Best Campgrounds near Dexter, NM

Camping options around Dexter, New Mexico include city-managed Lake Van as well as several dispersed sites and established campgrounds within a short drive. Lake Van offers both full hookup RV sites ($15 nightly) and primitive camping along the lakeshore ($9 nightly), while Bottomless Lakes State Park, located approximately 15 miles northeast, provides developed campsites with picnic tables, sun shelters, and swimming access. The area supports tent camping, RV parking with hookups, and some glamping opportunities across both public and private campground facilities.

Road access throughout the region remains generally good, with most campgrounds accessible via paved roads. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F, making shade structures and water access particularly valuable. Lake Van lacks clearly marked camping areas but allows camping virtually anywhere around the lakeshore for those seeking budget-friendly options. Most campgrounds in the area operate year-round, though seasonal closures may occur during winter months at some facilities. Cell service varies considerably by location and provider. A camper noted, "Although a bit rough around the edges, if you are traveling in SE New Mexico, this location is great for an overnighter."

Waterfront camping receives consistently positive reviews, particularly at Bottomless Lakes State Park where several natural spring-fed lakes offer swimming and paddling opportunities. Campers frequently mention the refreshing water quality despite the desert surroundings. Lake Van provides affordable camping but several reviewers mention concerns about site security and occasional sewage odors. Primitive camping areas tend to be quieter but lack amenities like showers or potable water. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the area, with many campgrounds reporting rabbits, hawks, and various bird species. As one reviewer described Bottomless Lakes, "Beautiful desert landscapes littered with deep lakes ranging from small to rather large. The water is ice cold and super refreshing, once you get acclimated to it."

Best Camping Sites Near Dexter, New Mexico (21)

    1. Lea Lake Campground — Bottomless Lakes State Park

    68 Reviews
    Dexter, NM
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 988-3638

    $10 - $35 / night

    "I bought a year pass during covid for New Mexico State park in 2019. I only used it 2 times and parks shut down. Now due to fires many parks have had to close."

    "The staff does a pretty good job at trying to keep up with visitors' messes but there's still trash in a lot of places... i.e. bathroom, Lea Lake, shower, campsites."

    2. Lake van

    10 Reviews
    Dexter, NM
    1 mile
    +1 (575) 734-5482

    $9 - $15 / night

    "Although a bit rough around the edges, if you are traveling in SE New Mexico, this location is great for an overnighter."

    "Located in Dexter, NM."

    3. Red Barn RV Park

    20 Reviews
    Roswell, NM
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 623-4897

    $40 - $240 / night

    "It has all you need for a home base from which to explore southern New Mexico: nice showers, laundry, restrooms, common areas with books and dvd's, even bottle of pop for $2 each."

    "The best part was seeing all the Canada geese and Sandhills cranes land in the fields right next to the property."

    4. Trailer Village RV Park

    18 Reviews
    Roswell, NM
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 623-6040

    $42 - $45 / night

    "Got to talk to a couple people also traveling in vans because of the proximity. Nice little Adobe hang out area that I used to cook on my grill."

    "She even greeted us after hours as we walked around. Very clean spot. Nothing sketchy or out of the ordinary. Bathrooms were pretty clean as well as the shower. Wifi is 4/5 stars."

    5. Town & Country RV Park

    9 Reviews
    Roswell, NM
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 624-1833

    6. Alamo Road Camp

    5 Reviews
    Roswell, NM
    15 miles

    "This is about 12 miles outside Roswell.
    Temps this week look to be 80’s for hi, and 50-60 for lows. The road to camp is not labeled at all."

    "Located directly across from Bottomless lake state park easy to get in. Flat wide open so wind can be tough. High winds warning for tonight up to 70mph gusts. Good cellar service with Verizon."

    7. Alamo Road Dispersed

    3 Reviews
    Roswell, NM
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 627-0272

    "Plenty of places to drive our utv to explore a bit even though the Polaris app shows no trails in the area."

    8. Spring River RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Roswell, NM
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 625-5530

    9. Haystack Mountain OHV Area

    17 Reviews
    Roswell, NM
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 627-0272

    $5 / night

    "We had the place to ourselves and watched another amazing New Mexico sunset. We only stayed one night with our 45 foot fifth wheel while traveling through."

    "Only 4 camp sites but overnight camping in the parking lot is allowed. great views of the sunset but not a dark sky site as Roswell, New Mexico is visible to the southwest."

    10. Carlsbad KOA

    39 Reviews
    Carlsbad, NM
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 562-9109

    "Only con is that sites were very close to one another. We stopped here to go to Carlsbad caverns."

