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Best Equestrian Camping near Chimayo, NM

85 Reviews

RV Park at HIPICO Santa Fe provides horse-friendly camping with dedicated corral facilities located about 35 miles south of Chimayo. The campground accommodates both tent and RV campers with standard hookups including water, electric, sewer, and sanitary dump services. Horse corrals allow campers to bring their equine companions while enjoying the amenities of showers, toilets, and trash facilities. The campground maintains a pet-friendly policy and offers reservable sites suitable for various camping setups. The road up to Borrego Mesa Campground includes small horse pens at several sites, though campers would need to make their own gates to use them effectively.

Trail access connects riders to numerous routes throughout the region, with Ghost Ranch offering additional horse-friendly camping opportunities near Abiquiu, approximately 40 miles northwest of Chimayo. Borrego Mesa provides close access to the Rio Mario Trail trailhead at over 8,000 feet elevation, making it suitable for summer riding when temperatures are moderate at higher elevations. The terrain surrounding these horse camps features ponderosa pines and varied mountain landscapes ideal for day rides. Road conditions to equestrian sites vary considerably; Jacks Creek Horse Camp has suitable access for horse trailers while the road to Borrego Mesa may prove challenging for large living quarter horse trailers. Water availability for horses differs between locations, with some requiring campers to bring their own horse water supplies.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near Chimayo, New Mexico (14)

    1. Borrego Mesa Campground

    6 Reviews
    Truchas, NM
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 753-7331

    "About a 15min drive from the highway. Only 5 or 6 sites. Close to the Rio Mario Trail trailhead. Campsite is at elevation over 8,000ft so it can get chilly at night. Worked great for tent camping."

    "Campground is a little off the beaten path, about 30m from the High Drive highway. Dirt roads were nothing to worry about, should be fine for any SUV or sedan."

    2. Santa Barbara Campground

    8 Reviews
    Llano, NM
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 245-6521

    $22 - $70 / night

    "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"

    "The trails are absolutely wonderful and well worth taking a few hours to walk part of them. Hard core hikers will use the campground as a starting point for a lengthy hikes."

    3. Iron Gate Campground

    8 Reviews
    Tererro, NM
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 757-6121

    "During rainy seasons, ruts form with deep mud on some spots driving up."

    "It's a nice little place tucked away in the woods. The road to get there is a bit rough, hence the title. By no means, Not a road for a large trailer or 5th wheel. Wild life everywhere.."

    4. Agua Piedra Campground

    10 Reviews
    Llano, NM
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 245-6521

    $40 / night

    "There is a trail head with 2 trails, one atv accessible and one hiking/horse that goes up to Indian Lake. Beautiful views and about 1200' elevation change."

    "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."

    5. Jacks Creek Horse Camp

    3 Reviews
    Tererro, NM
    19 miles
    Website

    "The sites on the outside of the loops are decently wooded, smaller and not well suited to RVs. The sites on the inside of the loops have longer, RV sized pull in and little trees."

    "Great overnight spot to use as a "home base" with lots of trail access. Multiple units of corrals and plenty of parking and turnaround space for large trailers."

    6. Jacks Creek Group Area

    1 Review
    Tererro, NM
    19 miles
    Website

    $100 / night

    "Beautiful drive out, creeks on both sides. Nestled deep in the Pecos Wilderness. Camping overlooks the mountains. Beatty’s trail head is nearby. Made a fire and had electric to charge my phone"

    7. Fenton Lake State Park Campground

    16 Reviews
    Jemez Springs, NM
    45 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 829-3630

    $15 - $90 / night

    "I’ve been coming to Fenton Lake for camping with family since I was little and we’ve always loved it. It’s beautiful and well taken care of."

    "We typically come up to Fenton Lake once a year and last year was fantastic however this year the park rangers aren’t that friendly (or that helpful)."

    8. RV Park at HIPICO Santa Fe

    1 Review
    Santa Fe, NM
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 474-0999

    $55 / night

    "This is a very spacious private campground southwest of Santa Fe with access to public land. Located 20 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. There are probably 50 sites with restrooms and showers."

    9. Ghost Ranch

    6 Reviews
    Cañones, NM
    36 miles
    Website

    "The whole ranch has been turned into a top notch facility with campgrounds and motel rooms, horses for rent, classes, and great hiking. The campground is large with several interconnecting loops."

