209 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Chamisal, New Mexico span across the Carson National Forest, ranging from basic tent sites to RV-friendly locations with hookups, as well as cabins and glamping opportunities, with several options within 15-20 miles. Santa Barbara Campground offers both tent and RV camping in a mountain setting, while Taos Valley RV Park provides full hookups closer to town. The surrounding forest landscape creates a diverse range of camping environments across varying elevations.
Road conditions and seasonal availability significantly impact camping access throughout the area. Many campgrounds operate seasonally, with Santa Barbara Campground open May to October and Agua Piedra Campground available from May 25 to September 3. "Pecos national forest is by far one of the best places to camp in northern New Mexico. Great fishing, amazing hiking and views for days," noted one camper. Winter conditions close many mountain roads and campgrounds, while summer brings warmer temperatures ideal for higher elevation camping. Cell service is limited or non-existent in many areas, particularly in remote forest locations. Visitors should prepare for variable weather conditions, as mountain elevations can experience significant temperature drops at night even during summer months.
Campers consistently highlight the natural beauty and recreational opportunities available near Chamisal. Fishing access receives particular attention, with several campsites positioned along mountain streams and rivers. A recent review noted, "They have a nice trout stream for fishing and access to good hikes up out of the canyon." The proximity to hiking trails serves as another key attraction, with many campgrounds offering direct trail access. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound throughout the region. Public lands near Taos provide more primitive camping options for those seeking solitude, while campgrounds closer to towns offer more amenities but less privacy. Road noise affects some campgrounds located directly off highways, while sites deeper in the forest provide quieter experiences.
"Much more vegetation than you would expect from a campground close to town. The staff are friendly. The facilities were clean. The park is older but in an charming New Mexico way."
"If your wanting to get out and play in the snow or explore more in depth the beautiful culture of New Mexico, Taos has a little for everyone"
"The RV sites are more private Than at Rio Bravo, but Rio Bravo is next to the river. We liked our location. The restrooms were immaculate and the camp host was very helpful."
"Showers still aren't working but otherwise it's a quiet spot next to the river with plenty of hiking nearby. Shout out to the friendly and helpful camp host"
from $5 - $15 / night
Check Availability"Tent camped at this location in the middle of September (a week before closing). Very beautiful place to watch the leaves change, trailheads close by and picnic tables at each site."
"just went hiking in the surrounding area. But drove around and looked at the campsite looks like a nice place to go camping definitely willing to try it."
from $30 - $175 / night
Check Availability"Stay at Santa Barbara Campground in Northern New Mexico. Was a beautiful spot. Road to Campground was well taken care of Beautiful trails throughout area"
"This campground has a PERFECT location, right on the border of the Pecos wilderness with fabulous hiking. There is also fantastic fishing there, which many guests took advantage of all weekend. "
from $30 - $80 / night
Check Availability"A small campground overlooking the Rio Grand River in the Orilla Verde Recreation area just outside of Taos. There are only 4 sites, plus a camp host."
"Hiking nearby and walking distance to the Rio grande river."
"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."
"The spots further from sitting have most privacy and are still only a 5 minute walk to entrance (I timed it from our site)."
from $40 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Driving into the camp, you have three options: Walk-In Camping, Camping With Parking Access & Limited Access."
"To begin, the lots are far enough away from fellow campers that you're seldom disturbed by noise or movement."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Hiking trail across the road. River access for rafting. A really wonderful campground. Quite a bargain. Beautiful area. Just about 30 mins to Taos."
from $7 - $15 / night
Check Availability"It's located south of Taos on the main drag, hence NOISY. I say, watch this space for more improvements."
from $40 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Hamlet went to visit his fun cousins for the weekend -- Diego, Thelma, Louise, Frida, Ralphie, Sunnie, and others– all vintage campers available for rent at this amazingly cool space just outside of Taos"
"10 tent camping in desert behind groovy glamper park. Fantastic people. In walking distance to Taos brewery Oasis. On the road to the gorge. Cool summer nights"
from $25 / night
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ScoutThe view is great. But nothing is level. Lots of trash. OHV's driving everywhere. This is a big OHV area. We were in a campervan. Never could get it level. Not real private. 2 Stars for the view only. We won't be back.
