Best Tent Camping near Artesia, NM

Recent Tent Reviews near Artesia, New Mexico

263 Reviews of 2 Artesia Campgrounds

• 

  Tracey P.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 20, 2020

  Spring River RV Park

  no luck for tents

  As we got close I sent a message to the park asking about tent camping. message received was "no tent camping here, try midway.

• 

  Jared F.

  Traveler

  

  May. 22, 2019

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Great weekend getaway

  Fun place to spend the weekend, we tent camped at D4 and it was quite and peaceful, great bike trail leading to the big lake too!

• A

  ALEJANDRA G.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 12, 2020

  Carlsbad KOA

  Nice

  We stayed one night in their tent site with electric. Facilities were clean, and the site was nice.

• 

  Megan B.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 24, 2021

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Lea Lake Campground

  There's not much privacy anywhere at this campground, but the tent sites were so close to each other that we decided to pay to switch to a site with hook-ups that we didn't need. We really liked our new site and would definitely stay here again--just not at the tent sites. The bathrooms were clean and convenient, but the showers were luke warm and push button style with very little pressure. The whole campground seemed very well maintained. Our site had easy access to water and trash cans. The park is nice and it was fun exploring all of the lakes.

• 

  Jorge R.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 9, 2024

  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.

• G

  Gary M.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 6, 2019

  Carlsbad KOA

  It worked out for us

  Arrived here, after 6PM, on a last minute reservation Severe thunderstorms in area Check In was smooth and friendly. Staff advised us game room would remain open all night, In case tenters wanted to have a dry place Ownwer offered us A Deluxe Cabin for $12.00 more We took the offer due to the weather Yea! Cabin was cleanand well stocked, complete with porch swing. One downer Bed needs to be replaced unless rolling to the middle is fun for you . Tent sites are close together with little shade Showers and toilets are great A little less than an hour to Carlsbad Caverns. Bring groceries with you, as the campground store has a limited stock of necessities. $38.00 per night for a tent site with no utilities.

• 

  Brandy S.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 19, 2019

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Kind of boring but not busy

  We decided to take our girls tent camping for the first time here. Had a nice spot (D4) and some shade. Was too hot to stay the whole night so we went home. Saw some cool animals and had a raccoon raid the garbage can. Definitely will camp again..during the week of winter in January or February...

• 

  Gina L.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 6, 2022

  Lake van

  Not bad in a pinch

  Great deal for tent camping ($9) but the lack of a map of where to camp was confusing (maybe you can actually camp anywhere?). Ended up here due to an unexpected delay on our way to White Sands. Camped near the RVs mostly due to exhaustion. There was an unpleasant sewage smell. Several bright lights around the picnic tables were annoying. Bathrooms are heated though, big plus. After driving around the lake in the morning there seem to be several level spots down by the lake that would be nice for tenting. Outhouses are scattered around but very few picnic tables. Overall a great deal for a basic city campground.

• 

  Vanessa M.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 24, 2018

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Secluded

  The state park boasts several lakes, a mountain bike trail, views, playgrounds in the day use area, and many campsites. There is a RV area at Lea Lake, which is half reserved and half first come. There are tent pads in that area also, showers and flushing toilets are there also. If you are tent camping you are missing out if you stay at lea lake, camp in the primitive areas around the smaller lakes. They are isolated, and have abundant wildlife. Vault toilets are nearby, nasty venomous spiders hide in the vaults but like all unpleasant creatures they dont like the light, so take a flashlight. If you come with pops you should consider footwear for them, the goat heads prevent them from going off road otherwise.

• 

  Jeanie P.

  Guide

  

  May. 27, 2021

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Great swimming hole!

  Our expectations of this place were low for whatever reason but it turned out to be pretty awesome. The lake at the Lea Lake CG is awesome for swimming or floating around in. Can walk to it right from the campsite which is a bonus. The bathroom has flush toilets and hot showers that don't cost to use (unlimited shower time after boondocking for 5 weeks was heaven!). Small campground overall. Tent sites are $10 (plus $4 reservation fee if booking online)/night. Each site has it's own water access, covered picnic table, and grill (which in May there was a fire ban so use of it was prohibited).