    "Recommend arriving not too late to see if you can get a good spot, we didn’t have shade so had to go find a nice shady bench away from our site for eating lunch / relaxing after our hike."

    10. Rio Chama Campground

    14 Reviews
    Gallina, NM
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 638-5526

    "Rio Chama RV park in Chama, New Mexico, is at the intersection of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the upper Rio Chama. A nice place to stay May 1 thru mid October."

    "It's an easy dirt road drive down the river and you will pass many dispersed site and a couple of defined camping grounds."

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Chimayo, NM

85 Reviews of 14 Chimayo Campgrounds

  • marycatmathis ..The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 29, 2020

    Oak Point Campground

    Lovely, Beachy, Scenic

    These coordinates are a rough estimate, but this entire forrest road is filled with amazing campsites you can simply pull off and camp in. currently there’s a fire ban, so it makes it hard to stay warm at night, but the stars are amazing. it’s quiet. it’s lovely. there’s canyon walls for miles. it’s really amazing. some of these pics are from the nearby canyon that’s a bit of a walk up the road, but most are from our campground. loved our first experience camping in New Mexico!

  • Karen N.
    Aug. 21, 2023

    Santa Barbara Campground

    Beautiful weekend

    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

  • Beth B.
    Aug. 16, 2018

    Rio Chama Campground

    Great place to watch the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Train

    Rio Chama RV park in Chama, New Mexico, is at the intersection of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the upper Rio Chama. A nice place to stay May 1 thru mid October. The train passing by twice a day is an exciting event and it's a short walk to the train yard.

    Pull through sites have great shade and full hookups with 30 or 50 amp electrical service. Spacious tent sites with full service restrooms nearby. Pet friendly with dog park and free wifi. A great place for fishing, train watching and relaxing.

  • marycatmathis ..The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 17, 2020

    Oak Point Campground

    yet another amazing site at Oak Point

    I've stayed here twice now since being in New Mexico. This site is right on the water, overlooks the canyon, and is close to a hike to the right side of the canyon through a dried up riverbed. I *love* staying here. It's so peaceful, quiet, enough trees to keep you shaded from the harsh sun here. The road is runner friendly, so you can go on a jog if you like. Its definitely a campsite for people looking to strictly hang out. 

    views and sunsets are EPIC. Stay here instead of the packed Rio Chama campground if you're a casual camper who doesn't need amenities. And pick up your toilet paper so this place stays nice!

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 28, 2025

    Iron Gate Campground

    Not as great as I thought it would be.

    Based on the reviews I thought this place would be a cool oasis up in the trees. Alas, it's not. There's a loop with 14 total sites. Unfortunately, at least half the sites in the inner ring are unusable because of road runoff making it tough to get to them, and we have a Toyota Tacoma. As a result, they do not get used and are, therefore, overgrown with New Mexico ground cover, which is not comparable to soft grass. That immediately bumps it down to about 10 sites. When we arrived, there was one site available that we could access. It was behind the main trailhead parking area and completely shaded. All in all, not bad, just not our ideal choice since it's right there close to any and all foot traffic. Luckily, as we walked the rest of the loop to see if there was anything else, a couple was just finishing packing up so we were able to snag their spot (#13), which we felt was the best one. Score! 

    Now, let's talk the road to get there. Absolutely do not try to take a camper of any size to this campground unless it's a legit overland type tear or squaredrop, ideally with an articulating hitch. People are not kidding when they say that's not a good idea. We had our Tacoma in 4L and I'm honestly not sure how some 2WD vehicles make it. There are many spots where the incline is pretty good, a number of deep crevices as a result of water runoff, many sections that are absolutely one lane only, and at least 6 spots where there was a small pond of standing water to drive through. Were any of the ponds show stoppers, no, but the water in one dip came up past the bottom of our doors. All in all, the road is no joke. Yes, I get this is a forest road, but the road snakes through multiple pieces of residential property (albeit they are probably summer homes but we saw people at almost every house when we drove past), and there's a hiking trailhead at the campground, so I expected it to be not THAT bad. In my book, it's not officially 'offroading' but it's worse than other forest service roads we've been on. Oh, and the couple residents we passed driving in their vehicles (you can tell by looking at them they are not campers or hikers) made it abundantly clear they weren't happy with us being on their road. All in all, nice campground with great trailheads but there are too many other beautiful places to hike and camp in NM for us to want to go back.