TravelerThis was a great spot for my husband and I to stay while we finished up some work. We stayed for 2 weeks and paid $20/night for electric and water hookups. There is a dump station near the camp host. Headed down to the lake to hang out and let our dog walk around and enjoy the water. We were there in the summer so it definitely wasn't busy. The weekends saw an influx in visitors, but even then, it wasn't bad at all. Fellow campers were always respectful, no loud noise or rude people, so that was great.
I removed a start because the dog waste bins were always full. They didn't seem to be emptied the entire time we were there, and out of 2 weeks, we only saw the campground host once. So it was a bit annoying when we couldn't reach her to ask questions or notify her of anything.
Other than, great place!
TravelerThis was pretty disappointing. About 1/3 of the campground is a typical KOA campground with some trees and nice camping spots. The other 2/3 is a gravel parking lot with absolutely no charm, and absolutely no similarity to the photos of the campsites they post online when you're reserving a spot. It is VERY misleading. It seems like the only way to get one of the nicer sites (which just seems like a normal campsite at every campground I've been to) is to pay more for their "Deluxe" sites. And because you don't get to pick a site, you're assigned one, any basic spot is almost guaranteed to be in the gravel parking lot.
You can tell this was just some quick expansion to squeeze in more visitors. The laundry room at the end of the grounds is right next to a manhole, so it smells like sewage. As does one of their "dog parks". It's right next to manhole, so taking our dog there means smelling sewage water.
This campground is WAY overpriced for what you get. Will not be staying at KOA again.
ScoutOn the Rio Grand. Hiking across the street (bring your cell, if you climb high enough you might get a bar or two). Campground host helpful. Rafters use the group shelter during the day, they clear out and gets quiet at night. Saw an eagle flying along the river early in the morning. Showers and bathrooms essentially clean. Has a dishwashing station. A little warm during the day, cools off at night.
ScoutPrimitive camping is good for drive in camping.
GuideSo the coordinates bring you to the end of the town but then bridges you to the start of the national forest area, you’ll pass the paid camping then the dispersed camping starts, the spots are beautifully tucked by the river! You get to be lulled to sleep by running water. You do hear a bit of car traffic but it’s free so no complaints here! We didn’t go too far and found a spot so not sure how many spots there are. Definitely do not have cell service in this area.
GuideThe lake and trails in the area are really pretty. The campsites aren't marked well and there's a lot of downed wood/slash. If you're looking for a quiet campsite to hang out at during the day this is definitely not the spot, there was a constant stream of people including long jeep caravans of people clearly just looking to bag a route and make a lot of noise doing it.
The road up is fairly rough with switch backs and rocky areas and some dips, but no major washouts. We got up just fine by taking it slow in my 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness. If looking to access the trails, it's great, but otherwise if you want quiet I'd go elsewhere.
GuideReally lovely spot in the National Monument- I suspect it gets passed over for mountain campgrounds, but you have a great view of the Río and the campground is amidst an ocean of sagebrush and high desert plants and flowers. There are a few other campgrounds nearby, and all of them are connected by a gravel walking path that goes in a big meandering loop. It's a really nice trail to take for a long walk at the end of the day. We walked for a while around sunset and it was beautiful. In the morning, several bighorn sheep came out of the gorge probably 75 feet from the campsite and we got to watch them do their thing for a while (a bunch of young males who seemed all about the tussling with each other). Photos were taken from the car on our way out as they were hanging out right by the road.
For other amenities, there were pit toilets and shade structures at the sites. The campsites are not individual "pull in" but its literally a matter of a dozen steps or so from the parking spaces to the campsites.
GuideIf you have a spot along the river this place is great. But less than 10% of spots are on the river so make sure you book in advance.
Camping near Chamisal, New Mexico offers access to diverse ecosystems between 8,000-9,000 feet in elevation throughout the Carson National Forest. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing at night, while summer brings afternoon thunderstorms that create challenging camping conditions. Vault toilets are standard at most Forest Service campgrounds in the region, with varying levels of maintenance depending on the season.