• C

  Celina M.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 11, 2018

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  Closest Carlsbad Campground to the Caverns

  Let's start with the fact that there are few actually camping areas close to Carlsbad Caverns or Guadalupe National Park. Assuming travelers are coming to Carlsbad to see these great places, the location becomes a major player. Fine print: there is a small campground (absolutely no amenity campground) in Guadalupe National Park which is first-come, first-serve (aka: full), and there a campground in White's City--although having driven past it, I don't think I want to stay there.

  Carlsbad RV Park is primarily an RV Park. In fact, while we were there, they were bulldozing their only tent sites and I'm not sure if they are upgrading them or replacing them with more RV sites. So the "tent" site status is tentative. As with most RV Parks, the RVs are crammed in, side by side, and really the place is like an RV parking lot with amenities and hook-ups--but they do appear to be mostly pull through and the staff will show the way to go to pull through without hiccups. These are not spacious by any means. We stayed in one of two cabins, which were very reasonably priced, esp. when comparing to Carlsbad KOA. They even came with a cable and a fridge.

  The RV Park (like all of the RV Parks in Carlsbad) has overall become a residence for the oil field workers, so be prepared to try and sleep through the 4 a.m. traffic rush out of camp to oil field. However, the neighbors are pleasant and quiet to have, even if they must drive away before the roosters announce the coming of the sun.

  The park has gated access and we felt very safe during our stay. There is a playground that was being bulldozed with the tent site; I am unsure if it is being upgraded or eliminated. There is a camp store, a pool, a game room, showers (which were ok), laundry, a dishwashing sink, picnic tables at the cabins, and universal fire pit. Please note that I am inherently biased against parking lot style RV parks--so 2 stars from me for an RV Park is quite a compliment.

  Carlsbad RV Park and Carlsbad KOA direct comparison: we have stayed at both the Carlsbad KOA and the Carlsbad RV Park. The KOA is NOT actually in Carlsbad, and is over an hour away from Carlsbad Caverns and 30 minutes from town. On the other hand, the RV Park is at the southern end of town and only 30 minutes to the Caverns. While the KOA lots are more spacious, they offer no more and no fewer amenities than the RV Park…well the KOA sort-of offers meals but the RV Park is right in town, so delivery is an option. The basic, no frill KOA cabins cost double the RV Park charges. Additionally, the KOA staff was not as friendly or as helpful as the RV Park staff, imho.

  While in Carlsbad check out Fiesta Drive-In for one of America's few remaining drive-in movie theaters.

• d

  danielle L.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 27, 2022

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  In town RV spot

  This RV spot is right in town on the Main Street. It is gated, has friendly staff, two cabins, tent spaces, a store, super clean and nice bathrooms/showers, laundry facility and pool.

  This is not typical wooded or beautiful camping, it’s a place to park your RV or tent and that is just about right. If you are making a quick stop over or heading to Carlsbad Caverns then what more do you need?

  We stayed in the cabin because we didn’t want to get all our camping stuff out for a quick overnight before we head to our destination (SW CO). It was only $15 more than tent camping so it made sense. It was also raining hard when we got here so we were double grateful. The cabins have a double bed and a bunk bed. It has a TV that we never turned on, a fridge, microwave and AC. The mattresses are like the ones you find at camp, wrapped in plastic but we just put our bedding and memory foam on top of it and it was just fine. I’d recommend it because it was just what we needed on our way and at a good price. Also the shower/ bathrooms are probably the nicest I’ve ever seen at a campground.

• 

  Griffin C.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 12, 2025

  Brantley Lake State Park Campground

  a pleasant camping experience

  Brantley Lake State Park Campground offered a pleasant camping experience. The spacious sites, complete with picnic tables and shade shelters, provided a comfortable base for our explorations. We appreciated the clean and well-maintained facilities, especially the hot showers after a long day of hiking. Our dog enjoyed the pet-friendly environment, and the proximity to the lake was a huge plus, offering a refreshing escape from the New Mexico heat. The sunsets were indeed breathtaking, and we made sure to catch them every evening. While the wind did pick up at times, it wasn't a major deterrent. The campground's location made it easy to access Carlsbad Caverns and other nearby attractions, making it a convenient choice for exploring southeastern New Mexico.

• 

  Brian and Janet S.

  Guide

  

  May. 26, 2024

  Brantley 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.

