Rio Linda Full Hook Up Campsites

A campground at the base of the Organ Mountains in southern NewMexico. These mountains are quite striking, and you have a goodview of the east side of them from the campground.

This campground is also near the trailheads for two or more hikes.(It was snowing and foggy when we visited, so we will have to makea return trip to do the hikes.)

An unimproved campground amongst ponderosa pines on the northwestside of the Gila National Forest.

This is a tent-only campground high in the Aspen-Fir zone of the Sangre deChristo Mountains. It is flanked on both sides by streams. Some of thecampsites are a nice distance from the highway, and probably have fewproblems with road noise at night.

Black Canyon is a great campground in a Pine/Douglas-fir forest.It is near Santa Fe, but far enough away to be relaxing and a nicechange of pace. It is the trailhead for the Black Canyon hike.

This campground is close to the HydeMemorial State Park campground. Hyde Park has more facilities, but Black Canyon is a delightfully peaceful and attractive campgroundthat is one of our favorites.

An open campground near a lake with all of the normal activities oneassociates with a lake. This campground has electricity and water,but does not have good lake views. For good views without hookups, seethe Piñon Cliffs and Lakeside campgrounds, or choose primitivecamping on the north and east or soth and west sides of the lake.

A widened parking area with a few picnic tables that at times moreresembles a busy parking lot than a campground. This heavily-usedcampground provides hiking access to the wilderness and fishingaccess to the lake.

A nice campground in amongst Aspen and Fir. Most of the campsites hereare across the stream from the road, reducing the road noise somewhat.

A campground right on the edge of the Rio Grande Gorge. Watch the sunset on the Taos mountains, then go to sleep to the sound of the rapids800 ft below. Wake up and watch the sun descend into the canyon, thendescend into the gorge yourself on the Cebolla Mesa trail.

A unique campground situated amongst some of the most unusual rockformations you will ever see. The rocks, which rise up to 40 ft above theground, were formed by a volcanic ash flow millions of years ago.If you visit in the spring, the botanical gardens will be full of cactiin bloom.

A campground in a ponderosa pine forest with a stream and meadownearby. This campground is part way up the road to the peak ofMount Taylor. Some maps call this Coal Mine Canyon campground.

A large campground with easy access to the lake and its associatedwatersports. If you enjoy the water, this is a good campground tovisit.

This campground is probably the nicest of the four campgrounds in theRed River canyon. While camping there, we were buzzed by hummingbirds,and we saw three chipmunks working over a campsite while the people weregone. This campground is also the trailhead for the Columbine Canyon hike.

The Cowles campground is primarily a tent campground along the WinsorCreek, near the Rio Pecos. It is close to the Cowles ponds, wherefishing is popular.

A surprising campground to find is the Datil Well campground. You getto camp in a Piñon-Juniper forest and hike the nature trail.

A less-improved campground in a ponderosa pine forest about a milefrom the Pecos river. This campground appears to get the overflowfrom other campgrounds such as Moraand Terrero as well as people whojust want a less crowded camping experience.

El Morro was a popular stopping place for people and animals as theytraveled in historic and prehistoric times. When they stopped, somecarved signatures or other things into the sandstone bluff near the waterhole. Now, you can stop here and see the evidence of these prior trips.Also, if you take the full hike (not yet described on ExploreNM), youcan visit the Ancestral Puebloan ruin, Atsinna.

A pleasant campground in an open ponderosa pine forest. With accessto trails, this campground would also make a nice base for day hikesor longer backpack trips. A small stream runs through the edge of thecampground. This campground has many great tent sites, as well as somesites that work well for RVs. The altitude makes for a pleasant stayin the summer.

A nice campground along the Red River amongst spruce-fir forest.

A nice campground along the Red River in amongst spruce and ponderosapines. This campground has a separate loop for tents, providing aseparate place for those who want to be farther from the RV generators.

A campground at the world-herative site historic park. It even has its own smallruin, and it is the trailhead for theCanyon Overlook Trail.

