Best Camping In New Mexico

A state which is a common favorite among campers is within New Mexico. This is because of all the beautiful winding rivers, the stunning mountain ranges, and the excess of amazing local culture.

If you have always wanted to go camping somewhere with a wholly unique atmosphere, you should look no further than New Mexico.

This state has sweeping deserts, as well as astounding mountain ranges, and even some underground chambers. There are so many natural wonders in New Mexico that it seems to be an obvious fit for outside activities like camping!

New Mexico has a semi-arid, as well as mild climate which means that the seasons best suited for camping in this state are not as restricted in other areas of the country.

You are able to camp comfortably in New Mexico all the way into the later parts of fall, and even into winter if you want. There are of course higher parts of the state which will get some snow, if you are in the desert region you will get warmer temperatures throughout the year.

The areas with higher elevation, while usually too cold for camping in winter, make a great break from the heat if you want to go camping in the summer but are more sensitive to high temperatures!

So, with all the amazing qualities of New Mexico which make it a perfect choice for camping, there can be a few too many choices of camping grounds to choose from.

So, because of this we have narrowed down the choices of camp sites in New Mexico to just a few to give you some of our favorite highlights for you to choose from!

So, if you are planning a camping trip to New Mexico, but you are unsure where you want to go, keep reading to get some amazing recommendations here!

The Best Camping Spots In New Mexico

We have made quite a unique selection of camping spots in New Mexico to ensure that you have plenty of choices of where to go!

But since some of these spots will have certain amenities and others will not, make sure to read our descriptions carefully so you can know that the area you want to go will suit your requirements!

El Vado Lake State Park Campground

You will find this spot about 100 miles north from Santa Fe and this state park is located on the eastern side of the El Vado Lake it is named after.

This reservoir is a massive 3200 acres and it is well-known for being one of the best spots for camping in New Mexico. You will find more than 100 sites for camping here as well as options for RVs which have both electric and water hookups.

There are also some more primitive beach sites and a couple of boat ramps.

There are some beautiful more secluded coves which you will find around the lake which are great for fishing, as well as boat hires too. There are also some amazing hiking trails near this spot which are great if you want to get involved with the nature near this spot.

Elephant Butte Lake State Park Campground

You can find this spot outside of the resort town called Truth or Consequences and it is named after the largest body of water in New Mexico which it borders being the Elephant Butter Reservoir.

While the area was named after the shape of the butte by the dam, there were also fossils found after the area was named of a Stegomastodon.

This is one of the best spots in the desert to go camping, especially if you are a fan of water sports with the butte lake having plenty of activities to keep you entertained.

This is also another great spot for hiking with more than 15 miles of trails, and you will not struggle to find somewhere to set up camp with more than 200 sites available with some featuring hookups.

Wild Rivers Recreation Area

This spot is famous for being close to the Rio Grande as well as the Red River both of which are incredibly beautiful to be able to camp near to.

Like our other choices, there is some amazing hiking nearby to this spot with an easy walk to La Juanta overlook giving you an amazing view.

If you want to go somewhere where you can take some amazing photos of beautiful scenery, you should look no further than this spot!

For another trail there is also the Wild River Backcountry Byway which is 13 miles long and will take you to some amazing viewpoints.

Bottomless Lakes State Park

This spot is found 14 miles south from Roswell, and this state park consists of 9 different lakes which had been labeled as bottomless by some of the first cowboy explorers in the area.

These lakes are not even officially categorized as lakes but are instead sinkholes which are anywhere between 17 and 90 feet deep.

These sinkholes are surrounded by stunning red rock cliffs. The reason why these sinkholes appear to be bottomless is due to the amazing color created by the underwater plants which are growing in them.

The camping ground for this area will be found along the shores of the Lea Lake and within it, you will find 32 separate camping sites which will be suitable for both standard camping or for RVs.

In these spots you will get electricity, and at 6 specific spots you will also get water as well as sewer hookups. There are plenty of amenities available to make this the most comfortable experience possible like free Wi-Fi all over.

Summary

Hopefully this list has given you an accurate impression of all the amazing options for camping which are available in New Mexico.

While we have covered some amazing choices for camping here, if you have not managed to find somewhere which you like the look of, there are still more choices in this state which we have not covered, so make sure to keep looking for something you like!