New Mexico has been nicknamed “The Land of Enchantment,” and for good reason: six of the seven recognized major biotic zones can be found here. With elevations ranging from 2,800 to more than 13,000 feet, the incredibly diverse wildlife, rich cultural history, and colorful geography make for excellent tent camping year-round! Sand dunes, ancient ruins, alpine forests and high desert await campers of every skill. Eighteen National Park Service units, six National Forests, thirty-five State Parks and many other public lands provide hundreds of sites to choose from.
Here are some of my favorite tried-and-true New Mexico campsites:
Devil’s Inkwell Campground – Bottomless Lakes State Park – Roswell, New Mexico
Keep your eyes peeled for strange lights – this park is located 14 miles from Roswell, the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947. The park’s namesake lakes range from 17 to 90 feet deep and make for excellent swimming, non-motorized boating, and fishing. About 5 miles of hiking trails wind through the surrounding canyons. The park has two campgrounds: I prefer Devil’s Inkwell Campground because it’s less crowded and offers a more primitive camping experience than Lea Lake, and Inkwell campers are still allowed to use the bathhouses at Lea Lake. Ten unique and secluded sites share notably well-maintained vault toilets and feature gravel tent pads, shaded picnic tables, grills and trash cans (heads up: the resident raccoons are fearless and hungry). Sites are $10.00 per night.
Backcountry Camping – Carlsbad Caverns National Park – Whites City, New Mexico
Depending on your technical caving skills, you may be able to obtain one of the rare backcountry caving permits, as well as a separate overnight camping permit to stay in the backcountry. This is not for beginners! There are strict safety guidelines to adhere to, but for those with the knowledge and equipment to take this challenging landscape on, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Aguirre Spring Campground – Organ Mountain National Recreation Area – Las Cruces, New Mexico
Massive cliffs and expansive views of the nearby White Sands Monument and adjacent Missile Range make for dramatic morning and evening backdrops. The Baylor Canyon and Pine Tree trails originate at this BLM campground, which features 55 sites that have picnic tables, fire rings, water and vault toilets. It’s $7.00 per night. Las Cruces is minutes away, with full services available. El Paso, Texas is also close.
Skyline Campground – Lincoln National Forest – Alto, New Mexico
This 17-site tent-only campground is located at high elevation (9,000 feet). The gravel road is steep and can be rough after wet weather, but the views are breathtaking, especially when the fall colors come in – see if the nearby Monjeau Lookout Tower is open for the best view around! Sites have picnic tables, fire rings and access to vault toilets; no water is available, and there is no trash service. The 21-mile Crest Trail through the White Mountain Wilderness starts at the campground and is open to hikers and horseback riders. There is no fee to use this camping area.
Backcountry Camping – White Sands National Monument – White Sands, New Mexico
Stargazers will be stunned by the unspoiled night sky views here. Frankly, the gypsum dunes are so amazing, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t be stunned by spending a night camping here. You’ll need a $3.00 permit from the visitor center, and you’ll have to be prepared to backpack in at least one mile to a campsite. Ground fires are prohibited, and there are no facilities at any of the ten designated campsites, so make sure you are familiar with the seven Leave No Trace Principles before you go.
Elephant Butte Lake State Park – Elephant Butte, New Mexico
This park has something for everyone: it’s open year-round, and there are more than 100 campsites. Some are reservable; some have water and electricity with access to full bathrooms with showers; some are primitive hike-in or boat-in beachfront sites with vault toilet; fees vary based on site type. No matter what kind of amenities you like to have close by, you’ll find them here. EBL is New Mexico’s largest state park, and every watersport under the sun on offer, it’s one of the most popular, too. The town of Truth or Consequences is just 3 miles away and is full of shops, museums, and hot springs!
Cave Campground – Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area – Fort Stanton, New Mexico
If you’re looking for someplace to camp for a week or two without running out of things to do, consider this hidden gem. Fort Stanton Cave is currently closed to recreational cavers, but there are still 70+ miles of trail and 22 miles of road to explore above-ground. You’ll see petroglyphs, endemic wildlife species and one of the few remaining intact frontier forts. Free primitive roadside camping is allowed up to 90 feet off of any dirt road in the NCA, and the slightly more developed Cave Campground, which features a vault toilet, picnic tables, and fire rings.
Clayton Lake State Park – Clayton, New Mexico
It’s no secret: I love dinosaurs, I love camping near the water, and I love New Mexico’s state parks. Clayton Lake combines all of these: they’ve got one of the most extensive dinosaur trackways in the country, and they have five camping areas with a total of 26 sites between them, ranging from $8.00 to $18.00 per night. There are vault toilets as well as restrooms with flushing toilets, showers and potable water.
Paliza Campground – Santa Fe National Forest – Jemez Springs, New Mexico
I almost didn’t write this one up… because it’s too nice. I’m afraid if the secret gets out, everyone will flock here and I’ll never score one of the 30 ENORMOUS amenity-filled sites again. There are original CCC shelters, covered picnic tables and lantern hooks at some sites; all were recently renovated and have nearly-new picnic tables, fire rings, grills and access to clean vault toilets. There is no trash pick-up or drinking water available. The dirt road up to the camp winds through a ponderosa pine-filled canyon to 8,000 feet elevation. There are tons of hiking trails and recreation opportunities along nearby Highway 4, which traverses Santa Fe National Forest, Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Monument, making this a great base camp. It’s also about an hour and a half from both Santa Fe and Albuquerque, with other small towns for supplies even closer.
