Elephant Butte, New Mexico

About Elephant Butte

Elephant Butte, NM is a small town located in southern New Mexico with an estimated population of 1,439.

Elephant Butte holds the status of an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 4.18 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 344 residents per square mile.

📰 Elephant Butte News Today

• Elephant Butte’s Historic Low Should Be a Wake-Up Call for New Mexico gregghull.com · Aug 14
• Drought drives Elephant Butte Reservoir down to 1.4%, tourism businesses feel the pinch KFOX · Aug 17
• Water levels drop historically low at Elephant Butte exposing 50-year-old debris and artifacts KRQE · Jul 21
• Boat ramps at multiple lakes in New Mexico close due to low water levels KOAT · Aug 4
• ‘It’s terrible’: Water levels at Elephant Butte Lake reaching near 55-year lows KOB 4 · Jul 24

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Elephant Butte Unique

• The only place in America named Elephant Butte — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
• Positioned in southern New Mexico, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of New Mexico — one of 528 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• Small-town pace of life: less traffic, more community, and neighbors who wave.
• Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 7 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Elephant Butte

• Denny's — american
• Denny's Restaurant — american
• Hodge's Corner Restaurant — american
• Johnny B's — regional
• Kokopelli’s Cafe — coffee shop (café)
• La Cocina Restaurant — mexican
• Las Arcos Steak & Lobster — steak house
• Los Arcos Steak & Lobster House — steak house
• Pizza Hut — pizza
• Sunset Grill — american

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Elephant Butte

• Elephant Butte Dam Historical Marker reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Elephant Butte

• HOT SPRINGS HIGH
• SIERRA ELEMENTARY
• T OR C ELEMENTARY
• T OR C MIDDLE

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Elephant Butte

🏘️ Nearby Communities