Place · Southeast NM
Bottomless Lakes State Park
New Mexico's first state park (1933) — a string of deep, blue-green sinkhole lakes along the Pecos River bluffs near Roswell, popular for swimming, scuba, kayaking, and camping.
State Park
Roswell, county seat of Chaves County, sits at 3,615 ft elevation with a 2020 population of 48,422. Founded in 1871, the city is known worldwide for the 1947 Roswell incident and its UFO-themed tourism centered on the International UFO Museum and Research Center.
Roswell is the county seat of Chaves County, New Mexico. The population was 48,422 at the 2020 census. Roswell was founded in 1871 and incorporated on February 25, 1889.
Roswell's tourism industry is based on ufology museums and businesses. A major named attraction is the International UFO Museum and Research Center. Visitors can catch upcoming events at venues including The Liberty, Grace Community Church, Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, and Pecos Flavors Winery + Bistro. Outdoor options include the Haystack Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle Area for trails and camping.
The Roswell and Chaves County area was contained within the original homeland of the Mescalero Apache and overlapped the hunting grounds of the Comanche.
Roswell is known for the 1947 Roswell incident involving alleged UFO debris and its associated ufology tourism centered on the International UFO Museum and Research Center.
The population of Roswell was 48,422 at the 2020 census.
Events take place at The Liberty, Grace Community Church, Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, and Pecos Flavors Winery + Bistro.
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New Mexico's first state park (1933) — a string of deep, blue-green sinkhole lakes along the Pecos River bluffs near Roswell, popular for swimming, scuba, kayaking, and camping.
Haystack Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle Area in southeastern New Mexico encompasses approximately 1,920 acres of OHV terrain perched on the breaks overlooking the Pecos River, featuring bare rock and sandy washes for all skill levels. Single-track trails are also well suited for mountain biking. A fee applies; a 14-day stay limit is in effect. Photography is permitted. Contact the managing agency or BLM listing for current fees and access conditions.
Every fact below was independently verified against the cited source.
Haystack Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle Area, managed by the BLM Roswell Field Office, encompasses 1,920 acres of rugged terrain in Chaves County overlooking the Pecos River in southeast New Mexico. The area features single-track trails across bare rock and sandy washes through a scenic sandstone escarpment, with significant elevation changes including deep gullies and difficult hill climbs. The terrain accommodates riders of all skill levels and is ideal for OHVs no wider than 50 inches and motorcycles; mountain biking is also permitted. Nationally sanctioned Trials events are held annually.
Game Management Unit 32 is a large Chaves County unit in southeastern New Mexico with terrain ranging from flatlands to rolling hills and rough canyons west of Highway 285; low desert scrub and grass give way to pinyon/juniper at elevations roughly 3,200 to 6,300 feet. Huntable species include mule deer, pronghorn, Barbary sheep, and cougar, all draw-allocated through NMDGF. Only about 34% of the unit is public land — the majority is private, and access often depends on landowner permission or landowner-specific tags. A valid New Mexico hunting license is required. Confirm current dates and limits with NMDGF.
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