El Rito, NM is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of El Rito. Discover great camping spots near El Rito, reviewed by campers like you.
Riana Campground is located on a 150 ft. bluff overlooking the scenic Abiquiu Lake in northern New Mexico, just one hour northwest of charming Santa Fe. The lake sits at an elevation of 6,400 feet on the Rio Chama, a tributary of the legendary Rio Grande.
Abiquiu Lake offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation. The fishing here is some of the finest in northern New Mexico. Visitors enjoy boating, water skiing, and hiking. Lake shore access for boat launching is 1 mile from the campground.
Riana Campground hosts 52 campsites, 13 of which have electric and water hookups. Flush toilets, showers, and drinking water are provided, as are picnic shelters, grills, lantern posts, and tent pads. A playground and dump station are located on-site.
Fragrant Pinion pine, juniper, and sage cover the campsite, providing a distinct smell of northern New Mexico, but offering limited shade. Colorful rock formations surround the park. Visitors are awarded a panoramic view of the narrow mesa, Cerro Pedernal, locally known as "Pedernal." Famous American painter, Georgia O'Keefe, had her ashes scattered over its top.
Northern New Mexico is full of beauty and history. The educational and historical Ghost Ranch is about 10 minutes from the park. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, San Pedro Wilderness, Cumbres Toltec Railroad, Chaco Canyon, and Bandelier National Monument are all nearby. The ski-town of Taos is just over an hour away, and colorful Santa Fe is an hour southeast, both with restaurants, shops, and museums.
For facility specific information, please call (505) 685-4561.
$16 / night
$40 - $60 / night
Campground is closed for current season of use. Coyote Ranger District @ 575-638-5526 for current status
The Rio Chama is a developed no-fee campground where reservations are not required. Located along the Rio Chama Wild & Scenic River, the developed campground offers a great place for families,
Ten individual campsites each include a picnic table and a campfire ring. RV's up to 20 feet can be accommodated in only a few sites. No potable water, or hookups.
Juniper Family Campground is the ideal place to camp on the Pajarito Plateau. Located just inside the main park entrance, the campground is a short drive from the Bandelier Visitor Center, the Frijoles Canyon Shuttle bus system (mid-May to mid-October), and the adjacent towns of Los Alamos and White Rock. Also within driving distance are many other opportunities for recreation and exploring the history and culture of the area such as Valles Caldera National Preserve, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Los Alamos museums, the Jemez District of the Santa Fe National Forest, and more. With 53 individuals sites and 2 group camp sites Juniper Family Campground is the perfect "home base" to explore the Pajarito Plateau, Jemez Mountains, and all of north central New Mexico! The campground is divided into 3 loops each has its own comfort station with indoor restrooms, running water, and dish washing stations but no showers. Each campsite has picnic tables, grills, fire rings, and food lockers.__ Loop A individual campsites are offered as first-come, first-serve. Individual campsites in Loop B (year-round) & Loop C (seasonally) are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Group campsites may be reserved up to 12 months in advance. No same day reservations allowed for group campsites.__ It is highly recommended that campers seeking a same-day reservation for a campsite (Loop B or C) make reservations prior to arriving at Bandelier. Cell service/data is not always reliable in the park and no public WiFi is available. Reliable cell service/data and public WiFi can be found in the neighboring towns of Los Alamos and White Rock. __***From mid-May to mid-October, the shuttle bus system is in service, running between the Visitor Center in Frijoles Canyon, the amphitheater parking area in Juniper Family Campground, and the White Rock Visitor Center in White Rock, NM. Access into Frijoles Canyon and the Visitor Center is by shuttle bus only between 9am-3pm and private vehicle traffic is prohibited. To reach the visitor center, campers at Juniper Family may take the free shuttle bus from the amphitheater parking area in Juniper Family Campground, hike the Frey Trail into Frijoles Canyon, or drive their private vehicle before 9am or after 3pm.***
Bandelier is home to over 70 miles of hiking trails most of which are located within federally designated wilderness. Two trails are accessible directly from Juniper Family Campground. The Frey Trail follows the historic route into Frijoles Canyon and descends down the canyon wall to the Visitor Center and the Main Loop Trail. The Tyuonyi Overlook Trail leaves the amphitheater parking area for a 3/4-mile hike across the open mesa top to an overlook providing breathtaking views of Frijoles Canyon and of Tyounyi, an ancestral Pueblo village. The Bandelier Visitor Center houses museum exhibits, park film, information and ranger programs, Western National Parks Association sales outlet, and more. Entrance to Frijoles Canyon and the Visitor Center is by shuttle bus only (or by hiking) from mid-May to mid-October. These areas are accesibile by private vehicle outside the shuttle bus period.__ Many other opportunities for recreation are close by including Valles Caldera National Preserve, Santa Fe National Forest, US Department of Energy pulic recreation trails, and others around Los Alamos County.__ Rock climbing is prohibited within Bandelier National Monument, however many popular climbs are within a short drive up Route 4 into the Jemez Mountains.
