Outdoor recreation and laid-back desert living in Elephant Butte
Settled at the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert and neighbor to New Mexico's largest lake, Elephant Butte is a community where nature and outdoor recreation turn tourists into long-term residents. "Several years ago, someone asked why I bother living here. I said that in five minutes, I could have them camping on the beach, soaking in mineral spas or hitting a championship golf course," says Earl Greer, a fifth-generation Elephant Butte resident and Realtor with Plaza Realty. "A lot of people here work like any regular folks, but our play is unmatched." Presenting a mix of midcentury and contemporary architecture, Elephant Butte is gradually growing, fueled by its active tourism and residential developers. It's also one of the country's most OHV-friendly communities, having legalized their use on basically all streets around the area.
Waterside fun at Elephant Butte Lake, championship golfing and desert exploration
Elephant Butte has no parks; rather, the whole area is essentially a park, with outdoor recreation being one of the biggest draws for people to come and live in the community. The crown jewel is nearby Elephant Butte Lake, the largest artificial reservoir in New Mexico. The lake is lined with beaches and marinas, boats and kayaks skimming the surface at all hours of the day as anglers cast lines. "In summer, our population swells to nearly 100,000 people coming in for the lake and to float the Rio Grande," Greer says. "We've got awesome large- and smallmouth bass fishing and cool trails. The big thing nowadays is off-roading in the desert." The Turtleback Mountain Golf Course, located within the Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort area, is open to the public and will host the New Mexico Open from 2025 to 2027.
Classic midcentury homes and diverse contemporary architecture
Wide roads, rocky hills and juniper trees are everyday views for Elephant Butte residents. Midcentury ranch-style and manufactured homes sell with the lowest price tags, often for $150,000 to $300,000. Several areas in Elephant Butte have welcomed new construction, adding Tuscan-style architecture and custom Pueblo Revival homes to the landscape. "Traditionally, this was a place for retirees and snowbirds, but that's changing. We've got a couple of guys from New York working on new development," Greer says. "If you build the houses, the people show up. Now we've got a younger crowd who work from home before hopping on their ATV and heading to the lake." Contemporary homes, especially those in the Turtleback Mountain Resort community, sell for $450,000 to $610,000.
Annual events draw crowds to Elephant Butte Lake
Many of the area's events are centered at Elephant Butte Lake, with the Fourth of July weekend being one of the biggest affairs of the year. At the peak of summer tourism, fireworks light up the sky over the lake every night as spectators watch from the shores. Other annual events include the catch-and-release Kayak Fishing Tournament in May and the Elephant Butte Fine Arts & Crafts Show in late November.
Sparse shopping with local charm in Elephant Butte
Shopping in Elephant Butte is relatively sparse, filled with locally owned general stores and bait shops, and typical essentials like gas stations and a post office. Besides a Family Dollar off Route 195, residents must head a few miles south to Truth or Consequences for major stores like Walmart. The restaurants, too, are run mainly by the community. "We're not big enough for the big chain restaurants yet, but we've got a ton of mom-and-pop places between here and T-or-C," Greer says. Bigfoot Restaurant, off Warm Springs Boulevard, has been serving burgers and beer to locals and the lake crowds for years.
Attending school at nearby Truth or Consequences
Elephant Butte is zoned to Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools. New Mexico provides parents with school choice, and younger children may attend one of three elementary schools. Arrey Elementary School, the highest-rated on Niche with a B-plus, supports a dual language environment of English and Spanish. Kids can move on to Truth or Consequences Middle School, which gets a B, before heading to C-plus-rated Hot Springs High School.
Conveniently located with clear access to major highways
State Roads 181 and 195 are the community's main thoroughfares. Both connect to Interstate 25 and the smaller roads that lead to Elephant Butte Lake. The area does not have public transportation. "The roads around here stay clear. You can cover those 150 miles to the Albuquerque Airport in the two hours the GPS promises you because there's no traffic," Greer says. The closest medical center, Sierra Vista Hospital and Rural Health Clinic, is roughly 6 miles south in the neighboring community of Truth or Consequences.
