Brantley Lake State Park

Located in the Chihuahuan Desert, Brantley Lake State Park contains New Mexico's southernmost lake. The Wild West ghost town of Seven Rivers is also on the property. Brantley Lake State Park contains about 3,000 acres while the lake surface covers 4,000 acres. For many years this was a place where angers could really enjoy catching walleye, crappie, largemouth bass, white bass, bluegill and channel catfish but recently, testing has found high levels of DDT in some fish so the state now recommends "catch-and-release" fishing only. Park Rangers offer several events every year including "Go-Fly-A-Kite" in March, "Shoreline Sweep" on Earth Day and a "Kids Fishing Clinic" in May. They also offer Saturday night campground programs through the summer.

Brantley Lake State Park offers a visitor center, group picnic shelter and 51 developed campsites, all with electric hookups. The camping areas also have central restrooms and showers. The playground is near the visitor center. The park also offers a central RV dump station. For activities you'll find fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking, wildlife watching, sailing and water skiing.

The entry gate at Brantley Lake State Park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The Seven Rivers Day-Use area is closed from September to May. To get there: go 12 miles north of Carlsbad on US Highway 285, then east on Eddy County Road 30 for 4.5 miles.

Fees: Day-use: $5 per vehicle; Pedestrians and bicyclists get in free. Camping: Primitive sites: $8 per site per night. Developed sites: $10 per site per night. Developed site with either electric or sewer: $14 per site per night. Developed site with both electric and sewer: $18 per site per night. Water hookups aren't always available but when they are, they're free.