Carson National Forest

Located about eight miles southwest of Questa, is Cebolla Mesa Campground. It puts you about one mile away from fishing on the Rio Grande and Red River, and hiking on the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River Trail #102. For more on the surrounding area, check out this nice website the village of Questa put together, including a short video of the supe Read more...

Set among quiet green forests in the New Mexican landscape, Trout Lake Campground’s beauty only deepens in the autumn to reward hungry eyes. Three lakes provide excellent fishing opportunities of stocked rainbow trout. Cebolla is located 11 miles away for any services you may need, including a post office and a veterinarian.

Fishing and hiking are the activities of choice at El Rito Campground. And once you’re tuckered out, there is plenty of space to grill up a mouthwatering burger or breakfast burrito. The only question is, are you going to top it off with red chile, green chile, or Christmas style (a mix of both)?

A small camp located on a primitive road, Canjilon Campground will build your aerobic endurance. It’s situated at a lofty 9,300 feet! Picnic supplies and a gas station are located about 10 miles away in Canjilon, but you’ll also have an opportunity to send your bffs a postcard from a rural post office.

Experience the latest craze of high altitude picnicking at Canjilon Lakes Campground. OK, so maybe that isn’t a thing (yet), but you can camp at sites on the shores of six small lakes at nearly 10,000 feet of elevation. These small bodies of water actually make for some pretty decent rainbow trout fishing.

Nestled in the forest off the Rio Hondo is Lower Hondo Campground. It makes a decent spot to camp if you’re doing some fishing and is only 12 miles from Taos, which is absolutely worth the visit. Once you’re there, you can take a walking tour available for iOS and Android devices. Guided tours with locals are also available.

Cuchillo Del Medio is a small campground located right on the Rio Hondo. That being the case, you’ll want to pack your fishing gear. You can also hike the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study and Wheeler Peak Wilderness areas. You’re bound to work up a ravenous appetite so treat yo’self using this guide of dining in nearby Taos. It’s got everything fr Read more...

Just 13 miles north of Taos is Cuchilla Campground. What it lacks in number of sites it definitely makes up for with fishing access to the Rio Hondo and hiking in the Columbine Hondo Wilderness Study Area. While you’re here, why not take this tour of labyrinths in the area?

Placed in a scenic canyon, Las Petacas Campground gives anglers some great fishing opportunities on the Rio Fernando. You’ll be only four miles from the town of Taos, known for the Taos Pueblo, a multi-story adobe village that has been inhabited since pre-Columbian times. This ain’t no tourist trap either. The Pueblo tribe takes great pride in kee Read more...

Just four miles east of the village is Goat Hill Campground. This camp is limited on sites, but certainly not on things to do. This area is ripe with recreational opportunities and scenic drives. For more deets, stop by the Questa Visitor’s Center or check out the village website. Be prepared to supply your own water. You’re at 7,500 feet above se Read more...

Echo Campground is a year-round site located about 10 miles southwest of Canjilon. Scenery is pretty typical for this part of the country, meaning it’s really purty. The rock formations amongst desert brush will remind you of scenes in Breaking Bad, only this time it’s all good vibes and none of the drama.

Adjacent to the scenic Cruces Basin is the lightly-used Lagunitas Campground. It’s an extremely serene setting with several small lakes at the head of Lagunitas Creek offering good fishing for brook and rainbow trout. Pets are welcome to camp with you, but be sure to supply enough water to quench everyone’s thirst. You’ll be at an altitude of over Read more...

Cruces Basin Campground is for anyone who has the gumption to survive for a couple days out in the wild. It isn’t high on amenities, but who needs that when you have nearly 19,000 acres of grass-banked streams, aspen groves, and open meadows to explore? This high country is home to elk, deer, puma, and more.

La Sombra Campground is a popular family spot with easy access to the Rio Fernando for fishing. There is no garbage service so remember to pack out and keep New Mexico clean and enchanting. Be prepared to supply your own water. The high elevation means you’ll need to stay on top of your hydration game. The town of Taos is only eight miles away. Ch Read more...

For a popular roadside spot, check out Capulin Campground. It is conveniently located along US Route 64 and is only seven miles from the town of Taos, which is a must visit for its art and architecture. When you stay here, you’ll also be able to fish at Rio Fernando de Taos or hike a trail to an ice cave waterfall.

Featuring awesome river fishing just west of the New Mexico Game and Fish Recreation Area, Los Pinos Campground has a limited number of developed campsites. Dispersed camping is also available when those spots are spoken for. To get to the nearest town, you’ll have to drive 15 miles and cross state borders into Colorado. In the tiny town of Antoni Read more...

Located near the Taos Ski Valley, Twining Campground is a small camp that would be great for those looking to explore the highlands on foot. There are a number of trails accessible from here, including one that leads to Mount Wheeler and it’s over 13,000 feet of elevation. It’s just 20 miles to Taos and all it’s attractions.