  • Jeff K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 28, 2020

    Borrego Mesa Campground

    Great campsite!!

    Good road all the way in. About a 15min drive from the highway. Only 5 or 6 sites. Close to the Rio Mario Trail trailhead. Campsite is at elevation over 8,000ft so it can get chilly at night. Worked great for tent camping. Sites have a small horse pen but you would need to make a gate on them. Not good for big LQ horse trailers.

  • Tina M.
    May. 21, 2022

    RavenHouse RV Spot and Horse Hotel

    Majestic skies + Decent Amenities

    We had the perfect 5 night stay. It was easy to get around to the sites we had planned on visiting. The hosts were super nice and accomodating when we had a wifi issues, they got us up and running again quickly. We used the grill area and even hosted friends visiting one night with their horse trailer and 2 horses. We stayed one night in the TeePee which was just magical and cozy, a mini vacay inside of our otherwise rustic van camping trip! The bathroom is located inside an enclosed out building with the shower located in an outdoor but private/roofed adjacent area. All and all, thumbs up for communication, comfort, basic amenities and ambience!

  • Steve & Ashley G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2019

    Agua Piedra Campground

    Great Northern New Mexico Camp

    We stayed at this site on the way back to Texas from our Colorado trip this summer. This is a great National Forest Campground south of Taos in the Carson Forest. The campground is just off the highway and situated in a beautiful mountain pine forest and next to a great trout stream. You have great shade during the hotter summer months. It’s far enough away from the highway that you don’t hear the traffic. It has a huge meadow and group camp site which look fantastic. The individual sites have some privacy between the sites and come equipped with fire pits and picnic tables. We made a reservation but the camp had a number of open sites in the peak summer season. The highlight here is the proximity of great hiking to nearby lakes and fishing in the trout stream. They had great facilities including clean pit toilets and some historic log cabins. They have a camp host and the sites accommodate tents and smaller vans and campers. I would give this another visit on our next trip to NM.

  • marine J.
    Jun. 14, 2024

    RV Park at HIPICO Santa Fe

    Great location close to Santa Fe

    This is a very spacious private campground southwest of Santa Fe with access to public land. Located 20 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. There are probably 50 sites with restrooms and showers. I saw a few tent but this is really geared toward RVs. They have discounts if you stay 4 to 6 days it is 10% off and 7 to 14 days it is 15% off. There is really nothing to it but it is so spacious and quiet, great vibe and the staff is super nice and helpful. They offer overnight stabling for horses too.

Guide to Chimayo

New Mexico offers a stunning backdrop for horse camping enthusiasts, with diverse landscapes and well-equipped campgrounds that cater to both riders and their equine companions.

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like corrals and trails

  • The Jacks Creek Horse Camp features multiple loops with well-maintained sites, including corrals for your horses and clean vault toilets.
  • At Iron Gate Campground, equestrians can enjoy a remote setting with ample parking for trailers and easy access to nearby trails.
  • Borrego Mesa Campground provides a primitive camping experience with sites suitable for tents and small trailers, perfect for those looking to explore the area on horseback.

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

  • The Santa Barbara Campground is close to beautiful hiking trails and the Santa Barbara River, making it an ideal base for horseback riding adventures.
  • Jacks Creek Group Area offers easy access to the Pecos Wilderness, where riders can explore numerous trails and enjoy breathtaking mountain views.
  • Campers at Agua Piedra Campground can take advantage of nearby hiking trails that are also suitable for horseback riding, providing a scenic way to experience the natural beauty of the area.

Equestrian campgrounds include essential features for a comfortable stay

  • RV Park at HIPICO Santa Fe offers spacious sites with electric hookups and amenities like restrooms and showers, making it a convenient choice for horse campers.
  • The Ghost Ranch provides a unique camping experience with access to horseback riding, hiking trails, and beautiful landscapes, along with essential facilities for a comfortable stay.
  • Calaveras Canyon is a well-reviewed spot for fishing and enjoying the outdoors, with ample space for horse camping and a peaceful environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Chimayo, NM?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Chimayo, NM is Borrego Mesa Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Chimayo, NM?

TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Chimayo, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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