15 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Jacks Creek Horse Camp in Carson National Forest caters specifically to equestrian campers with camping facilities designed around horse use. The campground provides toilet facilities and trash collection while maintaining restrictions that support its equestrian focus. Pets are not permitted in this specialized camping environment, preserving the atmosphere for horse owners. Located near Pecos Wilderness trails, the camp serves as a strategic base for riders exploring the surrounding national forest terrain. Despite the absence of dedicated horse corrals, many campers report successfully using existing facilities for securing their horses overnight. The road to the campground is accessible for vehicles pulling horse trailers.
Trail access directly from the campground connects riders to extensive wilderness riding opportunities within the Pecos Wilderness. Borrego Mesa Campground offers an alternative with small horse pens at each site, though campers need to create their own gates for these enclosures. Sites accommodate tent camping with horses but present challenges for large living-quarter horse trailers. Camping at 8,000+ feet elevation means cooler nighttime temperatures even in summer months, requiring appropriate planning for both horse and human comfort. Water availability varies between campgrounds, with some offering drinking water while others require campers to bring their own supply for themselves and their horses. The Rio Mario Trail trailhead sits close to Borrego Mesa, providing additional riding opportunities beyond campground boundaries.
"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."
"Campground is a little off the beaten path, about 30m from the High Drive highway. Dirt roads were nothing to worry about, should be fine for any SUV or sedan."
"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"
"The trails are absolutely wonderful and well worth taking a few hours to walk part of them. Hard core hikers will use the campground as a starting point for a lengthy hikes."
from $30 - $80 / night
Check Availability"There is a trail head with 2 trails, one atv accessible and one hiking/horse that goes up to Indian Lake. Beautiful views and about 1200' elevation change."
"Tent camped at this location in the middle of September (a week before closing). Very beautiful place to watch the leaves change, trailheads close by and picnic tables at each site."
from $30 - $175 / night
Check Availability"Many open areas to camp right off the highway. The views of the mountains across the valley are best after the fork in the road. Please pick up extra trash if you use"
"I didn’t see anyone else camping or driving by. The forest is a nice mix of sage, juniper, and pine trees. I saw two elk across a swath of sage."
"The campground is situated in a beautiful setting and area right at Ghost Ranch."
"The whole ranch has been turned into a top notch facility with campgrounds and motel rooms, horses for rent, classes, and great hiking. The campground is large with several interconnecting loops."
"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.."
"Rio Chama RV park in Chama, New Mexico, is at the intersection of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the upper Rio Chama. A nice place to stay May 1 thru mid October."
"It's an easy dirt road drive down the river and you will pass many dispersed site and a couple of defined camping grounds."
"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."
"My wife and I have stayed at Hopewell Lake twice now. The first time we stayed here, we stumbled upon this little gem of a site while driving from Durango, CO to Taos, NM."
"No luck fishing but several people around us were catching very nice sized trout. Vault toilets were well stocked and clean."
from $24 - $125 / night
Check Availability"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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TravelerAll the campgrounds in the wild rivers area are very well maintained, the sites have sturdy pavilions, picnic tables and grills. Sites are nicely spaced and some have amazing canyon views. Vault-style toilets that are kept clean and stocked. Bring your own water, their "well is broken" as of Oct. 2026, so if you run out you're looking at a 20 mile drive round trip to buy a couple gallons at the local grocery store.
TravelerThe campground is situated in a beautiful setting and area right at Ghost Ranch. Campground has sites that are gravel and not very level, as others have noted, making it a bit of a challenge (site 16 in particular). Also note that some electric hookups are 20A only, not 30A. Full hookups at front of campground; tent only at rear. Showers were great and heated; laundry and bathrooms clean. Host and staff friendly. Lots of great hiking trails within walking distance of the campground. 2 small museums worth visiting. We paid $50 for electric hookup. Meal plan is now $50.
LegendSome good hikes, corral (horseback rides), museum, pack in pack out, & bring your own water (drought conditions; there is water available but don't rely on their water if for no other reason to support their conservation of it--don't recall any water hookups). Friendly staff. Did not avail ourselves of meal plan. Beautiful night skies. Still in mid to upper 90s in September (hot in afternoon). Beware that winds can gust suddenly & hard, including strong dust devils (a devil came through & tore up some tents & sunshades including mangling aluminum frames of some shades).
