Carlsbad RV Park & Campground, near Carlsbad, New Mexico, is a solid choice for those looking to explore the stunning Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. With a range of accommodations from RV sites to cabins and glamping options, it caters to various camping styles.

This campground boasts clean facilities, including modern bathrooms and showers that visitors rave about. Many appreciate the level gravel sites equipped with picnic tables, making it easy to settle in and enjoy the outdoors. As one camper noted, “The showers are brand new,” which adds to the overall comfort of your stay.

For those traveling with pets, there are multiple dog parks scattered throughout the grounds, ensuring your furry friends have a place to roam. The campground also features a heated indoor pool, although some have found it a bit chilly. Plus, the friendly staff is always ready to help, making check-in a breeze.

Located just a short drive from the Carlsbad Caverns, this campground serves as a convenient base for your adventures. Whether you're hiking through the caverns or exploring the nearby Living Desert Zoo State Park, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy. With its combination of amenities and proximity to natural wonders, Carlsbad RV Park & Campground is a great spot to set up camp.

Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

Looking for the best campgrounds near Carlsbad, NM? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Carlsbad, reviewed by campers like you.

Carlsbad

The Best Camping Near Carlsbad, New Mexico

Let's start with the fact that there are few actually camping areas close to Carlsbad Caverns or Guadalupe National Park. Assuming travelers are coming to Carlsbad to see these great places, the location becomes a major player. Fine print: there is a small campground (absolutely no amenity campground) in Guadalupe National Park which is first-come, first-serve (aka: full), and there a campground in White's City--although having driven past it, I don't think I want to stay there.

Carlsbad RV Park is primarily an RV Park. In fact, while we were there, they were bulldozing their only tent sites and I'm not sure if they are upgrading them or replacing them with more RV sites. So the "tent" site status is tentative. As with most RV Parks, the RVs are crammed in, side by side, and really the place is like an RV parking lot with amenities and hook-ups--but they do appear to be mostly pull through and the staff will show the way to go to pull through without hiccups. These are not spacious by any means. We stayed in one of two cabins, which were very reasonably priced, esp. when comparing to Carlsbad KOA. They even came with a cable and a fridge.

The RV Park (like all of the RV Parks in Carlsbad) has overall become a residence for the oil field workers, so be prepared to try and sleep through the 4 a.m. traffic rush out of camp to oil field. However, the neighbors are pleasant and quiet to have, even if they must drive away before the roosters announce the coming of the sun.

The park has gated access and we felt very safe during our stay. There is a playground that was being bulldozed with the tent site; I am unsure if it is being upgraded or eliminated. There is a camp store, a pool, a game room, showers (which were ok), laundry, a dishwashing sink, picnic tables at the cabins, and universal fire pit. Please note that I am inherently biased against parking lot style RV parks--so 2 stars from me for an RV Park is quite a compliment.

Carlsbad RV Park and Carlsbad KOA direct comparison: we have stayed at both the Carlsbad KOA and the Carlsbad RV Park. The KOA is NOT actually in Carlsbad, and is over an hour away from Carlsbad Caverns and 30 minutes from town. On the other hand, the RV Park is at the southern end of town and only 30 minutes to the Caverns. While the KOA lots are more spacious, they offer no more and no fewer amenities than the RV Park…well the KOA sort-of offers meals but the RV Park is right in town, so delivery is an option. The basic, no frill KOA cabins cost double the RV Park charges. Additionally, the KOA staff was not as friendly or as helpful as the RV Park staff, imho.

While in Carlsbad check out Fiesta Drive-In for one of America's few remaining drive-in movie theaters.

Closest Carlsbad Campground to the Caverns

When looking for a campground close to Carlsbad Caverns, the most recommended for proximity happens to be that of White's City RV and Campground also known as Carlsbad Campground. Only a short 7 miles from the visitors center and only a few hundred yards from the main entrance, the campsite offers over 200 camping zones for those coming to the area.

We arrived late afternoon to the site and noticed a large quantity of rv campers but very few tents on premise. In fact only a single tent camper was on site at the time of arrival. 

We searched for the check in and were a bit baffled as to where to stop as no clear registration was marked. Instead we stopped and asked someone on site in the RV area and they were very welcoming and informative.

For those camping, arrival check ins are at the local gift shop about a block away, the sleepy town closes by 6 p.m. however so if you arrive past this time you are forwarded to a local hotel for check in. 

After overcoming the confusion we were finally able to start unpacking. Due to it being early in season, we were able to pick our campsite and settle in without any issues.

Campsites are all equipped with a picnic table and fire ring area and a light shade cover. Water hook ups are on hand and the camp keeps a camping hose accessible to all for extinguishing camp fires at night.