Fishing nearby streams: At Agua Piedra Campground, the river runs along the camp for fishing. "Parking my vintage Shasta on the mesa of Luna Mystica is like no other place I've ever parked. Rustic site with a nearly 360 view to die for," notes a camper at Hotel Luna Mystica about the surrounding area.
Hiking forest trails: Multiple trailheads connect directly to camping areas. "Hiking - great hiking trail leads into Pecos wilderness, another trail leads up to Indian lake. Trailhead is right in the campground, so hike right from your campsite," reports a camper at Agua Piedra Campground. Trails range from easy family walks to challenging backcountry routes.
Hot springs soaking: Located within driving distance of some campgrounds. At Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, campers get "20% off a day soak at the hot springs," as one reviewer notes. The resort offers multiple mineral pools with varying temperatures.
River access: Proximity to water is highly valued. At Taos Junction Campground, "Such a fun escape. The Rio grande was cold but worth the swim. We had a great time and only saw a few other people," shares one camper.
Mountain temperatures: Higher elevations provide relief from summer heat. "The temperatures were quite moderate as the campsite is at 8900 feet. You can hear the Santa Barbara River as it is very close," notes a camper at Santa Barbara Campground.
Stargazing opportunities: Clear mountain skies create excellent night viewing. "At night, when everyone is settling, with a clear sky, you get an amazing view of the stars," reports a visitor to Agua Piedra Campground. Light pollution is minimal at most forest sites.
Road conditions vary: Access to remote sites can be challenging. At Borrego Mesa Campground, "The road up to the campground is in good shape, 4x4 not required. Overall traffic was very low."
Limited cell service: Communication options are restricted in mountain areas. "No cell service for several miles near this canyon so plan accordingly," warns a reviewer about BLM Orilla Verde Recreation Area. Consider bringing offline maps and emergency communication devices.
Wildlife encounters: Be prepared for local fauna. "You're likely to encounter wildlife in the evening if there aren't many campers, as bears are everywhere here," notes a camper about Black Canyon Campground. Proper food storage is essential.
Seasonal limitations: Many campgrounds close during winter months. "Visited late September, about a quarter of the sites were occupied. All sites are close enough to the river to hear it from a tent," reports a camper at Santa Barbara Campground, which operates from May to October.
Look for kid-friendly water access: Shallow areas for safe play. "There is a nice little trail and walking path at the back of the park, which is nice," reports a camper at Taos Valley RV Park & Campground.
Check bathroom facilities: Quality varies between sites. "The pit toilets were really clean. My kid mentioned that specifically," notes a camper at Agua Piedra Campground, indicating the importance of this feature for families.
Consider high elevation effects: Children may need time to acclimate. "If you aren't used to elevation, the camp sits up 8400 feet, it'll take a bit more time to do normal activities," advises a visitor to Black Canyon Campground.
Watch hookup locations: Placement can be inconsistent. "Hook up were on passenger side and towards front of TT we had enough hose and cords to reach. It says they have loaners if needed," notes a camper at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa.
Check site dimensions carefully: Many sites have size limitations. "I have a 17 foot Casita, and I've always been able to get a sight with hookups," explains a camper about BLM Orilla Verde Recreation Area, suggesting larger rigs may have fewer options.
Consider elevation for generator performance: High altitude affects equipment. "Our site was narrow enough that back in took more than one try. And there was no space for bringing out the awning," warns an RVer at Black Canyon Campground, illustrating the tight spaces common in mountain campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Chamisal, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, Chamisal, NM offers a wide range of camping options, with 209 campgrounds and RV parks near Chamisal, NM and 46 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Chamisal, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Chamisal, NM is Taos Valley RV Park & Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 29 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Chamisal, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 46 free dispersed camping spots near Chamisal, NM.
What parks are near Chamisal, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 8 parks near Chamisal, NM that allow camping, notably Carson National Forest and Santa Fe National Forest.
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