Searching for a place to camp with your dog near Abiquiu? Finding a place to camp with your dog in New Mexico has never been easier. Each pet-friendly campsite offers quick access to one or more of Abiquiu's most popular destinations.
Riana Campground is located on a 150 ft. bluff overlooking the scenic Abiquiu Lake in northern New Mexico, just one hour northwest of charming Santa Fe. The lake sits at an elevation of 6,400 feet on the Rio Chama, a tributary of the legendary Rio Grande.
Abiquiu Lake offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation. The fishing here is some of the finest in northern New Mexico. Visitors enjoy boating, water skiing, and hiking. Lake shore access for boat launching is 1 mile from the campground.
Fragrant Pinion pine, juniper, and sage cover the campsite, providing a distinct smell of northern New Mexico, but offering limited shade. Colorful rock formations surround the park. Visitors are awarded a panoramic view of the narrow mesa, Cerro Pedernal, locally known as "Pedernal." Famous American painter, Georgia O'Keefe, had her ashes scattered over its top.
Northern New Mexico is full of beauty and history. The educational and historical Ghost Ranch is about 10 minutes from the park. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, San Pedro Wilderness, Cumbres Toltec Railroad, Chaco Canyon, and Bandelier National Monument are all nearby. The ski-town of Taos is just over an hour away, and colorful Santa Fe is an hour southeast, both with restaurants, shops, and museums.
For facility specific information, please call (505) 685-4561.
$20 / night
Juniper Family Campground is the ideal place to camp on the Pajarito Plateau. Located just inside the main park entrance, the campground is a short drive from the Bandelier Visitor Center, the Frijoles Canyon Shuttle bus system (mid-May to mid-October), and the adjacent towns of Los Alamos and White Rock. Juniper Family Campground is the perfect "home base" to explore the Pajarito Plateau, Jemez Mountains, and all of north central New Mexico! The campground is divided into 3 loops: Abert's Squirrel Loop (Loop A) campsites are available year-round as first-come, first serve only. Pay for first-come, first-serve campsites at the self-pay kiosk located at the Juniper Family Campground or in-person at the Bandelier Visitor Center during business hours. Black Bear Loop (Loop B) campsites are open year-round and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites may open on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance or the day of arrival). Coyote Loop (Loop C) campsites are open seasonally, March 1 October 31, and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites may open on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance). You may also book campsite reservations in Loops B & C on the day of arrival (subject to availability). HOWEVER, cell service/data is not always reliable in the park and no public WiFi is available. The park highly recommends booking your reservation from the neighboring towns of Los Alamos and White Rock before heading to Bandelier. Group campsites (in Loop A) are available by reservation only up to 12 months in advance until the day before arrival (subject to availability). Same day reservations are not available for group campsites.
Bandelier is home to over 70 miles (113 km) of hiking trails most of which are located within federally designated wilderness. Two trails are accessible directly from Juniper Family Campground. The Frey Trail follows the historic route into Frijoles Canyon and descends down the canyon wall to the Visitor Center and the Main Loop Trail. The Tyuonyi Overlook Trail leaves the amphitheater parking area for a 3/4-mile (1.2 km) hike across the open mesa top to an overlook providing breathtaking views of Frijoles Canyon and of Tyounyi, an ancestral Pueblo village. The Bandelier Visitor Center houses museum exhibits, park film, information and ranger programs, Western National Parks Association sales outlet, and more. Entrance to Frijoles Canyon and the Visitor Center is by shuttle bus only (or by hiking) from mid-May to mid-October. These areas are accesibile by private vehicle outside the shuttle bus period. Many other opportunities for recreation and exploring the history and culture of the area are nearby, such as Valles Caldera National Preserve, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Los Alamos museums, the Jemez District of the Santa Fe National Forest, US Department of Energy public recreation trails, and others around Los Alamos County. Rock climbing is prohibited within Bandelier National Monument, however many popular climbs are within a short drive up Route 4 into the Jemez Mountains.
Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres (13355 ha) of rugged, beautiful canyon and mesa country which features evidence of human presence going back over 11,000 years. Petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and standing masonry walls pay tribute to the early days of a culture that still survives in the surrounding communities. Bandelier National Monument sits at the southern end of the Pajarito (Spanish for little bird) Plateau. The plateau was formed by two eruptions 1.6 and 1.4 million years ago. Home to the Bandelier Wilderness, Bandelier ranges from 5340 ft (1628 m) at the Rio Grande River to the south and 10,199 ft (3109 m) at the summit of Cerro Grande to the north, almost a mile of elevation change in just under 12 miles (19 km). This elevation gradient creates a unique diversity of habitats specific to Northern New Mexico. The diversity of habitats and quick access to water supported a relatively large population of Ancestral Pueblo people. Currently, Pi__on-Juniper woodlands dominate in the southern parts of the park transitioning through ponderosa pine savannahs and forests, finally reaching mixed conifer forests at the highest elevation. Scattered throughout the park are desert grasslands, montane meadows, and riparian areas in the canyon bottoms. Over 70 miles (113 km) of trails at Bandelier climb in and out of deep canyons and cross large flat mesas, showcasing the entire spectrum of volcanic geology and ecosystems found within the park. The park is home to over 55 species of mammals including mule deer, Abert's squirrels, mountain lions, black bears, and 16 species of bats. Reptiles and amphibians of all shapes and sizes can be seen. Birds such as Steller's jays, canyon towhees and mountain chickadees stay year-round, whereas turkey vultures, western tanagers, and black-headed grosbeaks are summer residents.
The town of Los Alamos has shopping, museums, amenities, a movie theater, ice rink, ski hill, and is home to Manhattan Project National Historic Site. Nearby Department of Energy and US Forest Service lands provide trails which accommodate pets. Valles Caldera National Preserve is 16 miles (26 km) west of Bandelier. Jemez Historic Site is 37 miles (60 km) west. Pecos National Historical Park is 70 miles (113 km) southeast. Santa Fe, 40 miles (64 km) south of the park, is home to the New Mexico state capitol, museums, historic districts, art galleries, food, accomodations, and more.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (505) 672-3861.
$50 / night
Jemez Falls Campground is located in a stunning Ponderosa Pine and forest meadow environment. The campground elevation is 7,880 feet above sea level. Come prepared for warm days and cool nights. The Cerro Pelado Area closure prohibits members of the public from entering Trail 137 from access points South of the East Fork Trailhead. Entry is allowed North from the East Fork Trailhead to Las Conchas Trailhead. Please remember that this campground is special. Help keep it clean and beautiful by using the trash dumpsters. Campground has 52 camp sites with picnic table and fire ring. Paved access which allows trailers and RV's up to 40 feet. For the 2022 Season of Use, loop 4 sites are non-generator use areas. Loops 1-3 may use generators from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. There is paved access from the highway and paved internal roads to individual campsites. There are no RV hook-ups. Drinking water is provided from spigots conveniently located throughout the campground. Vault toilets provide basic sanitation needs. A campground host is on duty.
Overnight camping, fishing, and hiking are main attractions. Other recreational activities include outdoor photography and nature viewing. The campground is within the heart of the Jemez National Recreation Area.
The East Fork Jemez Wild and Scenic River runs close to the campground. The campground is situated on rolling terrain shaded by pines and sunny in open meadows.
Jemez Falls, the largest waterfall in the Jemez Mountains, is a half mile hike from the campground. The Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Monument are within short driving distance along the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway.
$20 / night
$40 - $60 / night
Campground is closed for current season of use. Coyote Ranger District @ 575-638-5526 for current status
The Rio Chama is a developed no-fee campground where reservations are not required. Located along the Rio Chama Wild & Scenic River, the developed campground offers a great place for families,
Ten individual campsites each include a picnic table and a campfire ring. RV's up to 20 feet can be accommodated in only a few sites. No potable water, or hookups.
Cochiti Recreation Area is located in Sandoval County, New Mexico, within the boundaries of the Pueblo de Cochiti Indian Reservation. The lake offers two public recreation areas: Cochiti on the west side of the lake and Tetilla Peak on the east side. Both sides offer spectacular scenic views of the water and surrounding mountains. The Cochiti Dam is one of the ten largest earth-fill dams in the United States, and also one of the largest in the world. The lake derives its name from the Indian Pueblo on the Cochiti Reservation.
Our quiet lake is an ideal location for all paddle, wind surfing, and sailing craft. The lake is also a popular fishing spot for species such as bass, crappie, walleye, pike, catfish, sunfish and trout. Cochiti Recreation Area has a popular, family friendly, swim beach Day Use area for public enjoyment. It is a fee area, $5 per vehicle, but the cost is covered by the campsite fee for visitors staying in the campground. Additionally, the Cochiti picnic area has 21 covered picnic sites with a large group site that can be reserved by calling the main office. Cochiti Day Use Areas are open from April 15th to October 15th.
Cochiti Lake sits at 5,343ft in elevation and is nestled in the foothills of the Jemez Mountains. Our high desert environment is dominated by juniper, pinon trees, and mixed grasslands. There are many opportunities for wildlife viewing. Four osprey nesting platforms have been erected around the lake to provide nesting sites, as well as viewing opportunities. On the east side of the lake, deer, coyote, river otters, rabbits, beavers, and the occasional bear are often sighted.
