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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
Donation |
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Geronimo Springs Museum
211 Main Street
Truth or Consequences
800-831-9487 / 575-894-6600
hours: Monday - Saturday, 9–5;
Sunday 11–4
Adults $3; students $1.50
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 the following holidays: New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Admission: $5 adults; children 16 and under free. Sundays free for NM residents. Wednesdays free for NM seniors (60 or older). Senior groups (10 or more) free every day. School groups free. Also free for members: ECRIHC Foundation, MNM Foundation, AAM, ICOM. |
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Percha Bank Museum
Main Street, Kingston 88042
575-895-5032
By appointment
Donation |
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Pioneer Store Museum
Wall Street
Chloride
575-743-2736
email: pioneerstoremuseum@windstream.net
Open 7 days, 10am-4pm
Donation |
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Veterans Memorial Park and Museum
996 S. Broadway,
Truth or Consequences
575-894-0750
Donation |
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The New Mexican’s mind was, and is sometimes to this day, a primitive affair. But, as it has never been misused as a storehouse for odds and ends of useless information, he uses his mind or thinker, such as it is, to do his thinking with; and resolutely prefers to do his thinking with his own mind rather than with any other mind soever—even a mind with all the latest new-fangled improvements.
—Eugene Manlove Rhodes, “Consider the Lizard,” Saturday Evening Post (1954)
Truth or Consequences (T or C) and Sierra County’s surrounding towns and villages are home to an extraordinary and eccentric group of artists. Traditional arts and crafts flourish side by side with cutting-edge contemporary art, creating a lively, youthful, and creative environment.
The critically acclaimed 2004 exhibition SoQ (South of ABQ) presented at the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, featured local artists who now exhibit their work in the burgeoning gallery district in their own hometown. T or C’s monthly downtown Art Hop (every 2nd Saturday of the month, 6-9pm) showcases a quickly growing art scene. Participants include more than a dozen art galleries, as well as new shops and restaurants, all within easy walking distance in Truth or Consequences’ downtown Hot Springs Bathhouse Historic and Commercial District. Works by well-known painters Delmas Howe and H. Joe Waldrum can be seen  alongside a rapidly growing list of Sierra County artists that includes Dave Barnett, Judd Irish Bradley, David Farrell, Susan Christie, Jan Haley, Daniel Kosharek, Bill Brown, Samuel Ace and Margo Donaldson, Roy Lohr, Moshe Koenick, Andrew Martinez, Nick Radell, Ken Merrick, Tony Otero, Tom Hamil, Rhett Jabour, Terry Allen, Nicholas Peron, James Gasowski, Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt, Olin West, Nolan Winkler, Robert Wm. Winkler, and Zingaro. More information, including website addresses, for many of these artists can be found on the Sierra County Arts Council website.
Fiber arts is alive and well in Sierra County too. "New Mexico Fiber Arts Trails: A Guide to Rural Fiber Arts Destinations," published by New Mexico Arts in '07, recommends the following sites for local fiber art: Grasshopper Silk in Elephant Butte, Percha Creek Traders in Hillsboro, Monte Cristo Gift Shop and Gallery in Chloride, and, in TorC, Celestial Creations and the Geronimo Springs Museum.
The Hot Springs/Cool Art Festival (formerly known as Destination Sierra County New Mexico), a 3-day festival showcasing the work of artists, writers, and other creative individuals from the area, will be held for the fifth year in October of 2008. |
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Truth or Consequences is America’s most affordable spa town!
The Hot  Springs Bathhouse Historic and Commercial District sits above one of the largest aquifers in North America, estimated to produce 2.26 million gallons per day of hot, perfectly balanced mineral water. Long before white settlement of the area, the Southwest’s indigenous people considered the site to be neutral ground—a place of healing, and a gift to be shared with all.
The first bathhouse is believed to have been built circa 1882 by the John Cross Cattle  Company for use by its cowboys. In the downtown Historic Spa District today, ten spas and bathhouses offer the rejuvenating benefits of pristine hot springs, as well as a full range of massage and other pampering and healing arts. (For a list of spas throughout the state, see nm-spa.org.)
Charmingly restored, many of these establishments date from the 1920s and 1930s when hot springs treatment was an accepted medical practice and the town was known as “The City of Health."
To see a map of T or C's bath house locations, click here.
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 The growth of the county as an affordable destination has attracted new and colorful businesses to the landscape.
In Truth or Consequences, boutiques have opened featuring the work of hip young clothing and jewelry designers. The town also offers trading posts, antique and thrift stores, bookstores, and gift shops. Across the county, diverse retail establishments inhabit storefronts in once-sleepy towns.
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 c heeses made in the county’s first creamery are purveyed by farmers from nearby outlying areas.
The area’s “ghost 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.
An ever-widening range of dining experiences is also available at restaurants throughout the county. You'll find everything from fine dining establishments to small family owned-businesses serving the red and green chile for which the area is famous. |
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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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Studio de la Luz
308 Pershing
Truth or Consequences NM 87901
call for schedule: 575-894-5508
Mothership Yoga Lounge
500 Austin Street
Truth or Consequences NM 87901
call for schedule: 575-894-3462
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CAMPING & HIKING
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
T or C, NM 87901
575-894-6677
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).