We noticed upon our arrival and throughout the evening a plethora of native Bunnies grazing which made for a pleasant atmosphere of bringing nature to our camp.

The camping facilities were grassy and softer than many other sites we had visited along our journey. A nice shade tree made for a great block to the early morning rays. 

Our only areas which we noticed could be improved were in the bathrooms as we noted a lack of recent maintenance and lights needing to be changed to improve brightness in the mirror and sink area. Also the showers were a bit of a question mark for us as they closely resembled indoor beach showers and had no doors. 

During our stay we were the only ones using the facilities so we had plenty of privacy, however during busy season this shower could pose an issue for campers. We recommend the buddy system during busy season here so someone can either hold a towel for a make shift door or be a look out for additional guests coming in.

🐰🐰🐰⚪️⚪️

Overall this campground gets 3 of 5 Bunnies, in major part because of the bathroom facilities. However we do also have to consider the confusion with check in. We suggest doing a call reservation with payment to avoid having to check multiple facilities just to check in!

Close to Carlsbad we found a unique place to spend a May eveningi

Great owners.  Focused on making it better. Caverns now open.

Best place in town

Carlsbad camping

The service here is next to none!  The space is great, convenient to restaurants and a brewery, and the water pressure was fantastic!

1st stop on trip, never wanted to leave 

Wanted to like this place because the staff was super accomodating and nice and they have some grass sites, but I am not sure how this place gets such good ratings. 

  

This place is way overpriced for the amenities which need serious updating.

  

\- You get bamboozled by the clean check-in, store&amp; laundry which are inviting and then you see the rest of the place.

\- Their"sparkling clean" showers/restrooms were so gross and trough style so you would be showering in someone else's grime even with flip flops.

\- The cable was spotty and kept going in and out from clear to pixelated most of the time.

\- Couldn't play horseshoes because they were missing 2 horseshoes.

\- Couldn't play cornhole because they were missing a beanbag.

\- The laundry room was super clean, but it was$7($3.50 each) to do a load.

\- The pool was very outdated&amp; super loud if any kids were in it(it echoes because it is indoors and you can't hold a conversation).

\- The pool is cold even though they say it is heated. It is okay to put your feet and legs in for a quick cool off, but you can't swim in it long. They set it at 80 degrees and there is no sun to counteract the cold because it is indoors. The proper temperature for elderly and children is from 84 to 94 degrees. 80 Degrees is for competition swimmers to keep them chilled and stimulated. I wonder if the managers have ever swam in the pool to see how cold it really is. 

  

The pool was the only reason we booked this park so we wasted 3 nights here and paid almost$55 a night for a parking spot. The staff, grass sites, the trees gives this the extra star otherwise it would be a one star based on the pool&amp; amenities. 

  

Overall, we would not recommend this place if you want to use the facilities. If you are just passing through and need a spot for a night I would not recommend it either because it is so overpriced(there is BLM land all around the caverns for an overnighter).

Amenities ruined it. Bathroom/showers are Nasty

Close to the caverns. Has a pool, store, lots of space. Highly recommend this place

Super easy check in

Needed a place to stay for the night and this park was on the way.  Front desk staff was very helpful.  Park was probably only 30% full.  Cost for 1 night was a little high - 50+ with discount.  RV pads were gravel but hard packed and level.  Restrooms were a little dated but functional.  Indoor pool but we didn’t use it.  If we were planning a return trip we would stay here again although we would probably call around a do a little price shopping on other parks on the same highway.

Overnight Stop

Ok so this is an older rv park. It’s a little rough around the edges but they are remodeling the bathrooms, and the laundry room is great. 
The employees are as nice  as can be! 

This worked out great for a visit to Carlsbad Caverns which were phenomenal . 

Older park but worked just fine 

People are great, typical gravel southwestern park. Level, no firepits though.

 Nice southwestern spot

Large RV campground.  Some long term spots available.  Full hook-ups.  Level spots on gravel.  Pool, laundry and camp store.  Hosts were fantastic.

Carlsbad RV Campground

Stayed for a week to enjoy the caverns.  campground has everything you need. 
Town has most major store and Starbucks 

Remodeled bathrooms 

We stayed for 5 days in April 2022.  They had just remodeled their bathrooms.  Great job.  2 new toilets and 4 new showers (1 handicap) in mens and ladies restrooms. Clean and new.  Hot water for days.  And did I mention clean.  

Checkin staff was extremely helpful and friendly.

A bit close to road…..but not bad.  Quiet park while we were there. Normal gravel lot found in Southwest.  Level sites. 

