Searching for the best camping near Arenas Valley, NM? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Find the best campgrounds near Arenas Valley, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
This is a nice shady campground under ponderosa pines. Sapillo is an undeveloped campground under ponderosa pine and is a favorite of group campers. For any large group, we recommend this large campground.
Located within walking distance to the heart of downtown and nestled against the 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest, Silver City is a southwestern town with plenty of adventures in store for you! We offer full hookup sites for RVers and also have 3 cabins perfect for a weekend getaway.
Safe travels and we look forward to seeing you!
Please note our tent camping area is permanently closed.
Gila Hot Springs Campground is a private business owned by Allen and Carla Campbell. It offers camping and natural hot spring pools beside the Gila River in southwest New Mexico. We are located 40 miles north of Silver City and about 4 miles from the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Our area is surrounded by the Gila Wilderness and the larger Gila National Forest.
PLEASE NOTE! We are NOT an RV campground. We have no hookups. Small self-contained RV ONLY.
The hot springs campground has three pools with natural rock perimeters and gravel bottoms. Each pool has its own personality and temperature so you are sure to find one that pleases you. The normal temperature of the pools is between 101º and 104ºF.
There are twelve camping areas spaced for privacy and are located around shade trees. Small self-contained campers and trailers are welcome (must be less than 20 feet long) but few sites can accommodate them. No hookups are available.
Toilet facilities (composting) and drinking water is available. We do not provide electricity or trash containers, and there are no bathing or shower facilities. The pools are NOT for bathing.
There are water faucets for cold and hot potable water next to the “dragon spout”, in the pool area. The hot spring water coming out of the dragon spout is 140ºF. Do not wash your dishes there, carry the water to your campsite.
$7 / night
The majority of campgrounds on the Gila National Forest are primitive and offer dispersed camping. You may camp outside of developed campgrounds anywhere on the Forest at no charge. The Gila National Forest implemented Travel Management and we recommend you stop in to one of our six ranger stations and pick up travel management maps so that you are aware where vehicles are and are not permitted. Potable water, toilets, and other amenities are not generally available. If you choose to camp outside developed areas, be sure to bring adequate water or be prepared to purify any water source before drinking. No permits are required to camp in wilderness areas. The Gila National Forest has a 14-day stay limit, in any 30 day period, on all camping. Areas designated as “Day Use Only” are limited to posted hours, no overnight use.
This is a great place for a picnic or overnight camping. Cherry Creek is by one of the most scenic parts of the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic ByWay. The campground is located along NM Highway 15 and is surrounded by dense mixed conifer. It is a cool place in the summer for people to enjoy a day's outing or for those wishing to camp overnight. If there has been a little snow during the winter, you will find a trickle of water in the small stream that runs through the campground. In the autumn hillsides turn into a beautiful mosaic of golden aspens, rusty oaks, and bright red sumac.
This is a nice shady campground under ponderosa pines. Sapillo is an undeveloped campground under ponderosa pine and is a favorite of group campers. For any large group, we recommend this large campground.
Located within walking distance to the heart of downtown and nestled against the 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest, Silver City is a southwestern town with plenty of adventures in store for you! We offer full hookup sites for RVers and also have 3 cabins perfect for a weekend getaway.
Safe travels and we look forward to seeing you!
Please note our tent camping area is permanently closed.
Ranger
We stopped here for an unplanned overnight. It is ok. Friendly staff. Clean but dated bathrooms. Took 5 minutes to get hot water in the women’s shower and the water stream was very small. No space between rigs. Lots of people driving out late and early. Think some folks must live here and be heading off to work. Big clubhouse area with a library. Also indoor pool. Didn’t use these facilities. There is a laundry but we did not check it out. Reasonable price but we wouldn’t choose to stay here again.
Ranger
Man, free pulled pork BBQ every Sat. evening garnered this place the 5th star! :)
Stayed 4/23- 4/30. Nice RV park just outside of Silver City with large spaces and junipers between the spaces. We were in #16 which was huge. Full hookups, laundry. Only one bath with a shower. Naturalized pet relief area with some desert vegetation. Dirt road to the place from Kirkland. No playground so saw no kids staying there. Seemed like mature, respectful RVers. Some folks were extended stay, seemed like any long term residents were in a different area; overall nice, neat, quiet, and tidy. John keeps things in good order.
BTW, in Silver City for Tour of the Gila, cool to see the stage races.
Food aside: Heated up some frozen Bertolli pasta dinner and then: nothing on Sat. night because, free BBQ!! Donations appreciated.
Ranger
Our grandsons loved this place. We went without reservations so there was no open place but they allow the overflow to camp in the group sites if they are empty.
You can spend hours exploring all the rocks.
With reservations you can get a spot with power but they are closer together. We were very happy with the great place we had. Would love to go again.
