Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort - Vadito, New Mexico

Stephen Bracht

Note: this review is specifically about the campground. My experience skiing here has been very positive but I haven't seen any reviews about the campground so wanted to share my experience.

My family and I were looking for a quiet getaway for the Fourth of July weekend. We have a son with autism and another with ADHD who are sensitive to the loud noises from fireworks, and our neighborhood has numerous fireworks on July 4, so we wanted to get out of town. We had never camped at Sipapu before but the pictures and descriptions of the campsites on the website indicated it would be the ideal location, right on the river, and the cafe close by. Unfortunately, when we got there, we were greeted with something very different from what we were expecting. Campsites were packed super close together with no privacy. Large groups were packing into the small campsites, with 3-4 vehicles per site and 3-4 tents in some sites. There was also at least one off leash dog roaming around, and my older son is super nervous around dogs. When we arrived, we couldn't even get into our assigned site because vehicles were blocking it. When we checked in at the front desk, we were given a copy of the campsite rules which stated no more than 2 tents per site and no more than 1 vehicle per site but these rules were clearly not being enforced. We immediately left and drove 3 miles down the road to the Agua Piedra campground and fortunately they had some sites available and we enjoyed a pleasant, quiet weekend there.

I am giving three stars because I came back later and returned to the front desk to explain why we left and the woman at the desk was very understanding and granted me a full refund. Also, the riverside cafe and the other facilities were very nice. But we specifically came for camping and the campground was not at all what we expected and not nearly what the website makes it out to be.

Wendy Watson

This was really a great family fun resort. We bought tickets 10 days early for $19. Wow! We rented one of the cute little cabins. It was clean, complete kitchen, really nice. They have great rental equipment for both skiers and snowboarders. The slopes were well groomed.

Don Montoya

I love sipapu, but staying at the lodging there is super gross. Rat poop everywhere, bathroom towels, all over the floor, in kitchen pots. Needs a change of management or more investment in keeping the place live-able. Couldnt sleep from rats/mice scurrying around the walls all night

L Trujillo

The motel room was dirty, and carpet smelled of mold. The WORST was the toilet would not flush! We tried to use the plunger and it was old and broken. They literally place and want you to sparingly use the 1 ply tissue. No smoke alarm in room and looked like it had been ripped off. They should condemn this place and rebuild. Not a safe place to stay.

Jessie Etheredge

Stated in Riverside #5. Way overpriced for 600 Sq ft . Stove top was nasty, air conditioner didn't work, refrigerator ice maker didn't work. Furniture hadn't been dusted and found food under the couch. Had to put microwave together to use it. Handrails are very loose and dangerous. Again way overpriced for the quality of the cabin.

JOHN M

We stayed at a Riverside cabin for 3 days of skiing. ||Mountain: decent variety but small compared to more popular ones in the area and/or Colorado. Price was very affordable, good for families. All operators and employees were very friendly. No lines at all at the lifts. The rentals area took 45 min and could use more employees/facilities to flow traffic better. The kids took a lesson, and the instructors were friendly. The mountain could use a bunny hill that was more elevated so beginners can learn easier; as it stands, there is a very flat training area and then a steep magic carpet slope. Not too bad but others may struggle if new to the sport.||Lodging: the Riverside cabins were old, and one of the heaters did not work (they supply space heaters.) It was cozy for our family of four. Hot water in the shower tended to run out so bathe fast. As it is a very isolated ski lodge, there is not many/any options for dinners unless you drive to Vadito or Taos. The on-site restaurants close at 5pm, which does not help people staying on-site. Also, there is no way to order food unless through an app, but the wifi died one of the nights, so...you see the predicament. Be prepared and bring lots of food and food prep materials if staying on-site. Besides this, management/front desk at times seemed flustered by customer complaints and asks. ||It was a fun first ski experience for the family with a few hiccups.

Michael Galaxy

Someone died on the mountain today. Young kids crashing without helmets. Liquor bottles all over the mountain. Drunk skiers riding the lift with me. 20-year-old snowboarders hitting everyone. People bragging about hitting other people right in front of me. This has got to be one of the most unsafe places I've ever been to. Particularly during short weekends with fewer out of state beginners. It was bad. Recklessly bad. All preventable. I never see staff on the runs. Staff should be pulling people's passes, but they are not doing it. Really unsafe for my family. Not worth the cheap price anymore. I have been here so many times, but this was a really bad weekend.

Edward Lentz

We stayed in the mobile home and really enjoyed our stay. Sure it is not comparable to a 5-star hotel, but it was simple, clean, everything worked and is close enough to walk to the lifts. It was a good value but understand this is not TSV, Vail or Aspen. If you need that sort of thing, then this is not the place for you to begin with. If you want to have a great time skiing on a budget, spending time together as a family and you can appreciate the rugged beauty of the area, then this may be for you. You would be well advised to bring everything you will need for your stay as the nearest store is 30 minutes away. The kitchen is functional but if you have a few favorite pots/pans or knives, you might want to bring them. The resort wifi is spotty and probably not good for wifi calling, especially if they are busy and there are alot of people on it. AT&T is the only carrier that works here so if you have another carrier, get a burner phone for the week before coming. The t.v. didn't work (or at least there did not appear to be cable or anything), so instead our kids made friends and played outside in the snow like kids used to do. The mountain is small, but the trails are well maintained and great for beginner/intermediate skiers and the staff is welcoming, attentive and caring. There is good sledding in the national forest nearby (which is actually not that easy to find anymore). Get your lift tickets and rentals done online before you come and the process will be easy.