Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Continental Divide? Find the best information on tent camping near Continental Divide, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
The Hiker Hideout is primitive, hike-in, wilderness campsites. There is no water or showers. There is an outdoor-composting toilet. The property once had a historic cabin, unfortunately the cabin and outhouse were destroyed by wildfire in 2022. The Hiker Hideout is an inholding surrounded by El Malpais National Monument, all park rules apply.
$15 / night
Hill side ruggid/primitive camping, no hookups. Wifi in common area. Wolf spirit wolf sanctuary less than a mile away! Pinehill is about a 5 minute drive for supplies. Great views and good hiking!
$10 / night
The picnic ground is located 10 miles northeast of Grants at an elevation of approximately 7,437 feet. Ponderosa pine, pinon, and juniper trees provide shade and some privacy for visitors. There is a group picnic area that was built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Remember to pay attention to road conditions and your vehicle's abilities before driving off of the main road.
Traveler
$18 rate if you mention the billboards on the highway, but $22 otherwise so it's a good deal. Park is close to the casino, pretty level sites, clean, with full hookups (including sewer), no riffraff. Call the casino hotel front desk, or stop in at the front desk to register. Only about 10% of sites occupied when I was there in December.
Big truck stop gas station across the street if you need anything. Casino has a buffet restaurant and another bar to watch the game. Ended up staying an extra night to get prime rib on Saturday.
Security will drive you back and forth to the casino if you request, but it's only a 5 minute walk.
Scout
The wash to get into the campground is steep on both sides. We drug a bit on the way in and a lot on the way out.we have a silverback 37bh that specs say is 39'11". Would not try it again. The campground is awesome though. Quiet with trash receptacles and vault toilets. Amazing dark sky view of the stars. Mostly empty.
ScoutGreat Dispersed Camp Ground less than 20 minutes off of I-40 that will accommodate all types of camping from tents to large trailers. (There is a dip in the gravel road leading up to the camp ground that did scrape my jack but I think if you hit it at an angle it might be OK.)
Within 20 feet of my campsite site I could see for miles of the gorgeous valley.
Each camp site has a fire pit, grill, and picnic tables covered with a roof and has a nice pit toilet and trash within a very short walking distance.
I am here in the beginning of November and it is chilly and about to get downright cold with expected snow tomorrow, down to 16 degrees the next night, even though it looks more like the desert.
I have a very good signal with Verizon, TMobile is low.
Water is available at the Ranger Station up the road, and Walmart Super Center and other stores within 20-30 minutes.
TravelerThis is an amazing little free first come first serve campground. Well maintained gravel roads. Each site has a nice covered picnic table with pedestal grill and fire ring. Sites can accommodate tent/car camping up to larger travel trailers/rv’s, we camped in a 30ft class c and there was a 35-40 ft bus in one site. Beware there is a large dip in the road as you enter the campground we drove through at an angle but still drug the rear bumper skids. There are pit toilets and garbage boxes but no water available.
Traveler
Coal Mine campground is a beautiful little campground with paved roads & spots, picnic table and fire ring at each site. It is primitive camping with pit toilets no water available. Sites of varying sizes from tent/car camp to small travel trailer or Rv. We stayed with a 30 ft class c no problem. Very quiet with easy access to Mt Taylor and only 15 min to Town of Grants for services. $10 per night self serve envelope in drop box when we were there.
Traveler
Some shade. Clean facilities. Close parking even though the park isn’t full this time of year. The Albuquerque Balloon Festival was a couple of weeks ago. American pride shown here! Great camp store.
Guide
Great rate for 30 A. I love to see the wild horses roaming the park.
Traveler
We spent a few nights here. It’s not a big campground and we came in without a reservation. I don’t think reservations are possible? The sites are pretty spaced out and shaded. I think there were about 16 sites total though there might be more. There are clean pit toilets, picnic tables and fire rings. Really nice hiking / mountain bike trails. The aspens are in the trails not the campground
Ranger
Stayed in site 12 which was wedged between handicapped spot next to toilets and next RV over. Very small area although other campsites did not all appear so small.
Nice dog-friendly hike on wajiji trail which begins from campground, crosses road and is out and back of~3.2 mi in total. Otherwise, dogs not allowed on trails in park.
As noted here, the road can be rough, and we accessed Chaco off Hwy 550 (we were told that accessing Chaco from other direction can be even more dicey if roads are wet). Road was washboard and beware of steel protrusions on sides of road which can be sharp. We made it fine in camper van but went slow.
Ranger
We picked this free area for convenience (easy to get to from I40) and how it looked in photos.
What other reviews say about the start of the road being rough is correct. The wash areas are really poorly maintained. Once you get past this the road is pretty good.
We found a nice campsite and were able to get level in the pickup camper. Stayed two night and enjoyed the beauty.
Some complain about noise form I40, but if you come back into the area you can’t hear it.
RangerStayed here for one night on our way up to Farmington. Staff was very pleasant. We paid $41 for electric and water. Site was very nice and flat. Did have showers,pool, Wi-fi and laundry
ScoutNice campground, camp sites are nicely spaced, plenty of shade under the pines, sites have picnic tables and fire pits, clean vault toilets, well maintained campground
TravelerNeeded an overnight stay along Interstate 40 in New Mexico. Check-in was quick and easy, the sites are arranged so that RV doors are not facing the neighbor's sewage pipe, which is something I always appreciate. Most of the sites are pull-through. The park is well laid out and covered with an attractive reddish-brown gravel. The facilities were clean, the staff was pleasant. The park felt safe though the neighborhood around it is economically distressed. The park is family friendly; there is a dog-park, a nice pool, and attractive common area near the office with tables and statuary with a cute bear theme. The only negatives are not under the control of the park: trains pass by frequently day and night, and in the evening the mosquitos are voracious. My wife and I agree that we would return here.