Juniper Family Campground is divided into 3 camping loops. Each loop has its own comfort station with restrooms and running water. Water spigots with potable water are centrally located in each loop. Picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and food lockers are provided at each campsite. No hookups are available at any campsites. There is an RV dump station on the road into the campground, however water at the dump station is turned off during winter months (no filling water tanks or dumping: mid-October to mid-April). Camping Loop C (Coyote Loop) is closed seasonally on November 1 and reopens March 1. Shade is limited in most campsites. During the summer months a camp host is present in the campground.__ *As of 10/27/23, due to temperatures below freezing, the RV dump station has been closed for the season. Individual Campsites Each individual campsite has a paved parking pull in or pull through parking spot. Driveways/pull through size vary by site, many can accommodate larger RVs/trailers. Picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and food lockers are provided at each campsite. There are three camping loops for individual campsites: Loop A campsites are available year-round as first-come, first serve only. Loop B campsites are open year-round and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites offered on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance).__ Loop C campsites are open seasonally, March 1 ___ October 31, and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites offered on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance).__ All first-come, first-serve campsites (Loop A) may be paid for at the self-pay kiosk located at the Juniper Family Campground kiosk or in-person during business hours at the Bandelier Visitor Center.__ Group Campsites Group campsites are available by reservation only up to 12 months in advance. No same day reservations. Each group campsite is for tent camping only and has ample space for multiple tents. Only one (1) RV or trailer is permitted per site. Each site can accommodate 10-20 campers. Group campsites have picnic tables, fire rings with grills and food lockers.______ The Frijoles Canyon shuttle system (mid-May to mid-October) includes a stop at the Amphitheater parking area located in the Juniper Family Campground. The shuttle can be ridden free of charge and offers service into Frijoles Canyon, stopping at the Visitor Center. Private vehicle traffic into Frijoles Canyon is prohibited while the shuttle is in service.__ During the summer months, interpretive programs may be offered during the day at the Visitor Center and in the evening at the Amphitheater located in the campground. Check the Visitor Center for program schedule.____ Postal mail and/or package deliveries cannot be received at campsites. Any deliveries will be returned to sender. Check-in time for individual campsites is 1:00 pm.__ Check-in time for group campsites is 4:00 pm. Check-out time for the campground is 11:30 a.m.
Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres of rugged, beautiful canyon and mesa country which features evidence of human presence going back over 11,000 years. Petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and standing masonry walls pay tribute to the early days of a culture that still survives in the surrounding communities.__ Bandelier National Monument sits at the southern end of the Pajarito (Spanish for little bird) Plateau. The plateau was formed by two eruptions 1.6 and 1.4 million years ago. Home to the Bandelier Wilderness, Bandelier ranges from 5340 ft at the Rio Grande River to the south and 10,199 ft at the summit of Cerro Grande to the north, almost a mile of elevation change in just under 12 miles. This elevation gradient creates a unique diversity of habitats specific to Northern New Mexico. The diversity of habitats and quick access to water supported a relatively large population of Ancestral Pueblo people. Currently, Pi__on-Juniper woodlands dominate in the southern parts of the park transitioning through ponderosa pine savannahs and forests, finally reaching mixed conifer forests at the highest elevation. Scattered throughout the park are desert grasslands, montane meadows, and riparian areas in the canyon bottoms. Over 70 miles of trails at Bandelier climb in and out of deep canyons and cross large flat mesas, showcasing the entire spectrum of volcanic geology and ecosystems found within the park. The park is home to over 55 species of mammals including mule deer, Abert's squirrels, mountain lions, black bears, and 16 species of bats. Replitles and amphibians of all shapes and sizes can be seen. Birds such as Steller's jays, canyon towhees and mountain chickadees stay year-round, whereas turkey vultures, western tanagers, and black-headed grosbeaks are summer residents.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (505) 672-3861.
