Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Capulin, NM is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Capulin is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Capulin and user-submitted reviews.
Wildlife watchers and seasonal recreationists are invited to use the primitive camping area (located adjacent to Lake 13) year-round for up to 5 days. The camping area continues to be available during the annual fishing season from March 1 to October 31. Vault toilets can be found at the entrance road to the lake. Be sure to come fully prepared as no facilities are provided. Parking or staging unattended vehicles is prohibited.
The nature enthusiast will appreciate the abundance of wildlife, birds, butterflies, and wildflowers among the lakes, creeks, forests, and meadows. Nearly all outdoor recreation activities are possible: Fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, and camping.
$10 - $30 / night
This recreation area is part of Trinidad Lake
$30 / night
Wildlife watchers and seasonal recreationists are invited to use the primitive camping area (located adjacent to Lake 13) year-round for up to 5 days. The camping area continues to be available during the annual fishing season from March 1 to October 31. Vault toilets can be found at the entrance road to the lake. Be sure to come fully prepared as no facilities are provided. Parking or staging unattended vehicles is prohibited.
The nature enthusiast will appreciate the abundance of wildlife, birds, butterflies, and wildflowers among the lakes, creeks, forests, and meadows. Nearly all outdoor recreation activities are possible: Fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, and camping.
$10 - $30 / night
Scout
By far the best RV park in town. Clean drinkable water. Clean shower and bathroom available to these who choose to not use their own. Lots of shade. Wildlife walk through the park often. Police patrol the area often. Owner lives on site and is very helpful when needed.
Ranger
Stayed: May 22, 2024 Cost: $18 Site: Lake Alice Loop - 01 Cell Service: None (AT&T and T-Mobile) Equipment: Tent
We stayed in the Lake Alice loop in Site 1. We tented, but it looks like they have it split between tents and RVs, and this was technically an RV site. It had water and electric, so that’s why we chose this site. Sites were nice and clean, with a fire ring and table. Close to neighbors.
Vault toilet in the loop and running water and showers located 1/2 mile from the Lake Alice loop. Showers were very nice for a campground. They were actual showers, not just concrete or dirty tile, and had plenty of room and hooks for clothing. Two showers per side for Men’s and Women’s.
No cell service for either of our carriers, and I don’t think for any, until about a mile beyond the shower house, prior to the entrance of the park.
Guide
Traveling from Denver to Southern New Mexico, this is a nice stopping point. Very easy to get to off I-25.
Pit toilets are very clean. Unfortunately the camper next to me had his generator running the whole time until 10 pm. Even when they left their camper for the day. Very annoying. Other than that it was a quiet campground. The campground is less than half full (Tuesday night).
Note: The park office closed at 4. The sites are reservation only and there is no cell service. The sign at the gate states that you need to drive down the road to get cell service and make a reservation. Also the gate closes at dusk, so make sure you get there before then on your first night. After that you can get the combination to get in after dusk.
The campground staff were very friendly and helpful.
Traveler
Great location about half way between Albuquerque and Colorado Springs. I snuck in late one night and napped 2 hours near the pit toilets and left before daylight, so as not to disturb the campers with my brief stay. Pit toilets a plus of course. Can be frosty.
Guide
This place sits upon a mountain and overlooks such a beautiful view! The staff are wonderful and make you feel welcome. The only thing that would’ve made the stay better, is if the spots were further apart. It was very busy so everyone was parked right up against one another. It’s a small place so it makes sense why it had to be that way, but still a great spot to spend a night or two!
Guide
Clean bathrooms, coin operated showers, spots a little closer than I'd like but not close to full when we visited. Good easy hike/strolls in the area with views of the lake.
LegendCamped in a small RV in site 13 which had a fairly level gravel pad. There was a tent site, but it looked to have been washed away. This site had great views of the mountain and lake. Enjoyed the short hike on Levsa - a one mile loop with up high views of Lake Trinidad. The Carpios trail was steep and rocky. Didn't have time for the 3 other trails. Showers and Laundry nice. Saw some deer and a wild hare. Somewhat nearby is Capulin Volcano National Monument. Highly recommended.
