NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – With summer right around the corner and the end of the school year in sight, it’s time to pack up the tent, rev up the RV, and explore the different camping sites New Mexico has to offer. KRQE asked viewers via social media where they prefer to camp in the Land of Enchantment. While these suggestions are a good place to start, many viewers insist that the “best camping spots are the untold ones.”
Abiquiu Lake
Located in Rio Arriba County, this 5,200-acre reservoir offers pike and bass fishing, reptile fossils, and panoramic views. The lake is near the historical Pedernal Mountain and surrounded by red sandstone formations. Artist Georgia O’Keeffe once called Abiquiu her home, and the surrounding area has also served as a filming location for several productions. Nearby activities include hiking, boating, picnicking, and environmental education. Riana Campground is located on a bluff overlooking the lake and is about an hour’s drive from Santa Fe.
Bluewater Lake State Park
About 30 miles west of Grants lies this roughly 3,000-acre park, with a lake spanning approximately 1,200 acres. The park offers hiking, birding, horseback riding, and tiger muskie fishing. The high altitude and location in northern New Mexico cause the lake to freeze over in the winter, making this a great destination for ice fishing. The lake is surrounded by a forest of juniper, cottonwoods, and piñon. Boure and Canyonside Campgrounds offer plenty of campsites year-round.
Carson National Forest
Visitors to this national forest can enjoy activities like mountain biking, hunting, fishing, hiking, and off-roading. Elevation ranges from 6,500 to over 13,000 feet at Wheeler Peak, the tallest point in New Mexico. The forest covers over 2,000 square miles and is just under a two-hour drive from Taos. Nearly 30 campgrounds are available in a variety of settings, from piñon-juniper to high-elevation spruce-fir and aspen forests. The area boasts diverse ecosystems and fine mountain scenery.
Cimarron Canyon State Park
Located near Eagle Nest on the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, this narrow, forested canyon sits at an elevation of nearly 8,000 feet. The Cimarron River flows through the canyon, encompassing 8 miles between Tolby Creek and Ute Park. This park offers visitors stunning views, geological sites, fly fishing, hiking, and equestrian trails, as well as snowshoeing in the winter. Maverick, Tolby, and Ponderosa Campgrounds host both RV and tent camping with full bathrooms. The park is popular for trout fishing, and visitors are likely to spot deer, elk, turkeys, and bears throughout the year.
City of Rocks State Park
Just over a 10-minute drive from Faywood and about halfway between Deming and Silver City, this state park gets its name from the volcanic rock formations found in the area. City of Rocks offers hiking, mountain biking, birding, stargazing, picnicking, educational programs, and a desert botanical garden. Along with various campsites, visitors can explore the new visitor center and observatory. One KRQE viewer recommends City of Rocks for its “beautiful dark skies and fun place[s] for the kids to play!”
Cloudcroft
Tucked away in the Sacramento Mountains, the village of Cloudcroft is a popular tourist destination. With nearby petroglyph sites, over 480,000 acres of Lincoln National Forest, and scenic hiking trails such as the Osha and the Rim Trail, there is plenty to do in the area year-round. The village sits at a 9,000-foot elevation, offering fishing, hiking, biking, and hunting in the summer and skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling in the winter. There are many different campsites to choose from.
Navajo Lake
The second largest lake in the state, Navajo Lake, is a haven for boaters, from motorized boats to canoes to kayaks to water skiing to sailing. The state park is located in San Juan County and Rio Arriba County, with parts of the reservoir extending into Archuleta County in southern Colorado. The lake is fed by the San Juan River, a popular fly-fishing destination. It sits at over 11,000 feet in elevation and covers roughly 20 miles. The area offers hiking as well, with a serene trail along the river. There are multiple campgrounds, marinas, and boat docks.
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
New Mexico’s largest state park accommodates many different types of watercraft, including pontoons, sailboats, ski boats, houseboats, cruisers, kayaks, and jet skis. The park offers sandy beaches, picnic areas, playgrounds, full bathrooms, and developed camping spots with electric and water hook-ups. Elephant Butte sits at around 4,500 feet in elevation and is located about 7 miles north of Truth or Consequences. Visitors can expect to enjoy fishing, hunting, scuba diving, swimming, hiking, volleyball, birding, and educational programs in the area.
Gila National Forest
This forest’s remote character is perfect for visitors who want to explore off the beaten path. The Gila National Forest includes the Gila Wilderness, the first land area in the world to be designated as wilderness. The Gila River runs through the forest of mountain meadows, aspen glades, and rock-walled canyons. It is New Mexico’s largest wilderness area, offering fishing, hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding along with camping. In the heart of the Gila Wilderness lies the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, preserving the dwellings and culture of the Mogollon people from the 1280s.
Jemez Falls
In the Jemez Mountains of the Santa Fe National Forest, Jemez Falls sits in a ponderosa pine forest and runs into the Jemez River. The waterfall is accessible by trail, starting at the Jemez Falls campground and day use area, located at a 7,880-foot elevation. An overlook at the end of the trail leads to a magnificent view of the 70-foot waterfall. The area also offers fishing and whitewater kayaking. The Valles Caldera National Preserve and the Bandelier National Monument are both a short drive away from the campsite.
Mountain Springs Ranch RV Park, Carrizozo
The Valley of Fires Recreation Area is located on the Carrizozo Malpais, one of the youngest volcanic features in New Mexico. The Malpais are 75-kilometer-long basaltic lava flows and are just over a 20-minute drive away from the RV park. Mountain Springs Ranch is fed by a natural underground spring and offers plenty of birdwatching, with species like owls, vultures, hawks, eagles, sparrows, and wrens. Other wildlife in the area include bats, roadrunners, cottontails, quail, Barbary sheep, mule deer, and lizards.
Wheeler Peak
Stretching from southern Colorado to northern New Mexico, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. Wheeler Peak is the highest natural point in New Mexico at over 13,000 feet and is located northeast of Taos, south of Red River, and southeast of Taos Ski Valley. The peak is the most heavily used wilderness in Carson National Forest and offers visitors unique wildlife, hiking trails, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Camping is available around Taos and is only a short drive from the mountains.
Zuni Mountains
Well-maintained mountain biking, running, and hiking trails run through these mountains in the Cibola National Forest, just east of Gallup. The two developed campgrounds on site are McGaffey and Quaking Aspen, and the numerous flowering meadows make for great backcountry camping. The Continental Divide runs through the center of the Zuni Mountains, surrounded by highly eroded aspen-lined canyons and ponderosa pine forests. Located near the Zunis are the El Morro National Monument, Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano, Sandstone Bluffs, and Bluewater Lake State Park.
