Five Points Vista, New Mexico | A view you can’t take your eyes off of

After visiting Sitting Bull Falls for my birthday during our week-long camping trip at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, my husband asked what else I wanted to do. I wanted to explore, I told him; so explore we did!

Before taking the scenic and mostly unpaved road route to Five Points Vista we stopped in Queen, NM (pretty much a ghost town if you ask me) to check out an old graveyard and the paperboy monument.

We weren’t exactly sure if we were on the right road heading to five points vista, but what’s the worse that could happen? We find something different to explore?

We grabbed a road use map from the headquarters near Carlsbad long before we entered the National Forest. Good thing too since the roads aren’t marked very well.

Speaking of road signs, don’t expect to see Cottonwood Rd or Happy Lane either. The roads are all forestry roads which means, they are just numbers in no particular order, sometimes hidden away in shadows. This is especially true after turning off the main road.

The view to the vista is absolutely amazing and if you are a geocacher there are plenty of geocaches along the way!

Five Points Vista Tips

Make sure you have plenty of gas. There are no gas stations for a good 30 miles (or more) and traveling the forestry roads will eat up gas.

Pack snacks or a lunch. The view makes for an amazing picnic.

Have plenty of water. Again you are a long way from any resources, make sure you have plenty of water in case you get stranded!

Make sure you pick up a road use map (free) from the headquarters near Carlsbad.

In addition to the road use map, make sure you have a map of the area. The road use map can be hard to read.

Bring a camera. This goes without saying, you’ll want to capture the beautiful views!

Make sure your spare is up to par. The last thing you want to do is get a flat out in the middle of nowhere. The roads aren’t typically busy and your cell phone may have no reception to call for help. You should also make sure you have a jack and other tools in case your vehicle breaks down.

Have you been to Five Points Vista? Comment below and let me know what you thought!