Best Cabin Camping near Mescalero, NM

Cabin accommodations near Mescalero include a variety of options across several established campgrounds. Twin Spruce RV Park and Rainbow Lake Cabin & RV Resort offer cabin rentals with electricity and heating systems appropriate for year-round use. Most locations provide full hookup capabilities, with cabins typically furnished with basic beds, tables, and chairs. Eagle Creek RV Resort features cabins on Apache land with scenic mountain views and wildlife viewing opportunities. "Wonderful!! Everyone is so nice, the campground is beautiful, & it is gated. The spaces are a nice size. Lots of deer to watch," noted a visitor to Eagle Creek.

Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. The Camp @ Cloudcroft RV Park provides year-round accommodations while others like Eagle Creek operate seasonally from April through October. Pet policies vary by location, with most campgrounds including Boot Hill RV Resort, Rainbow Lake Cabin & RV Resort, and Cloud Climbing Railroad Cabin and RV Park allowing pets in their cabin units. Reservations are essential, particularly during summer months when occupancy rates peak. A reviewer of Cloud Climbing Railroad described it as a "perfect little gem" with "super friendly owners" in "a beautiful and picturesque location in the Sacramento mountains."

Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Kitchen facilities vary significantly between properties – some offer only basic microwaves while others provide more complete cooking setups. Several campgrounds like Alamogordo/White Sands KOA and Boot Hill RV Resort maintain on-site markets for basic supplies. Guests staying in cabins without full kitchens should plan for simple meal preparation or dining in nearby towns. Winter visitors to furnished cabins should confirm heating systems are adequate, as mountain temperatures can drop significantly at night, even during summer months.

Best Cabin Sites Near Mescalero, New Mexico (25)

    1. Alamogordo / White Sands KOA

    37 Reviews
    Alamogordo, NM
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 562-3452

    "City camping close to restaurants and stores. Only about 10 minuets from White Sands State Park. Partly shaded gravel sites with water, electric, fire ring, picnic table."

    "The kids enjoyed the pool and game room, our camping cabin was clean and neat. They had the nicest KOA showerhouse I have seen in my travels."

    2. Boot Hill RV Resort

    11 Reviews
    Tularosa, NM
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 439-6224

    "Clean bathrooms and showers. Nice laundry and book exchange."

    "The park is well equipped with your basic needs-- laundry, FHU, gift shop, office, and a nice covered picnic area."

    3. Rainbow Lake Cabin & RV Resort

    3 Reviews
    Ruidoso Downs, NM
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 630-2267

    "This park has some elements that were fantastic which countered the drawbacks. The hosts were extremely helpful and the park is adjacent to Lincoln National park."

    "We fished about 1&1/2 miles away at Grindstone Lake. Was just what me and my Family needed. The manager passed by day and night making sure everyone was taken care of."

    4. Slow Play RV Park

    6 Reviews
    Ruidoso Downs, NM
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 378-4990

    "Now called "Slow Play RV Park", under new ownership. Lots of spaces, with 30 & 50 amp hook up. Very nice property, with good paved roads throughout. Bathrooms and showers were impressively clean."

    "I didn’t use the laundry or showers. We used to to access white sands, Carlsbad and Roswell. Ruidoso is an amazing city that we fell in love with."

    5. Twin Spruce RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Ruidoso Downs, NM
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 257-4310

    "Nice office and with couches and a book/dvd lending library. There is a pool in the summer and an area for breakfast. Our stay in January was wonderful. You can also refill your propane on site."

    "We have stayed here many time, the owners are great and the rv park is great."

    6. Cloud Climbing Railroad Cabin and RV Park

    1 Review
    Cloudcroft, NM
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 265-0640

    $45 / night

    "A beautiful and picturesque location in the Sacramento mountains. Easy in and out just a few miles from the village of Cloudcroft in the heart of the Lincoln National Forest."

