronts in once-sleepy towns, offering unexpected opportunities for shopping. An ever-widening range of dining experiences is also available at restaurants throughout the county. Our restaurants offer cuisine ranging from upscale to down-home. The To learn more about the county's retail stores, visit the websites of our two local Chambers of Commerce: Elephant Butte Chamber of Commerce
The NM Tourism website also offers a business listings section where info on local businesses is available. Several T or C businesses are listed (the fastest way to find them is to search on area code 87901, or 87935 for Elephant Butte), or try searching in the Southwest Region. |
The growth of the county as an affordable destination has attracted new and colorful businesses to the landscape. 
From May to October, at the Saturday Farmer’s Market in T or C's Ralph Edwards Park, a cornucopia of food ranging from North African harissa and aged balsamic vinegar to fresh produce and artisanal cheeses made in the county’s first creamery are purveyed by farmers from nearby outlying areas. 
red and green chile for which the area is famous can be found on menus across the countyMOVIES / FILMS
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The historic El Cortez Theater, at 415 Main Street in T or C (corner of Main and Foch) shows newly-released films every weekend. The El Cortez was built in 1935; its new owners reopened the theater in 2007. Showtimes are at 7pm Friday through Sunday, and 2pm on Saturday. Tickets are $5 for all ages. To find out what's playing, call 575-894-4914.
The Sierra County Arts Council also holds free screenings at 7pm (summer hours) and 6:30pm (winter hours) on most Thursday nights at the Senior Recreation Center, at 301 Foch in T or C. Info: gumbojames@aol.com.
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YOGA & MOVEMENT CLASSES
Studio de la Luz Mothership Yoga Lounge |
OUTDOOR RECREATION
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CAMPING & HIKINGWith an arid, moderate climate and plenty of clean, breathable air, Sierra County is a great place to hike no matter what the season. The local chapter of the Sierra Club organizes regular hikes in the Sierra County area; check their site for planned outings.
The Gila Wilderness and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness offer 3 million acres of wild nature in which to camp, hike, and enjoy the silence and clean air of this uncharted territory. The Aldo Leopold Wilderness, named for the early naturalist and preservationist, runs along the Continental Divide. The Gila Wilderness was the first national wilderness area officially dedicated—and it remains the largest primitive area still maintained. More information is available at the US Forest Service /Black Range District, Gila National Forest Office: 1804 N Date Street Visitors can also camp at any of our area lakes and state parks (scroll down for info on Elephant Butte Lake State Park, Caballo Lake State Park, and Percha Dam State Park). Some (though not all) campsites at Elephant Butte Lake State Park may be reserved between March 1 and September 30.
BOATING, CANOEING, KAYAKINGThe Rio Grande bisects the county, and feeds both Elephant Butte and Caballo Lake, which draw thousands of visitors each year. Several Elephant Butte facilities have boats and other watercraft for rent - everything from sea-doos to aqualodges for lake use, and inflatable kayaks and inner tubes for floating down the river. FISHING
In June 2007, Field & Stream magazine listed Elephant Butte Lake among their "150 Best Fishing Spots Near You." Caballo Lake, the Rio Grande, and Percha Dam are other great New Mexico fishing spots, depending on how you like to fish. Bass Fishing Tournaments are held during the summer months (visit www.fishenchantment.com and click on "tournaments" for a schedule). Private fishing excursions can be booked through several local Guide Services. Fishing resources:
BIRDINGSierra County is one of the finest birding regions in the nation in terms of habitat diversity and potential for rarities. The riparian habitat along the Rio Grande and its associated lakes is a paradise of egrets, herons, The Gila National Forest is also a prime mountain birding habitat. A checklist for the Gila is on the birding page of their website - visit the site for more info, or download the list here. In the Spring, Percha Dam State Park, considered to be New Mexico's best area for land birds along the Rio Grande, hosts "Migration Sensation" - two days of birding and bird-related programming. Each day begins with guided bird walks to observe sparrows and other birds passing through during the spring Birding resources: "Birding in Sierra and Socorro Counties" brochure and map New Mexico Ornithological Birding Report Fish and Game birding web page Fish and Game's birding info on the following areas, in pdf form:
For further information on birding in Sierra County, contact Southwest Regional Interpretive Ranger Kevin Hansen: 575-523-6015 / kevin.hansen@state.nm.us. GUIDED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIESNote: The list that follows may not be complete. For more information see the websites of our two local Chambers of Commerce (Elephant Butte and T or C / Sierra County).
WATERCRAFT / BOAT RENTALS
GOLFNew Mexico has many beautiful golf courses, but Sierra County's mild desert climate makes it possible to play golf all year long!
PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL
TENNIS COURTS
Truth or Consequences’ Parks & Recreation Department provides a wide variety of both indoor and outdoor recreation activities for all age groups. Popular activities not listed above include the Fishing Pond and Skateboard Park (both at Ralph Edwards Park) and the Gun Range.
Photographs on this page courtesy of Judd Irish Bradley, Rebecca Speakes, Gina Kelley, Andrew Martinez, Monica Moon Miller, and El Camino Real International Heritage Center. |
pelicans, grebes, and unusual avian sightings, and all three of Sierra County's state parks (