Cochiti Lake is five miles from Tent Rocks National Monument, which has fascinating geological formations.
$20 / night
Guide
Campground is nestled in a bug group of dense pines and only a 15-20 minute drive from Los Alamos. Quite a few hiking trails in the areas to explore the high desert mesas and escape the heat of Albuquerque.
Traveler
The place was clean. Our issues were two.
WiFi is weak but cell was ok not great.
Guide
We parked a little further off 285 than most people so the road noise was minimal. A car drove past us on the dirt road in the morning which was surprising but nothing more. There was a rotting animal smell once in a while but we didn’t smell once inside the van. No toilet. Someone left a small fire ring. The road was rutted, don’t go if it’s wet. Fine for overnight lodging but I wouldn’t hang out there.
Guide
Picnic table, running water in spigots, fire ring and a view. We drove our van right to the spot. Clean pit toilets. $7/night
Traveler
Unwisely, we decided to go here in a large RV. DON’T!
Guide
This place sufficed due to the need to have somewhere for the night, if we had the chance we’d have gone somewhere else. Massive piles of trash everywhere, sites strewn with people’s leftover garbage from camping there.
Due to its close proximity to the landfill, it was extremely loud during the morning from around 7am onwards.
There was a partial closure banning camping in a section of the landfill, which was incredibly difficult to figure out where we could camp, as the map is not clear at all,
Coyotes at night were really cool.
Overall disappointing but glad we managed somewhere to sleep for the night
ScoutWe loved it. Very spacious. Fire pits here and there.
Scout
It's a lovely location, and the camp is hosted by the Army Corps. They do a good job, the facilities and grounds are very well maintained. Drinking and marijuana consumption is strictly prohibited, with the hosts making regular rounds. The sites are so close together it may as well be one big group camp; I could hear everything going on in the sites around me at all hours of the night. Even when folks were in their tents and campers. Forget trying to enjoy a quiet evening stargazing. Was surrounded by large family groups who were having a great time, which I'm glad about, but it is not my cup of tea for camping.
Guide
We enjoyed our 2 nights here and would stay again next time we are in Taos. Easy access to all the activities in the area. Grounds and bathrooms were very clean. The staff was friendly and helpful. In late Sep it was still busy and full, but it was quiet within the RV park. We had a full hookup site and all services worked as expected. Wifi was available, with repeaters around the park. Mobile service was solid. The showers worked well and were clean. The only negative was the noise from the adjacent streets with what sounded like street racing, finally quieting down around 1AM.
Traveler
We loved the location. The hiking trails were awesome. We booked a reservable with hydro for one night and decided to extend our stay with the first come first serve system. The self pay stations are at each of the teo campground loops. The 2nd and 3rd night didn’t have hydro however the size of the site and view more than made up for it.
To use the dump station, you have to go to the Rangers Station and ask them to unlock the gate. The access is a bit tight and we were not able to fill our fresh water tank due to the State Park having to bring their water up by truck. All in all, it was worth it.
Traveler
20 gravel sites in the desert about 6 miles NW of Taos. Only issue is there was only 1 men's room and 1 woman's room. But since we were smallest rig in our Sprinter van it wasn't an issue as I think others in Class A and C rigs had their own showers.
Guide
There are so many campsites to choose from, all along the Hondo Rio. It's peaceful and quiet. We brought our four dogs and 13 year old. There's so much to do to keep them busy. The dogs love the river and to run through it. No one really bothers anyone. There are toilets at some of the sites. Very clean. We had storms while camping. At least six rock/mud slides on the road. I don't know who, but someone managed to clean it all up in record time. We've had a great time, even with the rain and hail. We will definitely come back.
Traveler
We just happened upon this 1st come 1st serve campground & so glad we did! The camp host "Brad" was so very nice & helpful. He gave us info on all the things to do and see in the Jamez area (which is alot) Our campsite #12 was really nice. It has a large covered pavilion (not all sites have the covered pavilions) with oversized picnic table & a short path down to a private area at the Jamez River (which is really more like a creek) from our site. We left our chairs down there & frequently enjoyed relaxing there. The area is scenic & campground was very clean. There are water pumps outside the bathrooms. The cost for us was $5 per night using our America the Beautiful Senior Pass. This is a great home base for visiting the area. Would defiantly visit again!
Guide
Very small, but quiet and secluded primitive campground. Several sites appear to be overgrown or have too much debris to be usable. There are a couple sites that could fit a small trailer. All are suitable for tents or a van. The bathroom is still out of order. Mobile coverage was spotty, worked better if you went up to the nearby trailhead. The road up to the campground is in good shape, 4x4 not required. Overall traffic was very low. There was a little bit of firewood cutting nearby, with a few trucks making multiple trips. A few families were up on Sat for picnics. UTVs were minimal. There are a few dispersed options in the area.
