Karen N.
Guide
GuideSanta Barbara Campground
Beautiful weekend
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
Equestrian Camping near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM
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RV Park at HIPICO Santa Fe features on-site horse corrals and full trailer hookups approximately 20 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. This spacious private campground accommodates RVs and tents with full electric, water, and sewer connections. The property connects to public land for riding access. The facilities include restrooms, showers, and overnight stabling options for horses. Sites are generously spaced and offer a quiet atmosphere with helpful staff. The campground provides discounts for extended stays, with 10% off for 4-6 day visits and 15% off for weekly stays. Waste disposal services, potable water, and trash collection are available on-site.
Jacks Creek Horse Camp in the Pecos Wilderness offers a dedicated equestrian camping area with multiple corral units and ample trailer parking space. The campground provides excellent access to mountain trails, including Cave Creek Trail and the path to Round Mountain, which features views and routes through aspen groves. The horse camp includes clean vault toilets maintained by an active camp host. Drinking water is available from a well located two miles down the mountain. Camping areas include fire rings with cooking grates and picnic tables. While the campground can become busy on weekends, it serves as an ideal base for wilderness trail riding and exploration. Round Mountain offers superb views and pleasant riding through aspen stands.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Eldorado at Santa Fe (13)
1. Top of New Mexico - Dispersed Site
"We even spotted wild horses nearby as we arrived. Weekend shooting practice is audible in the distance, but well away from camping areas, and we never felt unsafe."
"This campground offered amazing views of the Sandia mountains and the surrounding area."
2. RV Park at HIPICO Santa Fe
"This is a very spacious private campground southwest of Santa Fe with access to public land. Located 20 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. There are probably 50 sites with restrooms and showers."
from $55 / night
Check Availability3. RavenHouse RV Spot and Horse Hotel
"It was easy to get around to the sites we had planned on visiting. The hosts were super nice and accomodating when we had a wifi issues, they got us up and running again quickly."
from $42 - $75 / night
Check Availability4. Turquoise Trail Campground
"CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Turquoise Trail Campground, Cedar Crest, NM Turquoise Trail Campground is a small privately owned campground located five miles north of I-40 off Route 14 (exit 175) just outside"
"Hardware store and a couple restaurants close by. New owners, same campground. Would definitely stay here again."
5. Villanueva State Park Campground
"A little off the beaten path but was worth it. Each campsite had a picnic area some even had shelters over them! The lower campground was right next to the river (very high when we were there)."
"The drive to this park takes us back in time through the tiny town of Villanueva. Once through the gates I was amazed at the fast flowing Pecos River right next to the tree shaded sites. A gem."
from $15 - $30 / night
Check Availability6. Iron Gate Campground
"During rainy seasons, ruts form with deep mud on some spots driving up."
"It's a nice little place tucked away in the woods. The road to get there is a bit rough, hence the title. By no means, Not a road for a large trailer or 5th wheel. Wild life everywhere.."
7. Las Vegas/New Mexico KOA Journey
"Cute cats and dogs all around. Pretty views and conveniently located within driving distance of a lot of attractions. Def recommend checking out the local hot springs."
"It is off the highway but nice and secluded. Pretty location and outside of Las Vegas, NM. It isn’t a five star because the sites are pretty close together"
from $45 - $75 / night
Check Availability8. Jacks Creek Horse Camp
"The sites on the outside of the loops are decently wooded, smaller and not well suited to RVs. The sites on the inside of the loops have longer, RV sized pull in and little trees."
"Great overnight spot to use as a "home base" with lots of trail access. Multiple units of corrals and plenty of parking and turnaround space for large trailers."
9. Cuervo Mountain RV Park and Horse Hotel
"There aren’t many RV parks around and of the handful this is the one where you are going to get some space. There’s a playground for the kids and possibly some horses in the stables."
"He was always prompt with filling our propane, making sure we got our mail and keeping things tidy around the park."
from $43 - $87 / night
Check Availability10. Jacks Creek Group Area
"Beautiful drive out, creeks on both sides. Nestled deep in the Pecos Wilderness. Camping overlooks the mountains. Beatty’s trail head is nearby. Made a fire and had electric to charge my phone"
from $100 / night
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Drive Time
- 24 min from Santa Fe, NM
- 1 hr from Albuquerque, NM
- 3 hrs 16 min from Farmington, NM
- 3 hrs 45 min from Pueblo, CO
Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM
8 Photos of 13 Eldorado at Santa Fe Campgrounds
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM
175 Reviews of 13 Eldorado at Santa Fe Campgrounds
Warren K.GuideLas Vegas/New Mexico KOA Journey
Campground close to a cool little town
We stopped here for an overnighter and it was not the most aesthetic choice, but the town of Las Vegas is quite charming. The town has a great plaza and historic hotel where we had a pretty good meal. The sunsets and landscape in this part of New Mexico really take your breath away.
- D
Dorrs T.
ScoutIron Gate Campground
Not as great as I thought it would be.
