Oliver Lee Memorial State Park

409 Dog Canyon Rd.
Alamogordo, NM 88310

Gate Hours: 24 hours

Set against the desert foot of the dramatic Sacramento Mountains, this park features historic exhibits and a fully restored 19th century ranch house.

Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is 12 miles south of Alamogordo via US 54, then east 4 miles on Dog Canyon Road.

Springs and seeps in the walls of Dog Canyon support yellow columbines, maidenhair ferns and orchids.

Secreted in this harsh landscape is a green oasis, where water flows year-round and ferns cling to mossy rocks. This area, known as Dog Canyon, is one of many deep ravines that slice the west flank of the Sacramento Mountains in southern New Mexico.

The park is trailhead for the Dog Canyon National Recreational Trail in the adjacent Lincoln National Forest. This difficult, 6-mile trail has splendid views of the surrounding desert and White Sands National Monument.

Water, plants and wildlife in Dog Canyon attracted prehistoric and historic inhabitants to the area. Apache used the rugged canyon as a stronghold in 19th-century conflicts with the United States Army.

Oliver Milton Lee (1865-1941) had a colorful career in New Mexico history. Experience life of late 19th-century settlers at Lee's ranch headquarters, now restored and authentically furnished. The ranch house is open to the public by guided tour only.

Facilities

• Visitor Center
• Desert Garden
• Group Shelter
• Developed Sites (48)
• Electric Sites
• RV Dump Station
• Restrooms/Showers

Activities

• Camping
• Picnicking
• Education Programs
• Wildlife Viewing
• Hiking
• Interpretive Exhibits
• Historic Structures