Vista Linda Campground – Santa Fe National Forest – Jemez Springs, New Mexico
If Paliza Campground is full or closed for the season, check out nearby Vista Linda, where 13 sites are available year-round for $10.00 per vehicle per night. Each site has a picnic table (some are shaded), grill and access to vault toilets and drinking water. The Jemez River runs adjacent to the campground, and fishing with a valid state license is permitted. Nearby Jemez Springs is small but has two restaurants, a historic site and a hot spring. Don’t miss Soda Dam Historical Marker, a little further on Highway 4.
McCauley Hot Springs-Battleship Rock Dispersed Camping – Santa Fe National Forest – Jemez Springs, New Mexico
You’ll need to pay the $5.00 day-use fee to park at Battleship Rock (or have your America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass at the ready) to access this quick one-night backpacking trip – a great choice for beginners. Go through the picnic area to access the trail; from the East Fork trailhead, it’s two miles to McCauley Springs and another four miles to Jemez Falls. Camping is permitted 400 feet from the Springs and 200 feet from the trail and any other water source. There is a vault toilet at either end of the trail. Treat collected water before drinking and pack out all trash.
Jack’s Creek Campground and Backcountry Camping via Jack’s Creek Trail #257 – Pecos, New Mexico
Choose from 39 developed sites at the campground, which features an accessible site, picnic tables, grills, composting toilets and drinking water; or head out on the 10-mile Jack’s Creek Trail, which allows camping as long as chosen sites are more than 50 feet from trails, streams and rivers and 200 feet from lakes.
Twining Campground – Carson National Forest – Taos, New Mexico
You might not think of skiing when you think of New Mexico, but Taos Ski Valley is home to some of the most challenging courses in the country. There’s plenty of camping here, too, with at least four other campgrounds on the way from NM State Road 522. I like Twining because it’s the closest to skiing, hiking, biking and fishing areas, not to mention the events: Summer Wine Festival, Oktoberfest, and a dog-friendly 5K called the Mutt Strut! There are only four sites, all on a first-come-first-served basis, so get here early. There are tables, grills and vault toilet, but no water pump and the USFS advises against drinking stream water, even if it’s been treated.
Gallo Campground – Chaco Culture National Historic Park – Nageezi, New Mexico
This 49-site campground is open year-round, and sites 36-49 are tent-only. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings with grills; all tent-only sites and some others have gravel tent pads. There’s non-potable water, and restrooms with flush toilets are available, except from November-February when it’s vault only. There is little shade available here, but the campground is surrounded by petroglyphs, inscriptions and cliff dwellings. Four permit-only backcountry hiking trails explore Chaco Canyon and are open only to day-hikers. Be respectful of all cultural sites.
Red Canyon Camping Area – Cibola National Forest – Torreon, New Mexico
With 38 first-come-first-served campsites and 11 picnic areas, this equestrian-friendly campground makes a great base camp for day trips to nearby Quarai Mission Ruins National Historic Park and Manzano Lake State Park. The Red and Spruce Canyon Trails lead into the Manzano Wilderness. The fee is $7.00 per night. Sites feature picnic tables, fire rings, and corrals for horses, plus access to vault toilets. There is no drinking water here.
El Rito Campground – Carson National Forest – Vallecitos, New Mexico
Avoid the dirt road into this campground after storms if you can, as it’s pretty difficult in some places, especially on the road past the campground. The campground can get very muddy after inclement weather. There are about 10 sites here: two parking areas with vault toilets can be found along FR 559. Surrounded by cliffs and aspens, sites are adjacent to the El Rito River where fishing is excellent. Treat river water before drinking. There’s a vault toilet, and as far as I can remember, there was no fee to use this area.
Datil Well Campground – Datil Well Recreation Area – Datil, New Mexico
This campground is located on the site of one of the water wells along the Magdalena Livestock Driveway, an 1800’s cattle trail. Piñon, juniper and ponderosa pines surround the 22 sites, which are equipped with tables, grills and fire pits. Vault toilets and drinking water are available; the fee to camp is $5.00 per night. Horses, bikes and motorized vehicles are not permitted on the area’s hiking trails.
El Morro National Monument Campground – El Morro National Monument – Ramah, New Mexico
There are nine sites here, and the campground is open year-round. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with grill, plus access to vault toilets and water (water only available when temperatures are above freezing). There’s no fee to camp here, and the monument has a great 2-mile loop trail that passes petroglyphs, Spanish inscriptions, and a watering hole. It’s a great spot for an overnight detour if you are passing through on Route 66 (also known as I-40).
Upper Scorpion Campground – Gila National Forest – Silver City, New Mexico
There is no fee to use this campground, which is the nearest campground to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Sites are first-come-first-served, with a 14-day limit. The Gila River is close enough to walk to, and Doc Campbell’s General Store, about 4 mile south has supplies – otherwise, the closest town, Mimbres, is about an hour away. There’s a vault toilet here, and you can get water from the river or from the Monument’s visitor center. The caves and cliff dwellings there were used by the Mogollon people as a temporary shelter during the 1200’s.
Redstone Loop – Gila National Forest – Glenwood, New Mexico
With the exception of marked “Day Use Only” areas, you may camp outside of developed campgrounds anywhere in the National Forest for free, for up to 14 days. The Redstone Trailhead (#206) has a few primitive campsites and a vault toilet, and water from the occasional stream should be treated before consumption. For those looking for a longer trip, this 5-mile trail meets #207 to form a 27-mile loop, which can be divided into 3 or more days. Consult a USFS topo map prior to heading out.
Remember: extreme weather patterns in the summer and winter may lead to closures, fire restrictions or changes to your itinerary, so plan ahead!
With so many great campsites to choose from, New Mexico is a great destination for outdoor lovers. Whether you pitch your tent close to your car or miles into the wilderness, you’re bound to find a great adventure waiting for you!
-MaryJean Cienski
