Best Tent Camping near Gila, NM
The Gila National Forest surrounding Gila, New Mexico offers several tent-only campgrounds and primitive tent camping areas within its rugged terrain. Lower Scorpion Campground provides walk-in tent sites with a small parking lot surrounded by tent camping areas, making it particularly suitable for tent campers. Railroad Canyon Campground, located near Hanover, features just 3-4 small tent campsites with a creek running behind each site. Rocky Canyon Campground offers tent-only camping along the Continental Divide Trail, while Black Canyon Campground - Lower provides tent sites in a more remote setting. Lake Roberts, approximately 30 minutes from Silver City, includes tent campsites with lake access.
Most tent campgrounds in the Gila region feature basic amenities suited for primitive tent camping experiences. Vault toilets are common at established sites like Railroad Canyon and Lower Scorpion, though drinking water is limited or unavailable. Fire restrictions frequently apply during summer months, with fires permitted only in designated metal fire rings when allowed. Roads to backcountry tent sites often require high-clearance vehicles, particularly at Rocky Canyon where the Forest Service road becomes rough and suitable only for 4WD access. Temperature variations are significant, with campers reporting 30-degree differences between daytime highs and nighttime lows, even in summer months.
Tent campers visiting the Gila area frequently note the solitude and natural surroundings as highlights. According to reviews, Railroad Canyon Campground offers "privacy from the road" with sites that are "more hidden than other nearby campgrounds." The small size of many tent campgrounds contributes to their quiet nature, with one visitor noting they "were the only people there during our visit." At Lower Scorpion Campground, campers appreciate the access to hiking trails, with one reviewer mentioning "a canyon that we hiked up behind the campground." Wildlife viewing opportunities abound throughout the region's tent camping areas, with deer sightings common at Lake Roberts and abundant bird activity at Black Canyon Campground.