ScoutThe view is great. But nothing is level. Lots of trash. OHV's driving everywhere. This is a big OHV area. We were in a campervan. Never could get it level. Not real private. 2 Stars for the view only. We won't be back.
GuideReally enjoyed this campground. Most of the sites are FCFS and the host comes to you for payment.
The pit toilets were very clean, no flies or anything gross. The road is a bit rough but nothing to unusual for a campground up here.
The scenery is absolutely gorgeous with plenty of aspens amounts the pines.
I will definitely visit again.
LegendLet me start by saying I love that this place was once inhabited by the phenomenal artist Georgia O'Keeffe and there are some cool things to do on the ranch.... But....
This was one of the worst campgrounds I've ever stayed in. The sites are uneven, the campground layout makes no sense, the hook-ups are on the wrong side and some of the sites just piled up on each other.
I booked two nights hoping for a nice experience at the Ranch, but was sorely disappointed. I did enjoy walking the labrynith and seeing the library. I didn't have time for a workshop or guided tour.
The camp host was super nice. There were showers. The laundry left my clothes with a weird chemical smell. Would not recommend camping here, but definitely visit the ranch, especially if you are a Georgia O'Keeffe fan.
TravelerThis is what we wanted to find with dispersed camping! Beautiful view! A couple of neighbors but never heard them. Not the easiest piece of ground to get the trailer leveled but we made it work. Very pleased with our 3 nights there.
ScoutBased 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.
TravelerWe stayed here just after Memorial Day weekend in late May, and again in mid-June. Such a great campsite! Although at 8,000 feet of elevation, prepare for cold nights and intermittent rain, hail, and high winds, even during the "summer" season. We experienced day time temps of 70s - 80s and nighttime drops to the low 40s on both trips. There was a burn notice in effect in May, which was lifted for our June trip - probably because the significant afternoon hail storms on the first two days of our trip nicely saturated everything! ;) Day time weather was usually clear until noon, and then intermittent afternoon storms would set in, usually clearing by 6 pm. Basically, typical New Mexican mountain weather!
The sites are very well maintained, and the Camp Host was incredibly friendly and made regular rounds. FYI - there is NO cell signal at any of the tent sites, although we were able to get a signal (Verizon) within 50 feet of the ranger station if you need to check your phone.
A note about the various campsites. There are four main loops past the RV/electric hookup section. Loop 1 (sites 1 - 9), loop 2 (sites 10- 14), loop 3 (sites 16 -18), and loop 4 (sites 19 -30). Each of the four main areas have their pros/cons and would be ideal depending on personal preference.
Loop 1 - this is where we stayed in both May and June. It's the easiest walk to the lake, but also has the oldest vault toilet. This toilet locked itself a couple times after people left, and we had to ask the camp host to open it back up. Ultimately, he taped the lock in the unlocked position which worked fine. Several of the toilets have been upgraded throughout the site, but this one is still on the list.
Loop 2 - there's a playground next to site 14 and this is a GREAT loop for folks with kids. If you're not a kid person, you'd probably prefer a different loop.
Loop 3 - this is a beautiful loop with a brand-new vault toilet. With only sites 16, 17, and 18 sharing this loop, it seemed a little quieter.
Loop 4 - the final loop. Furthest away from the lake, you'll get less traffic from folks going up and down the road to their site.
Honestly, all of the sites are beautiful and your favorite site will depend a lot on personal preference. The river runs along the south side of the campsite road and we saw folks fishing - and catching fish! - at those campsites that backed up to the river.
This is a beautiful campground and we will definitely be back!
Equestrian camping near Embudo, New Mexico centers around Carson National Forest's diverse terrain at elevations typically above 8,000 feet. Summer daytime temperatures often reach the 70s-80s with nighttime lows dropping to the 40s even in warmer months. The forest offers several campgrounds catering to horse owners with varying levels of facilities, though most sites require visitors to bring water for their animals.
Trout fishing at high elevation lakes: Hopewell Lake Campground offers excellent fishing opportunities at 9,500 feet. "Hopewell Lake has tables for day picnics and is a popular fishing location. Be prepared for summer monsoon rains," notes Megan E. Fishing is particularly productive here as "several people around us were catching very nice sized trout," according to Karen N.
