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Places to Camp near Counselor, NM

171 Reviews

Counselor is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Counselor campgrounds just for you. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Best Camping Sites Near Counselor, NM (58)

  1. Camper-submitted photo from Gallo Campground — Chaco Culture National Historical Park

    1.

    Gallo Campground — Chaco Culture National Historical Park

    21 Reviews
    51 Photos
    127 Saves
    Nageezi, New Mexico

    Overview

    Gallo Campground is located within Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Tucked among the fallen boulders and cliffs of Gallo Wash, the campground offers camping in a rugged environment, surrounded by petroglyphs, a cliff dwelling, inscriptions and a high desert landscape. The area is remote with no services. Please be prepared with plenty of food, water, shade, sunscreen and cold weather necessities.__ Traveling to Chaco__ Two roads access Chaco Culture National Historical Park. From the north, Road 7900 turns off of US Hwy 550/44 three miles east of Nageezi and fifty miles west of Cuba. Continue on Road 7900 for five paved miles then turn right onto Road 7950 where the payment will continue for several miles. The rest of the sixteen miles are unpaved. From the south, turn north onto NM Rt. 57 for twenty miles of rough unpaved road. When the unpaved roads are wet (rain, snow, etc.) they can be difficlut to traverse and vehicles can become stuck in thick mud or slide off the slippery road. Please keep in mind that there is no phone service and it is sometimes difficult to get tow service along these roads. Please contact us at 505 786-7014 for the latest road conditions. __ Marijuana on Federal Lands Posted: May 27, 2022 With the legalization of marijuana in the State of New Mexico, Chaco Culture National Historical Park would like to provide clarification regarding the use and possession of marijuana on Federal lands. The recently passed New Mexico State law, which allows for limited recreational marijuana use under certain conditions, has no bearing on Federal laws which continue to identify marijuana as a Schedule I illegal drug, and prohibit its use.__ Possession of marijuana or use of any amount of marijuana is still prohibited in Chaco Culture National Historical Park, its facilities, concessions, and campgrounds.

    Recreation

    The Visitor Center is located one mile from the Gallo Campground which offers a staffed information desk. There is an additional charge for Park entry separate from the camping fees. All campers are required to pay entrance fee at the Visitor Center or present a vaild pass. The Visitor Center offers a brief introductory information, a 25-minute introductory video and a bookstore with many selections of educational materials, books and gift items. After checking in at the Visitor Center, one can drive the canyon loop road where there are six front country and our backcountry hiking trails that lead to ancient cultural sites.

    Facilities

    Gallo Campground has 32 individual campsites, one of which is designated as handicapped accessible. Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire grate. There are five campsites for RV ONLY and the remaining 27 campsites allow either tent, small RV or travel trailer. Please read details featured for each campsite before reserving.__ There are two (02) group campsites available to accommodate groups with 10-30 people, tent camping only. Each group campsite has picnic tables and a fire grate. The campground has restroom facility with flushable toilets. There are no showers, hookups, convenience store or food services. There are no cell phone services. Please call 505 786-7014 for the lastest road condition.

    Natural Features

    Gallo Campground is located in a lowland desert surrounded by canyon walls, arroyos and wash with plenty of southwestern desert plants and brushes, but there are no trees.

    Nearby Attractions

    Chaco Culture National Historical Park is isolated from various towns and cities. Within two to three hour drive, there are some attractions such as Aztec Ruins, Salmon Ruins, Mesa Verde National Park, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Four Corners Monument, Navajo Nation Headquarters and Museum in Window Rock, Arizona.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Group
    • Standard (Tent/RV)

    $60 / night

  2. Camper-submitted photo from Angel Peak Scenic View Campground
  3. Camper-submitted photo from Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area

    3.

    Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area

    10 Reviews
    51 Photos
    225 Saves
    Nageezi, New Mexico

    The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a rolling landscape of badlands which offers some of the most unusual scenery found in the Four Corners Region. Time and natural elements have etched a fantasy world of strange rock formations made of interbedded sandstone, shale, mudstone, coal, and silt. The weathering of the sandstone forms hoodoos - weathered rock in the form of pinnacles, spires, cap rocks, and other unusual forms. Fossils occur in this sedimentary landform. Translated from the Navajo language, Bisti (Bis-tie) means "a large area of shale hills." De-Na-Zin (Deh-nah-zin) takes its name from the Navajo words for "cranes".

