Cimarron, NM is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that New Mexico camping has to offer. Discover great camping spots near Cimarron, reviewed by campers like you.
Rio Fernando de Taos - Forest Rd 5
46 min away
Enchanted Circle Campground E<< - #1 Campground in NM
50 min away
$22 - $40 / night
"Carson National Forest in Cimarron is absolutely beautiful. We hiked near Shuree Ponds and camped between Ash Mountain and Little Castillo Peak."
"I wondered how rough the roads were, but driving from Castillo to the campground and then on to Hwy 64 east of Cimarron on 1950 was all very doable in a Subaru Ascent towing a trailer despite some heavy"
"A remote location and popular with horse campers and hunters. The campground has sites with horse corrals installed. The campground was quiet and mostly clean."
$30 / night
"This is the first campground I’ve found in New Mexico where I felt like I was camping in Colorado, it was so green and beautiful!"
"The park is HUGE and just so beautiful. 10,000 acres of aspens and ponderosa pines only one hour away from the town of Taos."
$10 - $35 / night
"After a long drive from south Texas, this was my first visit to Sugarite Canyon and it definitely exceeded my expectations! The staff was friendly and helpful and the amenities were accommodating."
"**
Campground Review:
Located in NW Raton, New Mexico..."
$15 / night
"Traveling from Denver to Southern New Mexico, this is a nice stopping point. Very easy to get to off I-25.
Pit toilets are very clean."
"Sites 1, 3, 14 and 16 have shade and a little more distance. Bathrooms were in great shape, and there is a free shower near the park entrance which had good water pressure and was very clean."
$24 - $150 / 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."
$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."
$7 / night
"Hiking trails down to the Rip Grande river are close by."
$45 / night
GuideStay at Santa Barbara Campground in Northern New Mexico. Was a beautiful spot. Road to Campground was well taken care of Beautiful trails throughout area
GuideAfter a long drive from south Texas, this was my first visit to Sugarite Canyon and it definitely exceeded my expectations! The staff was friendly and helpful and the amenities were accommodating. The area is absolutely beautiful. This little park has something for everyone. Highland trails, lakes and streams, primitive and car-camping sites. Plenty of wildlife to see, birds and other critters everywhere. And of course the vistas. I will definitely be back there soon. Thanks, New Mexico!
GuideTraveling from Denver to Southern New Mexico, this is a nice stopping point. Very easy to get to off I-25.
Pit toilets are very clean. Unfortunately the camper next to me had his generator running the whole time until 10 pm. Even when they left their camper for the day. Very annoying. Other than that it was a quiet campground. The campground is less than half full (Tuesday night).
Note: The park office closed at 4. The sites are reservation only and there is no cell service. The sign at the gate states that you need to drive down the road to get cell service and make a reservation. Also the gate closes at dusk, so make sure you get there before then on your first night. After that you can get the combination to get in after dusk.
The campground staff were very friendly and helpful.
TravelerThis is the first campground I’ve found in New Mexico where I felt like I was camping in Colorado, it was so green and beautiful! The camp sites were nicely spaced, so we felt like we were primitive camping, but it was nice to have a picnic table, especially because we have a small child. Family friendly. We wish we would have brought our 4x4 vehicle because we had initially planned to camp at little blue lake, but my Subaru Impreza was not powerful enough/didn’t have high enough clearance to make it up the road that lead to the lake! We are definitely planning on camping back to check out the lakes. The only negative thing was that we found some trash at our site from the previous campers. Also, some cows woke us up early in the morning, which was cool, but also scared the shit out of us!
GuideWe've lived in New Mexico (Alamogordo and Albuquerque) for 30+ years, but had never made it up north to Sugarite Canyon State Park. But on our RV trip back home from Rocky Mountain National Park, we decided to spend a night here rather in the small town of Raton(eight miles away). It's a lovely park, with some steep walls, small lakes and an interesting history. We took a few of the smaller hikes(time was limited) and the one of the Coal Camp was very interesting.