Holy Ghost is a campground on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness, in aPonderosa-Fir forest, right at the edge of the altitude where Aspenbegin. The campground is on the edge of a stream and has a trailheadinto the Pecos Wilderness. Of the many campgrounds in this area,only Jack's Creek might be nicer.

A nice campground in the Sangre de Cristo mountains outside of Santa Fe.This campground/picnic area is popular, and with good reason. Thetrailhead for the Hyde Park Loopis nearby, and part of the loop is through the campground.

This campground is right next to BlackCanyon.

An older, quiet campground, this campground is good for wildlifewatching, especially birds. Iron Creek is also close to the trailheadfor the Railroad Canyon hike.

A small, clean campground with excellent access to the Pecos Wilderness such as Iron Gate to the Rio Mora.This campground is one of the highest-elevation campgrounds in the state,making it a nice refuge from the heat in the summer.

Jack's Creek campground is high in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, upin amongst the aspen and fir. It has lots of open space for children torun, along with wilderness access for hiking and backpacking. Thecampsites are a mixture of some in the sun (nicer for cooler weather)and shade (for the summer). In the fall, the aspen turning arebeautiful. This campground also has some of the nicest views of thesurrounding mountains of all the campgrounds in the area.

This campground has several double sites which would work well if youare camping with friends. Otherwise, the sites are nicely separated.

This campground is in a wonderful ponderosa pine forest. If you stayhere, be sure to take the short hike to Jemez Falls or go further toBattleship Rock. This campground is popular with people using both tentsand RVs. Expect it to be full on summer weekends. If you arrive andfind it full, check out the nearby Redondocampground.

A campground in the Red River Canyon in a Spruce-Ponderosa forest.

The campground for Bandelier National Monument is large enough that theranger we talked to said she had never seen it full in several years ofworking here. The openness of the campground means that in the winter,you can take advantage of morning sun to warm yourself. The campgroundis well-maintained, and is near the trailheads for the Tyuonyi and Frey hikes.

A small campground along the banks of Percha Creek. This campground isnear the historic towns of Hillsboro and Kingston, and also within easydriving distance of several hikes.

A nice campground with a stream running through it. Of the three inTaos Canyon (the others are Capulin and Las Petacas), this one is the nicest. It isalso the most heavily used.

Lake Alice campground in Sugarite Canyon State Park is open year-round,and conveniently located near the road. You can reserve many of thecampsites here over the web or via phone. However, for a nicercampground, check out the nearby SodaPocket campground.

A wide spot with a stream in the Taos Canyon which has been turnedinto a campground. This campground is used by people as a placeto spend the night, not as a place to spend time (when we spent thenight here, most were gone a little after 8am). Part of this isprobably due to the fact that this is the first campground you reachafter you leave Taos.

If you are looking for a better campground, continue up the road toeither Capulin or La Sombra

Brantley Lake State Park surrounds the southernmost lake in New Mexico.Full of desert plants and animals, it is an oasis. You can enjoy allof the normal water activities here, as well as many special events suchas kite flying and fishing clinics.

The Limestone campground is the developed campground in the park.

A popular campground in a spruce forest for fishing in the nearby lakes.When we were there, one person told us he hit his limit in just an hour orso. Many of the campers around us were eating meals of fresh fish.

The Mora campground is a very popular campground in a Ponderosa-Firforest along nearly a mile of the Rio Pecos. Some sites are nice,but overall this campground shows the signs of its popularity indamaged picnic tables, litter, graffiti, etc. I recommend thatyou consider Jack's Creek,Cowles,Terrero, orHoly Ghost instead.

This campground near a small lake is a great family and fishingcampground.

Oliver Lee State Park has history, an amazing diversity of desertplants, flowing water and the plants and animals associated withit, and a great hike into the LincolnNational Forest. While this campground is probably quite hot inthe summertime, most any other time would be an excellent time tovisit.

At the site of the last armed incursion into the continental UnitedStates, the state of New Mexico has a park on the site of Camp Furlong,containing a few of the original buildings and facilities. The parkincludes a museum commemorating the raid and the followup raid doneby the US Army.