Did I mention the great bathrooms!, 🥸

New Bathrooms

A very nice campground with brand new bath houses. Nice laundry facilities. Gift store with ice cream, yes. Very convenient to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and to Carlsbad, New Mexico. Nice indoorheated pool and a family-friendly environment. Treats for your dog and several dog parks fort off leash fun. We managed to get one of these shaded sites for our pop-up trailer.

Perfect location for Caverns

I saw others burn this place for this old bathroom, they have remodeled and it's view wonderful.

Brand new bathhouse

Well run RV park. Everything is maintained well. There is a little traffic noise, but not bothersome. They have laundry, clean bathrooms, books and videos to borrow. When we asked for restaurant recommendations, they had a whole list ready!

RV park not far from Carlsbad Caverns

Nice folks and really nice park. Real WIFI, close to town, 30min to caverns. 

Pleasant Stop

The campground is beautifully kept. Sites are easy to get into lots of room. Big rig sites too. Dog run if you have a dog. Water pressure is amazing, make sure you have a regulator. Indoor heated pool, laundry, small store, play area, dump stations, and tons of sites. They give you a gate card so if you leave the campground you can get back in after hours so the place is safe. We had a serious problem with our deisel pusher and the managers referred us to a person they use. The gentleman came out the very next day and literally saved our lives as the fuel rails were leaking. I've never been so thankful for a person!   We really enjoyed staying here. Visited the Caverns and a local pizza joint. Managers have lots of referrals on hand. Would definitely come back here. If you come here and need help with your RV ask for Sam the Mechanic, he's the best!  

Awesome Campground 

We’ve stayed here twice now in the past year, and both times the service and the sites were great.  There aren’t a whole lot of other options close to the Caverns - there’s a fairly new KOA and a state park campground, but they are very far to the north, almost another 45 min drive, so if you’re planning a visit to the caverns this place is a great bet.   Appreciated the carded gate access after hours for added security.

Friendly, clean, safe, and easy access to the Caverns

This RV spot is right in town on the Main Street. It is gated, has friendly staff, two cabins, tent spaces, a store, super clean and nice bathrooms/showers, laundry facility and pool. 

This is not typical wooded or beautiful camping, it’s a place to park your RV  or tent and that is just about right. If you are making a quick stop over or heading to Carlsbad Caverns then what more do you need? 

We stayed in the cabin because we didn’t want to get all our camping stuff out for a quick overnight before we head to our destination (SW CO). It was only $15 more than tent camping so it made sense. It was also raining hard when we got here so we were double grateful. The cabins have a double bed and a bunk bed. It has a TV that we never turned on, a fridge, microwave and AC. The mattresses are like the ones you find at camp, wrapped in plastic but we just put our bedding and memory foam on top of it and it was just fine. I’d recommend it because it was just what we needed on our way and at a good price.  Also the shower/ bathrooms are probably the nicest I’ve ever seen at a campground. 


In town RV spot 

10/10!

So many positive things to say about this site. First of all- Excellent and helpful staff. 

Upon entering they have someone on a golf cart escort you to your site and I assume help park if you need it. We needed to change our reservations and they did so without an extra charge (they actually refunded us.) They called us back and we’re excellent with communication. If I remember correctly, you have to call  in order to make a reservation, but the process is totally painless. 

Great amenities- Site has many excellent amenities including: a heated indoor pool, small camp store, huge laundry facility with a change machine, dvd and book exchange, tire swings, horseshoes, very clean and very updated bathrooms, and WiFi that actually worked well at site. ATT cell phone service, but no Verizon. Cable was also free, but we didn’t use it. Laundry was $3.50 a load which felt a little steep comparatively, but the machines all worked so well and were clearly updated recently.

The site- Our site was excellent and had shade. It looks like they’ve planted lots of trees and that in a few years there will be ample shade everywhere. Having said that—there is a newer part of the park that is all gravel with no trees and no shade. I’ve included both examples in the photos. Each site has a picnic table but you choose what types of hookups you want or need when you reserve. You have the option for full but we chose water and electric. There is also a dump station on site. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND REQUESTING A SHADED SITE WHEN MAKING A RESERVATIONS—but to each their own.

Location- We stayed here to check out Carlsbad Caverns National Park and it was about 30 minutes away and by FAR the nicest option in the surrounding area. The other RV parks were gravel pits on the side of the road some with and some without hookups. No shade on these other options, but I do believe this is the nicest option closest to the caverns. It made going to the cave during the day and the bat flight at night super accessible.
 