Our 29ft RV barely fit in our site, and there were some tricky branches and overhanging trees to work around. The site was fairly narrow, but I will say we were spread out nicely between the sites. We were at a site with electric(30 amp only) and water(water pressure very low, due to a lower aquafer). The dump station was nearby, but no water available by it for flushing out the tank.
Camp hosts were super friendly. It was a very easy going place. Most of the sites are pretty small, and our"small" Class A was the biggest rig there, except for the hosts' 40' RV. So if you've got a bigger rig, you might have trouble finding a site to accommodate. But for smaller RVs, I think this is a great place to stay. VERY dark and quiet at night!! A lovely and reasonably priced spot that I can easily see spending a long weekend at.
(OH, there is NO wifi and no cell signal. Be prepared to be off-grid completely! You're at least 5 miles from a signal.)
RangerCarson National Forest in Cimarron is absolutely beautiful. We hiked near Shuree Ponds and camped between Ash Mountain and Little Castillo Peak. The weather was all over the place, but the views were stunning. Bear precautions are necessary. Water was plentiful as the streams and creeks were rapid with snow melt. We will absolutely be returning!
GuideThis State Park is beautiful, with hiking/fishing/historic walks galore. We arrived late on Friday, June 23 after a 10 hour drive from Arkansas. We were in Site #23 in the Soda Pocket Campground. Every site had a covered picnic table and was relatively level.
Sites 20-23 have spectacular views of the canyon, but you trade that for some serious wind and neighbors as there is no natural shade. Sites 1, 3, 14 and 16 have shade and a little more distance. Bathrooms were in great shape, and there is a free shower near the park entrance which had good water pressure and was very clean.
The visitor center is small but with a lot of good exhibits, and adjacent to the hiking trails of the abandoned coal camp and mine. The coal camp trails have lots of informative stands explaining what everything was, how the people lived, etc. The two lakes (Lake Alice is more like a pond) have nice walking paths. There is another lake just across the Colorado border and you can drive to the parking area just a mile or so away.
There are numerous nature hikes, and I did the short (.5) miles Vista Grande Nature Trail which has a beautiful bench for a sunrise view. Uphill some but not too strenuous and with lots of information.
A really beautiful hike is the Little Horse Mesa Trail which takes you to the top of the mesa you can see to the north of Soda Pocket Campground. It meanders a bit but at some point the trail builder said "I've given you all the switchbacks I can, you'll just have to go straight up" and the last 50 yards are pretty much straight uphill. When you get to the top though it's like another world. It's a pasture like setting with trees, and beautiful views from a trail that follows the cliffs. You'll have to make your own way over to the Lake Maloya overlook but it's well worth it. Highly recommend this.
The camp hosts and visitor center people were great, and the ranger came by one night and showed a group of kids a mountain lion pelt and a bear pelt. There was a report of bears on the road up to Soda Pocket Campground but we did not see any. The road was a typical dirt road, and not in bad shape at all.
I'm not a fisherman, but could easily spend two full days here hiking alone, much less fishing or kayaking Lake Maloya.
TravelerA remote location and popular with horse campers and hunters. The campground has sites with horse corrals installed. The campground was quiet and mostly clean. There are pit toilets on site and well maintained. Level spots with good separation. Nice hiking accross some flat lands and a smal creek runs near by. Early one morning we saw a herd of elk down in a valley near a turn out off the road. Bears frequent the area trying to raid the garbage bins during the night. Makes tent camping a bit unnerving. If you want to explore the area, this is good place to camp. It takes an hour to get to the campsite on a graveled road off the highway out of Cimerron. 25mph was best speed to go to handle the washboard road to the campsite.
LegendWe 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.
Horse camping in New Mexico offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and equestrian-friendly facilities, making it a perfect getaway for horse enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Cimarron, NM is Cimarron Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 10 reviews.
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