    "Site is close to highway, so lots of road noise throughout the day and night. Contained tent hexagon shelter structure was nice, allowed for contained and divided campsites."

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Recent Reviews near Dexter, NM

258 Reviews of 21 Dexter Campgrounds


  • Donnie B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2025

    mescalero sands rec area

    Nice quiet place to overnight in cooler months.

    Amazing sunsets, very few people. 2 single sites and one group site. Each site has a covered picnic table with a charcoal grill and trash can. Sand dunes all around for OHV use. Golden hours are amazing and TONS of stars at night. Would be very hot mid summer.

  • Noah B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2025

    Limestone Campground — Brantley Lake State Park

    Primitive camping along the lake side

    Can’t go wrong with primitive camping here on the west side of lake. Woke up in the morning and when to the east side to use the showers and facilities, all were super clean. Nice and secluded in October.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Trailer Village RV Park

    Good location

    Friendly couple with goats and chickens. Nice little store and Roswell themed gift shop. Sites were gravel lots but everything was nice, clean and friendly

  • Tori H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Town & Country RV Park

    Great place for a quick stop or to check out Roswell

    The camp host was very friendly; they have hot showers, ample laundry machines, the bathrooms were pretty clean, and the spots are pull-through and full hookups. My kids enjoyed the clubhouse.

  • Jim M.
    Sep. 27, 2025

    Red Barn RV Park

    Beautiful RV campground

    Owner on site very nice, helpful and friendly. Great atmosphere quiet. Located at the edge of the town very little traffic on the main road. Very clean and well maintained

  • alicianlv The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    Lea Lake Campground — Bottomless Lakes State Park

    Bring your Mosquito Spray!

    Oh my, better be prepared for mosquitoes. My husband and I were swarmed by mosquitoes and were bitten no less than 25 times each, we counted! We kinda believe had we been allowed to have a camp fire it might have been a less disastrous outcome.

    Each reservable site had hand water pump, power (AC 35, 50, etc) bbq stand a picnic table and overhead shade awning. Showers and flush toilets were nice -was only place to minimize mosquito and "no seeums" issues. Not much to do, who wants to walk around while being bitten alive? Will not be coming back and sorry, hard to recommend given our experience.

  • B
    Sep. 13, 2025

    Limestone Campground — Brantley Lake State Park

    Great for visiting Carlsbad Caverns

    We were trying to find a campground close to the caverns. But the reviews didn’t seem exceptionally promising on most. So I looked at state parks and found Brantley Lake State Park. The campground was a bit off the beaten path as it was over 4 miles down a side road that appears to have lots of truck traffic. We entered the park and realized the entrance was not manned at the time so continued to the campground. Another 2 miles. The campground is laid out like a figure 8 mostly with views of the lake in most areas. The sites are spacious with a picnic table under a canopy for shade. There are few trees that provide shade so the canopy was a welcome addition. The site was paved for the RV but the remaining area was rock. It was mostly level but the pavement wasn’t wide enough to have our step on the pavement. The bathhouse was nice, updated and clean there were multiple trash receptacles located around the campground. The dump station was roped off so we asked about it. We were told it was not available currently but we could use site 1 sewer to dump when we leave. They do have a few FHU sites. It is about 15 minutes to the town of Carlsbad and then another 20 minutes to the caverns.

  • Julissa M.
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Lea Lake Campground — Bottomless Lakes State Park

    Enough if you just want to get away from it all

    We thought we were going to be paddleboarding in a big lake or sinkhole, but we were sadly mistaken. The main lake is small and right next to your campsite. There are paddleboards you can rent. There is a small area designated in the water for children to play in. There are hiking trails. There are also other sinkholes you can enjoy, but I wouldn't go in them. The water is stagnant and smells like rotting fish. Would I go back? No, I would not, but if you are looking to get away for a day and relax, then this is the place for you.


Guide to Dexter

Dispersed camping sites near Dexter, New Mexico provide economical options for travelers exploring southeastern New Mexico. Located at 3,500 feet elevation in the Pecos River Valley, the area experiences dramatic temperature shifts between day and night, particularly in spring and fall. Seasonal monsoon patterns from July through September can create flash flood conditions on unpaved access roads to primitive camping areas.

What to do

Birdwatching opportunities: During migration seasons, the wetland areas attract significant bird populations, particularly at Red Barn RV Park where visitors report excellent wildlife viewing. "We stayed at the Rv park for 3 days and it was quite clean and comfortable. The best part was seeing all the Canada geese and Sandhills cranes land in the fields right next to the property. There were hundreds and listening to them come and go throughout the day was so peaceful," noted a camper.

