Sitting Bull Falls - Lincoln National Forest - Southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico

Sitting Bull Falls

Sitting Bull Falls is a series of spring-fed waterfalls located in a canyon in the Lincoln National Forest southwest of the city of Carlsbad, New Mexico.  It is located at GPS Coordinates 32.2432°  104.6963° (Copy and paste these coordinates into your GPS or google maps to get directions to the falls).

This is an unexpected place of beauty. We drove from Brantley Lake State Park (Make sure you see our campground review of Brantley Lake, it is on the right of this post) to the falls, leaving from the east side of Highway 285. The terrain changes abruptly from rolling desert to mountainous desert and you will know immediately that you have entered the foothills of the Guadalupe Mountain range.  It was about 40 miles from 285 to the falls.

Finally arriving at Sitting Bull Falls

The origin of the name Sitting Bull Falls still remains unknown. One version holds that it was named after a a Sioux Medicine man. The Apache name for the area was gostahanagunti which means hidden gulch.

"The falls are fed by springs located in the canyon above. The water flows through a series of streams and pools until reaching the falls where it drops 150 feet into the canyon below. Most of the water disappears into the gravel or cracks in the rocks and either reappears in springs further down the canyon or joins the Pecos Valley underground water supply."

The area was developed for day use by Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It is fully wheelchair accessible, with sidewalks, restrooms, picnic tables, rock cabanas, water fountains, trash bins, and a viewing deck for the waterfall. The hiking trails and water areas above and below Sitting Bull Falls can only be reached on foot.

Because of the obvious lack of water in the area, the water coming from the falls and the stream and the pond that feed the falls, wildlife is abundant in the area. Rabbits, prairie dogs, desert mice, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, snakes and birds of every description drink and bathe in the waters here. 

As you approach the falls you get an overwhelming sense that you have wasted your trip. It is simply too dry of a place to have a waterfall. You look at the surrounding mountains and conclude there is no way for water to percolate out of the ground and run over a precipice as a waterfall. But, like me, you'd be wrong.

As you approach the falls you notice the canyon bottom becoming greener.  

Your hike is on a cement concourse dotted with bridges and handrails that take you to the falls.  

Then you turn the final corner and are treated to this sight.

A per-vehicle fee of $5 applies to the Recreation Area, which opens at 8:30am daily.  There was a self-pay station when we arrived, and they accept cash, checks or National Park passes.  Operating hours extend till 5 pm from October 1 to March 31 and until 6 pm the rest of the year. Please note that the entrance gate is locked 30 minutes prior to closing.

Sitting Bull Falls is literally an oasis in the desert and is a great place to go for an afternoon to relax and cool off. The falls themselves are beautiful and the water is crystal clear and a cool 65 degrees.

"If you explore a bit more you can find several pools of water where some smaller waterfalls are that are away from the more crowded areas." (source: Yelp)

Behind the falls is a system of caves, which can be entered and explored, but only by appointment and in the company of a ranger/guide. (source: US Forest Service)

Martha decided to hike to the top of the canyon to see where the source of the spring was

View from near the top

The stream that feeds the falls.  This is above the falls on the top of the canyon

The stream cascading to the head of the falls

If you are in Carlsbad this place is special. We were there during the week and there weren't many people there. I think it is really worth the trip to see it.  If you go, enjoy!

Hords Creek Lake, Coleman TX - Florey County Park, Andrews, TX - Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad, NM

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Hords Creek Lake C.O.E, Coleman, TX     Florey County Park - Andrews, TX   Brantley Lake State Park , Carlsbad, New Mexico 

(Campground Ratings are listed below each section)

As Martha and I continue on our trip to nowhere in particular, we've made stops at Hords Creek Lake C.O.E. near Coleman, Texas.  Florey County Park, near Andrews, TX  and are currently at Brantley Lake State Park near Carlsbad and Artesia, New Mexico.

Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad New Mexico (below)

What a great park. We are in the Limestone Improved Campground. Be aware that some sites (even though they are long enough) may not be suitable for big rigs. We are 40' and had to drive up on blocks stacked four high (6") on the drivers side to get level. 

The drivers side was up 4.5"  After set up, we ended up very level with a beautiful view of the lake and each evening's sunset.  Park Review below.

The sunsets are spectacular 

Lot's of desert critters to drive your dog nuts

Nature trails to wander

Did I mention sunsets?

