If you want to explore the beauty of Chama, glamping is an excellent option. Glamping near Chama is a great way to travel off the beaten path. Find the right glamping site for you with our user-submitted photos, reviews, and tips. You're sure to find glamping for your New Mexico camping excursion.
Heron Lake also has amazing sailing, cross- country skiing, and hiking. The park is a fisherperson’s paradise with record-size trout and kokanee salmon. Ice fishing is very popular in winter. Several campgrounds line the shore of this scenic lake with primitive and developed campsites are available for every taste.
Pagosa Riverside Campground has RV pull-thrus, all 50 amp, river, lakeside, wooded & tent sites & 3 Cabins. Enjoy our hot showers, clean restrooms and laundromat open 24 hours. Our store is well stocked with groceries, snacks, gifts, fishing supplies and a large selection of RV parts. Firewood and ice available for sale. Cable TV for RV sites and Wi-fi throughout the campground.
Pagosa Riverside is a Rocky Mountain Campground along the San Juan River.
This people friendly campground is located at 7200′ elevation on the banks of the San Juan River with mountain views and 1200′ of private access to excellent trout fishing. Quiet, convenient off-highway location with cool evenings. The private pond has campsite’s snuggling its bank and free fishing for kids of all ages. Be sure to try the paddle boats for a fun time on the pond.
Free WI-FI throughout the park.
Large RV sites, grassy shaded tent sites in the trees and beside the small pond. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings and there are BBQ grills throughout the park. Park amenities include: Wifi, Laundry, Playground, Game Room, Paddle boats, Above Ground Pool.
The Camp-Store has groceries, marshmallows, snacks, ice cream, fishing supplies, firewood, ice, and the largest selection of RV supplies in the area.
Near hot springs, horse rides, Indian ruins (Chimney Rock), rafting, and championship quality 27-hole golf course. ATV, Mountain Bike, and Hiking Trails are only a short distance from the park.
Primitive Camper Cabins.
Ponderosa Campground is located at the northwest end of the Soap Creek Arm of Blue Mesa Reservoir. 28 tent and medium sized RV sites can be accommodated at Ponderosa. All sites are first-come first-served.
Note: During dry conditions, the first 7 miles of Soap Creek Road are passable to trailers and RVs. Rain can make the Soap Creek Road hazardous or impassable.
$29 / night
Riana Campground is located on a 150 ft. bluff overlooking the scenic Abiquiu Lake in northern New Mexico, just one hour northwest of charming Santa Fe. The lake sits at an elevation of 6,400 feet on the Rio Chama, a tributary of the legendary Rio Grande.
Abiquiu Lake offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation. The fishing here is some of the finest in northern New Mexico. Visitors enjoy boating, water skiing, and hiking. Lake shore access for boat launching is 1 mile from the campground.
Fragrant Pinion pine, juniper, and sage cover the campsite, providing a distinct smell of northern New Mexico, but offering limited shade. Colorful rock formations surround the park. Visitors are awarded a panoramic view of the narrow mesa, Cerro Pedernal, locally known as "Pedernal." Famous American painter, Georgia O'Keefe, had her ashes scattered over its top.
For facility specific information, please call (505) 685-4561.
Northern New Mexico is full of beauty and history. The educational and historical Ghost Ranch is about 10 minutes from the park. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, San Pedro Wilderness, Cumbres Toltec Railroad, Chaco Canyon, and Bandelier National Monument are all nearby. The ski-town of Taos is just over an hour away, and colorful Santa Fe is an hour southeast, both with restaurants, shops, and museums.
$10 - $80 / night
$20 - $65 / night
Come and experience majestic mountain views! Fish our clean ponds chock full of trout. Ride horses, hike through the beautiful San Juan Mountains, or just relax on a porch swing, enjoying the hum of hummingbirds. Bruce Spruce Ranch offers an RV campground, tent camping, and rustic cabins outside of Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Think of this as your sanctuary, a little spot of peaceful life that you can return to year after year.
Isn’t it time you “got away from it all?”
$34 - $190 / night
Ranger
The website listed for this campground is correct Ponderosa campground Antonito, CO.
