Best Tent Camping near Deming, NM

I was worried that this place wasn’t open due to the fact there were only two reviews and it had been a while since a review. I can happily share that they are open and thriving. I was driving from Gila Cliff Dwellings towards White Sands NP and needed a place to camp. I passed some dispersed camping along the way, but most of the cultivated sites were closed, I’m guessing due to COVID as New Mexico has really cracked down on their camping and I ran into lots of sites that were either closed or only open to residents. Anyway, this place was a STEAL. For only $21 (the typical price of most regular vault toilet and picnic table camp sites), you get heaven on earth. You wouldn’t expect it driving in from either direction, but the sites themselves are extremely shaded and surrounded by trees and as private as possible given the close proximity to neighbors. I stayed at site #47 and even though I was right next to the pools and bathhouse, I couldn’t be seen at all from those places. There’s a potable water tap at EACH campsite, free showers, unlimited 24/7 access to hot springs (clothing required & clothing optional pools), a clubhouse to wash dishes or cook or simply hang out inside in a comfortable chair to read or play games at a table), several bathrooms, phone service (and I didn’t have any driving in or out), peacocks and other wildlife to admire, friendly staff, firewood for sale, labyrinth maze, short scenic trails to watch the sunset and rise, inside facilities, amazing cabins (cheapest one is only $60 and comes with an hour long soak in a private pool which is otherwise $28 for one hour), etc. I could go on and on about this place. The best $21 I have ever spent to spend the night anywhere in my entire life and I am always camping and traveling. A literal oasis. I soaked from 7pm-11pm and had the pools to myself several times on a Sunday evening. Everyone was respectful and there was no sense of party / loud groups as so common is seen at hot springs. Alcohol allowed.

Rockhound SP, NM: If you like to hunt for rocks, or just be away from everything, this is a good place. Mountains are unique. Can’t get tired of looking at them. Only one trail here. Some nearby. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)

Overall Rating: 4 for fine layout in non-electric area Price 2024: $ 10 for non electric site Security: No Usage during visit: Pretty full Site Privacy: Desert vegetation does not offer privacy Site Spacing: Great Pad surface: Gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet Outside Road Noise: cg is at the end of the access road. No other road. Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Available. We were in the non-electric loop . Sites in this loop are generally more private than the electric area Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Out of order. Posting says that a Valero nearby provides free dumping. Potable Water Available: Yes. Near the dump station. Generators: Yes Bathroom: Pit toilet in the day use area is the closest. Flush toilets also available.
Showers: Nice showers Pull Throughs: Available Cell Service (AT&T): 2 bars Setting: Nestled against a mountain ridge overlooking other mountains and the desert below. Recent Weather: 40s to 80s with high wind/fire warning pending. Solar: Great Insects: None Host: Yes. Rig Size: Large rigs Sites: All sites in non electric loop are nice and well spaced. 1 and 3 are the best. Large 5th wheel had trouble backing in to #3, having to back up cg road to do so. #2 looks down on#1. Our site here was # 2. #0 looks over the day use area in one direction. #5 is closest to entry road into the cg. However, not much traffic into cg during our short stay.
I would be pleased with any site in this loop.

(12,13 nice elec sites )

General: This state park is aptly named; as you approach it, it looks like a pile of rocks was dumped in a field! There is a mix of electric and non-electric sites; however, the electric sites are lined up like a typical RV park with no privacy. The non-electric ones are the gems in this state park. 

Site Quality: Again, the non-electric sites are nestled among the rocks and spaced so far apart that for many of them, you don’t even see your neighbors. Each one is unique due to the rocks, and most are very generous in size. A fire ring, concrete benches, and a metal picnic table complete each of these sites. 

Bathhouse: Vault toilets are spread throughout the campground and are clean. There is a comfort station near the visitor center with flush toilets and showers. 

Activities: There are several short hiking trails throughout the park. We had enough cell (Verizon) to be able to see where they were. The visitor center is open 9-4 and unfortunately, we arrived at 4:30 pm and departed at 8 am the next morning. 

I love the uniqueness of this campground and the privacy between the non-electric sites.

So we actually did not camp here. We cancelled at the last minute and stayed in a hotel due to a sick child. But we visited the park just now for the last 2 hours! It is a giant playground if you love rocks! Our kids weaved in and out of the almost endless rock formations! As for the camping, there is a strip for campers and tents and some have electric hookups. They all have a covered picnic table and fire pit. There are also campsites within the rocks! Those all have a picnic table and fire pit, no electric. There are vault toilets around as well as a very nice visitor center with flushing toilets, showers, and accessible bathrooms/showers. The visitor center bathroom is extremely clean and has water and vending machines. The visitor center has toiletries for sale and we grabbed some t-shirts for the kids! We will be back.

I spent two weeks here at three different sites, and while I was ready to get back to civilization (the park is fairly remote), I genuinely had a relaxing time.

The bathrooms/comfort station are clean and fairly new—the only downsides are they’re only open from 7am-5pm to conserve water and it’s a bit of a trek by foot if you’re at one of the far campsites. I also had strong enough reception with T-Mobile to work remotely, and good service through Verizon as well.

Site 25 (Crab): a truly iconic site within a park where nearly every site is a gem. Downside: very little privacy and no shade from the afternoon sun. Upside: Site is level, great sunset views and a quick walk to the pit toilets.

Site 24 (Hercules): Connects to site 25 via a the rock formations, but more private as it’s not directly on the main loop. Again, close to the pit bathroom. There’s a fun and semi private climb up into the rocks to the left of the picnic table that will give you a stellar sunset view. Site is level and protected from the worst of the south/SW winds. I also saw the most wildlife from this site (marmot, roadrunner, jack rabbit, and more). Downside: the site curves rather drastically and is best suited for vans, tent camping, or very small RVs; little shade as the tree that used to offer shade was removed.

Site 30 (Triangulum): hands down, the best site in the park IMO. Lots of shade and privacy as it’s set far back from the main road; it almost feels like you have the park to yourself. Pit toilets are conveniently at the end of the drive. Downside: people climbing through the rocks occasionally end up near your site, but no one ever wandered too far; the windmill does makes some noise but it’s really not too bad; this site has FULL shade, which is ideal unless you run on solar panels. For a few hours a day I had to back my van into the sun, which put it at a fairly severe angle as the drive slopes once you back out of the sweet spot by the picnic table; very little protection from the wind, but there is some.