§ 02 — OVERVIEW
Black Bear is perched atop the scenic Sacramento Mountains of south-central New Mexico, near Alamogordo and Cloudcroft. The site is surrounded by the aromatic pine trees and aspen groves of Lincoln National Forest.
The group area is conveniently connected to a network of hiking and biking trails. Bring your camera and binoculars for the chance to spot elk, deers, birds, and even black bear. The black bears are arguably the most celebrated wildlife in the area due to the fact that the original Smokey Bear was found here. While battling a fire in 1950, firefighters rescued a burned bear cub clinging to a scorched tree in Lincoln National Forest. The bear was adopted by the US Forest Service and became the real-life mascot for forest fire prevention.
Evening skies are often clear of clouds - bring a telescope for stargazing. The campground is surrounded by a series of hiking trails. A popular hike is the Osha Trail, which is a 2.5-mile loop.
Whether for a family reunion or a large social event, Black Bear is a convenient location for groups up to 70. No water is provided at this site, but it is available at Sleepy Grass Campground from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Set 9,000 feet above sea level in the Sacramento Mountains, Black Bear is in a pine forest area overlooking the desert valley of the Tularosa Basin. The basin stretches 6,500 square miles between the Sacramentos and the San Andres Mountains. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (575) 682-1518.
The campground is a mile from Cloudcroft, a quaint tourist village with New Mexico's only standing railroad trestle. It's also a quarter mile from the Rim Trail, which is popular for mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. Other nearby trails are open to ATV enthusiasts.
§ 04 — CONDITIONS
National Weather Service · seven-day outlook · updated hourly
§ 05 — SIGNAL
FCC broadband data · actual signal varies in remote terrain
§ 06—09 — FROM THE FIELD
Community Intel from visitors, written reviews, dated trip reports, and reader-submitted photographs.
§ 07 — REVIEWS
§ 08 — TRIP REPORTS
§ 09 — COMMUNITY PHOTOS
§ 03 — TRAILS NEARBY
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§ 01 — VITALS
AT&T
Verizon
Based on FCC availability data. Actual signal may vary in remote terrain.
Thu
81°F
Partly Sunny
6 mph WNW
Fri
75°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
3 to 9 mph SE
Sat
76°F
Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
7 mph WSW
Sun
72°F
Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
3 to 8 mph WSW
Mon
70°F
Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
5 mph WSW
Tue
72°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
5 mph W
Wed
78°F
Sunny
7 mph WSW
