Sugarite Canyon State Park

We spent two nights here in May 2026, on our spring 2026 loop through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. We were in site 4 in the Lake Alice electric loop and paid about $40 a night. Our full field report is still being written, so here is what to know about the place itself.

The short version

Sugarite Canyon State Park sits just outside Raton in northeastern New Mexico, where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains. It is a canyon of lakes, creeks, forests and meadows, and the park lists its elevation at 6,664 feet.

A little history

• Lake Alice was built in the late 1800s to store water for Raton. Lake Maloya, upstream, was built by the town in the early 1900s and enlarged in the 1940s.
• The canyon holds the remains of the Sugarite Coal Camp, a company mining town from the early twentieth century. The visitor center was once the town's post office.
• The park was established in 1985. The name may come from a Comanche or Ute word for a bird found in the canyon, or from the Spanish "Chicorica," meaning chicory.

What it is known for

• About 20 miles of trails, including an interpretive trail through the coal camp ruins and the Lake-to-Lake trail.
• Fishing and boating, with a boat ramp and dock.
• Wildflowers, butterflies and birding, plus cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and ice fishing in winter.
• Horse trails and equestrian camping.

Camping

• Two campgrounds, Lake Alice and Soda Pocket, with 40 developed sites in all.
• Eight water and electric sites and two full-hookup sites, all 30 amp.
• Restrooms with showers, vault toilets, water in the campground, a dump station and group sites.

Good to know

• Reservations go through New Mexico State Parks.
• Fees apply, so check the park's fees and permits page.