Clovis (New Mexico)

city in and county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States

Clovis is a city in the southeastern region of New Mexico, in Curry County, near the Texas state line. It is famous for the nearby archaeological site where "Clovis man" was discovered. It is a military community supporting nearby Cannon Air Force Base.

Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and other rock legends recorded at the Petty Studio

Get in

By car

Road access is mainly via US 60 and US 70. You can also access Clovis from US 40 to NM 209 South at Tucumcari.

By plane

Get around

Clovis has a limited public transportation system known as C.A.T.S which stands for Clovis Area Transport System. Anywhere within city limits is 50¢. 575-769-7910. (No service Sunday)

Taxi services do not exist.

See

  • Hillcrest Park and Zoo, 10th street and Sycamore, ☏ +1 575-769-7873. The second largest zoo in the state exhibits hundreds of animals such as reptiles, lemurs, spider monkeys, crocodiles, bears and many more animals. The 22½-acre zoo continues to grow. 
  • Ned Houk Park (take Prince Street north (State Road 209); the park is about a mile north of the ENMR Plateau headquarters on 209). A large park that is about 9 miles north of downtown Clovis on the edges of town. This park features several ponds, a museum which features antique farm equipment and farm dwellings from before 1926, and several other attractions. 
  • 🌍 Black Water Draw Museum and Archeology Site, US Hwy 70 (12 miles south of Clovis), ☏ +1 575 562-2202. The type site for the Clovis Culture, one of the oldest in North America. Fluted points, stone and bone weapons and tools are displayed at the Blackwater Draw museum on the campus of Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, 12 miles south of Clovis on Hwy 70. At the archaeological site, mammoth bones can be viewed in the ground where excavation revealed them. The museum has a small number of artifacts and several interpretive exhibits about Clovis culture itself. 
  • Norman Petty Recording Studios (Tour the studio in which history was made. Buddy Holly, among others, recorded in this studio hits that made them famous), 1313 w 7th St (1 mile south of downtown on 7th), ☏ +1 575-356-6422. (updated Feb 2023)

Do

  • Decent off-road mountain biking exists at the back of Ned Houk Park. Upon entrance to the park, take a right and follow it to the amphitheatre. The trails start beyond the dirt parking lot.

Buy

Eat

  • Taco Box, 136 W. 21 St (Hilltop Plaza), ☏ +1 575-769-1898. A local favorite. 

Drink

  • Kelly's Bar-Grill & Package Store, 2208 North Prince, ☏ +1 575-762-0044. If you go to Kellys before 9PM enjoy some country music. If you go after 9PM, enjoy the DJ. 


Sleep

Go next

  • Lubbock & Amarillo are approximately 100 miles away in Texas.
  • Albuquerque is 220 miles away.
  • The town of Portales is nearby, with Eastern New Mexico University and an interesting archaeological site.
  • Roswell is a favorite destination of extra-terrestrial travelers.
Routes through Clovis
Socorro ← Fort Sumner ←  W  E  → Hereford → Amarillo
Roswell ← Portales ←  W  E  → Plainview → Vernon
Santa Rosa ← Fort Sumner ←  W  E  → Lubbock → Abilene


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