Fishing at Lake Van: The city-managed lake contains stocked fish and allows shore fishing without a boat, making it a convenient option for anglers. "Great fishing and camping right in town," according to one visitor at Lake Van.

Hiking opportunities: The terrain around camping areas offers various walking trails, particularly at Bottomless Lakes State Park. A camper mentioned, "Fun place to spend the weekend, we tent camped at D4 and it was quite and peaceful, great bike trail leading to the big lake too!"

Target shooting: Some public lands permit target shooting in designated areas. At Alamo Road dispersed camping, a reviewer noted, "There is a target shooting range on DOD land about 2 mi away so during the day you do hear gunshots from time to time. Everyone shooting there is shooting North so stay south of the zig zag road sign."

What campers like

Budget-friendly options: The region offers several low-cost camping alternatives beyond those mentioned in existing listings. A reviewer at Lake Van stated, "Can't Beat The Price. Although a bit rough around the edges, if you are traveling in SE New Mexico, this location is great for an overnighter."

Cell service for remote work: Many dispersed campsites maintain surprisingly good connectivity. At Haystack Mountain OHV Area, a visitor reported, "The cell service was the best, most likely because there were several cellular towers looming overhead."

Well-maintained facilities: Despite their rustic nature, many sites feature clean amenities. "The bathrooms were the cleanest pit-toilets we've ever seen and the area had extremely strong LTE," commented a camper about Haystack Mountain OHV Area.

Wildlife viewing: The area supports diverse animal populations. One visitor to Alamo Road Camp observed, "A herd of cows came near my camp last night as the sun was setting."

What you should know

Security considerations: Some campgrounds have reported theft issues. A reviewer at Lake Van cautioned, "I left my belongings to run to the store. I came back to everything gone. Even my daughter's bible!"

Weather preparedness: The region experiences significant wind events and rapid temperature changes. At Alamo Road Camp, a camper noted, "Located directly across from Bottomless lake state park easy to get in. Flat wide open so wind can be tough. High winds warning for tonight up to 70mph gusts."

Insect activity: Mosquitoes can be problematic, especially after rainfall. A visitor to Bottomless Lakes State Park warned, "Oh my, better be prepared for mosquitoes. My husband and I were swarmed by mosquitoes and were bitten no less than 25 times each, we counted!"

Road conditions: Access to dispersed camping requires careful driving on unpaved surfaces. "The road to camp is not labeled at all. The road is pretty primitive, with potholes along the entire length. You do not need four wheel drive, just drive slow," advised a camper about Alamo Road Camp.

Tips for camping with families

Pet considerations: Several campgrounds accommodate pets but present challenges. One visitor to Bottomless Lakes commented, "Great scenery here, and luckily New Mexico now allows camping again at its state parks, but... there are about a trillion sandburs on the grass here. We have 4 dogs and have spent an inordinate amount of time saving their paws from the burs."

Playgrounds and activities: Some sites offer dedicated children's facilities. At Carlsbad KOA, a visitor reported, "The sites were spacious and the playground was great for the kids. The bathhouse was clean, and warm (!!)."

Educational opportunities: The region provides learning experiences about desert ecosystems. "Traveling back from Texas, I had planned an overnight in this State Park. Due to weather, I ended up staying 3 additional days. And, so happy I did! It was a short and easy ride into Roswell to tour the alien paraphernalia. And, I also took in Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge. The sand cranes were arriving and it was interesting to see them create line formations in the valleys."

Swimming options: Water access varies by location, with some sites offering swimming in natural spring-fed lakes. A visitor noted, "You can rent paddle boards for cheap, and the water is surprisingly clear and blue. It's a kind of oasis for people surrounded by dirt and cacti."

Tips from RVers

Level parking: Many sites provide stable surfaces for larger vehicles. At Town & Country RV Park, a visitor observed, "Sites are gravel and pretty level with some shade trees."

Hookup configurations: RV sites sometimes have unusual utility arrangements. One camper at Lake Van reported, "We ended up in spot number 3 which had the sewer connection in the back so we had to stretch our sewer hose pretty far."

Extended stay options: Several campgrounds offer weekly and monthly rates. "It's $15 a night for full hookups, $95 a week, or $350 a month," mentioned a reviewer regarding Lake Van.

Site spacing: Some RV parks provide more separation between units than others. A camper at Town & Country RV Park stated, "Spaces are 95% level rock. Biggest downfall would be that all sites are buddy sites."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Dexter, NM?

According to TheDyrt.com, Dexter, NM offers a wide range of camping options, with 21 campgrounds and RV parks near Dexter, NM and 4 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Dexter, NM?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Dexter, NM is Lea Lake Campground — Bottomless Lakes State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 68 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Dexter, NM?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Dexter, NM.