GuideThis was an amazing place. Super family friendly. Amazingly helpful staff. I forgot my airpump for the bed and they gave me one they had so I could use it. Truly nice people.
ScoutCampgrounds easy to access. I did not have a site reservation, buit there were lots of vacent pads available. Nice view of the lake. Only drawback was the all night incessant winds. They were strong, gusty and loud. So strong they collapsed my tent on top of me. Notmuch sleep that night. It might have been where I was (pad 44), They were still strong in the morning, but I noticed they were less/non existant at the campsites near the main entrance. Just bewaye and be prepared.
TravelerI’m actually stuck here as I’m writing this because the rain washed out the road, and everything is so muddy. I was tired and the weather app said only a 50% chance of rain for an hour, but boy was that wrong. A nice spot besides that, close to the highway but far enough away to not have much noise. I would avoid it in the future without something 4x4 though.
RangerClaen vault toilets, well spaced and quiet sites. We'll maintained. No water. No hiking from campground. Some trails and dispersed camping 1/2 mi down road south.
Scout
Most cramped campsite I've ever seen, absolutely no privacy between sites. Staff was unhelpful when we arrived and someone was in our reserved spot (which they require reservations online). We ended up going elsewhere.
LegendThis campground is not easy to get to, so get your head around that. The last 5 miles of the unpaved road getting to the park boundary will be a challenge, so take it slllooow. It is worth it, and you’ll have fewer crowds at this amazing place.
The campground is similar to many national parks, with nicely spaced out, no hook up campsites. The toilets are clean and well maintained, flush toilets, and sinks, but no showers. Water is available throughout the campground, and there’s a big sink for dumping your dish water.
The campground is ideal for solar power, as is the New Mexico weather. We also had no problem connecting with Starlink, but there was no LTE or phone service to speak of.
Hiking in the park is simply stunning. With the ruins of the Chaco Culture all around, you can pick your adventure or simply drive the park loop road, stopping to wander through the remains of this vibrant place that was once the heart of a vast cultural empire.
Cycling is also a great option -- bike/ hike your way around the park from the campground. The visitor’s center is good, and worth spending some time in. The closest town with services is a long long way away, in any direction, so come prepared with your supplies, food, etc.
There is a convenience store/ gas station about 20 miles out, but the drive back along the rough road will take an hour in an RV.
This park is so worth a visit and the campground makes it easy to stay for as long as you can to soak up the solitude of this simply amazing place!
GuideGallo Campground is the place to stay to visit the Chaco Canyon ruins. It's very small and very difficult to get to given the state of the dirt roads through tribal lands. Unless an RV is designed for this type of environment, it would be better to stay elsewhere and drive in with an AWD vehicle. The location is remote so be sure to bring drinking water and all the food you need. There is very little water in the region, so the facilities are limited. There are bathrooms and a place to wash dishes, but nothing else. The camp hosts are kind and helpful. We were able to view the Milky Way on one night of our stay. The visitor center is nearby, but most of the artifacts have been removed for safe keeping as there are issues with the building. They have an excellent selection of books on Chaco to purchase. The trails are well kept and closely watched by the rangers due to the sacred nature of the fragile structures. It was well worth any inconvenience for the privilege of seeing this amazing, sacred place.
Traveler
There were several spots. We did have to drive a couple miles to get away from other campers. Was perfectly fine after a day of cross country driving. Camped in a Jeep.
TravelerThis was a great find along the 40. The road is a bit long but it follows the 40 most of the way and is accessible for most cars. Though lower clearance may need to be careful at certain points. We found that the spots were far apart so we didn't have anyone near us.
I would definitely stay here again.
Traveler
Was pleasantly surprised by how nice this free campground was. Each site has a covered picnic table, grill, fire pit & garbage bin. They are spaced out nicely. There are pit toilets, but no water or dump facilities. These fill up fast, so come early. Most people leave early in the morning, so if you can get here before noon, you may get lucky. We arrived around 11 am & there were only 2 sites open. The road coming in was a bit rough and has quite a deep dip in the road. We were here in April and it stayed full.
TravelerWent about 2 miles up the road to find the last good spot. Found a few sites off of the road before this but all occupied. We got a site for 2 RVs that protected us from an impending windstorm. Sites not very level but managed to get the RVs level enough. Thoroughly enjoyed the area. Biked 6 miles up the road. Had cell service (Verizon and T-mobile).
TravelerI stayed at the main camp ground. Some sites were right on top each other. It was clean and well cared for. I was there in April and it was not full, so the sites being right wasn't and issue for me. I didn't take the trails, but by what I could tell they were well marked. If you have the time do explore some beauty in those rocks!
ScoutBeautiful spot hard to find
ScoutStayed for ten days only saw three other campers. Very peaceful, rough in and out but made it with ease. wAtch out if it rains very muddy roads
Tent camping near Continental Divide, New Mexico offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Continental Divide, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Continental Divide, NM is Joe Skeen Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 11 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Continental Divide, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
