Queen

Tucked into the foothills on the east side of the Guadalupe Mountains within the southern Lincoln National Forest, Queen sits in a corner of Eddy County in southeastern New Mexico that most travelers pass without a second glance. Access comes via NM Route 137, roughly 27 miles southwest of Carlsbad.

The community built its identity around ranching in the early twentieth century, and for a long stretch of time it was considered a ghost town. Today a small population of around 50 people call it home, making it a rare example of a former ghost town with a quiet but persistent human presence.

Visitors will find a remote, unhurried setting more than dramatic ruins. The forested foothills backdrop and the open ranching landscape give the area its character. It is the kind of stop suited to scenic driving and photography rather than structured recreation — a place where the history is felt in the surroundings as much as seen in any standing structure.