Mountain hiking from base camps: The trails from Santa Barbara Campground connect to the Pecos Wilderness with multiple difficulty levels. "This campground is the entry point to the NORTHERN end of Pecos wilderness with access to amazing backpacking, high mountain peaks, and literally dozens of groups of backpackers daily going up the trail," explains Robin T. For those seeking shorter excursions, "the trails are absolutely wonderful and well worth taking a few hours to walk part of them," says James F.
River activities and clay crafting: At Rio Chama Campground, visitors can enjoy unique riverside activities beyond typical camping. "We even made objects from the clay in the river. Then fired them in the camp fire," shares Carolyn H. Many sites feature "a sort of 'beach front' type inlet to the river. Definitely a place to launch kayaks or rafts," according to Ellie S.
Secluded forest settings: Carson NF - Forest Service Road 578 offers true wilderness camping with minimal infrastructure. "The forest is a nice mix of sage, juniper, and pine trees. I saw two elk across a swath of sage," reports Jacob W. Another camper valued that "there are many open areas to camp right off the highway. The views of the mountains across the valley are best after the fork in the road," says Ian O.
Historic facilities with modern amenities: Ghost Ranch combines cultural history with camping facilities. "Georgia O'Keefe lived in the property for a while, so there's a lot of history about her, and there's a small dinosaur and anthropology museum on site," explains Mike B. The ranch "includes a bath house with laundry room and electric hookups if needed," adds Megan E., making it suitable for various camping styles.
Variety of horse-friendly options: Equestrian campers appreciate the different facilities available at campgrounds like Borrego Mesa Campground. "Sites have a small horse pen but you would need to make a gate on them. Not good for big LQ horse trailers," advises Jeff K. This creates options for riders with different needs than those served by Jacks Creek Horse Camp.
Weather changes rapidly: The high elevation means unpredictable conditions year-round. "Prepare for cold nights and intermittent rain, hail, and high winds, even during the 'summer' season. We experienced day time temps of 70s-80s and nighttime drops to the low 40s," warns Nicole B. at Fenton Lake State Park Campground. These conditions require proper planning for both humans and horses.
Access road challenges: Many forest campgrounds have difficult approach roads. At Iron Gate Campground, "the road to get there is a bit rough. By no means, Not a road for a large trailer or 5th wheel," cautions Frank and Olga C. Similarly, for Forest Service Road 578, "My Tacoma had no problem on the dirt road, which has ruts and might be tough for an RV," notes Jacob W.
Limited cell service: Most campgrounds in this region lack connectivity. At Agua Piedra Campground, there's "zero cell service" according to Julie F. This isolation is appreciated by some but requires advance planning for safety and coordination with fellow travelers.
Select sites with kid-friendly features: Some campgrounds offer specific amenities for children. "Loop 2 - there's a playground next to site 14 and this is a GREAT loop for folks with kids," recommends Nicole B. at Fenton Lake State Park Campground.
Plan for moderate hiking options: Santa Barbara Campground provides access to trails appropriate for various ages. "Went exploring in the river next to the campground and then took a short hike up the river to some amazing river canyon views," shares Donaji R., making it suitable for family exploration.
Consider noise levels at busier sites: Popular campgrounds can get crowded, especially on weekends. "There were huge parties at many of the campsites all weekend, with cards zooming around all day. IT was NOISY and CROWDED," cautions Robin T. about Santa Barbara Campground. Families seeking quiet might prefer less-visited sites.
Check length restrictions carefully: Many campgrounds have limited space for larger vehicles. At Borrego Mesa Campground, "it would be difficult to get a fullsize RV up there at all," observes JIll. Most sites in the area are better suited to smaller trailers or tent camping.
Use designated spots for rig size: At Agua Piedra Campground, the campgrounds accommodate different vehicle types in separate areas. "The one loop with electric sites is a bit back from the water, but there is still LOTS of shade," notes Reuben, indicating these sites are designed specifically for RVs.
Water and dump stations may be distant: Most camping areas have limited services. "No dump station on site (another drawback). Decent water pressure," mentions Reuben about Fenton Lake, highlighting the need to plan accordingly for longer stays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Embudo, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Embudo, NM is Borrego Mesa Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Embudo, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Embudo, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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