• 

  Jeff N.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 9, 2021

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Beautiful park, however...

  Great scenery here, and luckily New Mexico now allows camping again at its state parks, but... there are about a trillion sandburs on the grass here. We have 4 dogs and have spent an inordinate amount of time saving their paws from the burs. Love the looks, wouldn’t bring pets.

• 

  HandL C.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 8, 2023

  Red Barn RV Park

  Delightful in Roswell

  What a nice, cozy spot in Roswell! It has all you need for a home base from which to explore southern New Mexico: nice showers, laundry, restrooms, common areas with books and dvd's, even bottle of pop for $2 each. Lovely sunsets, level sites, friendly hosts. Couldn't be better!

• R

  Roger R.

  Scout

  

  May. 26, 2022

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Problems with year pass

  I bought a year pass during covid for New Mexico State park in 2019. I only used it 2 times and parks shut down. Now due to fires many parks have had to close. I do not recommend buying a year pass . I received no notification of any compensation for not being able to use the parks.

• 

  John M.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 17, 2022

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  Perfect location for Caverns

  A very nice campground with brand new bath houses. Nice laundry facilities. Gift store with ice cream, yes. Very convenient to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and to Carlsbad, New Mexico. Nice indoorheated pool and a family-friendly environment. Treats for your dog and several dog parks fort off leash fun. We managed to get one of these shaded sites for our pop-up trailer.

• G

  Gil W.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 17, 2024

  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.

• J

  John M.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 17, 2021

  Lake van

  Laid back city campground

  Stayed for 2 nights in mid November 2021. Area has full hookups or tent/dispersed camping. Located in Dexter, NM.

• 

  Steve W.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 27, 2020

  Carlsbad KOA

  Nice place.

  Plenty of room drive thru’s room for rvs tents has nice laundry mat and a pool during summer months. They have awesome food and you can call it in and they deliver to your campsite.

• C

  Chris E.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 6, 2024

  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.

• J

  John H.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 16, 2021

  Trailer Village RV Park

  No tents allowed

  Many RV parks on this app show that tents are allowed but when you arrive they treat you like vagabond scum because you don’t have a $100,000 RV. This is one of them. Screw them.

• 

  Abby M.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 7, 2021

  Hackberry Lake OHV Area

  Great remote find!

  Arrived on a Sunday and there were two other campers. There’s a total of 5 sites with covered picnic tables and grills. There’s a large center area where you could park if sites were full or you have extra trailers from bringing your OHV toys. Extremely quiet at night and lots of coyotes in the distance. There’s a clean vault toilet and trash cans at every site. No water or hookups so come prepared. Town is about 25 minutes away. Easy pull in off the main road. If you are a tent camper, I’d think twice before staying here. The winds at night (1-4am) were intensely shaking my van and I could smell the dirt being blown in throw my vents so in a tent, I couldn’t imagine. Felt very safe and would recommend to others! Had 2 bars of AT&T.

• 

  kelly B.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 22, 2022

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  Great bathrooms

  This place is clean and well appointed. Currently far from full. Our group is 2 small trailers and a tent. We are puzzled at why we are given a spot in a mostly empty gravel lot when there are clearly openings in the more pleasant grassy areas. But they did give us extra space to park.

• 

  Jody J.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 20, 2021

  Bottomless Lakes State Park Campground

  Campground with gorgeous lake!

  We stayed here 3 nights.  Our campsite #28 was very level. Views of the Caverns. There was a picnic table with roof.  No trees for shade so it was pretty hot!    However, the beautiful lake was within walking distance. We enjoyed our time kayaking.  Short drive into the town of Roswell. Campground had a good mix of tents and RVs. Would stay again!

• A

  Allison N.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 5, 2020

  Carlsbad KOA

  Great Amenities/ 1Hour From Carlsbad Caverns And 2 1/2 Hours From White Sands

  There’s a store in the office with RV supplies, snacks, drinks, toiletries, and other necessities. A restaurant is located in the office that will deliver to the sites. Someone escorted us to our spot when we arrived. They were mostly pull through slots with full hookup. It was a huge space with a lot of amenities: a community room, dog park, playground, etc. There are also cabins for rent and tent spaces. We paid about $53 per night.