Guide
We called the day we were going through and the owner had a nice shady spot for us. Very friendly and hospitable. Would stay there again for sure.
GuideSmall campground near CO border. Perks would be lake at top of mountain, 5-7 min drive from CG and showers, at entrance to park. Downfall is you need to drive to everything unless you want to walk along trails on the other side of road. Trails in park were nice - t-mobile service did not work at all, zero bars. Bear boxes provided, deer walked through campground often. I did see bear tracks while hiking but host said they’ve never been a human issue.
GuideNice state park tucked into a valley. We were in the last part of Soda Pocket loop. Great views of area but it does catch the wind! Vault toilets were super clean and not smelly. Very dark at night so great for star viewing.
ScoutJust northwest of the town of Springer, the lake is also stocked regularly with rainbows, and bullheads are also taken.
Play elastic man game while enjoy its beauty.
Ranger
Capulin RV Park is a pretty nice private RV park across the highway from the Capulin Volcano National Monument entrance road. We stayed one night. Some of the sites are shady. The park streets and sites are crushed limestone. The park was clean and quiet. The sites are very close together; fortunately, it was not full and we had room. Restrooms and showers were clean (did not use shower). Amenities include: common fire ring with seating and view of volcano, swing with view of volcano.
Stayed in pull-thru campsite #25 which had evening shade and level. It was a crushed limestone site. There was barely enough parking for my 34 ft TT. Neighbors are VERY close. Utilities: 20/30/50A electric in middle of site. Water in middle of site, good pressure. Sewer in middle of site with 4-in screw-on fitting.
AT&T had two bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 36.6 Mbps down, 7.5 Mbps up. Free WiFi is available, but did not use it.
The town of Capulin, NM is very small. The closest restaurant is The Sierra Grande Restaurant in Des Moines, NM, which is open year round for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Other restaurants and fast food are available in Raton and Clayton.
Would stay here again.
GuideFirst off - we tent camped in this RV heavy campground. sites were a little too close for comfort. Coin-operated showers were nice but got dirty and gross quickly. Not far from town, and lake has lots of fun opportunities.
GuideThis State Park is beautiful, with hiking/fishing/historic walks galore. We arrived late on Friday, June 23 after a 10 hour drive from Arkansas. We were in Site #23 in the Soda Pocket Campground. Every site had a covered picnic table and was relatively level.
Sites 20-23 have spectacular views of the canyon, but you trade that for some serious wind and neighbors as there is no natural shade. Sites 1, 3, 14 and 16 have shade and a little more distance. Bathrooms were in great shape, and there is a free shower near the park entrance which had good water pressure and was very clean.
The visitor center is small but with a lot of good exhibits, and adjacent to the hiking trails of the abandoned coal camp and mine. The coal camp trails have lots of informative stands explaining what everything was, how the people lived, etc. The two lakes (Lake Alice is more like a pond) have nice walking paths. There is another lake just across the Colorado border and you can drive to the parking area just a mile or so away.
There are numerous nature hikes, and I did the short (.5) miles Vista Grande Nature Trail which has a beautiful bench for a sunrise view. Uphill some but not too strenuous and with lots of information.
A really beautiful hike is the Little Horse Mesa Trail which takes you to the top of the mesa you can see to the north of Soda Pocket Campground. It meanders a bit but at some point the trail builder said "I've given you all the switchbacks I can, you'll just have to go straight up" and the last 50 yards are pretty much straight uphill. When you get to the top though it's like another world. It's a pasture like setting with trees, and beautiful views from a trail that follows the cliffs. You'll have to make your own way over to the Lake Maloya overlook but it's well worth it. Highly recommend this.
The camp hosts and visitor center people were great, and the ranger came by one night and showed a group of kids a mountain lion pelt and a bear pelt. There was a report of bears on the road up to Soda Pocket Campground but we did not see any. The road was a typical dirt road, and not in bad shape at all.