Phone 719.376.5857
This is a very relaxing place to stay and it seems like most of the people there have been there many times before. The drive in is easy on Route 17 and does not require a vehicle with high ground clearance. They do allow campfires, they have clean bathrooms and a shower house. I stayed in a backpacking tent after driving all day arriving on a Friday at about 4:00 PM. The campground is set-up for small campers and has some cabins for rent too. The bathrooms with showers are clean and comfortable. The sites have fire rings with grates and picnic tables. The owner manager is great, providing quality fishing advice, conversation and even a free cup of coffee in the morning. Hiking on the CDT is near the campground and fishing is right in the campground. The steam train is right up the pass and I happened to be there the night before opening day catching a photo when I drove over the pass to Chama New Mexico. The Cumbres and Toltec Train traveling between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. This is a very nice drive and Chama is a cool place to visit, it is a trail town on the CDT.
I will visit this campground again for sure.
Ranger
This is an artist paradise. So many beautiful land formations and gorgeous sunsets. The campground includes a bath house with laundry room and electric hookups if needed. $30 to tent camp (no electric). Lodging, yurts and cabins, are also available.
Guide
The campgrounds is nicely laid out and decent. There isn't much for shade or privacy. The camp hosts are very friendly and helpful. There are nice trails that you can hike or mountain bike. Some are near cliff edges and not for the beginners. The lake is nice for New Mexico and sees a lot of use. Didn't get a chance to fish or get to the waters edge this trip. The area is near where Georgia O'Keefe lived and did some of her work.
Ranger
We really enjoyed our two days at the park this fall. The sites a quite large and well spaced. It felt more like being out in the woods by yourself as we couldn't see another camp site from our trailer.
If you are coming for the lake you maybe disappointed. With the drought, the lake level is very low and the shore line off in the distance. We came for the peace and quiet and that we found in abundance. The park was clean and well maintained. Cell service was 2 bars but speed was acceptable.
Any sized rig will fit and we stayed in the Blanco loop with power and water. We will stay again is we find ourselves in north central New Mexico.
Guide
I would have given this property 5 stars but they’ve become unfriendly to families. Children under 13 are not allowed in the hot springs.
The camping area is more of a campground than an RV park, in a positive way. Many of the sites are shaded with mature trees. A river runs by the edge of the campground (It can’t be seen from most sites).
Hike or mountain bike right from your campsite. No open flames are permitted but there’s a community campfire by the main lodge.
There’s an amazing restaurant on the property. Yoga is available in the yurt.
LegendThe site is like a number of other campgrounds we have seen that were created alongside county or state reservoirs. The campground is in a good location in Northwest New Mexico. We ended up staying an extra night here due to the amazing sunsets as well as the peace and quite. They have self checkin and well maintained pit toilets. The camp was about half full on the weekend in August. Each site had some shade and privacy depending on location. The exterior sites on our loop had a great western view to see the sunsets. The water level of the reservoir was very low and some campers were trying their luck at fishing. The have a couple of stores a few miles outside the camp with limited supplies. The roads are well maintained gravel and the sites all a bit uneven if you have a trailer or van. We took the dirt road southwest to exit the park. This was a mistake the road is very rough and requires a high clearance vehicle and 4x4 after rain. We were pulled over by local reservation police who were looking for poachers. The seemed to be overzealous tribal police pulling people over for no reason on a public road. It made for an interesting morning. I would give this a try if you need a short stay site on you way somewhere
RangerWe have come to enjoy COE campgrounds as they are usually well laid out and kept in very good condition, The first loop is all that but the other two loops are not large rig friendly. The Pedemal Loop is big rig friendly with the site mostly level and paved with electric and water. Chama loop is for smaller trailers and many of the sites are not very level although we did get our short 5th wheel into one with some creative use of leveling blocks. The Puerco loop is really only for very small trailers and tents.
The location is fantastic. The views from the campground are wonderful and there is much to do in the area. The Ghost Ranch is just down the road with great hiking and of course the home and studio of Georgia O'Keefe is in Abiquiu. We intend to go back when we have more time. It also didn't hurt that Verizon had great service.
LegendGeneral: 54-site campground in four loops; the Pedernal Loop has water and electric hookups, the Chama and Puerco Loops do not and there is a walk-in tent site loop. There is also overflow camping.