La Bobita Campground is an overflow camp open only when all other nearby sites are maxed out. That is up to the judgement of the concessionaire, but the area does make a pretty good spot for a large group. It’s location near the Red River will be a great consolation prize for anglers bumped from the more popular campgrounds.

Surrounded by lofty peaks, Cabresto Lake Campground overlooks the 15-acre lake from a level ridge at the trailhead of a four mile path to Heart Lake. This is one of the few places in the entire state of New Mexico where you can catch brook trout. The lake also makes enjoyable recreation for canoers or other small non-motorized boats.

Comales Campground is located right on the Rio Pueblo, and at the head of the Comales Canyon and Cañon Tio Maes Trails. This camp is great for large groups and puts you within striking distance of Taos. After a day of hiking, head to Ojo Caliente, a spa resort with natural hot springs. For a more au naturale experience, try Stagecoach Hot Springs Read more...

Junebug Campground is an ideal spot to stay if you’re planning on doing some Red River fishing and is only two miles west of town for any conveniences you can’t go without. Trailer waste disposal is located about a mile from camp. Just be forewarned that during the summer it can get super duper busy, and you may want to have backup arrangements.

Santa Barbara Campground is a popular drop off and pick-up point for Pecos Wilderness hikers and riders looking for the the easiest access to Truchas Peaks. Several sites are appropriate for groups. Just make a concerted effort to down more H2O than usual. The 8,900 feet of elevation is likely to dry you out a little faster than you may be used to Read more...

Agua Piedra Campground is a recently renovated site on the Rio Pueblo at a lofty 8,100 feet of elevation. From here you can easily pick up a trailhead to Agua Piedra/Serpent Lake #19 and Cordova Canyon Trail #17. This camp welcomes horseback riding with a corral, and there is also a picnic shelter available by reservation.

Agua Piedra Group Campground features two shelters located on the Rio Pueblo. They are located in mixed forest of spruce, fir, and aspen trees which help provide some shade during the daytime. Because camp is located at over 8,000 feet of elevation, the nights really cool off, even in the summer. The nearby river is stocked with rainbow trout and Read more...

Popular with anglers and motorcyclists, La Junta Canyon Campground is located in high-altitude forest (9,400 feet). It’s adjacent to Rito la Presa fishing trailhead and the La Cueva Lake #8 and Duran/Policarpio #13 Trails. If you can’t be bothered firing up the grill, head on over to the Riverside Cafe at nearby Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort. It’ Read more...

Located just off Duran Creek, Duran Canyon Campground is situated at an impressive 9,000 feet of elevation. Here, you’ll be able to pick up the trailhead for hiking the La Cueva Lake #8 and Duran/Policarpio #13 Trails. Just 30 miles away in Taos is the calaboose where Jack Nicholson was jailed in the the film Easy Rider.

Upper La Junta Campground is the bee’s knees with motorcyclists traveling the desert southwest so consider this the perfect reason to pack some paperbacks for some nightime reading. Campers will also have access to fishing on the Rio Pueblo.

McCrystal Campground is located in Valle Vidal (Valley of Life). This is prime elk and bear country and affords lots of recreational opportunities. There are six equestrian sites here plus an easy interpretive hiking trail if you want to get in some walking, but nothing too strenuous. During the rainy season, the gravel roads may mean you need a f Read more...

Cedar Springs Campground is a lightly used camp located at 7,300 feet of elevation in the New Mexican forest. Campers with horses can get their ride on in the area, but there are no equestrian facilities available on the campground. Please be prepared to provide your own water. Trujillo’s Country Store in Blanco on Route 64 is your best bet for su Read more...

Buzzard Park Campground is a small camp at 7,300 feet of elevation amongst a ponderosa forest west of the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Hunting for trophy mule, deer and elk is pretty big in this area. Find out all you need to know about that from the Jicarilla Game and Fish Department.

Laguna Larga is a lightly-used campground with a location right on the lake that anglers may find convenient. Though there are a limited number of proper sites, dispersed camping is possible around the lake. Be prepared to supply your own water because the nearest supplies are 25 miles south in the village of Tres Piedras.

Feel home on the range at Cimarron Campground. Located in the heart of the Valle Vidal (Valley of Life), this is a sweet spot for hunting big game animals like mule deer, elk, antelope, black bear, mountain lion, and bighorn sheep. There is also excellent fishing for cutthroat trout in the nearby Comanche Creek and Rio Pueblo, plus a smaller pond Read more...

With a recent makeover, Fawn Lakes Campground is looking better than ever. It features two paved camping loops, each with its own small fishing pond stocked with rainbow trout. We wouldn’t recommend drinking the river water, so be prepared to supply your own hydration. Nearby Red River fancies itself the “Main Street of the Mountains" and has ever Read more...

“Get busy fishing or get busy dying” could be the motto of Hopewell Lake Campground. It’s 19-acre lake is located at an airy 9,800 feet and makes for some solid brook or rainbow trout fishing. Camp itself is partially shaded by a forest of conifer and aspen trees and several trails begin in the campground. They are popular with both hikers and tho Read more...