Best Campgrounds near Gallina, NM

Due to a major construction project this spring thru fall, "Camp May Road, which will be closed to all traffic Monday through Thursday starting later in April 2025. ... 

Monday through Thursday closures are planned through the end of the calendar year. 

Camping at Camp May will be limited to Friday and Saturday nights on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations will not be available. Campers must extinguish campfires, pack up belongings and leave the area no later than Sunday evening. The entrance/exit to Camp May will be closed and locked after Sunday night."  From the LA County announcement:  

https://www.losalamosnm.us/News-articles/Collaboration-will-improve-regional-fire-protection

Also note, Los Alamos County and Santa Fe National Forest are in Stage I fire restrictions (no campfires) starting May 4, 2025.

We absolutely loved our stay at Ojo Caliente. The entire staff is helpful and kind, especially Danny on the grounds and Annie at the restaurant. We wanted spot 17 but it was booked so we got spot 11, which had some privacy as well. As others have mentioned, the hookups are on the opposite side but they will lend you extensions if you need. All spots have picnic tables. The spots further from sitting have most privacy and are still only a 5 minute walk to entrance (I timed it from our site). The best part is that you get early access to the pools, you'll have them nearly to yourselves 7:30-10am and 20% off admission. Also there is free yoga at 9 or 10:40 for guests and all the instructors were fantastic. The onsite restaurant was good, although we wished they had more than 5 bar seats. Would definitely stay again, so many amenities for the same price as a state park!

currently closed so we couldn’t stay. it looks like 50% or more of the trees have been cut down and stacked, perhaps thinning the forest.

A bit of a rough drive to the dispersed sites further in, but worth it! Nice, quiet, and saw lots of elk during our stay.

I've camped this area several times. In my van and with Grandkids & dog in a tent. We had a rock campfire ring and I bring my folding table & chairs. The kids love to hang hammocks in the cedar trees.
Bring it in and cart it out.

Make sure the dirt road is dry enough in monsoon season so you don't get stuck.

We stayed a few nights to explore Los Alamos and the park. It's convenient to have the grocery store within walking distance, and there's a YMCA in Los Alamos where you can purchase shower passes for $5. Nice staff at the visitor center as well.

Campground is nestled in a bug group of dense pines and only a 15-20 minute drive from Los Alamos. Quite a few hiking trails in the areas to explore the high desert mesas and escape the heat of Albuquerque.

It's a lovely location, and the camp is hosted by the Army Corps. They do a good job, the facilities and grounds are very well maintained. Drinking and marijuana consumption is strictly prohibited, with the hosts making regular rounds. The sites are so close together it may as well be one big group camp; I could hear everything going on in the sites around me at all hours of the night. Even when folks were in their tents and campers. Forget trying to enjoy a quiet evening stargazing. Was surrounded by large family groups who were having a great time, which I'm glad about, but it is not my cup of tea for camping.

We just happened upon this 1st come 1st serve campground & so glad we did! The camp host "Brad" was so very nice & helpful. He gave us info on all the things to do and see in the Jamez area (which is alot)  Our campsite #12 was really nice. It has a large covered pavilion (not all sites have the covered pavilions) with oversized picnic table & a short path down to a private area at the Jamez River (which is really more like a creek) from our site. We left our chairs down there & frequently enjoyed relaxing there. The area is scenic & campground was very clean. There are water pumps outside the bathrooms. The cost for us was $5 per night using our America the Beautiful Senior Pass. This is a great home base for visiting the area. Would defiantly visit again!

The weather is perfect in the summer! The Cumbres & Toltec steam train goes by the campground twice a day at the trestle. The Rio Chama flows along the edge of the campground. The staff was friendly and helpful. The town of Chama is within walking distance. Definitely worth staying.

We spent a few nights in the dispersed area near Hopewell .  We rolled in at 5 and had plenty of sites to choose from.  We chose one of the lower areas, with one large open space surrounded by smaller sites.  There were many more up the road, and there was constant traffic headed uphill until about 9PM.   Once the traffic stopped it was very quiet, only the cattle calling through the trees.  It rained for several hours and our spot stayed solid.  Some offshoot roads were rutted out. The main road had minimal rocks and holes, didn't get very muddy.  TMobile\Google mobile service worked well enough.  Verizon did not work.