Best RV Parks & Resorts near Carlsbad, NM

Recent RV Reviews near Carlsbad, NM

292 Reviews of 25 Carlsbad Campgrounds

• R

  Robert B.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 21, 2022

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  Carlsbad RV Campground

  Large RV campground. Some long term spots available. Full hook-ups. Level spots on gravel. Pool, laundry and camp store. Hosts were fantastic.

• 

  Michael C.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 4, 2020

  Carlsbad KOA

  Very good services

  Excellent 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!

• 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.

• 

  Karen B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 21, 2022

  Carlsbad KOA

  Great Communication!

  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. 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.

• 

  Cactus A.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 23, 2021

  Buds Place RV Park

  Pass thru. But visit Carlsbad caverns

  Not the best rv spot or town . Kind of a one nighter place while you visit the Carlsbad caverns. Sprayed the grass with some lethal green chemical. 🤢

• 

  Jayne W.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 13, 2018

  Carlsbad KOA

  Very nice campground

  Nice campground in the desert, pool, hour or so to Carlsbad caverns, full hook ups, shade shelters

• r

  ritalyon55@gmail.com

  Guide

  

  Jan. 6, 2022

  Artesia RV Park

  Hookups do work, but...

  This place is mostly long-term folks that allows overnight guests, and  was the right location for our travel and the only place in town.  With no bathrooms (our van was winterized and we were depending on campgrounds for water) and no wifi, and with units parked close together, it wasn't great.  The office was very dirty, but the staff was friendly.  Hookups worked.

• 

  Matt M.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 19, 2019

  Whites City RV Park

  Doesn’t get closer to Carlsbad Caverns

  Simple, no thrills campground. Full hook up and WiFi. Located directly at the entrance to the Carlsbad Canyon National Park. Small restaurant across the street and a general store, gift shop and post office right next door.

• C

  Celina M.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 12, 2018

  Carlsbad KOA

  It’s a Western style KOA

  Carlsbad Caverns is amazing! Going during bat season is even more incredible, unbelievable almost. Make no mistake about the location, however. As so many KOAs are not in the town that bears their name, this KOA is no exception. It is not in the Carlsbad limits, it is 30 minutes north of Carlsbad and 1+ hour north of Carlsbad Caverns. ( not sure why another reviewer stated it was only 30 minutes away—maybe they were mistaking it for Carlsbad RV Park, which was formerly a KOA(?) no disrespect meant—people should know before they go, google maps will confirm).

  Personally, I’m not a huge fan of cram them in RV parks, but there are few options for camping around Carlsbad and they are all RV parks except for the first come first serve campground at Guadalupe National Park which stands a really good chance of being full before I could ever roll in. This KOA has all the amenities including a pool, clean showers, store, laundry, and hot meals—if you can order hours in advance. The RV sites are spacious for being an RV Park, but by no means “spacious”. They had excellent and easy pull through options and many cabins. The cabins were pricey, but cross between the camping/hotel ease of lodging; of course, visitors bring their own sleeping bags and linens.

  We found the staff was neither overly friendly nor rude. It did seem to take a very long time to process anything, however, because anytime we went into the store/check-in, we had to wait, awhile (20+ minutes). While this held true for the weekend we were there, maybe it isn’t typical? Overall, it’s a place to hang one’s hat and enjoy a campfire under the night sky. It’s also a good middle ground between Carlsbad and the Roswell area attractions if that is the goal. If the only plans are to see the national parks (Carlsbad and Guadalupe), I’d recommend considering Carlsbad RV Park—which is right on the southern edge of Carlsbad. While in town, consider checking out Fiesta Drive In Theater. It’s one of the few remaining drive-in movie theaters.

• S

  Sue B.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 25, 2021

  Artesia RV Park

  Ok

  This is a place to park on your way through. No extra amenities for your 40+ dollars, not even a picnic table. Bathrooms and showers are closed for remodeling but no reduction in price. Full hook up. Office manager friendly and efficient. Some trees. Level lot.

• 

  Melissa W.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 25, 2020

  Pine Springs Campground

  Not bad for a developed NP campground

  Like all NP campgrounds, no fires are allowed which is disappointing. There are pit toilets which are incredibly clean however, the walk up to the flushing RV toilets isn't too far. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of privacy at the sites because they seem pretty tightly packed at first. Each site has a nice tent pad and picnic table. The parking isn't very adequate and at most of the sites you will need to carry your gear from your car a little way to the campsites. Sites are first come first serve. We got there in the late morning during busy season and had several sites to pick from but the camp ground did fill every day. The views are decent from the campground. Location is ideal. It's pretty central in GMNP and only 30 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns NP(where they only have back country sites). Overall, not a bad campground and probably the best option around while visiting GMNP and CCNP if you're a tent camper(their RV parking lot looked terrible).

• M

  Mike

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 6, 2021

  Carlsbad KOA

  Better than expected

  This was the 1st time I've ever stayed at a KOA. First time using hookups.