The town of Los Alamos has shopping, museums, amenities, a movie theater, ice rink, ski hill, and is home to Manhattan Project National Historic Site.__ Nearby Department of Energy and US Forest Service lands provide trails which accommodate pets. Valles Caldera National Preserve is 16 miles west of Bandelier.__ Jemez Historic Site is 37 miles west. Pecos National Historical Park is 70 miles southeast.__ Santa Fe, 40 miles south of the park, is home to the New Mexico state capitol, museums, historic districts, art galleries, food, accomodations, and more.__
$50 / night
The Orilla Verde Recreation Area is located within the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument and along the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River. Nestled along the banks of the Rio Grande and within the steep-walled Rio Grande Gorge, the campgrounds in this area offer nearby access to the river. The elevation along the river is 6,100 feet and the steep canyon rises 800 feet from the river to the Gorge rim.
Because of the dramatic changes in elevation and the diversity of plant life, Orilla Verde draws many species of animals, including raptors (such as eagles and hawks), songbirds, waterfowl, beaver, cougar, ringtail, mule deer, and more. The Rio Grande also has attracted humans since prehistoric times. Evidence of ancient peoples is found throughout the Recreation Area in the form of petroglyphs on the rocks and many other types of archaeological sites.
The climate at Orilla Verde is semi-arid, with summer thunderstorms common in July and August, and snow possible from October through March. Summer temperatures range from 45 to 90 degrees, and winter temperatures range from -15 to 45 degrees
$5 - $15 / night
11 campsites at 7600' with excellent hiking and fishing access, this area is often crowded in summer
At 8475 feet in elevation, Black Canyon Campground is in a great location to experience some of the finest mountain scenery the Southwest has to offer. The facility is newly renovated and provides access to a variety of outdoor recreational activities. Campers can enjoy warm days and cool weather in the summer months, providing a scenic getaway from the desert heat.
Hikers enjoy a pleasant hiking 1.5-mile trail that loops around the campground and into the surrounding forest. Several additional hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails are located nearby. The Pecos Wilderness can be accessed eight miles from the campground, with many trails leading to majestic peaks and through valleys, canyons and forested groves. Many recreation opportunities exist along Highway 475, both above and below Black Canyon Campground, including hiking and biking trails and picnic areas. In the winter, the area offers both Nordic and alpine skiing.
The campground offers many single and double-family sites, most of which are accessible. Some sites are designated as walk-to sites for tent camping only. A few are available on a first-come, first-served basis.Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets are provided. The highway to the campground is paved. There is currently no water available on the campground, bring your own water.The campground is adjacent to New Mexico's Hyde State Park, where a dump station is available.
The campground is situated in a forest of pine, aspen and fir trees. A good mix of sun and shade is found throughout the area. Many beautiful views are found in the surrounding forest.
This location has limited staffing. Please call (505) 753-7331 for general information.
The campground is located about seven miles northeast of the town of Santa Fe, New Mexico. This unique town is known for its cultural heritage, art galleries and museums.
$10 / night
Hotel Luna Mystica is a vintage trailer hotel and campground in Taos, NM. We are an independent property, located 15 minutes from downtown Taos, near the Gorge Bridge, Mamby Hot Springs and Earthship Biotecture. We are also next door to Taos Mesa Brewing, a full restaurant and venue. Our camp sites are primitive but we do have a free standing tiny house with 2 indoor bathrooms/showers, 2 outdoor showers, and a utility sink with great drinking water on the outside. We have WiFi which may help as cell service is spotty on the west side of Taos. Access to our brand new lounge! Sites are not marked, we prefer to let people find places that feel good to them. The area is safe. No creepy crawlies, just coyotes, bunnies, friendly dogs and a cat. There are fire pits and wood is available for purchase on site. Please respect neighbors, campground is mellow.
$25 / night
Riana Campground is located on a 150 ft. bluff overlooking the scenic Abiquiu Lake in northern New Mexico, just one hour northwest of charming Santa Fe. The lake sits at an elevation of 6,400 feet on the Rio Chama, a tributary of the legendary Rio Grande.
Abiquiu Lake offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation. The fishing here is some of the finest in northern New Mexico. Visitors enjoy boating, water skiing, and hiking. Lake shore access for boat launching is 1 mile from the campground.