    7. Eagle Creek RV Resort

    4 Reviews
    Ruidoso, NM
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 336-1131

    $40 - $45 / night

    "It’s a little of the beaten path and the spots are no more than open areas.. it gets busy during the holiday times. But it’s just a few minutes to the lakes."

    "The spaces are a nice size. Lots of deer to watch. The office has cute things to buy!!"

    8. Bonito Hollow RV Park & Campground

    8 Reviews
    Ruidoso, NM
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 336-4325

    $40 - $54 / night

    "Beautiful surroundings, not far from downtown shopping in Ruidoso, most helpful hosts on site. My husband was not in the best of health when we went."

    "I was looking to get away from the heat in Albuquerque and maybe even do a little fishing. I picked a site next to the upper river (Rio Bonito)."

    9. Lincoln National Forest Slide Group Campground

    1 Review
    Cloudcroft, NM
    15 miles
    +1 (575) 682-2551

    "It features vault toilets if you Ed them, a tent area, a very large covered pavilion for those rainy days, large firepit area, cooking grills & a large parking lot for RVs & kids to play."

    10. The Camp @ Cloudcroft RV Park

    10 Reviews
    Mayhill, NM
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 687-3715

    "We stayed in the teardrop camper — so cold outside but the teardrop was warm and cozy. Since then we’ve been back several times! They have new beautifully renovated shower houses."

    "The bath house has two large individual restrooms that each have a shower. We took our 8 year old boy and he had such a great time and spotted some deer close to camp."

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Cabin Reviews near Mescalero, NM

97 Reviews of 25 Mescalero Campgrounds


  • Timothy C.
    May. 27, 2023

    Cloud Climbing Railroad Cabin and RV Park

    Perfect little gem

    Super friendly owners. A beautiful and picturesque location in the Sacramento mountains. Easy in and out just a few miles from the village of Cloudcroft in the heart of the Lincoln National Forest. On property hiking trail, and an excellent common areas. Fruit trees abound, and picking fruit is allowed in season. They also have a cabin with multiple rental rooms. Full RV hookups and wifi at very reasonable rates. It is close to the road, but traffic is minimal at night. They are open year round!

  • S
    May. 27, 2019

    The Camp @ Cloudcroft RV Park

    They think of everything!

    We love Royce and the Camp @ Cloudcroft. We started out coming here NYE. We stayed in the teardrop camper — so cold outside but the teardrop was warm and cozy. Since then we’ve been back several times! They have new beautifully renovated shower houses. They have a Yurt with all you could ever think of as well as a pop up trailer (amazing king size bed). When you rent these, you basically can come with clothes and food. They think of everything else from utensils, grills, stoves, linens, seasonings ... even a deck of cards! There’s WiFi throughout the campground. They also have RV spaces and tent areas. Super super nice staff (Sissy and her pup Mickey). Can’t recommend this place enough and we can’t wait to get back to our home away from home!!

  • P
    Jul. 6, 2018

    Alamogordo / White Sands KOA

    The friendliest staff

    City camping close to restaurants and stores. Only about 10 minuets from White Sands State Park. Partly shaded gravel sites with water, electric, fire ring, picnic table. Campsites are very close to pool, playground, and restroom/showers. Very clean with a well stocked store and friendly staff. The staff gave us great tips for local venues, loaned us sleds for White Sands and rewarded my boys with popsicles for their good manners.

  • S
    Aug. 13, 2019

    Bonito Hollow RV Park & Campground

    Perfect in every way

    This campground has it all. Beautiful surroundings, not far from downtown shopping in Ruidoso, most helpful hosts on site. My husband was not in the best of health when we went. The hosts helped him set up, with them doing the majority of the work, in the rain. The campground is pet friendly, has an enclosed run where you can take them off the leash for a bit, also has several locations with poop bags available. This seems to be a super secure location as hosts are on duty 24/7. No one comes into the campground without stopping at the office and checking in, anyone failing to do this, will be followed in and information gathered or asked to leave. Sites, once vacated are gone over with a fine tooth comb to make sure Nothing is left behind, the fire pits are cleaned, and everything is in order for the next camper. There are horseshoe pits and sand volleyball available for entertainment. Showers and laundry facilities are available and kept super clean. Rio Bonito flows along the side of the campground

