Best Cabin Camping near Medanales, NM

Cabin options near Medanales combine rustic comfort with proximity to natural attractions. Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa offers cabin accommodations with electric hookups, picnic tables, and access to mineral hot springs. Ghost Ranch provides cabin rentals with similar amenities plus proximity to hiking trails and scenic views. Most cabins include basic furnishings with varying levels of comfort and amenities. "The campsites are a bit tight for our liking but not many folks were camping this weekend. The bathhouse was nice and heated, which is a plus this time of year," noted one visitor about the Ojo Caliente cabins.

Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. KOA-style cabins can be found at Santa Fe KOA, offering a more standardized accommodation with reliable amenities. Most cabin sites require reservations, especially during peak summer months. Pets are allowed at several cabin locations including Ojo Caliente and Ghost Ranch, though specific pet policies may vary by site. A camper wrote, "We stayed in the camping loop, and even with electricity and wifi available, had plenty of sunshine for solar power as well as good access."

Most cabins provide beds with basic furniture but require guests to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Kitchen facilities vary significantly—some offer only outdoor grills while others may include small refrigerators or microwaves. On-site markets exist at several locations including Ojo Caliente and Ghost Ranch, though selection is limited. Depending on the cabin location, visitors may need to travel to nearby towns for more substantial grocery shopping. Trash disposal is available at most cabin sites, but recycling options are limited or nonexistent.

Best Cabin Sites Near Medanales, New Mexico (16)

    1. Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa

    15 Reviews
    Ojo Caliente, NM
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 583-2233

    $40 - $60 / night

    "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."

    "Campground is rustic. Water and electric only. They do have a dump station but it is an extra cost. Sites were small and some hookups are in strange places."

    2. Riana - Abiquiu Lake

    20 Reviews
    Cañones, NM
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 685-4371

    $10 - $80 / night

    "Good views of lake & surrounding area from site. Vault toilet & drinking water a short walk away. Juniper provided minimal privacy. Site has lantern poll, fire ring, trash can & table."

    "Usually lots of others around so not super “off grid” but it’s nice and you can view the lake! Beautiful to drive around too. Pueblo land, be respectful!"

    3. Ghost Ranch

    6 Reviews
    Cañones, NM
    18 miles
    Website

    "It’s true they had meal plans, but we were prepared to camp off grid so we didn’t need anything. Instead, we enjoyed the views and the museum and the, swimming pool and horseback riding."

    "The campground includes a bath house with laundry room and electric hookups if needed. $30 to tent camp (no electric). Lodging, yurts and cabins, are also available."

    4. Star Dance

    1 Review
    Youngsville, NM
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 901-2936

    5. Santa Fe KOA

    29 Reviews
    Glorieta, NM
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 466-1419

    "Super clean Polite staff Firewood available Brand new playground 20 min from Santa Fe Showers / bathrooms 30/50 amp Fenced dog parks/fire pit areas fenced for pets Lots of space between units"

    "We did not get a tent spot but opted for a small trailer site with electric and water. Our spot was near the bathhouse but not too close."

    6. Rancheros de Santa Fe

    26 Reviews
    Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 466-3482

    "Just a short drive to the outskirts of Santa Fe in mountain country we found our campground, Rancheros de Santa Fe."

    "This is a pretty sprawling campground, with all kinds of sites(tent only, large sites with only 30 amp service, some sites with full hook up, others with just water& electric and a few water only."

    7. Agua Piedra Campground

    10 Reviews
    Llano, NM
    37 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 245-6521

    $40 / night

    "Tent camped at this location in the middle of September (a week before closing). Very beautiful place to watch the leaves change, trailheads close by and picnic tables at each site."

    "Nice shaded/wooded area for primitive tent camping with plenty of space to spread out."

    8. Los Sueños de Santa Fe RV Park & Campground

    13 Reviews
    Santa Fe, NM
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 473-1949

    $43 - $65 / night

    "This was a great location to explore the city and the staff was really nice.  The bathrooms are clean and the laundry facility is nice as well. "

    "Perhaps their roadside sign had recently blown down? It was hard to see, but a fine stay."

