Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Abiquiu Lake, NM has a lot to offer. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Abiquiu Lake, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
"We expected a campground that was spread out, fire rings and vault toilets. It was perfect. The camp sites were far apart and you could chose between open meadows or in the trees."
"This park is very primitive. It has no running water, toilets, or amenities. What it has a lot of, is charm. Hardly met anyone while there. It has three lakes filled with trout."
"Just sad to see bullet casings litter ground and these trees that survived the most intense fire in new mexico are being shot up and destroyed. Shame on anyone doing this"
"Any SUV could handle it but being in an extended length van limits where I can go. Very peaceful with a nice view down the canyon. Elk grazing below were the cherry on top."
"The road is a bit rough, but easy access and close enough to the lake that I drove over to kayak after setting up camp."
"This campsite is beautiful and right next to the lake. Perfect for some chill camping. There are multiple clearing along this road. Each one is big enough for several cars and even a couple groups."
"There are a bunch of different roads you can turn off to camp on if you’re driving from Taos to Durango."
"I tent-camped off of Carson NF Forest Service Road 578 in mid April 2022. FS 578 is south of Tres Piedras about 5 miles on the west side of Hwy 285."
"They have nice grills at the tent sites along 28th tables. Bathrooms were nice and clean and a close walk. With lots to do including fish and hiking trails. We look forward to going back."
"The shelter provides nice shade. Bugs & dust were only real drawback. Oh, and it was hot!"
"It’s a bummer people throw so much trash and glass bottles around. Very pretty site otherwise and nice trails to walk. Many cows wandering about in the area."
"It was getting late after a full day of driving and I happened to find this site. No amenities, but we were the only people in the area. We were just thankful for a place to stop."
"- Nice babbling brook alongside campsites, fun for kids to play in (COLD, but shallow), and makes for great white noise.
- Convenient to Santa Fe (20-25 min from downtown)
- drive up the mountain 4"
"If you're tent camping, Big Tesuque is AMAZING!! It's small, but absolutely beautiful. Each site has a picknick table and a tent pad. There are basic toilets. No showers, no sinks."
"Coming from Texas, I almost turned around to go back home with only 4 hours left of my drive because I was so terrified."
"Most campers pitch tent in the wooded area in the center of the parking lot - this is off the west end of the parking lot. Wonderful trails and you get to camp right in the middle of an aspen grove."
LegendThis was our first time at this lovely National Monument and we simply loved it. The campground was small with only a few spaces for bigger rigs, but we fit without any problem. Love those small spaces!
The campground is perched on the mesa above the monument’s protected dwellings, artifacts and trails at the valley. You can get there by walking about 2.5 miles from the campground along a stunning trail, or driving around the road. We simply loved hiking here, choosing a different way each day over the four days we were there. So much to explore!
Campsites have the standard picnic table, bear box locker, and fire ring. The trees were mostly shorter scrub junipers and other high desert trees so there was lots of sunshine for solar powered rig, but no electrical service at any sites. Nice privacy between sites.
The bathrooms were clean, heated, and had flush toilets and running sinks with potable water, plus a small dish cleaning sink, but no showers.
The Visitor Center is an awesome CCC structure from back during the depression as are many of the hiking trails in the valley. We were here for Halloween, so carved our pumpkins in memory and celebration of the people who lived here so many years ago.
Nearby Los Alamos has all the services you need as far as supplies, services and restaurants. But if you can plan your hike to end before 4pm, the cafe at the VC is really worth it!!
LegendCamped 2 nights at site #38 on the Puerco Loop. Reserved thru rec.gov while at the site. Wonderful campground hosts. Site was not quite level for our campervan, but close enough. Good views of lake & surrounding area from site. Vault toilet & drinking water a short walk away. Juniper provided minimal privacy. Site has lantern poll, fire ring, trash can & table. No hookups at this site. $6/night with senior pass. Restroom/shower house within walking distance. Facilities & vault toilets were very clean. Hiking trail in campground. AT&T & T-Mobile service. Overall, quiet & peaceful stay.
RangerThese coordinates are a rough estimate, but this entire forrest road is filled with amazing campsites you can simply pull off and camp in. currently there’s a fire ban, so it makes it hard to stay warm at night, but the stars are amazing. it’s quiet. it’s lovely. there’s canyon walls for miles. it’s really amazing. some of these pics are from the nearby canyon that’s a bit of a walk up the road, but most are from our campground. loved our first experience camping in New Mexico!
TravelerWe got there on a Friday and had our pick of sites. We picked one right on the river. No electricity. No water. No picnic tables. No trash receptacle. Vault toilets. Camp spaces are spread out. Some of the roads on the campground had deep ruts and pools of mud water but not all. You can see every star on a clear night. The road to the campground is about 6 miles of curvy dirt and gravel single lane. But a woman managed it in a Jaguar so not too bad just go slow. Rustic and relaxing.
LegendGeneral: 54-site campground in four loops; the Pedernal Loop has water and electric hookups, the Chama and Puerco Loops do not and there is a walk-in tent site loop. There is also overflow camping.
