Day trips are the perfect way to appreciate attractions close to home. The only requirements are a day off and some money to cover gas and meals. The price of each trip varies, but we’ve capped the drive time to roughly 90 minutes (three hours round trip). So, if a vacation feels a long way off, these fun mini-getaway day trips from Las Cruces are among the best day trips in New Mexico.

1. Kilbourne Hole
Kilbourne Hole
Kilbourne Hole, New Mexico 88021, USA
Flickr/zeesstof
The Kilbourne Hole is a National Natural Landmark that was formed as a result of a volcanic explosion. The crater that is left behind stretches for over a mile in both width and length. If you want to marvel at our state’s geologic history, this is the picnic spot for you. Visitors are allowed to walk around the edge of the hole, which is on BLM property, but don’t have access to the crater floor. There are no amenities, so pack in and pack out.

Drive time: 85 minutes in either direction, much of it on unpaved roads.

Check out this fascinating, quick video on the geological history of the Kilbourne Hole:
2. Pancho Villa State Park
Pancho Villa State Park, 400 NM-9, Columbus, NM 88029, USA
Flickr/dean43
Brush up on your history with a trip to this fascinating state park that details Pancho Villa’s 1916 raid on the town of Columbus and the history of Camp Furlong. This spot is also known for birding, so keep an eye out for roadrunners, horned owls, and ladder-backed woodpeckers during your visit.

Drive time: It takes 97 minutes each way.
3. Hot Springs Area Resorts
Truth or Consequences, NM, USA
Facebook/Sierra Grande Lodge & Spa
If you're looking for unique things to do around Las Cruces, then Truth or Consequences should definitely be on your travel itinerary. The town is literally brimming with hot springs resorts and you don’t have to be an overnight guest to take a soak at these establishments. Unwind in a tub at the historic Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa or at scenic Riverbend Hot Springs.

Drive time: 69 minutes in either direction.
4. Lake Valley
Lake Valley, NM 87313, USA
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
This ghost town, situated between Nutt and Hillsboro, sprang up around the Bridal Chamber Mine. When the silver panic of 1893 was followed by a saloon fire, two years later, Lake Valley struggled to recover. However, it only officially became a ghost town in 1974, with the death of its final resident. As you’d expect, amenities are nonexistent, so pack a lunch.

Drive time: 85 minutes each way.
5. Florida Mountains Wilderness Study Area
Rockhound State Park, 9880 Stirrup Rd SE, Deming, NM 88030, USA
rbaire/Flickr
Spring Canyon in Rockhound State Park is probably the easiest way to reach the Florida Mountains for an incredible wilderness hike. This mountain range stretches for roughly 12 miles. You may spot ibex and javelina roaming here, and raptors soaring overhead. Hikers and photographers alike will appreciate this area.

Drive time: 74 minutes each way.

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6. Rockhound State Park
Rockhound State Park, 9880 Stirrup Rd SE, Deming, NM 88030, USA
Flickr/John Fowler
If you’re not comfortable with going completely off grid, stay in the main portion of the park and spend some time rock hunting. You’re allowed to remove up to 15 pounds of rocks or minerals for your personal use. Think of it as the desert version of beach combing. There is also a popular hiking trail here called the Thunder Egg Trail that is well worth embarking upon.

Drive time: 68 minutes each way.
7. Tour a pistachio farm
Eagle Ranch Pistachio Groves, 7288 US-54, Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA
Facebook/Heart of the Desert Pistachios & Wine
Take a 45-minute long tour of Eagle Ranch in Alamogordo to view our state’s biggest pistachio groves, and the processing facility. Afterwards, stop at the store to browse the finished product and sample Heart of the Desert wines. Tours are given Monday through Friday at 1:30 p.m. year round, and at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Drive time: 74 minutes one-way.
8. Sunspot Scenic Byway
State Road 6563, State Rd 6563, New Mexico, USA
Flickr/Samat Jain
Maybe it sounds counterintuitive to drive to Cloudcroft in order to embark on another drive. However, this scenic byway in New Mexico which is among the most beautiful in the whole state, is only 16 miles long and the views make it more than worthwhile. As the road winds its way through the Sacramento Mountains, enjoy expansive views of the Tularosa Basin. If you’re ready to stretch your legs, pause for a walk along the Nelson Vista Trail, which begins roughly six miles beyond Cloudcroft.

Drive time: 93 minutes in either direction.

This fun, brief video is a great overview of the byway:
9. New Mexico Museum of Space History
The Museum of Space History, 3198 State Rte 2001, Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA
Flickr/Ben Clark
You don’t need to be an avid NASA fan to have fun at this museum in Alamogordo. Rockets balance, seemingly poised to launch, in the space park outside and inside are all the displays you’d expect to find about life in space. There’s even a planetarium. Fun Fact: Ham the Astrochimp, who was the first humanoid in space, is buried at the Space Hall of Fame here.

Drive time: 76 minutes each way.
10. City of Rocks State Park
City of Rocks State Park, 327 NM-61, Faywood, NM 88034, USA
Flickr/mlhradio
New Mexico is not a state with many tall buildings. That makes the boulders in City of Rocks State Park – some of which are up to 40 feet high - all the more impressive. The park also boasts a botanical garden and trails suitable for either hiking or mountain biking. We think you'll agree that a visit here is definitely one of the best day trips in New Mexico

Drive time: It takes 95 minutes in either direction.
11. The town of Hillsboro
Hillsboro, NM 88042, USA
Flickr/dedhed1950
Hillsboro started out as a mining town and, for a while, it was the Sierra County seat. To learn more about its history, print out the town's walking tour and go exploring. Afterwards, refuel at the Hillsboro General Store Cafe.

Have you visited any of these places? Do you have any favorite day trips from Las Cruces? If so we’d love to see your photos and hear about your experiences there.

If you’re looking for other unique things to do, you might want to check out some of the weirdest places in New Mexico that the state has to offer!

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Best Day Trips in New Mexico

Lysa Allman-Baldwin | June 24, 2022

I had heard that Kilbourne Hole is one of the best day trips near me. Can you tell me more about it?

Located about an hour and a half from Las Cruces, Kilbourne Hole is really cool because it is the site of a former volcano. What’s left of it is a massive crater that is believed to have been formed somewhere between 24,000 and 100,000 years ago. Its age and size (a little under two miles long and over a mile wide) make it one of the most unique volcano sites in the country.

Can you suggest a nice bed and breakfast inn close to Las Cruces?

Boy are you in for a treat! In Hillsboro, which is about an hour and a half drive from Las Cruces, you’ll find the Black Range Vineyard which is home to one of the most charming little bed and breakfast inn accommodations in the state. The cool thing is, it’s not listed on their website – you have to be in the know! So you’ll definitely have the property almost all to yourself, making it a great romantic getaway.

Where can I find some good hiking spots in New Mexico?

New Mexico offers a wide array of hiking trails that offer something for every physical ability level. If you want something not too strenuous, you might consider the Inscription Trail. Located in El Morro National Monument, the name of the trail is in honor of the many bluff side inscriptions and petroglyphs carved along the way. And at Organ Mountain-Desert Peaks National Monument, there’s the Peña Blanca Wilderness Study Area where the trails offer amazing views.

I’m looking for unique things to do around Albuquerque for kids.

Little and big kids alike really love Cliff’s Amusement Park. Located only 15 minutes from downtown Albuquerque, the park encompasses thrill rides, a waterpark, traditional fair games, and a great deal more. You can definitely spend the entire day here; there is so much to see, do, and experience!

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