Scout
Road is a little rough but well worth it. No one camped near us. Was able to let the dogs roam without fear. Lots of wood in the area. A small creek along the road. Good hiking area. Will definitely go back.
Scout
great rural campground. lake valley ghost town is worth the ride
Scout
Nice level spot, but winds must blow year round in one direction, the trees are actually leaning. Nice check in clerk, but never provided a code to Showers. Locked by the time we tried the doors. Sitting outside at night the winds blew a constant Gasoline Vapor, even filled the RV. Great place for a one night stop, make sure you get the Shower Code!
Guide$14 for an RV site with electric and water. Good TMobile service.
They have reservation as well as first come first serve sites.
Amazing volunteers, so knowledgeable and fun to talk to. You could just walk around the rocks and campground or take one of the trails out into the desert landscape. We had our bikes and were not disappointed!
Would absolutely come back.
GuideI spent two weeks here at three different sites, and while I was ready to get back to civilization (the park is fairly remote), I genuinely had a relaxing time.
The bathrooms/comfort station are clean and fairly new—the only downsides are they’re only open from 7am-5pm to conserve water and it’s a bit of a trek by foot if you’re at one of the far campsites. I also had strong enough reception with T-Mobile to work remotely, and good service through Verizon as well.
Site 25 (Crab): a truly iconic site within a park where nearly every site is a gem. Downside: very little privacy and no shade from the afternoon sun. Upside: Site is level, great sunset views and a quick walk to the pit toilets.
Site 24 (Hercules): Connects to site 25 via a the rock formations, but more private as it’s not directly on the main loop. Again, close to the pit bathroom. There’s a fun and semi private climb up into the rocks to the left of the picnic table that will give you a stellar sunset view. Site is level and protected from the worst of the south/SW winds. I also saw the most wildlife from this site (marmot, roadrunner, jack rabbit, and more). Downside: the site curves rather drastically and is best suited for vans, tent camping, or very small RVs; little shade as the tree that used to offer shade was removed.
Site 30 (Triangulum): hands down, the best site in the park IMO. Lots of shade and privacy as it’s set far back from the main road; it almost feels like you have the park to yourself. Pit toilets are conveniently at the end of the drive. Downside: people climbing through the rocks occasionally end up near your site, but no one ever wandered too far; the windmill does makes some noise but it’s really not too bad; this site has FULL shade, which is ideal unless you run on solar panels. For a few hours a day I had to back my van into the sun, which put it at a fairly severe angle as the drive slopes once you back out of the sweet spot by the picnic table; very little protection from the wind, but there is some.
Guide
No facilities, but a beautiful spot. Lots of shade. Dirt road in decent shape. No road signs off of highway 15. Just need to use the GPS coordinates. A few level spots with fire rings. A little ways in you'll see large piles of gravel. Not sure what that's for. There is a placard that states "Constructed by the United States Conservation Corp in 1976". Not sure what was constructed. There is just a dirt road.
LegendCity of Rocks, NMSP: NON- ELECTRIC Sites: Sites Nestled into Uniqueness. One of the best campgrounds , in regards to campsite layout, we have stayed in during 4 1/2 years of full timing - (Electric sites are not so. They do have views, but are crowded together.) (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 5 for the non-electric sites. The are nestled into semi private/private locations. I did not see a non-electric site that I would not enjoy. Even the worst of these sites would be among the best at many campgrounds. Sites in the back loop where we stayed were among the best.
Price 2024
: $10 for non-electric sites
Security: I think the gates are locked at night. Not sure.
Usage during visit: Electric sites were full . Primitive sites had some availability.
Site Privacy: Good to great
Site Spacing: Many sites are very well spaced.
Site surface: Gravel
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Quiet
Outside Road Noise: Too isolated for this to be an issue.
Through Traffic in campground: None
Electric Hookup: Availability
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: No
Potable Water Available: Yes
Generators: Allowed
Bathroom: Pit toilets are throughout the campground.
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: Yes, there are some.
Cell Service (AT&T): 0 - 2 bars depending on location
Setting: Primitive sites are set among the rocks. Electric hook up sites are close together, but have a view of the rocks and desert. They are not as nicely laid out.
ScoutThis is an amazing place with beautiful rock formations that you can spend hours exploring. Overall I really enjoyed staying here and seeing the sights. However, I ran into two issues (one major) while camping at site #28:
1. There is a large wasp nest in the base of the tree at this site. Depending on the time of day, there can be a LOT of wasps flying around throughout the entire area of site#28, making the entire site unusable. Notably, this nest is in the only shaded area of the site, so you have no usable shade. Once you bring food outside, even more come out and they get aggressive. I got stung twice while trying to eat outside. I contacted the park about this by e-mailing the park manager (Gabriel Medrano) twice. He never responded to the e-mails. I also called the park office during business hours, but they did not answer. I left a voicemail, but they never called back. Clearly this park's management does not care about its guests. I later talked to one of the rangers. They said they are not allowed to disturb the wasp nest by spraying it or doing anything else due to directives from management. In other words, the park manager would rather preserve a dangerous pest instead of ensuring visitor safety and park usability.
