The nature enthusiast will appreciate the abundance of wildlife, birds, butterflies, and wildflowers among the lakes, creeks, forests, and meadows. The name Sugarite derives from either the Comanche or Ute name for a bird found in the canyon or the Spanish name, Chicorica, for “chicory”, a plant found here. Sugarite Canyon State Park was established in 1985, but the canyon has been a recreational attraction in northeastern New Mexico for decades. The park features a historic early-20th Century coal-mining camp and natural scenery at the border of the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. Sugarite Canyon State park is 3,600 acres in size.

A dramatic interpretative trail from the visitor center takes you on a tour of the historic Sugarite Coal Camp, a company mining town from the early twentieth century. The visitor center is also a historic building and was the town’s post office during its heyday. Both lakes at the park are also historic. Lake Alice was built in the late 1800s to store water for the town of Raton. Lake Maloya upstream from Lake Alice was built by the town in the early 1900s and was enlarged in the 1940s. The park’s brand new Lake-to-Lake trail takes you to both and provides dramatic views of each.

Sugarite Canyon State Park, one of Camping Life's top ten in the nation, features abundant butterflies, two scenic lakes, fishing, camping, and spectacular vistas. Sugarite Canyon offers visitor center, camping, allows horseback, showers, group shelters, electric hook-ups, restrooms, dump stations, boating/boat ramps, fishing, trails, and R.V. pull through sites.
Make a reservation on the New Mexico State Parks reservation website.