Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Angel Fire, NM

I had been boondocking up in the mountains in the rain all week and needed FHU to recharge.

Can't remember the price I paid, but it was very reasonable.  Minutes from state park, lake access, and Eagle Nest.  Close to Angel Fire as well.

Owner was super nice and invited me to come to the clubhouse for some chili - which was excellent!

Views were shockingly good.  Because of the weather I felt like I was in the Scottish highlands or something, not New Mexico lol.

Could use this as a stopover or a legit home base to explore surrounding areas.

The National Forest Service campground is located on highway 64 between Angel Fire and Taos New Mexico. The site is just a few feet off the highway next to a small creek. They have about a dozen small campsites along the creek with privacy between the sites. The sites are very basic and come equipped with fire pits and picnic tables. The location had availability during the summer peak season. The site is self serve pay and does not have a camp host. The location may be a good option for those looking to visit Taos which is about 30 minutes away. I gave this a low rating due to the condition of the sites which needed basic maintenance and cleanup. The site was also far to close to the highway to enjoy a good camping experience. I think this is the type of place you use as a last resort while in transit to Taos or Eagles nest.

Cimarron Canton State Park is a wonderful place to stay, right on the Cimarron River. Bring your fishing gear and license for some relaxing fishing. Some of the sites are immediately adjacent to the river. My favorite campground is Tolby, the Westernmost. It has a Ranger/Information Station in the east end of the campground. It has flush toilets and sinks, but no shower. This is my favorite, because I love to hike and backpack. Just south across Highway 64 from the campground entrance is the Tolby Trailhead. The Tolby Trail takes you all the way back to Tolby Meadow on an excellent trail. A good spot for overnight tent camping. Tolby campground is also just minutes from Eagle Nest, NM and within easy range of Angel Fire, Red River, and a little less than an hour from Taos.

There are two other campgrounds for RVs, Maverick and Ponderosa, as well as one more for tent camping. Maverick sits right next to a pair of gravel pit lakes for added Fishing opportunities. Ponderosa is across the street from that, but is more like a parking lot with painted camping slots around its perimeter.

In the town of Cimarron I recommend dining at the Historic St. James hotel (very haunted) or lunch at the Creemee. Stop in at the headquarters of Philmont Scout Ranch for the National Scounting Museum and a Tour of the Villa Philimonte (Waite Phillips’ mansion). Also recommended is the Tooth of Time Traders at Philmont. It’s a camping/hiking store that is like an REI.

If you’re coming via Raton, the Colfax Tavern between Raton and Cimarron at Cold Beer New Mexico is a great place to stop for food and drinks.

We really like this RV Park! The spaces are wide and angled enough to allow for great views! There are no trees, so you will be using your AC and awning when it’s hot out. Sites were quite level and hookups are easy access. There are both full hookup sites and water and electric only sites; there is an RV dump. Laundry, restrooms and convenience store are still closed due to Covid - much of New Mexico is still this way. It is right off Highway 64 which has a minimal amount of road noise, but provides easy access.There’s a Pet Resort across the road where you hear dogs barking in the distance in the mornings. They do need to start working on weed control before the weeds get out of hand. Each of those negatives are so minimal, I still rate this as a five! Wide spaces and good views are always strong points in my reviews!

Perfectly located on a picturesque a beautiful lake with the Sangre de Cristo mountains as a backdrop. The drive into the park isn’t that impressive, but it just makes me more appreciative of the beauty of this place, which is set behind several RV/trailer parks. The campground is small with ample space between sites. Each site has a gravel pad, covered picnic table set on a concrete pad and with a view of the serene and pristine lake. There’s a pier and boat ramp, a day use area and an office/store. The campground gate closes at night, with an on site ranger. 

Awesome wildlife in the area. The deer would come by every evening and the prairie dogs were constantly entertaining. There’s a hiking trail worth checking out too.

This was the perfect place to spend the Fourth of July holiday. The parade in Eagle Nest was perfect small town America! Must see in the area is the Vietnam Veteran’s Museum, the Cumbres & Toltec railroad and nearby Chama and Angel Fire.