Best Tent Camping near Socorro, NM
Tent camping in the mountains near Socorro, New Mexico provides access to several primitive sites in the Cibola National Forest. Bear Trap Campground and Springtime Campground offer established tent sites at higher elevations, providing relief from the desert heat. These small, remote campgrounds feature minimal services but deliver authentic wilderness experiences for tent campers seeking isolation.
Access roads to many Socorro-area tent campgrounds require high-clearance vehicles, with some routes featuring hairpin turns and rough conditions. Bear Trap Campground sits at approximately 8,500 feet elevation with four primitive sites and vault toilets but no drinking water. Pack-in, pack-out principles apply at most locations. A review from The Dyrt notes that the road to Bear Trap Campground is "rough and narrow with some hair-pin turns" but passable with AWD vehicles. Fire restrictions may apply seasonally, especially following the 2022 wildfires that affected some camping areas.
Tent campers at higher elevations enjoy cooler temperatures during summer months when lower elevations become excessively hot. Sites typically include picnic tables and fire rings when permitted. As one camper described, "At about 8500 ft MSL elevation, it is cool up there! August nights are very comfortable; by September, the nights are chilly." Springtime Campground features Adirondack shelters and shaded sites, with hiking trails starting directly from the campground. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the region, with bears and boars occasionally reported near camping areas. Most tent sites are spaced adequately to provide privacy, though the desert vegetation offers limited natural screening. Seasonal camping is the norm, with most high-elevation sites open from May through October or early November before winter conditions make access difficult.
