Best Tent Camping near Artesia, NM
Looking for the best Artesia tent camping? The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your New Mexico camping adventure.
Best Tent Sites Near Artesia, NM (2)
1. Rattlesnake Canyon - Backcountry Camping — Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Whites City, New Mexico5 Reviews•26 Photos•91 SavesHigh ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus and desert wildlife - treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves - formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers no overnight lodging or campgrounds. Primitive camping is allowed in the backcountry only and requires a free permit which is issued at the park's visitor center when you arrive (not reservable in advance). Overnight RV parking is not permitted in the park. Seven miles (11 km) from the visitor center you will find a campground (RV/tent/cabin) and amenities in White's City.
- Tents
2. Alamo Road Camp
Roswell, New Mexico1 Review•16 Photos•18 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
Recent Tent Reviews in Artesia
260 Reviews of 2 Artesia Campgrounds
ron R.
Ranger
Alamo Road Camp
Very quiet out of the way and peaceful
I stayed here for the second week of November. It rained a day or two before I got here and the mosquitoes were still a little bad but the weather was great up until my moving Day when I was leaving today November 18th. As long as it doesn't rain hard the ground should be good but if it rains really hard it gets really muddy. The cell phone signal is amazing for T-Mobile it's very quiet at night your neighbors are a couple football fields away if you have any at all. There is a target shooting range on DOD land about 2 mi away so during the day you do hear gunshots from time to time. Everyone shooting there is shooting North so stay south of the zig zag road sign.
- GGil W.
Guide
Lake van
Can’t Beat The Price
Although a bit rough around the edges, if you are traveling in SE New Mexico, this location is great for an overnighter. When we arrived, all of the full hook-up sites were taken (looked like long term locals). I called the number at the un-manned office and the gentleman who answered was very friendly and let us know that we could camp anywhere around the lake for $9. The location is close to a nice residential area, so it’s relatively quiet with the exception of the occasional train passing by. There is a scent of cow manure depending on which way the wind is blowing; but it’s not unbearable. Overall, it was a nice place to stop over for the night as we were heading towards the Carlsbad Caverns the following day.
- ron R.Ranger
Whites City Road Dispersed Camp
Looks like the area is no longer available for camping
I drove up to the area and a long the path they have put a row of rocks and gravel about a foot foot and a half tall to keep people from driving through so you can't access the dirt path to get to the area anymore. Also there was some clearing about two miles before that closer to the highway that had a sign that said area closed road closed no camping no soliciting
- SSteven L.
Traveler
Hackberry Lake OHV Area
Nice but can be noisy
Several level Gravel sites with covered picnic table. Pit toilets. OHV access point so it can be noisy. This time not too bad just a small group of rvs group together. Last time it was empty. 14 day limit
- SSteven L.Traveler
Hackberry Lake
Beautiful nothing
Large open area with washed out hills. Access was easy but the road back does have issues because of gully wash. It was lightly raining when I arrived and I did a bit of a walkabout before it got dark. Many flat spots to choose from. Ground is a white flaky soil. But saw no problems with sinking into it. Might be a different story if there is a hard rain.
- SShawnGuide
Brantley Lake State Park Campground
Windy but peaceful
Way off the beaten path. It happened to be extra windy the day I was there. Nice desert/lake view. Quiet. No working dump station right now. Ranger was very friendly and helpful.
- KKim G.Ranger
Brantley Lake State Park Campground
Well-priced overnight stop
We stayed here before going to Carlsbad Caverns. Pros: only $14 for electric and water site. Sites well spaced and private. Easy to make online reservations. Clean bathrooms with flush toilets and showers. Friendly staff. Cons: ran out of hot water when no one else was showering. Not much to do here if you are not using the lake (which seems low). Pretty far from anything. I’d stay again if needing a spot while passing through, but wouldn’t make a point of coming here just for the campground.
- UUT801Ranger
Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground
Unless boating, a place to stay on way to elsewhere
Reservations only, but we were able to reserve online while surveying campground to see what was open: https://newmexicostateparks.reserveamerica.com/ (on way north so stopped for a night, getting there late afternoon).
Pretty basic. Most sites have no shade except for over picnic table. Lots of flying things: flies, mosquitos. Many stickers (so walk dog carefully).
--->At 02:30 in morning a drone very noisily buzzed us and sounded like it circled us for what seemed like 5 min. Not sure what that was about.... Racoon walked up to door screen and pawed at it while we were making dinner.
- AAndrew M.Ranger
Brantley Lake State Park Campground
Another great example of a NM state Park
Well appointed. Easy to make the reservation online. Clearly marked sites with convenient stone-marked pathways to the restrooms/shower. Hot showers, clean bathrooms.
All states should be this good
Campsites all have covered eating area although early and late sun can get under it.
- Mary T.Guide
Carlsbad KOA
Nice place to camp
Nice gravel sites. Wide roads to get into sites. Pool, playground. Restrooms OK. Only issue not great Wifi.
- JJessica L.Guide
Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground
Thoroughly enjoyed!