  I was anticipating being sandwiched between monster RVs and listening to generators all night.

  But, it wasn't that bad. We lucked out with a spot at the end of a row, which helped a bunch. Yes, there were monster RVs everywhere, but we actually had a decent amount of space. The bathrooms and showers were clean and very welcome after 6 days on the road.

  The BBQ food that they serve was pretty decent as well.

  Not my style of camping, but when you need to wash up, its not a bad option. Location near Carlsbad Caverns was excellent as well. There are closer RV parks, but none that I wanted to stay at.

  Also note: It was a very windy campsite. Don't count on having a fire.

• J

  Jacob V.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 11, 2019

  Whites City RV Park

  Good stay close to Carlsbad Caverns NP

  Overall 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.

• k

  kalina

  Scout

  

  May. 1, 2022

  Horseshoe Creek RV Park

  Affordable & Friendly RV Park

  Only $185/week w/ full hook ups! Nice big camp spots, Laundry, Ice Machine, Basketball Court, Horseshoe pit. Our site backed up to countryside. 20 min drive to Caverns, 4 min drive to Walmart Super-center, 1.5 hrs to Roswell—Super friendly owners! Will definitely stay again.

• 

  christy S.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 13, 2022

  Whites City RV Park

  Great location !

  Great location for the caverns! Nothing fancy, gravel parking lot with full hook ups. No shade, bathroom facilities not super clean but we used our camper for those things. Excellent location for multiple trips into the cavern because it was right outside the entrance. Perfect for 1 night quick stay.

• R

  Rob N.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 2, 2021

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  Older park but worked just fine

  Ok so this is an older rv park. It’s a little rough around the edges but they are remodeling the bathrooms, and the laundry room is great. The employees are as nice as can be!

  This worked out great for a visit to Carlsbad Caverns which were phenomenal .

• 

  Johnathan C.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 8, 2021

  Pine Springs Campground — Guadalupe Mountains National Park

  Not bad for RVs, tent sites looked nice

  Late December

  Stayed 1 night in camper van. Tent sites were full so stayed in RV parking lot. Sites were painted lines on the concrete but big enough to have some space to yourself if you park correctly. Had a couple more secluded sites tucked in the corner. Free water pump, no electric. Bathrooms and dish station conveniently located. Trailheads in parking lot. Great location and $15. Would stay again

• N

  Noah E.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 27, 2023

  Sunset Reef Campground

  Crowded Spot Near the National Parks

  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. 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!

• B

  Barry L.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 4, 2022

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  Try to avoid this one.

  Stacked in like sardines didn't bother me as I only stayed one night. The $3.50 to wash and 3.50 to dry does bother me. No frills RV park.

• M

  Mary

  Guide

  

  Apr. 27, 2022

  Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

  RV park not far from Carlsbad Caverns

  Well run RV park. Everything is maintained well. There is a little traffic noise, but not bothersome. They have laundry, clean bathrooms, books and videos to borrow. When we asked for restaurant recommendations, they had a whole list ready!

• 

  Mary C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 21, 2021

  Pine Springs Campground — Guadalupe Mountains National Park

  Pine Springs June 2021

  The tent sites are clustered together near the vault toilet (smelly) and they are all walk in sites. Only tents are allowed in this area. The RV parking lot is by flush toilets and sink area. No tents are allowed. The flies were terrible! It is really hot right now and shade is limited.

• C

  Colin Y.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 28, 2021

  Whites City RV Park

  Ummmmm.....yeah

  Whites City RV park is to put it politely.... a cartel practically runs this place. Fill to the brim with every oil field guy this side of Iraq. Always remember to get your tetanus shot before and after you stay here. I’ve been all over the world and this place... well this place is almost as bad as pecos TX.

• 

  Mike B.

  Guide

  

  May. 26, 2024

  Brantley 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.

• 

  Amber J.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 4, 2018

  Carlsbad KOA

  Crowded, charming, typical KOA

  Crowded, charming, typical KOA. Located about 30 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Quaint store, great play room (super nice staff- left the playroom open for us an additional hour due to downpour!) Accommodated our family as our reservation was deleted and we had nowhere else to go! :) Great clean restrooms and showers.

• 

  Chris H.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 23, 2021

  Carlsbad KOA

  Very clean and great staff

  This 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.

• 

  Tom P.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 19, 2024

  Whites 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.

• N

  Noah E.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 27, 2023

  Dark Canyon Dispersed

  Quiet BLM spot away from the highway

  Only 30 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns NP and about 20 minutes from Carlsbad NM! This is a great spot off the highway with basically no noise from cars.

  The area is a level gravel lot with some brush and scubs scattered about. Seems like a place that isn't well known. I'd recommend high clearance to get up to the main area. There are other sites as you follow the road up the hill, but the road gets more rocky the further you go up. One fire ring in the main area and some fire rings in other sites. If you want a site that you can't see the highway from, this is the spot.

  Dispersed area, pack in pack out. Verizon service was good!