    9. Trailer Ranch RV Resort

    11 Reviews
    Santa Fe, NM
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 471-9970

    "I am here to do some work, so privacy was necessary. Laundry room and machines are excellent and CLEAN. Bathrooms too :) Bathrooms are really the most important."

    "Very clean well managed park. Location can’t be beat. Bus stops right in front of entrance for a 15 minute bus ride to downtown historic area. Sites are well spaced. Lots of trees for shade."

    10. Pendaries RV Resort

    4 Reviews
    Rociada, NM
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 454-8304

    "The campground is rustic but not trashy.  Very well kept and maintained.  Up in the mountains, cool and picturesque.  Very much worth the cost.  "

    "Wonderful pull through sites with plenty of space!"

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Cabin Reviews near Medanales, NM

138 Reviews of 16 Medanales Campgrounds


  • Steve & Ashley  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2019

    Agua Piedra Campground

    Great Northern New Mexico Camp

    We stayed at this site on the way back to Texas from our Colorado trip this summer. This is a great National Forest Campground south of Taos in the Carson Forest. The campground is just off the highway and situated in a beautiful mountain pine forest and next to a great trout stream. You have great shade during the hotter summer months. It’s far enough away from the highway that you don’t hear the traffic. It has a huge meadow and group camp site which look fantastic. The individual sites have some privacy between the sites and come equipped with fire pits and picnic tables. We made a reservation but the camp had a number of open sites in the peak summer season. The highlight here is the proximity of great hiking to nearby lakes and fishing in the trout stream. They had great facilities including clean pit toilets and some historic log cabins. They have a camp host and the sites accommodate tents and smaller vans and campers. I would give this another visit on our next trip to NM.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 15, 2018

    Rancheros de Santa Fe

    Short drive to quaint campground from Santa Fe

    We were very excited on our first night to settle into our campsite after a long day of adventuring. Just a short drive to the outskirts of Santa Fe in mountain country we found our campground, Rancheros de Santa Fe.

    Upon entry the staff was very friendly and welcoming and we felt like this would be a great place to call home away from home.

    The campsites were laid out well with room between campers and because it was the end of a weekend, they were not entirely at capacity which made for a pleasant sense of space in the great outdoors.

    Our campsite was positioned in the "high road" tent site area which is a primitive campsite without additional amenities. Each campsite has a fire ring and also a picnic table for campers to utilize and a pad site for tents slightly raises from ground level.

    It made for a beautiful night sleep under the chilly New Mexico skies.

    By morning we ventured up to the public showers and restrooms which were clean and had amazon water pressure and hot water to set the morning in motion perfectly.

    The facility also offers a pool and theater room during summer months so while we didn't get to take advantage we were excited to know upon return we would have these features available.

    🐰🐰🐰🐰⚪️

    Overall we give this campground a 4 of 5 Bunniea! The only things we noticed which kept it from a 5 were the lack of wifi reach in the back sections of the campground, wouldn't have been a big deal but cell service in the off grid location was also patchy so the wifi would have been handy. And the pad site was not designed for a tent quite our size. Our tent is a 12x8 and had a little side hang on on the 12 foot end.

  • cal K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2023

    Santa Fe KOA

    Little bit of a hard stay

    I stayed at a camping cabin. I’d been car camping for a month and had stayed at a camping cabin at las cruces Koa and loved it. This cabin has a heater that was not able to keep the cabin warm - it was really cold maybe 15 at night and I could not get rid of a chill all night even though I was bundled up. Then in the morning I went to close the door and the door handle broke locking me out. Luckily I had my dog and car keys but no one was in office yet and it was bitter cold. They let me cancel my next night and did offer a free night but didn’t refund the money I spent. Loved Santa Fe tho the food and coffee are Amazing!!!

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2023

    Riana - Abiquiu Lake

    Great views, great hosts

    Camped 2 nights at site #38 on the Puerco Loop. Reserved thru rec.gov while at the site. Wonderful campground hosts. Site was not quite level for our campervan, but close enough. Good views of lake & surrounding area from site. Vault toilet & drinking water a short walk away. Juniper provided minimal privacy. Site has lantern poll, fire ring, trash can & table. No hookups at this site. $6/night with senior pass. Restroom/shower house within walking distance. Facilities & vault toilets were very clean. Hiking trail in campground. AT&T & T-Mobile service. Overall, quiet & peaceful stay.

