Best Glamping near Fort Wingate, NM

We used this campground as a starting point for a research trip sampling Precambrian rocks of the Zuni Mountains. I hadn't spent much time in this part of New Mexico, and assumed that the trip was going to be hot and sun-bleached, similar to the desert exposed in nearby Gallup, NM. I was surprised to drive into a beautiful forest just a few minutes off I40.

The campsite includes basic forest service amenities: pit toilets, picnic tables, and metal-rimmed fire pit/grill sites. What set this apart from other non-hosted campsites for me was the condition of the grounds. The tent camping sites had well maintained, leveled tent pads, maintained gravel roads, and clean facilities. The Sites offered a reasonable degree of privacy, although some of the sites near the middle of the loop road place you in close proximity to your neighbor. The area is moderately wooded with pine and aspen, providing shade throughout the day and easy access to the dirt road that transects the Zuni Mountains, letting you out near the Bandera volcano and ice cave, which is a wonderful drive if you have a high clearance/4x4 and time to drive through.

We saw abundant wildlife while working in the Zunis, including several brown bears, deer, and elk. While we didn't have any run ins with these guy in camp, be aware that large animals are present in the area and be sure to take necessary bear-proofing precautions.

Camp fees were $5/night, which is quite the bargain given the well-kept grounds and wonderful scenery. If you're looking for a less-traveled escape from Albuquerque, or just want the chance to explore the under-valued Zuni mountains and western New Mexico landscape (and some pretty interesting geologic features such as orbicular granite), this campground is an excellent place to spend some time on the cheap.

Photos included are from the Zunis south of the campsite, as I didn't think to take any photos while we were at camp.

We were so grateful to stumble upon USA RV Park on our recent trip through New Mexico.  We were dealing with snow all the way from Colorado to Gallup, and decided about an hour out of Gallup to stop for the night.  We called USA RV Park, and while no one answered, they returned our call within the half hour.  They graciously accommodated our 2 trailers last minute with full hookups!  The campsite itself is large, clean, well marked, and very nice restrooms!  The store was well stocked with what we needed (including a tent repair kit for our pop up!).  The owner, John, was very kind, helpful, and a delight to chat with.  We filled our propane tank up on site and were on our way the next day!  Highly recommend! :)

We ended up camping in the truck bed here after a few other remote sites. The clean showers and bathrooms were greatly appreciated after a few days of roughing it and we were able to restock our water before continuing on. Most people staying in the park seemed to be full time residents. The vibe was something along the lines of the "good Ol' days" of family vacationing with small eclectic parks. There's an on-site brewery and bar but we didn't stop in. If you're tent or car camping be sure to arrive during the day or talk to someone prior to checking out as those sites are less expensive than the RV sites. Frenchy, a friendly Canadian ex-pat retired uranium miner, was on site to help with any questions. Would recommend for anybody taking a break from boondocking or heading to El Malpais.