Celebrate by heading to one of these seven state parks you’ve probably never visited
(Santa Fe, N.M.) — For the third year in a row, Governor Susana Martinez has declared June as Great Outdoors Month in New Mexico. Great Outdoors Month was established to help Americans celebrate the educational, economic and health benefits of active, fun, outdoor activities through a month of events that include National Trails Day, National Marina Day and the Great American Campout.
“I’m thrilled to once again declare June as Great Outdoors Month in our beautiful Land of Enchantment,” Governor Susana Martinez said. “This is the perfect opportunity to celebrate our state’s natural wonders and to get out and explore what really makes New Mexico True.”
To celebrate Great Outdoors Month, New Mexicans are encouraged to “escape the indoors” by visiting a state park that they’ve never been to before. Some great New Mexico state parks to visit include: City of Rocks State Park(Faywood) where visitors can camp and attend their monthly “star party” on June 9; Manzano Mountains State Park (Cibola National Forest), a quiet retreat where birding, photography and camping are recommended activities; Navajo Lake State Park (Navajo Dam) to celebrate National Marina Day on June 9; Bluewater Lake State Park (Santa Rosa) for a plethora of outdoor activities including camping, boating and horseback riding; Clayton Lake State Park (Clayton) has dinosaur trackways, an annual trout derby, and star parties at New Mexico’s first Gold-Level International Dark Sky Area; Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park (Carlsbad) features animals and plants native to the Chihuahuan Desert; and Heron Lake State Park (Los Ojos) is described as a fisherman's paradise with record-sized trout and kokanee salmon.
“It’s easy to see why New Mexico is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts,” Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Latham said. “Our state and national parks welcome millions of visitors from other states each year, but New Mexicans don’t always realize how incredible these New Mexico True treasures are.”
Outdoor recreation is an important part of New Mexico’s tourism economy, with $820 million spent by visitors in 2016 alone. This represents growth of nearly 5 percent over the year prior and accounts for 13 percent of all visitor spending during that timeframe.
“We encourage New Mexicans to connect to the outdoors and enjoy the many offerings at our parks statewide,” Christy Tafoya, Director of State Parks said. “Parks also provide great opportunities to join family and friends in interesting and unique places.”
For more information on these parks and more New Mexico True adventures, visit NMParks.com and NewMexico.org.
# # #