Riana Campground hosts 52 campsites, 13 of which have electric and water hookups. Flush toilets, showers, and drinking water are provided, as are picnic shelters, grills, lantern posts, and tent pads. A playground and dump station are located on-site.
Fragrant Pinion pine, juniper, and sage cover the campsite, providing a distinct smell of northern New Mexico, but offering limited shade. Colorful rock formations surround the park. Visitors are awarded a panoramic view of the narrow mesa, Cerro Pedernal, locally known as "Pedernal." Famous American painter, Georgia O'Keefe, had her ashes scattered over its top.
Northern New Mexico is full of beauty and history. The educational and historical Ghost Ranch is about 10 minutes from the park. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, San Pedro Wilderness, Cumbres Toltec Railroad, Chaco Canyon, and Bandelier National Monument are all nearby. The ski-town of Taos is just over an hour away, and colorful Santa Fe is an hour southeast, both with restaurants, shops, and museums.
For facility specific information, please call (505) 685-4561.
$16 / night
$40 - $60 / night
Campground is closed for current season of use. Coyote Ranger District @ 575-638-5526 for current status
The Rio Chama is a developed no-fee campground where reservations are not required. Located along the Rio Chama Wild & Scenic River, the developed campground offers a great place for families,
Ten individual campsites each include a picnic table and a campfire ring. RV's up to 20 feet can be accommodated in only a few sites. No potable water, or hookups.
Juniper Family Campground is the ideal place to camp on the Pajarito Plateau. Located just inside the main park entrance, the campground is a short drive from the Bandelier Visitor Center, the Frijoles Canyon Shuttle bus system (mid-May to mid-October), and the adjacent towns of Los Alamos and White Rock. Also within driving distance are many other opportunities for recreation and exploring the history and culture of the area such as Valles Caldera National Preserve, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Los Alamos museums, the Jemez District of the Santa Fe National Forest, and more. With 53 individuals sites and 2 group camp sites Juniper Family Campground is the perfect "home base" to explore the Pajarito Plateau, Jemez Mountains, and all of north central New Mexico! The campground is divided into 3 loops each has its own comfort station with indoor restrooms, running water, and dish washing stations but no showers. Each campsite has picnic tables, grills, fire rings, and food lockers.__ Loop A individual campsites are offered as first-come, first-serve. Individual campsites in Loop B (year-round) & Loop C (seasonally) are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Group campsites may be reserved up to 12 months in advance. No same day reservations allowed for group campsites.__ It is highly recommended that campers seeking a same-day reservation for a campsite (Loop B or C) make reservations prior to arriving at Bandelier. Cell service/data is not always reliable in the park and no public WiFi is available. Reliable cell service/data and public WiFi can be found in the neighboring towns of Los Alamos and White Rock. __***From mid-May to mid-October, the shuttle bus system is in service, running between the Visitor Center in Frijoles Canyon, the amphitheater parking area in Juniper Family Campground, and the White Rock Visitor Center in White Rock, NM. Access into Frijoles Canyon and the Visitor Center is by shuttle bus only between 9am-3pm and private vehicle traffic is prohibited. To reach the visitor center, campers at Juniper Family may take the free shuttle bus from the amphitheater parking area in Juniper Family Campground, hike the Frey Trail into Frijoles Canyon, or drive their private vehicle before 9am or after 3pm.***
Bandelier is home to over 70 miles of hiking trails most of which are located within federally designated wilderness. Two trails are accessible directly from Juniper Family Campground. The Frey Trail follows the historic route into Frijoles Canyon and descends down the canyon wall to the Visitor Center and the Main Loop Trail. The Tyuonyi Overlook Trail leaves the amphitheater parking area for a 3/4-mile hike across the open mesa top to an overlook providing breathtaking views of Frijoles Canyon and of Tyounyi, an ancestral Pueblo village. The Bandelier Visitor Center houses museum exhibits, park film, information and ranger programs, Western National Parks Association sales outlet, and more. Entrance to Frijoles Canyon and the Visitor Center is by shuttle bus only (or by hiking) from mid-May to mid-October. These areas are accesibile by private vehicle outside the shuttle bus period.__ Many other opportunities for recreation are close by including Valles Caldera National Preserve, Santa Fe National Forest, US Department of Energy pulic recreation trails, and others around Los Alamos County.__ Rock climbing is prohibited within Bandelier National Monument, however many popular climbs are within a short drive up Route 4 into the Jemez Mountains.