  • Jennie R.
    Aug. 31, 2016

    Alamogordo / White Sands KOA

    Alamogordo/White Sands KOA

    My children and I stayed only one night at the Alamogordo/White Sands KOA, but it was a great place to stop and play! The kids enjoyed the pool and game room, our camping cabin was clean and neat. They had the nicest KOA showerhouse I have seen in my travels. They were having an ice cream social as we arrived which was a bonus after a long hot day of adventure. This was a great base for exploring the area, including White Sands National Monument and the White Sands Missle Range Museum/Missle Park.

    Prepare for the heat! There is not much shade on these adventures. My one complaint about this KOA is it needed more shade around the pool.

  • Megan S.
    May. 15, 2017

    Alamogordo / White Sands KOA

    Great Campground

    The plot was a nice sized area with electric plug ins available at the campsite and your own fire pit and picnic table. Would camp here again.

  • J
    Jul. 7, 2023

    Bonito Hollow RV Park & Campground

    Nice park, friendly hosts

    I was looking to get away from the heat in Albuquerque and maybe even do a little fishing. I picked a site next to the upper river (Rio Bonito). The water was clear and moving, but no sign of any fish. The river is more of a creek (expected for New Mexico), but still pretty. It was barely visible from my camp, but just a short hike away. No ATT or Verizon cell service at my site, but I did find a weak signal up near the office. The wifi was a struggle. It was barely adequate the first day, but absolutely miserable the second day. I could easily connect to their router, but constantly got an error of “no internet service” and had to log off and on several times. I had limited shade at my site, but thankfully the AC kept the trailer cool enough, as it was nearly 90 degrees outside. The hosts were very nice and the park is kept pretty clean. No tents allowed, though.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2019

    Alamogordo / White Sands KOA

    Desert Oasis Fun For All Ages

    In direct contrast to the White Sands backcountry camping which offers absolutely zero thrills and access to luxuries, the White Sand KOA is a great place to stay for those wanting some of the comforts of home. Located about 10 minutes from White Sands this campground is in a great location for a run to the store, a meal at one of the great local restaurants or a trip to some of the other area attractions.

    While visiting here I noticed there were plenty of options for RV campers, something lacking at the White Sands itself. But RV camping is not all created equal, and this one by far surpasses other area options. Sites were latge enough even for the largest of rigs but also offered smaller sites for someone traveling a bit lighter like myself.

    Tent row seemed to be a very popular options and while the sites here were a bit closer together there was still plenty of room to move around.

    The hosts were extremely friendly and welcoming. The restrooms were private and very well throught creating a feeling of being at home while on the road. There was even a small store located on property with goodies and merchandise to commemorate your trip to the area.

    This place really has the family in mind with a pool, playground and game room which will leave a smile on the faces of even the smallest guests.

    Tips:

    • Go check out the New Mexico Space Museum where you can find the first primate launched into space's memorial, some awesome space rockets and tons of information that will leave your head in space.
    • Take a trip out to the White Sands only a short 10 minute drive from camp and spend the day sledding down the cool white dunes.
  • Jacob  W.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 31, 2022

    Eagle Creek Mescalero Cabins

    A good, open Mescalero alternative to the closed Lincoln NF

    We tent camped at Eagle Lake aka Eagle Creek campground on the Mescalero Apache Reservation over Memorial Day weekend 2022. The surrounding Lincoln National Forest was closed because of extreme fire risk, so there were very few places to camp in the Sacramento Mountains and escape the heat of El Paso. We used camp stoves because of a fire ban. We camped among the pine trees in the first tent area. There were clean porta-johns in that area. The showers and permanent bathroom were located up in the RV park about a 3-mile round trip walk on the road from the first tent area, so it’s more practical to drive to the showers. The permanent bathrooms and showers were clean.