Reservations are needed and can be made online through the NM State Park website. The drive into the camp area was a little bumpy. Watch the curves! At the time we arrived the water was a beautiful aqua color with a clear sunny sky. The rest of our time there was overcast which gave us a nice break from the heat. The beach area was not crowded at all during our time here. Bring your kayak/canoe/SUP. They rent pedal boats. The mosquitos were out around dusk, so be sure to have bug spray! We would definitely stay again.
- RRobert F.Guide
Avalon Lake Dispersed
Lakeside camping
Cool spot, but beware of NAILS! Other than that, some night you might get some loud locals riding OHV on the other side of the lake.
Texas Roving RangerGuideBrantley Lake State Park Campground
Limestone Campground
Arrived towards the end of July on a Sunday evening. Campground was largely empty. Some sites are marked "Reservation Only" however there were plenty of walk up sites to choose from. Sites were spaced out very well. Each site has the usual grill, and picnic table. Tables were shielded from the elements by a shade shelter roof. Fire rings were absent.
We especially liked the QR code on the campsite number post that allows you to link directly to the website and pay for your site. No need for exact cash or a visit to the park office.
All facilities were well maintained. Trails were easy to follow.
As with most desert like environments, all the plants want to kill you. Be careful going off trail and don't let your pets wander.
RV dump station was convenient on our way out.
Danielle P.Traveler
Dark Canyon Dispersed
Off the grid
This was a great camping spot off the beaten path. I would make sure to have high clearance and even 4 wheel drive for the steep rocky drive up if you plan to go past the main camp area. I was worried it would be busy this time of year, but we were the only ones there. We drove up the road a way past the camp site. Beautiful views. It did get very windy at night. Very quiet and far off from traffic noise.
Jorge R.Traveler
Trailer Village RV Park
Quiet
This was a great spot not too far from the main parts of town and had all the amenities you need. Did not see any tent camping but a great RV spot.
Brian and Janet S.GuideBrantley Lake State Park Campground
Affordable stop
We stopped here for 2 nights to escape the heat after dry camping outside of Carlsbad. I booked this easily online, and the other campers that weekend were very friendly. Overall this place is accommodating and quiet at nights. The sunsets are incredible. We biked to the lake for a swim and cool down. Would stay here again!
Great T-Mobile service. Bathrooms clean. Showers okay. $18 a night, booked last minute
They have an entire first come first serve section that had a lot of availability.
Dump station under construction- can dump for free at Eagle Draw Park in Artesia.
Mike B.GuideBrantley Lake State Park Campground
Good place to stay in south east NM
You can reserve a few van/RV spots but most are first come first serve. Don't worry about the check in time - all hookups and bathrooms/shower are unlocked. If you get a reserved spot you can pay online, otherwise self pay AT the campground, not at the gate (just in case they're full). Showers are good. Ok playground for little kids (4-5 age). Every site has a covered picnic table with stationary grill.
Convenient to Carlsbad, 30- 40ish minutes? north of the caverns, little over an hour south of Roswell.
Ari A.
Legend
Carlsbad RV Park & Campground
Good location, dedicated staff
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.
- TTerry S.
ScoutHackberry Lake
Huckleberry lake BLM
Just got here, nice level spot! Hot but good breeze so in my Casita or any type of shade is ok! Road off main road is gravel and washboarded so go slow! High clearance is not needed,
Tom P.TravelerWhites City Road Dispersed Camp
Desert camping
4 miles from Carlsbad Caverns NP. Not traffic. No noise. We had area to our self. Level Dirt/gravel area. Bring water and toilet. Would stay here again.
- KKurt Z.Guide
Red Barn RV Park
Clean, comfortable, EV-friendly
This is a lovely park. Clean, shaded, with a comfortable common area. Lee is a wonderful host who allowed us to charge our EV from the 50 amp outlet at our site.
Angela C.RangerCarlsbad RV Park & Campground
Large campground w decent location
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.
Erin F.Traveler
Alamo Road Dispersed
Beautiful views but garbage everywhere
I spent 2 nights here and while the sunsets are something to write home about, I clearly stayed in a place where locals use it as target practice. Shelf casings and garbage abound. I don't carry big trash bags with me but I picked up what I could. I would not discourage people from staying here. If I ever come back to the area, I will probably stay here again....I will just bring a bunch of trash bags with me.
- CChris E.Traveler
Carlsbad KOA
A bit noisy, dusty, but nice enclosed tent spot
Overall a good campsite, some minor drawbacks. Site is close to highway, so lots of road noise throughout the day and night. Contained tent hexagon shelter structure was nice, allowed for contained and divided campsites. Marginal shade and pretty dusty.
Joel R.LegendCarlsbad RV Park & Campground
Much improved since last visit
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.
Robert G.GuideBrantley Lake State Park Campground
Nice Trails
Dump station OOC until summer '24, but surprisingly pleasant campground otherwise.
- Robert G.Guide
Carlsbad KOA
Way north of Carlsbad
Long ways from the caverns. Wifi is weak/slow/intermittent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Artesia, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Artesia, NM is Rattlesnake Canyon - Backcountry Camping — Carlsbad Caverns National Park with a 4.6-star rating from 5 reviews.