Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Elephant Butte? The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Elephant Butte. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Elephant Butte campsites are perfect for tent campers.
6 campsites with Adirondack shelters provide access to Apache Kid Wilderness and San Mateo Peak Lookout by hiking or horseback.
Small campground located along the north side of New Mexico Highway 152, near mile marker 40, near Middle Percha Creek, on the eastern edge of the small town of Kingston, NM.
This is a beautiful remote camping area. Trail #94 begins at the rear of the campground.Located in a remote area of forest__approximately 30 miles from the Wilderness Ranger District office. This campground is accessible from FR 150, and driving approximately .5 miles from the road, across the stream. You will enter an area with a newer vault toilet__and a beautiful meadow next to the stream.Please be advised - the district recommends high-clearance 4x4 vehicles on FR 150.
This is a fairly small campground and is popular with horse riders and hunters.
Lower Gallinas Campground is situated in a tight little canyon and is easily accessed by New Mexico Highway 152. It is approximately 35 miles east of Silver City within the Black Range Mountains.
Black Canyon Campground offers a great remote camping experience.Located in a remote area of the forest__approximately 30 miles from the Wilderness Ranger District office. This campground is accessible from Forest Road 150 (North Star Road). The upper campground is the first camping area__you will come across and is visible from the entrance road.The forest recommends high-clearance 4x4 vehicles on Forest Road 150.
Popular campground at 8100' has 2 sites and dispersed camping with trailhead for hiking seven tough miles to Mt. Withington Lookout
Guide
Great 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.
Traveler
Stayed at the Appaloosa Campground. Was surprised when we should up that we had water. Electric works great. Ground is pretty hard and rocky so wouldn’t be good for tent camping.
Scout
This campground is right off the highway, but not too much traffic. The small creek bed has nice water depending on the time of year. Too hot in the summer. Gets cold I. The winter, but it is a nice place when the weather is too cold to go further up the mountains to other campgrounds in the Gila. Vault toilet is clean. Only a couple of camp spots. We tent camp, but I think you'd be able to park a small camper or trailer.
Ranger
Caballo Lake State Park has several campgrounds that aren’t represented on the Dyrt app map. We tent camped at the Riverside campground below the dam over Easter 2014. See my screenshot of the park map. Google map has 100s of reviews of this campground. It was ok. Kind of crowded and the Rio Grande flowed shallow and muddy (unlike in Del Rio, Texas, from where we had recently moved, where the river is beautiful, above and below Amistad Dam). Alas, at least it was nice to be outdoors.
Guide
Campsites are well sized and maintained. Bathrooms not open. Beautiful lake. Close to beautiful Gila National Forest. Ride on hwy 152 was awesome. Close to Elephant Butte’s perfect beaches. W/E. There are a few FHU.
Scout
We 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.
Traveler
This 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.
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.
LegendCaballo is kind of hidden between Percha and Elephant Butte but has lots of places to camp and is well maintained. This has a nice paved road leading to it, tons of spots where you can have privacy and trees. During the spring, it would keep you out of the wind.
Guide
Great 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.
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! 
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!
Scout
I love the Elephant Butte State Park and have stayed around 4 times. February 2024 I spent a week there in my small travel trailer. It can be quite windy in Feb/Mar so before booking I called the park office ans asked which campground might be more wind sheltered. They suggested Quail Run so that is what I booked. It was more out of the wind and a very nice, less exposed area. /bear in mind, the excellent prices are ending for 2025 and will be considerably more. I plan to spend a few days there in Dec before the prices go up.
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.
Ranger
This small camp site is next to Smokey Bear Historical Park and museum is in a small town of Capitan, New Mexico.
GuideConvenient spot when driving south in New Mexico. Nice campground. The water level on the lake was pretty low. There is some good hiking nearby and also a bike trail that goes around the lake which is quite long. We were there early in the season so there was a lot of accessibility for campsites.
ScoutA little confusion at the park enterance sent us to the incorrect loop, discovered shortly after we were in place. But camp host made a few calls and as it worked out we were able to remain in location. The helpfulness of each person along the way made this an excellent spot. We used this as a base to explore south central New Mexico.
GuideNice area, and probably one of the best areas in central New Mexico. I however prefer the areas more to the north of the state. This campground is clean, cheap and right on the lake. The amount of people varies. Good place to chill or swim. There is a place to launch boats as well, but the lake itself isn't all that big. I've seen people dish there before, but never seen anyone catch anything. Isn't too much to do around the area, and basically would just make a nice weekend trip if you were in that area.