    Because of the climate, most of the visits occur in the late spring/early summer and in the fall.

    Since this is a Wilderness Area, it is closed to motorized vehicles and mechanical forms of transportation (mountain bikes included). Also prohibited are campfires, collecting fossils or petrified wood, climbing on delicate geologic features, traveling in groups of more than eight people, and trespassing on adjacent tribal lands. Permits are required for uses such as grazing, scientific research, and commercial guiding.

    Though these trailheads are off regularly maintained roads, they are not paved. County Road 7500 can become extremely slick and impassible when wet. Conditions of roads can change at any time due to weather. Drivers should avoid dirt roads during rain or snow. Drivers should be cautious of wash-out following rain or snowmelt.

    Though camping in the Wilderness is a rewarding experience, there are no water sources. Visitors must carry all the water they will need for the duration of the trip.

    • Pets
    • Phone Service
    • Dispersed
    • Picnic Table
    • Toilets
    • Alcohol
  4. Camper-submitted photo from Horse Thief Campground

    4.

    Horse Thief Campground

    1 Review
    8 Photos
    1 Save
    Nageezi, New Mexico
    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    • RVs

    $20 - $40 / night

  5. Camper-submitted photo from Rio Chama Campground - Temporarily Closed

    5.

    Rio Chama Campground - Temporarily Closed

    14 Reviews
    85 Photos
    339 Saves
    Gallina, New Mexico

    Campground is closed for current season of use. Coyote Ranger District @ 575-638-5526 for current status

    The Rio Chama is a developed no-fee campground where reservations are not required. Located along the Rio Chama Wild & Scenic River, the developed campground offers a great place for families,

    Ten individual campsites each include a picnic table and a campfire ring. RV's up to 20 feet can be accommodated in only a few sites. No potable water, or hookups.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • ADA Access
    • RVs
    • Tents
  6. Camper-submitted photo from Rio De Las Vacas Campground

    6.

    Rio De Las Vacas Campground

    7 Reviews
    20 Photos
    105 Saves
    Cuba, New Mexico

    Overview

    Less than two hours from the city of Albuquerque, Rio de las Vacas Campground offers a cool oasis from the New Mexico heat. Visitors delight in the hiking and fishing opportunities available in the shade of the pine covered Jemez Mountains. A few of the campsites have the creek running along them, providing a soothing atmosphere for campers.

    Recreation

    Local streams and the San Gregorio reservoir provide fishing opportunities for anglers, and hikers will delight in the many hiking opportunities in the nearby San Pedro Parks Wilderness.

    Facilities

    There are 15 campsites on the campground. Most of the campsites at Rio De Las Vacas come with a paved RV pad, fire rings, picnic table, and tent pads. The campground itself has paved roads, trash bins, vault toilets and a host on site.

    Natural Features

    The campground is located amid stunning ponderosa pines in close proximity to the Rio de las Vacas. The campground has a beautiful open meadow and scenic views of the surrounding Jemez Mountains. Fall brings migrating birds through the campground and the sounds of elk bugling to impress potential mates.

    Nearby Attractions

    The San Pedro Parks Wilderness, just north of the Rio de las Vacas Campground, offers easy and scenic day hikes. The minimal grade increases of the trails into the San Pedro Parks make this wilderness an ideal backpacking destination for beginners and experienced backpackers alike. Three main trailheads, the San Gregorio, Palomas and Los Pinos, are within driving distance of the campground.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    • Trash

    $10 / night

  7. Camper-submitted photo from Fenton Lake State Park — Fenton Lake Fishing Area (and Dam)
  8. Camper-submitted photo from Angel Peak NM Badlands | Dispersed Camping
  9. Camper-submitted photo from Cottonwood Campground - Navajo Lake

    9.

    Cottonwood Campground - Navajo Lake

    8 Reviews
    22 Photos
    66 Saves
    Navajo Dam, New Mexico
    • Pets
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • RVs
    • Standard (Tent/RV)

    $8 - $18 / night

  10. Camper-submitted photo from Cuba Hwy Pulloff on Forest Road 88

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171 Reviews of 58 Counselor Campgrounds