Based on the reviews I thought this place would be a cool oasis up in the trees. Alas, it's not. There's a loop with 14 total sites. Unfortunately, at least half the sites in the inner ring are unusable because of road runoff making it tough to get to them, and we have a Toyota Tacoma. As a result, they do not get used and are, therefore, overgrown with New Mexico ground cover, which is not comparable to soft grass. That immediately bumps it down to about 10 sites. When we arrived, there was one site available that we could access. It was behind the main trailhead parking area and completely shaded. All in all, not bad, just not our ideal choice since it's right there close to any and all foot traffic. Luckily, as we walked the rest of the loop to see if there was anything else, a couple was just finishing packing up so we were able to snag their spot (#13), which we felt was the best one. Score!
Now, let's talk the road to get there. Absolutely do not try to take a camper of any size to this campground unless it's a legit overland type tear or squaredrop, ideally with an articulating hitch. People are not kidding when they say that's not a good idea. We had our Tacoma in 4L and I'm honestly not sure how some 2WD vehicles make it. There are many spots where the incline is pretty good, a number of deep crevices as a result of water runoff, many sections that are absolutely one lane only, and at least 6 spots where there was a small pond of standing water to drive through. Were any of the ponds show stoppers, no, but the water in one dip came up past the bottom of our doors. All in all, the road is no joke. Yes, I get this is a forest road, but the road snakes through multiple pieces of residential property (albeit they are probably summer homes but we saw people at almost every house when we drove past), and there's a hiking trailhead at the campground, so I expected it to be not THAT bad. In my book, it's not officially 'offroading' but it's worse than other forest service roads we've been on. Oh, and the couple residents we passed driving in their vehicles (you can tell by looking at them they are not campers or hikers) made it abundantly clear they weren't happy with us being on their road. All in all, nice campground with great trailheads but there are too many other beautiful places to hike and camp in NM for us to want to go back.
- Jeff K.Guide
Borrego Mesa Campground
Great campsite!!
Good road all the way in. About a 15min drive from the highway. Only 5 or 6 sites. Close to the Rio Mario Trail trailhead. Campsite is at elevation over 8,000ft so it can get chilly at night. Worked great for tent camping. Sites have a small horse pen but you would need to make a gate on them. Not good for big LQ horse trailers.
- BBrent J.
TravelerTop of New Mexico - Dispersed Site
Quiet BLM Escape
Perched atop a quiet BLM mesa with sweeping views of the Sandia Mountains and Albuquerque, this dispersed site is a great spot. No services—bring everything you need—but the payoff is incredible sunrises and sunsets, wide-open skies, and a real sense of solitude. We even spotted wild horses nearby as we arrived. Weekend shooting practice is audible in the distance, but well away from camping areas, and we never felt unsafe. Roads in were fine for our low-clearance vehicle. Stayed three nights and loved every minute—simple, beautiful, and highly recommended for anyone seeking an uncluttered desert escape. There is a lot of confusion about how to get to the campsites, since the area borders a neighborhood. We found this to work best and does not go through the neighborhood - From 165 turn on Camino del Tecolote, right on Camino de La Rosa Castilla, right on Camino De Las Huertas, and right on Llano Del Norte (this road curves around to the three different spots to enter the BLM land, we went all the way to the end)
Alexander D.ScoutTop of New Mexico - Dispersed Site
Epic, accessbile, and open campsite with good views
This campground offered amazing views of the Sandia mountains and the surrounding area. We found a fire ring and plenty of level areas to set up camp in addition to large bushes to take shelter behind. Also plenty of wild horses roaming around, though we didn't ever see any at near our campsite.
Tina M.ScoutRavenHouse RV Spot and Horse Hotel
Majestic skies + Decent Amenities
We had the perfect 5 night stay. It was easy to get around to the sites we had planned on visiting. The hosts were super nice and accomodating when we had a wifi issues, they got us up and running again quickly. We used the grill area and even hosted friends visiting one night with their horse trailer and 2 horses. We stayed one night in the TeePee which was just magical and cozy, a mini vacay inside of our otherwise rustic van camping trip! The bathroom is located inside an enclosed out building with the shower located in an outdoor but private/roofed adjacent area. All and all, thumbs up for communication, comfort, basic amenities and ambience!
Steve & Ashley G.
LegendAgua Piedra Campground
Great Northern New Mexico Camp
We 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.
Dave V.LegendTurquoise Trail Campground
Clean and close to the mountains and Albuquerque
CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Turquoise Trail Campground, Cedar Crest, NM
Turquoise Trail Campground is a small privately owned campground located five miles north of I-40 off Route 14 (exit 175) just outside the east side of Albuquerque. Tucked along the base of the Sandia mountains, at 6940’ elevation. http://www.turquoisetrailcampground.com/
There is plenty of visible signage to guide you down Snowline Dr into the campground.
As you approach the office/museum on the right, the RV/Camper loop is visible on the left (which appeared full). Behind the office building are two tent loops (upper and lower). There are two very clean bathroom/showerhouses located between the office and tent loops. A laundry room and dishwashing sink is located at the back of the office building. *This is also the only water access for the tent loops.
RV sites have full hookups. Tent sites have only a leveled, gravel tent pad, picnic table and standing grill. Only stove fires were permitted at our visit due to open fire restrictions.