They give you a card to access the pool, laundry, and bathrooms—also the gate to get in and out at night. Don’t forget to return when checking out or you’ll incur a fee. The sites are slightly pricey (in the $40 range) but you get so many perks with this site, it feels totally worth it.

All in all, highly recommend!

All-star site

This place is clean and well appointed. Currently far from full. Our group is 2 small trailers and a tent. We are puzzled at why we are given a spot in a mostly empty gravel lot when there are clearly openings in the more pleasant grassy areas. But they did give us extra space to park. 

Great bathrooms 

Stacked in like sardines didn't bother me as I only stayed one night. The $3.50 to wash and 3.50 to dry does bother me. No frills RV park.

Try to avoid this one.

A very nice park. Stayed here a month to explore the local area. The staff is very friendly, responsive and helpful. Sites are gravel, but plenty spacious. Bathrooms are brand new remodeled as of Nov 22 so don't let the older pictures fool you. 

The Riverwalk in Carlsbad is a must see. Lovely! 

Will definitely stay here again.

Outstanding park and staff

Check in was a breeze, the camp hosts escorted us to our site, which is nice and big.  No issue parking the F150 behind the 36’ RV.  Pool was closed for yearly maintenance.  Very nice gift shop and 4 clean dog parks.  Quiet even though it’s near the road.  Turn in to Carlsbad Caverns is 12 miles away.

Great park

Decided to stay here while on our way to Tucson. Great location to launch to Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountain National Parks. Indoor heated pool. Very nice staff throughout the park. Definitely recommend

Great Homebase RV Park!

Close to the Caverns and convenient to town.  Wide sites with FHU.  Very clean bathrooms and showers.   Heated pool and large laundry.   Good wifi.

Good

This is a lovely campground. Not much privacy as the sites are close together. It is very similar to a KOA set up. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. The bathhouse is AWESOME and the laundry facilities are ample. Great wifi and cable hookups if you are needing that sort of thing. They have 4 dog parks - one in each corner of the park. They are on the small side but adequate. Only issue I had was the sewer connection for my site was high so the line didn’t drain easily, and also I had to unhook as the site wasn’t long enough to accommodate the trailer and tow vehicle. But other than that this was a great and secure place to stay while visiting Carlsbad Caverns. 

Nice campground

Full service campground with many amenities.  Indoor pool, laundry facilities, showers and bathrooms.  Most sites are full sun with a few partial shade.  Level sites.  Gravel pads with picnic tables.  Helpful staff. 

Great stopover for Carlsbad Caverns visit

We had a great site with water and electric. The showers are brand new. The laundry is clean and all the machines work. The pool is sketchy and the water was very cold. Our site had nice shade and extra room for our vehicle. The pet areas are nice

Lots of good things

Stayed here for a week while seeing GMNP and CCNP and loved the accessibility. Less than 10 minutes from Walmart and less than 45 minutes from both parks. Very friendly staff. Dog parks left much to be desired.

Easy Access, Great Showers

We were here several years ago and thought this place looked run down. Granted it was late December which was not the best time.
It is very much improved since that visit.
Almost 290 large sites. Most have water, electricity and sewer.
3 dog areas.
Shower and bathroom areas were clean. Laundry facilities.
Heated indoor pool.
There used to be a card operated security gate that closes at night.
About 20 mikes to Carlsbad Caverns and 50 miles to z Guadeloupe Mountain NP.
Would come back if we are in the area.

Much improved since last visit

This was a really large campground - there was hundreds of campers. It actually looked like an old KOA.  We choose it for proximity to Carlsbad Caverns.  

Level, gravel lots with picnic tables. There was a decent amount of trees. I only saw one dog area but I think there is more. The dumpsters were located all over in enclosures.

The laundry room was pretty spacious and had some recreational options, but the bathroom, which was fairly new looking, seemed small for the size of the campground. I didn’t see any playground - we did peek into the pool building and it looked kind of sketch. 

I appreciated the ease of the late check-in and how we could use showers and laundry at any time by using a key card. I didn’t love the registration system (form email), but in the end, it worked just fine. 

I don’t get the sense that there are destination campgrounds in Carlsbad so I think this is a pretty good option.

Large campground w decent location

This place makes a good basecamp for Carlsbad Caverns NO, Guadalupe Mountains NP and more. Even Roswell is less than 90 minutes away and Living Desert Zoo State Park is close, too. Staff does a good job with upkeep and the bathrooms seem new, they are really nice. Laundry room well maintained, as are the sites, which are mostly level gravel. Road noise near front can be a bit annoying, but the front sites seem bigger and nicer, so worth the trade-off. 

Photos of Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

Real photos from real campers