BOATING, FISHING, CANOEING, KAYAKING
The Rio Grande bisects the county, and feeds both Elephant Butte and Caballo Lake, which draw thousands of visitors each year.
Ideal for boating, fishing, and water sports of all kinds, the lakes and waterways of Sierra County offer peak recreation opportunities in a setting of pristine beauty.
Watercraft of all kinds are available for rent - everything from sea-doos to aqualodges for lake use, and inflatable kayaks and inner tubes for floating down the river.
Private fishing excursions can also be booked through several local Guide Services.
 In June 2007, Field & Stream magazine listed Elephant Butte Lake among their "150 best fishing spots near you."
Bass Fishing Tournaments are held during the summer months (visit www.fishenchantment.com and click on "tournaments" for a schedule), and the Rio Grande Sailing Club holds regattas at the lake year-round. In the summer, the Southwest Drag Boat Association hosts races for every kind of watercraft imagineable; see their website for details.
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Sierra County's largest state park provides an array of camping and RVing opportunities in a magnificent setting of deep blue water and dramatic mountain peaks. 
A fisherman’s paradise known for record-breaking black,white, and striped bass, as well as crappie andbluegill, the park offers three marinas to serve boaters, miles of trails, sandybeaches, and magnificent views along its 43-mile length.
Headquarters for Elephant Butte Lake State Park: 575-744-5421.
Caballo Lake and Percha Dam State Parks
Located 20 miles downstream from Elephant Butte, Caballo Lake offers an extraordinary view. At Percha Dam and Caballo Lake State Parks, you'll find facilities for camping, RVs, boating, fishing, swimming, birding, and hiking.
Headquarters for Caballo Lake and Percha Dam State Park: 575-743-3942
BIRDING
Sierra 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, pelicans, grebes, and unusual avian sightings, and all three of Sierra County's state parks (Percha Dam, Caballo and Elephant Butte) were recently designated by the Audubon Society as important birding areas. 
Percha Dam State Park is considered the best area for land birds along the Rio Grande in New Mexico—one of the more striking birds commonly seen at the Dam is the brightly colored Vermilion Flycatcher—and the Gila National Forest is also prime mountain birding habitat.
In the Spring, Percha Dam State Park 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 migration. Family-friendly talks on basic birding and the opportunity to see live birds of prey such as hawks and owls round out this festival, which includes participation by such groups as Wildlife Rescue, Audubon Society, and HawkWatch.
For further information on birding in the area, contact Southwest Regional Interpretive Ranger Kevin Hansen: 575-523-6015 / kevin.hansen@state.nm.us, download the State Park's birding guide, or contact the birding guide in the section below.
GUIDED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Birding Guides
Better Birdwatching Guide Joe LaFleur has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and an M.S. in Communications from Colorado State University. He has been birdwatching for over 15 years and is the author of a DVD series called "Better Birdwatching," featuring birds of the western United States, Canada and Alaska. Info on his Elephant Butte Lake Birding Tour is on his website. If you'd like to take a birding tour, contact at 575-894-2041, or joe@lagorico.com.
WingsWest Birding Tours offers custom tours in the region, including the Rio Grande corridor, the Ladder Ranch (Bald Eagles, etc) and the Kingston area, where the endangered Mexican Spotted Owl can sometimes be heard and seen. Email Bill (wingswestnm@earthlink.net) to arrange a tour.
Fishing Guides
JR's Desert Bass Fishing Guide Service
575-744-5314
Land of Enchantment Fishing Adventures
575-744-4346
Rio Grande Guide Service
575-740-0150
Outfitters, Hunting and Trail Guides
Beaverhead Outfitters
575-772-5677
Black Range Guide and Outfitters
575-772-5210
Henderson Outfitters
575-772-5767
Limestone Outfitters
575-772-5768
Mike Root Guide Service
575-743-2026
Trail Riding
Martineau Stables (horseback rides)
575-894-3367
505-730-3376
Rockin' Ass Ranch (mule rides)
575-894-2538
click to read a recent LA Times story on a writer's trip to the Gila Wilderness
WATERCRAFT RENTALS
Dam Site Marina
paddle boats and sit-on kayaks
575-894-2041
Marina del Sur
pontoon boats and ski boats
575-744-5567
Rock Canyon Marina
pontoon boats and aqualodges
575-744-5462
Sports Adventure
pontoon boats, ski boats, and Sea-Doos
888-736-8420
575-744-5590
575-744-5557
White Water Weekends
inner tubes, inflatable kayaks, and 16' catarafts
575-740-3784
GOLF COURSES
Truth or Consequences Municipal Golf Course
685 W. Marie
Truth or Consequences NM 87901
575-894-2603
PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL
The TorC pool (at the corner of Charles and Daniels in TorC's hot springs district) is open Memorial Day through Labor Day, and offers lap swims, water aerobics, and adult and open swims.
Truth or Consequences Swimming Pool
775 Daniels
Memorial Day through Labor Day
call for schedule
575-894-6151
TENNIS COURTS
Gene Speer Tennis Complex
1 block west of Date Street between Third & Fourth Streets
(east of the T or C Library)
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, and El Camino Real International Heritage Center. |
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