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. With just 3.2 people per square mile, you can get lost in Sierra County’s dazzling countryside. 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.
 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.
Private fishing excursions can also be booked through guide services, such as Rio Grande Guide Service and JR's Desert Bass Fishing Guide Service.
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
Santa Fe's Bill West, of 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.
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 Deeter, Andrew Martinez, and El Camino Real International Heritage Center. |
The growth of the county as an affordable destination has attracted new and colorful businesses to the landscape. 
heeses made in the county’s first creamery are purveyed by farmers from nearby outlying areas.
county. 
