The 10 Best Playgrounds in New Mexico!
Playgrounds are a space for children to unleash their creativity. From Las Cruces to Farmington, New Mexico boasts a variety of playgrounds all throughout the state. Perfect for families and a great way to get outside, here are the 10 best in the state!
A Park Above, Rio Rancho, NM
This park is six acres of fun where all children can play. Named “Best City Park” by Albuquerque Magazine, in addition to a playground complete with hills, tunnels, swings and slides, it has a water splash area, a labyrinth, basketball court and playful musical instruments all designed for any person with any disability. Tables under shade structures make picnicking enjoyable. Free access to all.
Penny Park, Silver City, NM
A giant green dinosaur play system lets kids clamber across pointy scales or slither through green belly rings. They can storm the giant two-story fortress and slide from the top to gravel below. A rock and rope climbing apparatus, super tall slides, animal inspired spring riders and play structures for kids of all ages keep youngsters happy for hours.
Unidad Park, Las Cruces, NM
From a distance, turrets pop up over the tree line, sparking imaginative thoughts about knights and princesses at this play area. The castle structure is full of nooks and crannies to play and climb in. Scamper through windows and doors of a small adobe house or hide out in a trio of stone kivas. Swings and slides, of course, plus plenty of cool spots to sit when temps rise.
Frenchy’s Field Park, Santa Fe, NM
A one-time dairy farm has been transformed into a beautiful city park on the banks of the Santa Fe and Agua Fria Rivers. This low-key place has a well-maintained playground where youngsters can climb and swing and race around. Picnic tables and barbecue grills help make this a good spot to spend an afternoon.
Marquez Park, Albuquerque, NM
Two playgrounds side-by-side—one side for young children, the other for older kids—makes this an incredible setting for all ages. Both are shaded under huge canopies, scaled for age appropriateness and built on recycled tires…the perfect cushion for rambunctious children. Climbing up, over and through the fort-like structures on either side ends in a smooth slide back down.
Playground of Dreams, Gallup, NM
You could spend days in this giant fortress-like play structure dreaming up all sorts of adventures. It has multiple interconnecting components of various levels, with snake-like tube slides, monkey bars, swings and bouncy riders. A special area “for little lambs hand-in-hand,” a smaller-scaled playground for littlest ones. Truly a people’s park, “Built By We the People.
Brookside Park, Farmington, NM
This wide-open greenbelt park takes a page from Goldlilocks and the Three Bears. There’s a play area for big kids, another for mid-sized children and one that’s just right for the littlest youngsters. Kids can slither through a worm-like contraption, scale a rope ladder and play hide-and-seek in tubes and tunnels. Lots of room to spread out.
Columbus Park, Albuquerque, NM
Kids can set sail here, at least in their imaginations. There’s a giant pirate-style ship just waiting for a captain. The imitation palm trees add a touch of the tropics to the fanciful structure, and provide a climbing activity. Kids can practice walking the plank on the not-too-high-off-the-ground balance beam.
Spring River Park and Zoo, Roswell, NM
On a hot day, the colorful, metallic, water-spraying fish sculpture is the coolest place to be at this park. On any given day, though, this is a pretty cool park. Blast off the ground in the rocket ship climbing structure and, when it’s time to return, debark on the slide that takes you back to terra firma. Multiple play areas send youngsters scuttling between swings, a merry-go-round and a large fortress. It’s all free, even the zoo.
Playground on the Pecos, Carlsbad, NM
From the top of the towers of this whimsical wooden play structure, kids can see for miles, clear across the Pecos River. This playground has 15,000 square-feet of towers, plus swings and slides as well as hiding places. It pays homage to the nearby National Park with caves, rock climbing areas and flumes. It was built by volunteers for local children to get outside and play in a safe place.