Site Quality: Sites appeared to be mostly level (at least in the Pedernal loop); most were paved but a few were gravel. Most were back in, but some were pull-through. There are two ADA-accessible sites in the Pedernal Loop. Many have reservoir views. Site 14 has a generous-sized paved driveway. Completing the site is a lantern hook, BBQ, and covered picnic table. Too bad it was so darn windy that we could not enjoy these amenities. There was also a garbage can at the end of each site but no recycling that I saw. If you do not need hookups, sites 34 and 39 (in the Puerco loop) provide excellent water views.
Bath/Shower House: Basic with two shower stalls, two toilets, and one sink. Very clean. There are also very clean vault toilets located throughout the campground. Did not use the shower so cannot comment on how well it works.
Activities: The Abiquiu Lake Vista Trail is a 4-mile hike and bike stacked-looped trail (so you can add or duplicate interconnected loops). Boating access is one mile away. Fishing is also popular. There is also a volleyball net and a very nice modern playground. We were there at the end of April, so it was very quiet (which is the way we like it). Shout out to great camp hosts – we were greeted upon arrival and they made sure we didn’t have any questions or concerns. For $16, this is affordable but with the senior pass, $8 is a bonafide bargain!
GuideMy wife and I spent 3 days here in late May. Because we planned out trip a little late, we actually stayed the first night in Spot 16 (no hookups) and then the last 2 at Spot 14 (electric and water). Spot 16 was in the "Chama Loop" and I have to say, this loop is really not for our rig (a 30' Class A). We had a pull in spot, and fit okay, but the spots here are all on the smaller side and we mostly saw tents and some truck campers and a couple of Class Bs. We could NOT get level on our site without some serious efforts and more blocks than I really like. We never got level enough to feel comfortable putting out our slides. When we moved the next day to Spot 14 (in the Pedernal Loop, where the only electric/water sites are), it was much better. Leveling was easy as can be. The hookups were very conveniently located and we had no complaints here. Very spacious lot. Picnic tables under cover, a grill and a fire pit.
Spaces between spots are fairly generous. Not huge, but far better than most commercial sites. We felt very much "alone" here.
Some great things: the camp hosts Al and Cindy were INCREDIBLY helpful and friendly. Best hosts we've ever had! The playground is excellent (we don't have little kids, but we actually enjoyed the swings and such ourselves one evening!). The views of the lake are very good (you can't get down to the lake from here, but the extra height made for great views), and the walking trail from the visitor center to the boat launch goes right through the park, so you can join it easily if you wish. Dump station has two dump spots, which was nice. There are lots of picnic areas, and the tent sites looked very nice too.
Not the greatest: other than the aforementioned levelness issues, I was amused to see how steep the road down to the little "front gate" is. Not ideal for RVs! You come down off a Mesa to the much lower campground on a fairly steep grade, and 2/3 of the way down, you have to stop to check in. Just seemed weird. The dump station has NO hose hookup for the non-potable water (just a weird contraption that sprays water everywhere), so no easy way to flush the black tank, which I don't love.
Connectivity: no wi-fi. And the cell signal is spotty. We were able to use my iphone to create a Verizon hot spot, and actually, after a struggle, could watch some Netflix. But then surfing sometimes went from slow but okay to non-existent. My one word review would be: inconsistent. And now, we don't spent our time surfing the internet, but for doing research, checking email, etc., it was not ideal. Workable, but not the best.
We'd stay here again in a second. We've already talked about what we'll do next time we stay here.
GuideWe had to have a couple tires replaced on our RV and not only were they able to fix us up with new tires at their Chevron Station, but she was able to find a space in their RV Park for a couple of nights. It wasn’t a great space, but it was fine. There are some nice large trees, grass in some areas, but not for our space. Although our fellow RVers weren’t real close, we were close to the shower facilities and there were lots of small campers using those giving us very little privacy. We are traveling with a very timid dog making it more difficult for us. We did not use the restrooms so I cannot comment on those. About every space has a picnic table but no fire pits. Somewhere in this distance there was a dog that barked almost continuously during the day, but I don’t think it was in the RV Park. Their prices are very reasonable and I would stay here again.