2. There is a windmill near site #28 that makes a very loud and annoying metal grinding noise when it turns slowly. It is shockingly loud and at first I thought that there was some sort of metal fabrication factory or construction site nearby. This happens any time of day or night, depending on the wind, and can be clearly heard from most sites on the west side of the campground. It would be loud enough to wake someone in a tent, but probably not an RV. Again, I e-mailed the park manager (Gabriel Medrano) about this, and didn't even get the courtesy of a reply.
TravelerClean, quiet campground not far from Emory pass. Pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables. Only a handful of people there on Friday night
Ranger
I stayed here for CDT Days. Great location walking distance to everything. There’s a grocery store around the corner. Super quiet. Woke up to the birds chirping away. Priced fairly and would stay here again.
TravelerGreat place and close to sights, yet nestled in a lovely spot.
Guide
We came in after dark, but the roads were clear and it was easy to set up. Quiet.
Traveler
2-night minimum, at the end of a maintained gravel road. I have a camper van, no hookups, and paid $48 for two nights. Large rec room with full kitchen, satellite tv, pool table, and pop/candy/ice cream for sale. Laundry and hot showers. Very friendly and a majority of sites are long time full timers. Cash or check only, no credit cards. Good wi-fi. Propane available. About 10 miles to town and 30 miles to City of Rocks state park.
GuideNothing extravagant extra clean. Well taken of. Nicely helpful heated shower rooms. I looked at it Lots of restaurants nearby. There was lots of availability staff very nice
TravelerGreat stay, amazing campsites, clean restrooms, friendly camp hosts. Hiking trails. Great view of the stairs.
GuideThis camp ground is conveniently located to Old Town Silver City.
The staff is friendly, the site was clean and level. The bathrooms and showers were clean as well. They were very fairly priced. I booked for one night but may well stay for two.
They have a nice laundry facility. It was a quiet enjoyable stay! I would come back again.
Guide
A handful of sites located on the other side of Skates Canyon from Sapillo Campground. Close to great hiking around the CDT and fishing in Lake Roberts. Most of the sites sit on the shades of ponderosa and there's plenty of space for group camping.
This is as bare as it gets. No services, no cell signal, no trash disposal, not even a pit toilet. Some sites have rock rings for campfires but that's about it. Please recreate responsibly and leave no trace. Pack out whatever you pack in.
Quiet during the winter, but gets busy during the summer as evidenced by how well worn the dirt paths around the area are.
GuideThe park is far away from everywhere and offers a very quiet and peaceful experience. The rocks are spectacular as is the night sky. The visitor center appears to have limited hours so I had to go online to learn more. There are trails that take you up into the rocks and into the desert.
Legend
Level gravel sites. FHU worked fine; appears to be maintained. Nice staff, well stocked store. Would stay here again.
Guide
We liked Rose Valley Ranch and would stay again. We didn’t talk to a soul our entire 3 day stay. We kind of felt isolated which isn’t a bad thing necessarily if you’re not looking for that sort of thing. The sites are huge and feel very private, offering a little fenced in, personal yard at most sites. The bathrooms were very clean and also private feeling. There is only one dumpster and it was very far from our site. Walking around will also involve walking through dirt areas to reach your destination. All in all though it’s a nice, private, roomy park that puts you right near Silver City’s local shops!
Guide
Sapillo Creek lies straddling the original branch of the CDT. This is a free, national forest dispersed campsite with a couple pit toilets and very few other amenities, no cell signal either. Easily accessible from NM-35 and near a couple of general stores in Lake Roberts (10 minute drive north) and Mimbres (15 minute drive south).
Popular with the local crowd during peak camping/ATV season, so be mindful that there might be some related noise during the summer; but generally sees little use during winter and the shoulder seasons.
GuideDid our laundry here, but hours are restricted.
RangerStay for two days to allow us to visit Gila lift Dwellings. Full hookups (30 amp) with water and sewer. Good cell coverage. Amazing Starlink speeds. Staff was awesome and they filled our propane for us.
GuideGreat view of the mountains depending on which side you’re on. Staff was very friendly and the spots were very well maintained
Camping near Arenas Valley, New Mexico, offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Arenas Valley, New Mexico, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the beautiful surroundings!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Arenas Valley, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, Arenas Valley, NM offers a wide range of camping options, with 78 campgrounds and RV parks near Arenas Valley, NM and 18 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Arenas Valley, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Arenas Valley, NM is City of Rocks State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 31 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Arenas Valley, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 free dispersed camping spots near Arenas Valley, NM.
What parks are near Arenas Valley, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Arenas Valley, NM that allow camping, notably Gila National Forest and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.