  • Karen  B.
    Jul. 19, 2020

    Rancheros de Santa Fe

    Good location

    The RV Park is about 20 minutes from the old town shops and restaurants so it’s a good location not far off the highway. Grocery is close and nice. Site was good, could have used leveling and more gravel (some sites better than ours). Privacy was good with trees and bushes between sites. We were thankful for the shade trees and fire pit. Picnic table was a little shabby. Pool was closed probably due to COVID-19? They have a store with a few items that was open 8-12 and 4:00-8:00. Laundry room needed cleaning and updating. The reason I can only give this place three stars is the condition of the bathroom and shower area. Needs a good deep cleaning (I recommend a power washer). It also needs updating and painting but if it was clean that would not matter so much. Bugs and hair on the floor and con webs in the stalls. The fan looked like it had never been cleaned. Walls and door definitely need paint. I would also recommend taking the bars off the windows and cleaning them to make it look more inviting. Wish I could give it a higher rating, it has potential.

  • sThe Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 17, 2023

    Santa Fe KOA

    Fun KOA - clean & good for kids

    Super clean Polite staff Firewood available Brand new playground 20 min from Santa Fe Showers / bathrooms 30/50 amp Fenced dog parks/fire pit areas fenced for pets Lots of space between units

  • M
    Jan. 14, 2021

    Riana - Abiquiu Lake

    Beautiful lake! Maintained spot

    Spot is well maintained. Usually lots of others around so not super “off grid” but it’s nice and you can view the lake! Beautiful to drive around too. Pueblo land, be respectful!

  • T
    Jan. 23, 2018

    Santa Fe KOA

    Romantic Tent for Two Please

    My husband had the great idea of tent camping just the two of us. Up to this point our tent camping adventures were reserved for grandbaby time. But I said What the hey! Let's do it. I wanted somewhere cooler than home. The Santa Fe area had plenty to keep us busy for the week.

    We did not get a tent spot but opted for a small trailer site with electric and water. Our spot was near the bathhouse but not too close. Each site has native trees and plants, so everyone has privacy. The site had a nice flat spot for the tent, picnic table, fire pit and grill. We had more than enough room to set up our awning for a dining area. We loved our little spot for the week.

    The bathhouse was clean and very nice. New tile and fixtures. It was a little small for the size of the campground.

    They have plenty of activities there for everyone and in the evening it is very quiet.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 27, 2023

    Riana - Abiquiu Lake

    Clean well-laid out CoE campground

    General: 54-site campground in four loops; the Pedernal Loop has water and electric hookups, the Chama and Puerco Loops do not and there is a walk-in tent site loop. There is also overflow camping. 

    Site Quality: Sites appeared to be mostly level (at least in the Pedernal loop); most were paved but a few were gravel. Most were back in, but some were pull-through. There are two ADA-accessible sites in the Pedernal Loop. Many have reservoir views. Site 14 has a generous-sized paved driveway. Completing the site is a lantern hook, BBQ, and covered picnic table. Too bad it was so darn windy that we could not enjoy these amenities. There was also a garbage can at the end of each site but no recycling that I saw. If you do not need hookups, sites 34 and 39 (in the Puerco loop) provide excellent water views. 

    Bath/Shower House: Basic with two shower stalls, two toilets, and one sink. Very clean. There are also very clean vault toilets located throughout the campground. Did not use the shower so cannot comment on how well it works. 

    Activities: The Abiquiu Lake Vista Trail is a 4-mile hike and bike stacked-looped trail (so you can add or duplicate interconnected loops). Boating access is one mile away. Fishing is also popular. There is also a volleyball net and a very nice modern playground. We were there at the end of April, so it was very quiet (which is the way we like it). Shout out to great camp hosts – we were greeted upon arrival and they made sure we didn’t have any questions or concerns. For $16, this is affordable but with the senior pass, $8 is a bonafide bargain!


