Looking for the best campgrounds near Carlsbad, NM? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Carlsbad, reviewed by campers like you.
"It is gated, has friendly staff, two cabins, tent spaces, a store, super clean and nice bathrooms/showers, laundry facility and pool."
"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."
"They also deliver food to your site, and they smoke their own BBQ on site!"
"This KOA will start texting you in advance of your arrival, which I found a bit tedious, but it came in handy during our stay.
Check in was simple and informative. The pool is open and was clean."
"Only 20 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns NP and about 30 minutes from Carlsbad NM! Slaughter canyon trail is 20 minutes down the same road the campsite is on. This is a great spot off the highway."
"The campground currently does not have any signage but if you turn down the road for the cottonwood day use area and make a right on the dirt road, you will find it."
$20 - $45 / night
"Overall not too bad of a campground. 15 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns National Park and less than 40 minutes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park."
"Nothing special other than is 7 miles from Carlsbad Caverns. Clean facilities, including Grocery Store, laundromat, post office. It’s a dry area so remember to bring your alcohol."
$25 - $45 / night
"Nice bathroom, friendly staff. A few trees, but mostly desert. Need an exception to have a dog over 25 lbs. They also want to know what kind. People are bad at not picking up after their dog."
$25 / night
"We moved from our free dispersed campsite to fill up, charge up, shower and do laundry. Very friendly staff and clean facilities."
"As you make your way to Pine Top, keep an eye out for wildlife and take in the natural beauty surrounding you."
ScoutThis 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.
LegendOnly 20 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns NP and about 30 minutes from Carlsbad NM! Slaughter canyon trail is 20 minutes down the same road the campsite is on. This is a great spot off the highway. You can hear some noise throughout the night. Also, it can be noisy if neighbors are loud.
The area is a fenced-in level gravel lot with pit toilets, trash, picnic table sites, and tent sites. Each site has a grill and campfire area with a covered picnic table. Sites fill up quickly, but there are plenty of spots to park next to the fence. Easy to get here with any kind of camper (RV, trailer, ect). Views are great, and the area is maintained well.
The campground allows five consecutive nights of camping. Verizon service was good!
LegendThis KOA was a great property in thy it was very clean and had a lot to offer for families with kids, and even adult only patrons. They had a really big “Rec Room” for kids and adults to play ping pong, or a video game. They also deliver food to your site, and they smoke their own BBQ on site! It’s less than an hour from Carlsbad Caverns, and only 15 minutes from Carlsbad proper, in case you need some supplies or want to go find a place to eat in town. The only downside to this place was the sulfur/propane smell from the gas/oil wells in the area, and the fact that there wasn’t much to block the wind.
GuideThe campground currently does not have any signage but if you turn down the road for the cottonwood day use area and make a right on the dirt road, you will find it. Each tent site has a covered table on a cement slab, charcoal grill, and fire ring. There are also pull through spaces for RVs. There is a bathroom that was clean except for all of the flies from the toilet seat and door being left open. A great space in the middle of the desert!
LegendLet'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.
TravelerNice Quiet Clean campground. Beautiful views of the Guadalupe Range. Can see the Carlsbad Caverns Visitor center from the site. Free campground! Trash ca s and clean well stocked pit toilet also has tent camping. Fire pit, grill, and covered picnic table. Beautiful sunrise.
GuideOverall not too bad of a campground. 15 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns National Park and less than 40 minutes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park. A little pricy in my opinion ($90 for 2 nights) but they have no competitors so they can charge whatever they want I guess. Full hookups and a store right next door within walking distance.
GuideThis KOA will start texting you in advance of your arrival, which I found a bit tedious, but it came in handy during our stay.
Check in was simple and informative. The pool is open and was clean. It definitely came in handy during this heat!
The campground is based about an hour away from Carlsbad Caverns, which worked for us so we could drop our rig and make the drive the next morning. Only about 20 minutes from the town of Carlsbad.
On our second night, there was a wicked storm and we started heading loud booms. The park was thoughtful enough to text everyone after hours to reassure us that the pecan fields up the road use air cannons to prevent hail. Not sure about the effectiveness but was so glad to know what was happening.
We would certainly return if we ever need full hook ups in the area.
LegendExcellent full service RV park. The hook ups are in excellent repair. This particular KOA offers hot food delivered to the sites in Lou of eating inside the facility. Despite the name, it is quite a hike from Carlsbad Caverns if that is your destination. It is very close to Beantly Lake and a very quiet setting. The pads are gravel but level. Excellent staff. Would stay again!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Carlsbad, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Carlsbad, NM is Carlsbad RV Park & Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 35 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Carlsbad, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 glamping camping locations near Carlsbad, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
