Are you in need of a campground near Elephant Butte, NM? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Elephant Butte and user-submitted reviews.
$30 / night
"It’s desert cove in the elephant butte campground. There are other campgrounds but this is the one I chose. It’s a short walk to the lake and there is a teal nice trail to walk my dogs."
"We camped in Loop B, which is supposed to have the best view of Elephant Butte Lake. It totally does, the views are excellent."
$30 / night
"South Monticello Campground is part of Elephant Butte State Park. It is very quiet compared to Lions Beach and definitely the rowdy beach camping further South on the lake."
"This very popular state park, on the edge of the Elephant Butte reservoir, is a great wintertime get away."
"A very short drive to Elephant Butte State Park. Site was pretty level, very quiet and peaceful. Staff was very easy to get a hold of during business hours. Security patrols the park regularly."
"We pulled in to Elephant Butte RV Park in the dark, called the security number, and he directed us to a spot. It was easy to hook up, to pull in, easy to pull out with our 36’ 5th wheel."
$50 - $75 / night
"It is only a short walk to Main Street but it is very quiet at night. Highlight: It includes access to incredible mineral water baths built out of kitschy farm troughs!"
"Lovely outdoor living room with bbq and fire pit. Spotless bathrooms. Hosts are so kind."
"My favorite part about caballo lake is floating down from elephant butte to caballo lake in a giant floaty."
"Close to the water from camping sites....Grills tables and shade area...."
"The road in may require 4x4 depending on any precip or how one drives. Once there, you're rewarded with Adirondack shelters and shaded sites."
"This campground is a “little” more hidden from the road than other nearby campgrounds."
"This campground is a “little” more hidden from the road than other nearby campgrounds."
"Nice hiking trails throughout. No cell signal. Most spots are fairly flat with slight adjustment."
GuideGreat place to kayak especially when the sun rises you will see it over the mountains. My favorite part about caballo lake is floating down from elephant butte to caballo lake in a giant floaty.
GuideSouth Monticello Campground is part of Elephant Butte State Park. It is very quiet compared to Lions Beach and definitely the rowdy beach camping further South on the lake.
Unfortunately because the lake is so low the boat ramp is out of the water and only the Rio Grande River runs through there. Keeps the crowds down!
There’s a great trail that wonders from the campground 11 miles south. We rode our bicycles and most of the trail was well maintained but there can be spots where flooding cause sandy spots and can be difficult to ride through. Perfect for an adventure walking or running. Photo of the map on review.
We were there in October and many flocks of Sandhill cranes fly over and sometimes land in the valley below near the river.
The shelters are great with large smooth concrete bases and nice big tables. The sites are raked in a fun Fen Shui pattern by the Camphost.
The spaces are spread out along several loops along the edge of the mesas over looking the valley to the Rio and Elephant Butte lake. Water and electric hook ups!
It’s 9 miles to Elephant Butte for gas, a dollar store and several decent “eats”. A golf course in town that looks nice but we don’t golf so no review on that.
Another 5 to the town of Truth or Consequences for WalMart, Sonic, McDonalds, Denny’s, etc! T or C is know for its hots springs and Ted Turner owns Sierra Grande a motel and spa. I’ve heard some rooms have hot springs tubs in the room!
Would have loved to stay longer but the park has a 14 day limit!
TravelerThis is a fantastic campground. It’s desert cove in the elephant butte campground. There are other campgrounds but this is the one I chose. It’s a short walk to the lake and there is a teal nice trail to walk my dogs. Sites are water and electric. $14.00 per day.
ScoutWe stayed there for three nights. A very short drive to Elephant Butte State Park. Site was pretty level, very quiet and peaceful. Staff was very easy to get a hold of during business hours. Security patrols the park regularly.
GuideWe camped in Loop B, which is supposed to have the best view of Elephant Butte Lake. It totally does, the views are excellent. Very affordable RV camping at under $20 a night, which is a steal with both water and electric hookups. But, the bathrooms - they are not great. The one closest to our site was closed (maybe temporarily, but nobody could give us an answer on that), and it's a 15 minute walk to the next one. The showers are the push button type where you only get 60 seconds of water at a time, which is ok, but the facilities are very run down and clearly not cleaned too often. Overall, great location and views, but bring a shower bag.
LegendThis very popular state park, on the edge of the Elephant Butte reservoir, is a great wintertime get away. We spent the winter solstice here and woke up at sunrise to see the moon setting in the west and the sun rising in the east. Spectacular!
The campground offers many reservable spots, as well as first-come, first-served sites. Each site has water, electric, picnic table (with sunshade) and a fire ring. The bathrooms are either vault toilets or full service with showers. There are no trees for privacy, but the sites are nicely spaced apart so you don't feel like you are on top of your neighbors.
Now, we don’t normally get critical of other reviews on this site. But some were very negative about the bathrooms, and we simply cannot understand why. The bathrooms were heated, the toilets were clean, as were the showers. The water was warm! Yes, these showers are the push-button type which only gives you a minute or so of water before you push it again. However, the showers were free with the campsite, which only costs $14 (2018) and is in the desert! Water is a precious resource here, so you can’t get your nose out of joint over decisions made by management to limit water consumption when you’re only paying this little.
During the summer months when the reservoir is up to recreational levels, boating and fishing are the most popular activities. Judging by the size of the boat-launch parking lot, you’re going to have to get up early in the morning to grab a spot. There is a great hiking and mountain biking trail right out of the campground which winds between all the other park roads, picnic areas and amenities on the western side of the lake. The trail is relatively new and in most areas is graveled. However, rainstorms have washed a lot of sand across the trail in areas and it can be pretty soft. Further south along the trail we encountered many more arroyos which upped the challenge. The nice thing is that you can always hop back on the pavement to return to the campground.
The town of Elephant Butte is nearby which offers a few restaurants, a general store, and gas. But just 15 miles south is the larger town of Truth or Consequences (interesting story about the name). This town has everything you might need, grocery, gas, food and other lodging....and hot springs! Check out our blog for more details about the latter.
GuideGreat flat spot with great views. It’s inside the Elephant Butte lake state park, but seems to be a dispersed site. No one around. No amenities. There is a vault toilet maybe a half mile away. There are pay stations around. We had paid for a site on south Monticello campground but came here instead.
GuideElephant butte is great for a short getaway. You can rent kayaks, jets skiis & more while you're there. I bring my own kayak and go at least 2X a year. My favorite part is grabbing a floaty and float down to caballo lake a smaller lake that connects by river.
TravelerWe were going to dry camp, but there was a windy, rainy storm going on. We pulled in to Elephant Butte RV Park in the dark, called the security number, and he directed us to a spot. It was easy to hook up, to pull in, easy to pull out with our 36’ 5th wheel. Really nice people! 
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Elephant Butte, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Elephant Butte, NM is Lower Ridge Road Camping Area — Elephant Butte Lake State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Elephant Butte, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 glamping camping locations near Elephant Butte, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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