Tent sites are separated by scrub brush, which offered partial privacy between most sites, but you will hear your neighbors. The outer tent sites back up to a residential area, with a fence separating. Bring earplugs for undisturbed sleeping, as road noise from Route 14 can be heard, along with local dogs randomly in the distance.
At $20 a night, the campground is convenient and sufficiently met our needs as we traveled west on a tight itinerary.
Shower tokens are provided with your nightly fee. Each token gives you 7 minutes of shower time.
There is plenty to do nearby, with bike trails and hiking trails…though nothing of particular interest in the campground itself.
The bustling city of Albuquerque is the next exit west, so you are still very close to shopping, eateries, and nightlife.
Guide to Eldorado at Santa Fe
Dispersed camping areas around Eldorado at Santa Fe offer access to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 8,500 feet. The region experiences distinct seasons with snow possible from October through April, while summer brings afternoon thunderstorms and temperatures averaging 80°F during daytime. Most horse-friendly camping areas provide access to wilderness trails through pine, spruce, and aspen forests.
What to do
Trail riding access: Top of New Mexico dispersed site connects to trail systems with views of the valley and mountains. "Wild horses came to visit too! 9 wild horses came to visit too!" notes camper Cher & Walter P., highlighting the unique wildlife encounters possible here.
Mountain hiking: Iron Gate Campground serves as an excellent base for wilderness exploration. "We camp here as often as possible! Often we use it as a base camp to start over night backpacking trips in the Pecos. It's a nice hike down to the river from Iron Gate, too," shares Dean K. The campground connects to multiple trail systems with varying difficulty levels.
Stargazing opportunities: The minimal light pollution creates exceptional night sky viewing conditions. "You can clearly see the Milky Way. No light pollution except the beautiful view of the city far away," mentions Lauren I. about the Top of New Mexico area, which benefits from its Dark Sky Sanctuary designation.
What campers like
Spacious camping setups: RV Park at HIPICO Santa Fe provides ample room between sites. According to camper marine J., "This is a very spacious private campground southwest of Santa Fe with access to public land. Located 20 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. There is really nothing to it but it is so spacious and quiet, great vibe."
Wildlife encounters: Villanueva State Park Campground offers opportunities to observe local wildlife along the Pecos River. "The park itself is tucked away into a canyon between two towering cliffs. There are shady campsites along the Pecos river," explains Celina M., who appreciates the natural setting.
Solitude and quiet: Many dispersed camping areas provide isolation from crowds. Josh F. notes, "Saw one other camper about a mile away... Pretty isolated from supplies, which is the charm, but come prepared." This remoteness creates peaceful camping experiences away from urban noise.
What you should know
Road conditions: Access to some horse campgrounds near Eldorado at Santa Fe requires appropriate vehicles. "Absolutely do not try to take a camper of any size to this campground unless it's a legit overland type tear or squaredrop, ideally with an articulating hitch," warns Dorrs T. about Iron Gate Campground. Many forest roads become challenging during wet weather.
Water availability: Jacks Creek Horse Camp has limited water access. "There is potable water from a well two miles down the mountain and trash, but packing out much that can't be burned is encouraged," explains Allison C. Bringing extra water containers is advisable for extended stays.
Seasonal considerations: Most higher elevation campgrounds close during winter months. Iron Gate Campground operates from May to November, while lower elevation sites may remain accessible year-round. "During rainy seasons, ruts form with deep mud on some spots driving up," notes Cory M., highlighting how weather affects accessibility.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Turquoise Trail Campground offers family-friendly amenities. "There is fishing in the river, hiking up to the mesas with commanding views, geocaching, a playground, showers, relaxation," shares Celina M., making it suitable for children of various ages.
Food storage precautions: Wildlife encounters require proper food management. "The squirrels and chipmunks are particularly good at finding food and did cut a hole through our neighbors tent to get to it!" warns a camper. Secure food in hard containers rather than leaving items in tents or backpacks.
Weather preparedness: Temperature swings between day and night require appropriate clothing and gear. Even summer camping requires warm layers for nights. "The days were warm, but the nights were lovely," notes Missy A. about Las Vegas/New Mexico KOA, reflecting the typical temperature pattern throughout the region.
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Las Vegas/New Mexico KOA Journey provides full-service sites for larger rigs. "Nice Big Rig friendly. Some of the sites I went by thought was not level but then you look closer the pad itself was very level," reports Mary T., highlighting the importance of checking site specifications.
Leveling challenges: Many sites in the mountain areas require leveling blocks or equipment. "We had our Tacoma in 4L and I'm honestly not sure how some 2WD vehicles make it," explains a camper about accessing primitive sites. RVers should bring leveling equipment and check site conditions before committing to remote locations.
Connectivity considerations: Cell service varies significantly by location and carrier. Josh F. reports, "Great Starlink location and pretty good cell service (3/4 bars)" at one dispersed site, while more remote locations may have no connectivity. Many campgrounds within 30 minutes of Santa Fe maintain reasonable service levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian
campsite near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM is Top of New Mexico - Dispersed Site with a 4.6-star rating from 38 reviews.
What is the best site to find
equestrian camping near
Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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