Into the rabbit hole

We are here until Sunday and I am already regretting not staying longer. If you are headed through Carlsbad or Artesia, New Mexico, you might want to consider staying at Brantley Lake State Park.

Park Rating

Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad, New Mexico - RATING - 4/5

WIFI - No

AT&T - Yes, two to three bars

VERIZON - Yes, four to five bars

SERVICES - 20/30 and some 50 amp sites, water, sewage dump in the park.

COST - $14 Nightly no discounts offered. $18 Nightly for the two sites with sewer hook ups.

DISCOUNTS - None

REVIEW - Great park. Beautiful lake with good fishing but the lake is contaminated with DDT so you cannot take fish even if you wanted them. Sites are mostly level but if you have a coach or fiver that is bigger than forty feet (select sites) you may have a problem leveling front to back. Restrooms are very clean and smell clean. Water pressure is 40#. Dumpsters dispersed throughout the campground. Each site has a Casita and ADA sites have a small waste receptacle. 

Florey  County Park (below)

This is a good overnight spot if the City of Andrews free RV park is full. It is a giant limestone gravel parking lot with full hook ups. They have 20/30/50 amp electric. The water tastes of sulfur so if you have an ice maker in your refrigerator turn it off. The water is clean but two sets of filters did not rid the sulfur smell from the water. There is a nice recreation area for the kids but you might want to heed the warning about Rattlesnakes.  Park Review (Scroll down to Texas)

It is expensive nightly. However, the attendant didn't answer his or her door, there was no place to self-register, and they did not come by our RV, so our stay was free for the night. 

Two of the other three RV's in the campground seemed to be occupied by "oilers."  There was a family in the one next to us.  This area is rife with oil, fracking for gas etc.  In fact, the view across the road was an oil well, and there was a processing plant next door.  The park itself was once part of an oil company's campus, and was donated as a park in the 50's.  We felt safe here though.

Park Rating

Florey County Park, Andrews - Texas - RATING - 3.0/5

WIFI - No

AT&T - Yes, one bar of 4G LTE

VERIZON - Yes, five bars of 4G LTE

SERVICES - 20/30/50 AMPS, Sewer, Water, Trash barrels. 

COSTS - RV Full hook ups - $35 Daily, RV No Hook ups $10.00 Tents $10 Daily, Car Sleeping $5.00 Daily, 

DISCOUNTS - None that we are aware of.

REVIEW - This is an out of the way park about 10 minutes North of Andrews. Take Main Street North out of Andrews and look for the park sign.  The park is a nice one night stop over and beats Wally World. It is basically a large pea gravel parking lot with a power pedestal, sewer hook up and water outlets. All of the hook ups appear to be just several months old. Large area to pull a big rig in and plenty large enough for any size coach and their toad and/or trailer. Not a garden spot but clean and quiet.

Hords Creek C.O.E. Lakeside Campground (below)

Hords Creek C.O.E. is a fairly typical Corps of Engineers park. Water and electric, clean restrooms and showers. There are dumpsters provided and each site has a casita with a picnic table.  The camping facilities are distributed around the lake, so it's not crowded.  There are a few 50 A, full hookup sites, and a few 30A full hookups, as well.  We went with only water and sewer the first 4 days, but splurged and spent the extra $3 a night to have a sewer hookup the last 2 nights.  The views are nice and the campground is quiet. Park Review (scroll down to Texas)

Sunrises were beautiful

The neighbors were quiet

Park Rating

Hords Creek Lake, Corp of Engineers Lakeside Campground - Coleman, Texas - RATING - 4.5/5

WIFI - No

AT&T - Yes, but weak with 2 bars and drops quite regularly. If you have a Cell Booster you're golden

VERIZON - No viable signal - 1x service

SERVICES - 20/30/50 AMPS, some FHU's available but most are water and electric only. Sewage Dump and trash bins are on site about a half a mile away.

COST - $16, $22 FOR 30 AMP - $26 FOR $50 AMP 

DISCOUNTS - If you have the Golden Access Pass the cost is cut in half

REVIEW - Our RV site was #2  The campground includes pull through (50-70 feet in length), many 40' sites - some with low hanging trees.  The lakeside sites are very nice and the grounds are kept mowed, beaches on the lake, good fishing, Staff is helpful and very nice.  It is exceedingly quite at night. Much wildlife on the park grounds. We counted 15 deer in one group. Most pads seem quite level. There are sites that have a screen room in addition to the RV Pad. Water is quite good, power pedestals show some wear, check voltages before plugging in or have an on board or plug in EMS