10 Forgotten Funlands In New Mexico Slowly Fading Beneath The Desert Sky

Have you ever wondered what happens to old amusement parks when the laughter stops and the rides fall silent? New Mexico holds secrets of forgotten funlands where families once gathered for joy and thrills.

These abandoned wonderlands now sit quietly under endless desert skies, their paint peeling and their memories slowly vanishing into the sand.

1. Beach Waterpark at Elephant Butte Lake

Did you know that New Mexico once had a lakeside waterpark that drew crowds from across the state? Beach Waterpark opened in the 1980s at Elephant Butte Lake, offering slides, pools, and splashy fun during hot summers. Families would drive hours just to cool off in its attractions.

When the water levels dropped and maintenance costs soared, the park couldn’t survive. Today, empty slides twist toward dry earth while cracked pools collect tumbleweeds instead of swimmers. I find it haunting how quickly nature reclaims what we build.

If you visit Elephant Butte now, you can still spot remnants of this watery playground. The structures stand as ghostly reminders of carefree summer days gone by.

2. Cliff’s Amusement Park Ghost Section

Though Cliff’s Amusement Park still operates in Albuquerque, parts of it have been left to decay. Behind the active rides lies a forgotten zone where older attractions sit motionless and rusting. It’s eerie walking past functioning carousels to see their abandoned cousins nearby.

These retired rides once thrilled generations of New Mexican kids who screamed with delight. Budget cuts and changing safety regulations forced management to retire certain attractions permanently. Now they serve as metal skeletons, their bright colors fading under relentless sun.

When I think about these forgotten corners, I realize how businesses must evolve or die. The contrast between new and old at Cliff’s tells a story of survival and loss.

3. Roadrunner RV Park Miniature Golf Course

Are you someone who loves quirky roadside attractions? Roadrunner RV Park near Tucumcari once featured a delightful mini-golf course with Southwest-themed obstacles. Cacti sculptures, tiny adobe buildings, and colorful roadrunner statues made it a favorite stop for travelers along Route 66.

Economic shifts and highway rerouting killed the traffic that kept this place alive. The RV park closed its gates years ago, leaving the golf course to battle wind and sand alone. Holes have filled with dirt, and putters will never tap balls here again.

How sad that such charming places disappear without fanfare or memorial. I wish more people appreciated these small treasures before they vanished completely.

4. Zia Park’s Original Kiddie Land

It’s heartbreaking when places built for children’s laughter turn silent and still. Zia Park near Hobbs once included a separate kiddie area with pint-sized rides and games. Little ones would squeal as tiny trains chugged around miniature tracks and carousel horses bobbed gently.

When the main park shifted focus to adult entertainment and racing, the kiddie section became unnecessary. Management closed it down, and the small rides were left where they stood. Paint chips off plastic horses while metal rusts in the dry air.

If you peek through the fencing today, you’ll see this graveyard of childhood joy. I can almost hear the phantom giggles of kids who played there decades ago.

5. Santa Rosa Blue Hole Recreation Area

When you think of Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, you probably picture the stunning natural swimming spot. But surrounding this aquatic gem are the remains of a once-thriving recreation area. Picnic shelters, playground equipment, and diving platforms from the 1960s now sit unused and decaying.

Tourism patterns changed, and visitors wanted different amenities than those offered by vintage facilities. The old infrastructure couldn’t compete with modern expectations, so it was abandoned in place. Concrete crumbles while metal equipment slowly surrenders to rust.

How fascinating that nature’s beauty endures while human additions fade away. The Blue Hole remains gorgeous, but its forgotten funland accessories tell stories of simpler vacation times.

6. Roswell’s UFO-Themed Mini Park

Hence the famous UFO incident, Roswell became synonymous with aliens and outer space mysteries. In the 1990s, entrepreneurs built a small UFO-themed amusement area with space slides, alien statues, and flying saucer rides. It seemed like a perfect match for the town’s quirky reputation.

Poor location and lack of marketing doomed this cosmic playground from the start. Within a few years, attendance dropped so low that owners simply walked away. Now alien figures stare blankly at empty parking lots while spacecraft rides sit grounded forever.

I find it ironic that a town famous for visitors from space couldn’t sustain a space-themed park. Sometimes even the best ideas fail without proper execution and support.

7. Las Cruces Pioneer Park Playground

Where did all the neighborhood kids play before digital devices took over? Pioneer Park in Las Cruces once featured an elaborate playground with towering metal slides, creative climbing structures, and merry-go-rounds. Children from surrounding areas spent countless summer afternoons there, building memories and friendships.

Safety concerns about old equipment and liability issues forced the city to close this section permanently. Modern plastic playgrounds replaced the vintage metal structures elsewhere, but Pioneer Park’s original area was simply fenced off. Weeds now grow through cracks in the asphalt where kids once ran.

This forgotten playground represents a generational shift in how we approach childhood recreation and risk.

8. Deming’s Rockhound State Park Old Picnic Grounds

Are you drawn to places where history whispers through abandoned structures? Rockhound State Park near Deming still attracts rock collectors, but its original picnic grounds from the 1960s lie forgotten. Stone shelters, barbecue pits, and viewing platforms were built when the park first opened to accommodate enthusiastic visitors.

Shifting park boundaries and updated facilities made these original structures obsolete over time. Rather than demolish them, park services simply stopped maintaining the area. Stone walls crumble while native plants reclaim the carefully cleared spaces.

When I explore these ruins, I appreciate how they blend into the landscape more gracefully than modern buildings. They’re becoming part of the desert itself, which feels strangely appropriate and beautiful.

9. Western Playland’s Original Waterslide Complex

Back in the 1970s, a massive waterslide complex opened at Western Playland near Sunland Park, promising relief from scorching summer heat. Three towering slides twisted down into splash pools that sparkled under the desert sun. Kids would race to the top, their excited screams filling the air as they plunged downward.

Today, the slides stand empty and silent. Paint peels from the fiberglass in long strips, revealing weathered gray underneath. The pools cracked years ago, now filled with tumbleweeds instead of water.

Fences keep visitors away, but you can still glimpse the structures from the highway, a haunting reminder of childhood summers past.

10. Farmington’s Frontier Town Theme Park

Imagine walking into an authentic Old West town where cowboys staged shootouts and saloon girls danced on wooden sidewalks. Frontier Town near Farmington brought Wild West fantasies to life during the 1980s. Visitors could pan for gold, ride mechanical bulls, and watch blacksmiths hammer horseshoes while fiddle music played from scratchy speakers.

Economic troubles shuttered the park in 1995. The buildings still stand in eerie formation, their false fronts weathered to silver-gray. Swinging saloon doors hang crooked on rusty hinges.

Occasionally, film crews use the location for Western movies, briefly bringing life back to these ghost-town streets before silence returns once more.