The town of Carrizozo is located in South Central New Mexico. Nestled in the shadows of the beautiful Sacramento mountain range at the northern edge of the Tularosa Basin, residents and visitors alike enjoy the pleasant climate of the high desert, yet are less than an hour from the tall pines and skiing areas of the Lincoln National Forest. Carrizozo boasts a variety of lodgings, shops and restaurants, as well as a growing art community, while still maintaining a friendly small town atmosphere.
From its beginnings as an important railroad town in the late 1800’s, to its modern-day status as the county seat, Carrizozo has a rich history, and visitors are welcome to tour the newly-opened Carrizozo Heritage Museum to learn more about the heritage of our town. Nearby attractions include the fascinating Valley of Fires lava flow, Three Rivers Petroglyph site, the gold-mining ghost town of White Oaks, and the natural attractions of the Lincoln National Forest and Wilderness areas.
With its name derived from the Spanish word “carrizo” meaning a reed-like grass, an extra “zo” was added to proclaim the abundance of the grass in the region, and the town moniker was born. At 5425 feet above sea level, with an annual rainfall of 12-14 inches, and 10-15% humidity, Carrizozo boasts four distinct yet mild seasons. While residents admire the surrounding snow-capped peaks in the winter season, snowfall in Carrizozo is minimal and rarely lasts more than a day.
Please accept our invitation to visit the Town of Carrizozo on your next journey to historic Lincoln County, New Mexico!
DISCOVER CARRIZOZO
At The Crossroads of New Mexico
announcements
Documentary in Carrizozo-Town Hall Meeting
Locals Marc and Julia Cohen will be filming a new series on small rural towns and Carrizozo will be the pilot. The film crew is arriving July 18th to begin filming interviews with local folks in their own homes or out in the pasture, if possible. The focus will be a lot on agriculture/ranching but not limited to that. The culmination of the film will be a "town hall meeting" presently scheduled for July 26th where whoever wants to will have an opportunity to get up and let the world know what they think. Meeting will be at Town Hall from 1-4pm. everyone is encouraged to attend.
MONEY FOR STREETS
One way the Town has of getting funds is to apply for grants. Public hearings are scheduled now regarding a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for up to $500,000 to help pave our streets.
Dora Batista from Economic Development will chair these hearings at the Town Hall on:
Tuesday, July 22, at 2 p.m.
and
Tuesday, August 5, at 4 p.m.
You don’t need to attend both, but PLEASE DO
attend one of them!
YOUR PRESENCE IS NEEDED
TO SHOW THIS COMMUNITY CARES!
TOWN CLEANUP
Saturday, August 9, from 8 a.m to noon
McBride facility at E and 18th Street will collect general ‘stuff’
and clean yard waste (to be dumped in the pit);
and
Transfer Site near the Detention Center will collect scrap metal
and old appliances/white goods (stacked along the wall).
Guidelines for pickup
If you or your kids have a pickup, take it to the appropriate site listed above;
If you or your kids do not have a pickup, put all materials you want picked up at the street;
If you need a pickup, call the Town to schedule it at 648-2371; and
When you see the truck pull up to get your stuff, help load anything you can!
Pickups need to be scheduled before noon Friday, August 8.
Names will be put on a list by location so everyone gets handled.
Call 648-2371 to get on the list and
have everything you want picked up at the street
by 8 a.m. Saturday.
If you would like to help with the collections and/or
donate funds to cover costs of the rolloffs,
please call the Town and let them know.