Site Quality: Sites appeared to be mostly level (at least in the Pedernal loop); most were paved but a few were gravel. Most were back in, but some were pull-through. There are two ADA-accessible sites in the Pedernal Loop. Many have reservoir views. Site 14 has a generous-sized paved driveway. Completing the site is a lantern hook, BBQ, and covered picnic table. Too bad it was so darn windy that we could not enjoy these amenities. There was also a garbage can at the end of each site but no recycling that I saw. If you do not need hookups, sites 34 and 39 (in the Puerco loop) provide excellent water views.
Bath/Shower House: Basic with two shower stalls, two toilets, and one sink. Very clean. There are also very clean vault toilets located throughout the campground. Did not use the shower so cannot comment on how well it works.
Activities: The Abiquiu Lake Vista Trail is a 4-mile hike and bike stacked-looped trail (so you can add or duplicate interconnected loops). Boating access is one mile away. Fishing is also popular. There is also a volleyball net and a very nice modern playground. We were there at the end of April, so it was very quiet (which is the way we like it). Shout out to great camp hosts – we were greeted upon arrival and they made sure we didn’t have any questions or concerns. For $16, this is affordable but with the senior pass, $8 is a bonafide bargain!
LegendA nice campground set north of the town of Jemenz Springs. There was a fire ban in place and the Forest Service was planning on closing the entire forest the morning after I showed up. I had enough time to camp and get in one hike to a social spring before they came through and closed everything up for safety. The campground was nice, but there was no water available (it had been shut off in preparation for the closure). The campsites were nice and well spaced with lots of pine trees around each site, so there was a lot of privacy. There was an abundance of pine needle duff covering the ground which would have been great until you considered the fire danger. Each site had a picnic table and fire pit (with bright tape over it to remind you not to use it).
ScoutI did a fair amount of research online regarding walk-in tent camping at Heron Lake, during the week. See the great maps and detail at https://newmexicostateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/heron-lake/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NM&parkId=430012 . I called the visitor center to confirm that being a walk-in would not be a problem during the week. Once one arrives as a walk-in, look for the campsites with a green tag on them.
The Heron Lake camp sites shown at the above reserveamerica website all have a fair amount of trees for shade. What the reserveamerica site does not show is a few more Heron Lake campgrounds southwest along Highway 95 (beyond the dam). The southwesterly sites are way more exposed to the sun than the first four campgrounds. Otherwise, the southwesterly campgrounds have fine views of the lake.
I was at Island View campground, in a loop that was convoluted enough that I do not think a trailer (with its inevitable noisy generator) could get in. I guess that this is the point. As a result, all I heard from time to time were muffled voices and no generators. It's the first tent spring-summer-fall camping I have enjoyed in years that was generator-free. I had at least one empty campsite on either side of me as an additional buffer to noise.
I walked along the lakeshore. It did not seem that low. I saw large fish jumping in one cove. I hiked the Salmon Run Trail to the dam. The Salmon Run Trail is a beautiful hike, not all level but not too steep for this older person's knees and walking poles. On the lake side of the dam, walking along the highway to get a good look at the dam, I saw several schools of large fish.
The vault bathrooms and the flush-toilet bathrooms were fine. Not super clean and not super dirty. I did not try the shower but it looked like people were using it.
This time of year, bring some bug repellent or wear jeans and a light long sleeve shirt at night. New Mexico has had a lot of moisture this season, so I think the bug-giness is higher than usual. Still, I sat outside and read for an hour or so pretty comfortably.
The camp host was lovely.
TravelerGiven the area described has piles of trash and little else to recommend it, it seems a shame to be close to gorgeous wilderness and stare at rubbish.
Head out just a bit further and turn onto the well maintained dirt Buckman road? There are canyons to explore and access to the Rio grande at the road's end, offering water in an area with next to none otherwise.
If these lowlands are too hot in the summer, drive up Artist Road to Big Tesuque or the ski-way at the end of the road, where shade, cold streams, and elevation keep nights pleasant even in July or August.
You won't be any further from Santa Fe, although it can take awhile to drive from the river or ski-way to town if you park as far away as possible.
All of the above sites have fire rings and vault toilets, and Big Tesuque and the ski-way have some sites with picnic tables as well. Firewood can be scavenged, especially if one gets away from the immediate campsite area.
ScoutThere are several loops in this park, in Ludington Black Canyon, the Main Park Loop, a couple Yurt loops, and the small loop we stayed on with RV electric hookups. Its on the left side as you go up, just above the main loop. While there is electric and a vault toilet, be advised there is no water source on this loop. Sites are basic, but nice, with fire rings and concrete picnic tables. We camped with our 21' teardrop and had no problems. We walked through the yurt site just above us, amd they are stunning, with patios and what appears to be heating. Worth a look. No cell service or wifi in the campground.
Tent camping near Abiquiu Lake in New Mexico offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for those looking to escape into the wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Abiquiu Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Abiquiu Lake is Star Dance with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Abiquiu Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Abiquiu Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