It also has a pleasant, xeriscaped campground and a native plant garden.In the Spring, the wildflowers are likely to be spectacular (dependingon the winter precipitation).

A quiet campground along the banks of the Rio Grande. If you come here,you will camp under a canopy of cottonwood trees and see lots of birds.People who enjoy fishing can catch their dinner nearby. Kids can playin the playground.

A pair of campgrounds in a ponderosa pine forest with a (often dry) streamnear the upper camp. With plenty of campsites, this campgroundwill only be full on the busiest of weekends.

This campground is the trailhead for three trails which can be usedto make two loops. One of these loops is the Red Canyon/Spruce Spring loop.

A dense campground with amazingly-scenic red rock cliffs and a pair ofgreat hikes. The campground hosts many events, so you should check theschedule before deciding to visit unless you want to be there for theevent.

This ponderosa-forest campground in the Jemez offers a less-crowdedalternative to the popular nearby JemezFalls campground, but still offers much of the benefits. However forthe same fee as at Jemez Falls, you get less for your money, as thiscampground is less well maintained and has no water.

The state parks in New Mexico are some of the nicest state campgroundsI have seen in any state. The one here at Rockhound State Park isno exception. Ranging from sites without utilities to RV sites, thiscampground also has a playground for kids and a short, but interestingtrail. This campground at the base ofthe Florida Mountains is also unique in that unlike all of the otherparks in the country, you are encouraged to take up to 15 poundsof rocks home with you.

Brantley Lake State Park surrounds the southernmost lake in New Mexico.Full of desert plants and animals, it is an oasis. You can enjoy allof the normal water activities here, as well as many special events suchas kite flying and fishing clinics.

The Rocky Bay campground is the primitive campground in the park. Ithas no direct services other than trash cans scattered around.

An undeveloped campground amongst the ponderosa pines in the GilaNational Forest.

Soda Pocket campground in Sugarite Canyon State park is surroundedby wildflowers. This feature alone would make it a nice campground.However, it also has trails, an amphitheater with weekend events, andpleasantly-spaced campsites. As I type this in the campground, I havealso seen several species of birds.

This campground contains trailheads for or is near the following hikes:Ponderosa Ridge, Deer Run, Grade Vista, Little Horse Mesa.

Due to the 2011 fire, this campground is closed. You should check withthe park before heading there if you intend on staying here.

This campground is close to the lake and less parking-lot like than someof the other campsites, yet it does have some amenities such as sunshades and electricity. In the primitive part of the campground, youcan camp right on the lake shore.

The Terrero campground is right on the banks of the Pecos river.People who fish will appreciate this.

This compact yet open campground is at the trailhead for the Three Rivers Petroglyphs hike.

This campground is notable for the large trees which separate thevarious campsites and the spectacular vistas of Sierra Blanca and theTularosa basin. Additionally, it is nearthe Three Rivers Petroglyph hike.

The Trampas campground is a dispersed camping area with a few tables.Located along a scenic stream, the noise from the stream will helpcover the noise from your neighbors. This campground is also thetrailhead for four trails.

A campground situated on the edge of Lake Roberts in amongst theponderosa pines of the Gila National Forest. A trail leads off from thecampground to (nearly) circle the lake.

A primitive campground with an amazing view of lakes and mountains. Thiscampground gets far less use than Lower Lagunitas, even though a shorttrail connects the two.

Villanueva State Park is along the Pecos River in a valley cut throughsandstone cliffs. It has a trail and also protects sites related tothe historic settlement of New Mexico. Fishing and boating (when theriver is high enough) are also attractions at this park.

Vista Linda is an open camprground right beside the Jemez River, makingfor excellent fishing access (even for people in wheelchairs).

Water canyon is a popular camping area; in March when it was still cold, we were one of three groups camping here. Nearby are several hikes, andthe area is popular with mountain bikers. Birders also enjoy the avianlife in the canyon.