Sitting Bull Falls — 150ft Cascade in New Mexico

Sitting Bull Falls is a 150-foot cascade waterfall in Eddy County, New Mexico, reached by an easy walk over 0.7 miles.

Sitting Bull Falls is a 150-foot cascade in the Lincoln National Forest of southeast New Mexico — about 50 miles southwest of Carlsbad — where Last Chance Canyon's spring-fed flow drops over a Permian-era limestone cliff into desert pools below. The waterfall is named for the Mescalero Apache leader, not the Lakota Sitting Bull (different person, same era). Day-use fee at the developed Forest Service recreation site, with picnic tables, pit toilets, and a 0.7-mile paved trail to the falls overlook. The pools at the base are popular swimming holes in summer.

What to expect

Drive 50 miles southwest of Carlsbad on Highway 137 (paved, two-lane). Pay the Forest Service day-use fee at the gate. Park at the recreation area. Walk the 0.7-mile paved trail to the falls overlook — easy, with stairs to the lower pool area. Swimming is allowed at the lower pools (cold spring water, refreshing in summer heat). Pair with Carlsbad Caverns National Park (an hour northeast) or the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Carlsbad.