GuideOur stay at Twin Rivers has been awesome. The manager is sweet and helpful. The spaces are Huge lots of room to roam. Full hookups 50/30amp. No wifi but very good Verizon and AT&T service. Not much in town to do but there is the Cumbres & Toltec train to ride. Lots of hunting and fishing in the area.
ScoutIt’s was a very pleasant experience staying here. Thank you
GuideThe campsite is well managed. The spaces are well thought out. Check the website and enjoy.. NO water anywhere
ScoutAlways a great experience when I go here! Love love love this place.
GuideHeron Lake has several campgrounds with most sites being first come first serve. Most sites have a lake view. There is a good walking distance to the water and very little shade. Lots of wildlife here! We saw deer, coyotes and bear droppings. Sites are kinda spaced out, have benches, fire rings and cost $10 a night per car. We came with intentions of paddle boarding but it was way too windy! It can get crowded on the weekends, but you'd have the place all to yourself during the week.
GuideEasy access. Great rates. Not far from town. Quiet. Gorgeous night view.
ScoutI enjoyed it. Wasn't too busy. It had a decent lake for kayaking and sailboating. Make sure you bring some shade
GuideWe had a great time camping at Heron Lake. The sites were large enough for multiple tents, had vault toilets nearby, and was easy to drive to trailheads and the lake. Only con was how low the lake was so we weren't able to just walk to the water
TravelerCamp spots are nice and roomy. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. There is no septic dump at your site, however they do have a dump station on the way out. Love the fact that they have quiet hours.
LegendThis campground fluctuates between nice and incredible right along with the water levels. We camped at Heron lake in 2008 when the water levels were higher and enjoyed the lakeside, and swimming in the lake so very much. As the water levels recede, it leaves behind deep, mucky clay. Walking through it, our feet would sink in at least a foot; it was hard to wash away. The clay/shale like material has left behind hundreds of fossils waited to found in the dried mud-like rock. Regardless of the water level, our family enjoys fossil hunting (remember, leave only footprints--which is easy to do in the muck).
The campground itself has showers in one or two of the loops, and a small playground. There is some great fishing nearby. The campground makes for a nice weekend getaway.
TravelerThis is a beautiful part of the state. Not to hot, as it is above 7000 feet elevation. Trails, lake, boating, and wildlife watching.
GuideStunning spot, lots of tent sites, room for maybe 12 campers of modest length, mine is 26' spot #9 is prime for a camper with a driver side slide/kitchen table. unknown if it's seasonal but the biting flies, primarily deer flies are beyond bearable, I survived 4 days, most other campers left after one night. The camp host is very friendly, and knows the best fishing holes.
GuideI actually deleted my other review because I thought I had the wrong campsite but I checked and it’s all good. The only amenity we had was a vault toilet with a nearby water pump, a fire pit, picnic table and bear boxes. The vault toilets were probably the nicest I’ve been too. They were clean and didn’t smell at all.
The view was beautiful and it’s a short hike down to wade in the cool water. I really enjoyed the quiet here. There were only a few other campers and it mostly felt like we had the place to ourselves.
TravelerThis campsite is only accessible via boat. There are two fire pits. The land is flat compared to other sites at the Reservoir. Most of the ground is covered with sand. The mosquitoes were not too terrible even though we were right by the water. There are no bathroom facilities just nature. It is a nice quiet cove with amazing views. The stars and the moon light up the sky. I highly recommend staying there if you have boat access. It is secluded and private.
TravelerNice, clean privately owned campground with lots of amenities. Hot showers, bath house, ice and few supplies sold in the office. Campsites right along the river. Very friendly staff. Campsites are a little too close for our liking but worked out well for our stay. Close to lots of fishing and hiking in the area. Beautiful place to watch the sunset and the stars at night. Nice and quiet at night.
GuideWe were here in June 2019, and it was completely overgrown and in the middle of a cow pasture. Didn't stay for long, but it was disappointing because it is over an hour from the main road.
Traveler
There might have been some grass and trees elsewhere but the large area we were in is all paved with a little dirt area for picnic table. The lake was nice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Chama, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Chama, NM is Heron Lake State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Chama, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 glamping camping locations near Chama, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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