Friends and volunteers are the backbone of our parks. The support and generosity given by Friends groups are integral to preserving and improving New Mexico State Parks and the visitor experience. The most important role of a Friends group is to serve as a link between the park and its professional staff, the community where it is located and the general public.

Friends groups benefit parks in various ways, such as conducting fundraising efforts, providing volunteer services, leading restoration projects, providing educational programming and publicizing important issues. Everyone who has in interest in supporting New Mexico State Parks is welcome to join or start a Friends group!

To become a member of a Friends group, email or call the group’s contact listed below. Your help is vital to support your state parks

Yes, I’d like to become a Friends member!

NMSP Friends Groups

To get involved, contact a Friends group:

• Friends of Bluewater Lake – Nate Goodrich
• Friends of Bottomless Lakes– Cheryl Patterson
• Friends of Brantley Lake –  Robert Kasuboski
• Friends of Caballo & Percha– Helen Bolen
• Amigos de Cerrillos Hills – Pat Brown
• Friends of City of Rocks – Tim Geddes
• Friends of Conchas Lake – Peter Lindholm
• Friends of Dog Canyon– Brad Martin
• Friends of Eagle Nest Lake & Cimarron Canyon – Agnes Gibson
• Friends of Elephant Butte Lake – Rick Harrison
• Friends of Fenton Lake– Rose Fenton
• Friends of Heron and El Vado Lakes – Walter Luba
• Friends of Hyde Memorial – Jayne Belknap
• Friends of Leasburg Dam – David Crider
• Friends of Living Desert Zoo & Gardens –Sandra Cosand
• Friends of Navajo Lake– John Patton
• Friends of Oasis – Debbie Whitecotton
• Friends of Pancho Villa – July McClure
• Friends of Rio Grande Nature Center –Bill Balassi
• Friends of Rockhound – Sally Allen
• Friends of Santa Rosa Lake – Pepper Zamora
• Friends of Sugarite Canyon – Robert McIvor
• Friends of Ute Lake – Rick Martin

Benefits

Your membership includes:

• Day-use pass to the park in which you are an active member
• Opportunities to meet people with similar interests
• A chance to attend member’s only social gatherings
• The satisfaction of helping preserve and protect some of the most beautiful places on the planet

Forming a Friends Group

Interested in forming a group to support your favorite state park that’s not on the list? New Mexico State Parks has 34 parks and a Friends group is needed for each one. We have resources to assist volunteers in organizing and developing “Friends of Parks” groups. We’ll provide help in such organizational matters as articles of incorporation, by-laws, federal tax exemption, state non-profit registration, business licenses, sales tax, fund raising, park stores, and many other issues.

For more information, call 505-476-3375.