I'm not a fisherman, but could easily spend two full days here hiking alone, much less fishing or kayaking Lake Maloya.
Guide
Everything was very green in the 10 mile trek into the park. Our spot was in the Cove campground - noon-a and no water. We have enough solar power to sustain. The lake was gorgeous and the dinosaur footprints and tracks were really interesting! The spots are not right on top of each other - so very nice. They have potable water at the visitors center. There were candies with water and electric - we were too late to book.
GuideThis is a good spot for a quick, free overnight
LegendMade advanced reservation for site 17 in Soda Pocket Campground. Driving up the unpaved road to this campground was no problem. Site 17 was in a corner by itself, distant from other sites. It's a pull-thru site. Level enough for our campervan. Nice patch of nature behind the site. Site has a shelter over the picnic table. Site also has a bear box & fire ring. Trash & recycling receptacles at campground. Two vault toilets; very clean with toilet paper. No potable water. Restroom/shower house across from state park visitor center is very good. Fantastic camp hosts at Soda Pocket. Park law enforcement ticketed a rowdy group of campers. Nice hiking trails in state park. Fishing opportunities in park.
ScoutThe gate is locked between 7PM and 7 AM. If you like to hike at sunset or dawn, you’re out of luck.
TravelerNice views, level, has a pit toilet, trash and recycling. It was a nice spot to spend a night heading home. There are several picnic tables too. We pulled in around 5pm on a Friday and there were 3 other vans in the camping area with plenty of room.
Traveler2022 headed home from CO to Dallas and didn't want to stay in Amarillo again so we threw the dice and were able to snag an AMAZING spot (no hookups) for one night. Tha-t was all we needed to make this our go-to place to stop at beginning and end of each trip. Lots of options for camping (we pull a TAB 400) - camp host was so cool and friendly. Absolutely beautiful views and clean facilities (we only used the toilets) We were surprised and pleased with Sugarite!
Scout
Best place to camp in these parts.
GuideThis is a beautiful peaceful place. I heard no road noise during my stay. All camping sites are nicely maintained. There are a few hiking trails that lead from the campground but stay away from 0.5 mile ridge trail that is very washed out and treacherous.
TravelerThe couple running the park are very nice. Bathrooms are clean. The water is off for the winter season but they do have water to fill your tanks if you wish. It was $50 for our site for the night.
GuideNothing fancy but great views of the lake and always some amazing waterfowl. Just drive in and pick one of 4 spots. We’re always the only ones there.
Ranger
We stopped for a night on our way from Great Sand Dunes National Park to Palo Duro Canyon, needing to dump our tanks and do some laundry after boondocking for a number of days. Raton KOA was just what we needed. The staff members were friendly, bathrooms were clean, and the laundry facilities did the job. The close proximity to grocery stores was an added bonus!
LegendWell kept and quiet place to stay.
Most sites have a gravel tent pad to use, if you do not have an rv or trailer.
Several water spigots throughout the park as some sites are FHU, mainly near the front of the park.
Several trails to hike and wonderful views to see as well.
Heads up, the main restrooms/showers and laundry close from Nov to Mar. There are smaller ones on the Eastside of the building that are accessible.
ScoutOnly the sounds of nature, other than the flies around 3pm it was perfect. In winter or loads of rain the dirt road could become very difficult to pass.
Camping near Capulin, New Mexico, offers a mix of stunning views, unique wildlife, and a variety of campgrounds to suit different needs. Whether you're looking for a quick overnight stop or a longer stay, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Capulin, New Mexico, offers a unique experience with plenty of opportunities for adventure and relaxation. Whether you're in an RV or tent, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Capulin, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Capulin, NM is Lake Alice - Sugarite Canyon State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 17 reviews.
What parks are near Capulin, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 8 parks near Capulin, NM that allow camping, notably Carson National Forest and Great Sand Dunes National Park And Preserve.