Guide to Medanales

Cabin accommodations near Medanales, New Mexico range from rustic to well-appointed options nestled in the high desert at approximately 6,000 feet elevation. The region experiences four distinct seasons with summer highs averaging in the 90s and winter lows dropping below freezing. Cabin sites typically remain open year-round though some seasonal closures occur between October and April.

What to do

Hiking at Ghost Ranch: Access multiple trail options directly from the campground for views of colorful rock formations. "There are great hiking trails heading out of the campground as well as from other parts of the ranch. Stop in the visitors center to get a map of trails and some advice about what to hike and when (don't plan on any mid-day hikes as it is just too hot)," notes one visitor to Ghost Ranch.

Hot springs soaking: Take advantage of natural mineral waters with various temperature options. A camper at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa shared, "The soaking area is about a 5 minute walk from the campground. There's a nice restaurant and wine bar as well. There are also some nice hikes here."

Boating and swimming: Explore local lakes for water recreation during summer months. "Great views of the lake in which you can swim (and boat). Not a lot of shade, unless you snuggle in with a Piñon tree, but we spend our days on the lake or hiking Ghost Ranch, which is a few minutes away," reports a visitor to Riana-Abiquiu Lake.

What campers like

Peaceful mountain settings: Many cabin locations offer quiet surroundings away from city noise. "Very beautiful campground in a unique spot with incredible hikes. Great amenities - showers, ice, refrigerator, sink for washing dishes," reports a camper about Ghost Ranch facilities.

Cultural history access: Learn about regional heritage through nearby exhibits and historic sites. A visitor to Riana - Abiquiu Lake notes, "The area is near where Georgia O'Keefe lived and did some of her work."

Community gathering spaces: Several cabin locations provide common areas for camper interaction. At Pendaries RV Resort, which offers cabin accommodations, a camper described it as "Very nice campground that was almost full during the pandemic. Beautiful pines, lots of amenities, clean and quiet. We hiked to the abandoned turquoise mine and took in the views from atop the hill."

What you should know

Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies significantly by location. At Agua Piedra Campground, a visitor noted, "This campground is a hidden jewel in the mountains on the north end of the Pecos Wilderness. It is near NOTHING. It has no cell/wifi service. BUT what it does have is quiet, and peacefulness, and charm, and views views views."

Bathroom facilities vary: Quality and cleanliness of restroom facilities differ between properties. A camper at Pendaries RV Resort observed, "The bathrooms are the best we have ever seen and the water pressure allows you to take a very nice shower."

Seasonal considerations: Weather impacts cabin camping throughout the year. According to one camper at Ojo Caliente, "When it doesn't snow on us anyway... but the weather was good for long soaks in the awesome hot springs. Photos show us waking up to snow one morning."

Tips for camping with families

Age restrictions: Check if there are minimum age requirements for activities. One camper at Ojo Caliente noted, "I would have given this property 5 stars but they've become unfriendly to families. Children under 13 are not allowed in the hot springs."

Swimming options: Look for cabin locations with water access for kids. A visitor to Agua Piedra commented, "There is an awesome swimming hole just a few miles west on Hwy 518 past Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort—worth the short drive!"

Educational opportunities: Incorporate learning experiences into your cabin stay. A visitor to Santa Fe KOA mentioned, "Great location for exploring Santa Fe, Bandelier, and other national monuments."

Tips from RVers

Site utilities: Electric hookup locations can be challenging at some cabins. A camper at Ojo Caliente observed, "The spaces only had electric and water. The electric and water outlets were placed in an odd location for the site and a dump station is available for extra $20."

Urban-adjacent options: For campers seeking cabin options with city amenities nearby. "Very clean well managed park. Location can't be beat. Bus stops right in front of entrance for a 15 minute bus ride to downtown historic area. Sites are well spaced. Lots of trees for shade," notes a visitor to Trailer Ranch RV Resort.

Extended stays: Some cabin locations are better suited for multiple-night visits. A camper at Los Suenos noted, "It's a good spot to stop for a night or two if you're en route to another location. It's sandwiched in between a hotel and some residential area."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Medanales, NM?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Medanales, NM is Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa with a 4.4-star rating from 15 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Medanales, NM?

TheDyrt.com has all 16 cabin camping locations near Medanales, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.