Juniper Family Campground is divided into 3 camping loops. Each loop has its own comfort station with restrooms and running water. Water spigots with potable water are centrally located in each loop. Picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and food lockers are provided at each campsite. No hookups are available at any campsites. There is an RV dump station on the road into the campground, however water at the dump station is turned off during winter months (no filling water tanks or dumping: mid-October to mid-April). Camping Loop C (Coyote Loop) is closed seasonally on November 1 and reopens March 1. Shade is limited in most campsites. During the summer months a camp host is present in the campground.__ *As of 10/27/23, due to temperatures below freezing, the RV dump station has been closed for the season. Individual Campsites Each individual campsite has a paved parking pull in or pull through parking spot. Driveways/pull through size vary by site, many can accommodate larger RVs/trailers. Picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and food lockers are provided at each campsite. There are three camping loops for individual campsites: Loop A campsites are available year-round as first-come, first serve only. Loop B campsites are open year-round and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites offered on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance).__ Loop C campsites are open seasonally, March 1 ___ October 31, and are reservable up to 6 months in advance. Some sites offered on shorter booking windows (7 or 14 days in advance).__ All first-come, first-serve campsites (Loop A) may be paid for at the self-pay kiosk located at the Juniper Family Campground kiosk or in-person during business hours at the Bandelier Visitor Center.__ Group Campsites Group campsites are available by reservation only up to 12 months in advance. No same day reservations. Each group campsite is for tent camping only and has ample space for multiple tents. Only one (1) RV or trailer is permitted per site. Each site can accommodate 10-20 campers. Group campsites have picnic tables, fire rings with grills and food lockers.______ The Frijoles Canyon shuttle system (mid-May to mid-October) includes a stop at the Amphitheater parking area located in the Juniper Family Campground. The shuttle can be ridden free of charge and offers service into Frijoles Canyon, stopping at the Visitor Center. Private vehicle traffic into Frijoles Canyon is prohibited while the shuttle is in service.__ During the summer months, interpretive programs may be offered during the day at the Visitor Center and in the evening at the Amphitheater located in the campground. Check the Visitor Center for program schedule.____ Postal mail and/or package deliveries cannot be received at campsites. Any deliveries will be returned to sender. Check-in time for individual campsites is 1:00 pm.__ Check-in time for group campsites is 4:00 pm. Check-out time for the campground is 11:30 a.m.
Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres of rugged, beautiful canyon and mesa country which features evidence of human presence going back over 11,000 years. Petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and standing masonry walls pay tribute to the early days of a culture that still survives in the surrounding communities.__ Bandelier National Monument sits at the southern end of the Pajarito (Spanish for little bird) Plateau. The plateau was formed by two eruptions 1.6 and 1.4 million years ago. Home to the Bandelier Wilderness, Bandelier ranges from 5340 ft at the Rio Grande River to the south and 10,199 ft at the summit of Cerro Grande to the north, almost a mile of elevation change in just under 12 miles. This elevation gradient creates a unique diversity of habitats specific to Northern New Mexico. The diversity of habitats and quick access to water supported a relatively large population of Ancestral Pueblo people. Currently, Pi__on-Juniper woodlands dominate in the southern parts of the park transitioning through ponderosa pine savannahs and forests, finally reaching mixed conifer forests at the highest elevation. Scattered throughout the park are desert grasslands, montane meadows, and riparian areas in the canyon bottoms. Over 70 miles of trails at Bandelier climb in and out of deep canyons and cross large flat mesas, showcasing the entire spectrum of volcanic geology and ecosystems found within the park. The park is home to over 55 species of mammals including mule deer, Abert's squirrels, mountain lions, black bears, and 16 species of bats. Replitles and amphibians of all shapes and sizes can be seen. Birds such as Steller's jays, canyon towhees and mountain chickadees stay year-round, whereas turkey vultures, western tanagers, and black-headed grosbeaks are summer residents.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (505) 672-3861.
The town of Los Alamos has shopping, museums, amenities, a movie theater, ice rink, ski hill, and is home to Manhattan Project National Historic Site.__ Nearby Department of Energy and US Forest Service lands provide trails which accommodate pets. Valles Caldera National Preserve is 16 miles west of Bandelier.__ Jemez Historic Site is 37 miles west. Pecos National Historical Park is 70 miles southeast.__ Santa Fe, 40 miles south of the park, is home to the New Mexico state capitol, museums, historic districts, art galleries, food, accomodations, and more.__
$50 / night