TravelerA good amount of dispersed sites off of FSR558. I just pulled off to one of the closer sites but looked like tons of other sites were further in on the road. Really quiet even with the highway close by. Great stars at night, decently clean (the sites that I saw). You could probably make it in a 2WD vehicle for the first few sites but it gets a bit more rugged as you continue in.
Traveler
Yes, it can get packed but be prepared to go early enough to find a good spot. I prefer camp sites 7 through 10, even the very first site when you first come in since they are right near the river. If you really want to experience the haunt of the campground I prefer the campsites in the back 11 through 16.
I have not experienced the haunts until I camped at spot 15, this past Labor Day weekend on Friday night August 30, 2024. I went to bed and about 12 am I heard a voice say Hello to me. Then the last night my friend and I were by the fire we did not have any more neighbors as they left that Sunday, we had our trash bag hanging from my friends canopy there was no wind and that trash bag was swaying back and forth rapidly. Was definitely an experience.
The hikes are the best especially if you have time to go to the lake which you want to get an early start, just follow the trail in the back past the reservation spot to get to the trail and follow up get to the fork in the trail and hang a left to the lake. I love the camp site always clean restrooms and fun experience for the paranormal.
Guide
We spent a few nights in the dispersed area near Hopewell . We rolled in at 5 and had plenty of sites to choose from. We chose one of the lower areas, with one large open space surrounded by smaller sites. There were many more up the road, and there was constant traffic headed uphill until about 9PM. Once the traffic stopped it was very quiet, only the cattle calling through the trees. It rained for several hours and our spot stayed solid. Some offshoot roads were rutted out. The main road had minimal rocks and holes, didn't get very muddy. TMobile\Google mobile service worked well enough. Verizon did not work.
Scout
Jemez is a popular camping destination. There are boon docking and campgrounds available. I do not recommend trying to bring a rig of any size through the Gilman tunnels. Best access for large rigs is taking 126 and accessing FS 376 from that route.
The Jemez are by far our favorite mountains to camp in within a 3 hr radius of my home.
GuidePlenty of spots and easy to get to. The only catch is you will need to find a spot away from the multiple large piles of trash.
The surrounding area was pretty and sunset was great!
Traveler
I pull a small trailer and the road in was rough. I was concerned about being able to turn around. When I got to the spot where there are six or eight camping spots, finding one suitable for a trailer was difficult, but I did it. This is more suitable to car camping.
There is an open area that would be good for group camping. There are three or more RVs that appear to be permanent features. That was strange. Looked like fishing camps. I didn't want to drive the steep road down to this area.
Personally, I wish I had stopped a the forest service campsites up hill from this location, but if you are in a car and want to tent camp here, I don't see a problem,
ScoutThis dispersed area is close to Hopewell Lake and Campground where there is fishing and vaulted toilets. The Continental Divide Trail goes right through this location.
Legend
The location is close to stores and restaurants that are about 10 minutes away...that we needed after discovering a damaged tire. The front desk recommended a tire store that was just north of the park. Thank you...The park has been set up nicely. The sites are a bit tight from the adjoining sites. Site were level and all the hook ups worked without issue. The location made for an hour's drive to Los Alamos and Bandelier national monument. Both great visits if you haven't been there before.
LegendPretty good location with nice views. For us we were visiting family and they were close by. Not far at all from downtown Taos. CE, the owner was probably one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She took the time at check in to give all of the information to enjoy our stay. She also, gave us local info and maps of points of interest, restaurants and activities. The grounds keeper was very friendly as well, asking us if we needed anything during our stay. The gravel sites are long and pretty wide offering some privacy. The hook ups were well placed and worked well during our stay. When in Taos, we will return here.
Scout
Pulled in on Sunday afternoon and there was no staff. Parked and paid $20 Monday morning. They have power and water. Dump station. I did not ask about WiFi.
Traveler
Pros:
Cons
Chilly, even in July, just FYI, come prepared.
Picnic table, fire ring provided
Scout
The RV park is excellent, don't know why there are poor reviews. The location could not be better! The sites were very clean and easy to get into with a class A. The managers were very gracious and helpful for all our needs and gave great recommendations for Santa Fe. This is the third time we have stayed here and love it!
Traveler
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. The clearings are far enough apart that you can make some noise without bothering the other campers. You need a bit of clearance to be able to drive the road but not much as my Crosstrek did it great. Even on July 4th this site wasn’t busy. We only saw one other camper since most people choose to pay for a campground right on the lake
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Abiquiu, NM is Riana - Abiquiu Lake with a 4.4-star rating from 19 reviews.
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