LegendSituated on the edge of a sprawling reservoir along the Rio Grande river, this park is the perfect place to enjoy the vast landscape of the area. The nearby town of Truth or Consequences, NM is small, but has all the services you might need for food, gas, supplies, or soaking in hot springs.
The campground is well spaced out, each spot has a picnic table with shade/rain structure (I’ll let you guess which purpose gets more use) and nearly all have electricity and water. That means NO generators! The bath house is clean and offers flush toilets, running sinks and warm showers. All sites are reservation only, but you can do that when you get there as there is plenty of LTE cell service. We've never seen this place crowded in the winter months. For what you get at this campground, it’s a bargain at twice the price.
The campground is ideal for solar power, as is the New Mexico weather. We also had no problem connecting with Starlink. Hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing and all other sorts of desert recreation is available right from the campground. Definitely worth the visit!
Guide
Beautiful campground in Santa Fe New Mexico. We came to stay one night to go to Meow Wolf and ended up staying 3 nights I liked it so much. Would be 5 stars but the water spigot only worked intermittently, and it was difficult to get a site due to online reservations, some of which weren't even used but sites were still considered occupied due to reservation. I dislike National Park Campgrounds utilizing online reservations, it makes it hard for those of us who wish to ramble aimlessly.
The birds are abundant here. I wore a red winter hat and had at least 10 hummingbirds buzz my head in one day. I could hear their wings and feel the breeze from them they came so close. Tons of shade here, and nice cool days with chilly nights in May. We had a night of sleet after a rainstorm with hail but the next two days were gorgeous. Conveniently located to Santa Fe amenities. I highly recommend this campground. Pit toilets were minimally smelly and relatively clean.
TravelerWe camped here for 5 days. Water and electric on every site. Beautiful view of the lake. It was very quiet. The camp host was wonderful. We had some stakes that came with the tent and they didn't work. He gave us some heavy duty ones that didn't bend.
GuidePretty lake but too busy. Went on a what we thought was a slow weekend and campers/tents were side by side at the shore line all the way around the lake. It's also surrounded by soft sand which a poop ton of people get stuck in if you don't have the right vehicle.
GuideBeautiful scenery and nice sites. Had a power outage for a bit, no running water or lights in restroom was a pain at the time. Obviously camping there are critters, but when my daughter saw a large black widow on our tent she had a little freak out. Just check your picnic table and keep an eye out.
Scout
This camp site is off a forest service road that gets pretty rough. Definitely tents only Recommend that you have 4wheel drive, motorcycle or atv. Right on the continental divide trail. Very quiet
GuideWe visited Black Canyon last August on our way to Colorado and stayed two nights. What a lovely and well maintained place. camp hosts were absolutely wonderful. campers were clean, quiet and respectful. Bathrooms were just pit toilets, but man... they were CLEAN! It is cool at night, even in August, due to the elevation. We were so cozy in our wool socks and sleeping bags in a tent. It even hailed on us hard one day. I liked this place so much we booked it again this summer, but were disappointed to see it closed for the month due to wild fires nearby and extreme drought. We get it, but are super bummed. This place is just gorgeous.
GuideThis campground is not far from I-25, not far from Truth or Consequences, with easy access on paved roads. There is a dump and water fill station as well as sites with electric and water, fire pits, a grill, and a pavillion with half walls for shade and privacy. Dispersed camping is available down by the lake near the boat ramp. Cell coverage is iffy, at best. Comfort Stations are clean, toilets have running water. There is only cold water at sink, and sporadic warm but mostly cold water in showers. There are no surfaces to set things down on. Only very few hooks in shower and toilet stalls. Waking up with calls from the cranes across the lake made my day happy! You’ll enjoy the sounds of night creatures, although the noise from I-25, depending on the direction of the wind, can be deafening, especially if you are in a tent. Bring ear plugs! Sunsets are breathtaking! If it were warmer I’d love to go out on my paddle board. I’d come back to this campground again and again!
Tent camping near Elephant Butte, New Mexico offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Elephant Butte, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Elephant Butte, NM is Railroad Canyon Campground with a 3.7-star rating from 6 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Elephant Butte, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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