Carrizozo? (Alamogordo, Las Vegas, Ruidoso: motel, houses, school)

[lemonade]

Any thoughts on Carrizozo? Cheap housing....is there a reason?! Thanks so much for your help

[Crackerjack]

I have passed through there several times. It is a small town of about 1,000 people. It is near extinct lava fields. It is also close to White Sands so I would think would be prone to the sandstorms. It reminds me some of Moriarty and Estancia. It is a ranching area like Moriarty and Estancia. It is somewhat flat but you see the mountains in the background. One thing I especially remember was a Sands Motel sign, like the ones you saw from the 60s in Las Vegas, Nevada. I don't know if that motel is still there, since it has been awhile since I was there, but I remember that 60s Sands Motel sign. It didn't seem like a bad town. I don't know about specifics but it is a town you might look into.

[domino]

Carrizozo is a nice little town surrounded by some outstanding landscape. To the west is the Valley of Fire State Park and to the east is the Lincoln National Forest. It's a stopping off point and grocery stop for campers heading to the mountains. It's very remote, a trip to town would be Alamogordo, some 60 miles to the south. There are a motel or two as it's a crossroads of two US highways, a couple of restaurants, grocery store, gas stations. And it's the county seat of Lincoln County so there are a few county offices there.
If you are looking for a total change of pace from suburban or city life, and you are into the great outdoors this could be for you. If you want small town life with modern conveniences and more entertainment options, you need to go a little bigger. Maybe Tularosa? It's a little bigger than Carrizozo, still affordable, near Lincoln National Forest, but much closer to Alamogordo and Ruidoso where your entertainment options are significantly upgraded.
I am surprised more people aren't talking about Tularosa. It's a great little town.

[_yb]

Great hunting in the area. Boone and crockett class antelope to the north. Good size muleys if you know the right landowners. World class elk in certain areas. Plenty of predator animals to hunt also.

Plenty of areas to point hunt also.

Not much housing down there. They are working on a new housing subdivison to the east of town. Even redoing the local golf course that Jackie Spencer donated to the town years ago. So if you are interested in building new that may be an area to consider.


Carrizozo has some of the best underground water in the area.

[jamnkats]

The last time we were in Carizozo there was no grocery store. Two gas stations though. The lava fields are really interesting and the BLM has built a nice camping area there. Lots of little flies there. The BLM has also built a nice wooden walkway over the lava fields. Oh, the grocery store looked like it might be opening in the near future though.

[catman]

I've been through Carrizozo several times. It's a little crossroads town that seems pretty nice, but there isn't much there. If you don't need much, it's fine. I'm considering moving there. I'm not sure how the water situation is, but that can be said for a lot of places in NM. Ruidoso is about 50 miles away. You might also consider Capitan, as I am doing. I'm still considering several places.

[rainbowrabbits]

Carrizozo has gotten a lot of retirees moving in but has some systemic problems that often inspire people to move on. Hard to get any capable renovation help, long way to shopping and hospitals, new developements planned for doublewides on 3-10 acres. No vegetation over three foot shrubs so the whole basin will be exposed houses. If the new owners plant grass and trees, it may have serious effects on the water supply. The city goverment runs on decades of croneyism and resistance to change. There is a constant turn over in the police department which has gotten down to one officer, trying her best but not able to do it alone. I moved here with high hopes and am now just trapped until my properties sell.

[30apples]

Carrizozo is more a place you drive thru and much of a place to stop! In my opinion of course... it would depend on what sort of things you were looking for and and so forth. It certainly is quiet and sort of "frozen in time". Tularosa is more of an little town and is closer to shopping and other services in Alamogordo. They have an irrigation ditch which flows thru some of the town and so there are a lot of big trees which is a really big thing in the desert!

[sonerai man]

Carrizozo is a horrible place. Petty crime, organized crime, political nepotism and croneyism, child abuse, domestic abuse, narcotics distribution, corrput sheriff and cops, a school and churches that perpetuate that ideal. Lots of violence. It is not a safe place.A few rich Boss Hoggs who don't want one thing to change.Lots of incest and inbreeding so that most folks in the town that are long time residents are mentally disturbed.Stay far far away.

[lonewolfmccoy]

I remember traveling through Carrizozo one time a few years ago. There was a car wreck on on the intersection of U.S. 54 and some other street where the two gas stations are located. Pretty much right when you're leaving town (the Northern part of town). Anyway, there were about 12 people standing outside and watching like it was something to do! True story.