    Very pretty scenery, surrounded by mountain ridges and peaks and pine forest. There were two small lakes and a small creek flowing through the campground.

    The campground format is kind of laissez faire because there aren’t assigned sites and it’s first come, first serve. The first tent area seemed about half full and we found a good site. We didn’t scout the second tent area because the host said there weren’t as many trees there. The first tent site was developed on a forested slope albeit they built flat rectangular-like terraces into the slope where you can pitch a tent(s) and park your vehicle(s).

    Eagle Creek, near Ruidoso, had a similar feel to the Mescalero Nation’s Silver Lake campground near Cloudcroft, but Eagle Creek had a more quiet vibe. The main drawback was the 10:00 am checkout time, but we were still able to cook up some breakfast burritos as we broke camp. Good times.

    Update 6/22/2022: At some point after my review, the Dyrt deleted the actual campground, which is where the road forks and moved my review to the nearby and similarly named RV resort, which is totally different. I love the Dyrt and I’m a pro ranger but sometimes c’mon man.


Guide to Mescalero

Cabin camping near Mescalero, New Mexico offers convenient access to Lincoln National Forest and the Sacramento Mountains at elevations ranging from 5,700 to 9,000 feet. The region experiences significant temperature variations with summer days reaching 85°F while nights can drop below 50°F. Winter accommodations require proper heating as overnight temperatures frequently fall below freezing from November through March.

What to do

Hiking trails access: Slow Play RV Park (formerly Circle B) provides easy access to Lincoln National Forest hiking routes. "The park is adjacent to Lincoln National park. I literally walked out of my door and up the road," notes a camper who appreciated the direct trail connections.

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Cabin stays at Eagle Creek RV Resort offer excellent wildlife spotting. "Look out for wild turkeys, deer, elk, bears, and even wild horses! Drive up the mountain to SkiApache, there are awesome overlooks on the drive," shares one visitor who enjoyed the diverse wildlife.

Fishing spots: The Camp @ Cloudcroft RV Park features the Rio Penasco River running through the property. "The Rio Penasco River runs right through the park and offers the opportunity to catch a trout or 2," mentions a review, highlighting the fishing potential directly from the campground.

What campers like

Mountain elevation cooling: Cabins at Lincoln National Forest Slide Group Campground offer relief from summer heat. "We have rented Slide Campground several times for group RV & tent camping. It features vault toilets, a tent area, a very large covered pavilion for those rainy days," explains a reviewer who appreciates the group facilities.

Stargazing opportunities: The Camp @ Cloudcroft provides exceptional night sky viewing. "The star gazing is fantastic," shares a reviewer who enjoyed the clear mountain skies away from urban light pollution.

Security features: Bonito Hollow RV Park & Campground maintains 24/7 staff presence. "This seems to be a super secure location as hosts are on duty 24/7. No one comes into the campground without stopping at the office and checking in," notes a guest who valued the security measures.

What you should know

Winter planning requirements: Twin Spruce RV Park operates year-round but requires preparation. "We stayed here in January and the stay was wonderful. We were greeted by friendly and helpful hosts. Nice office with couches and a book/dvd lending library," reports a winter visitor who found the accommodations suitable for cold weather.

Cellular coverage limitations: Bonito Hollow has minimal connectivity. "No ATT or Verizon cell service at my site, but I did find a weak signal up near the office. The wifi was a struggle," explains a guest, warning others to plan accordingly for limited communication options.

Seasonal facilities: Several campgrounds including Eagle Creek RV Resort operate only from April through October. Outside these months, year-round alternatives like The Camp @ Cloudcroft should be considered.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Alamogordo/White Sands KOA offers dedicated play areas. "Our kids enjoyed the playground," mentions a family who appreciated the dedicated recreation space for children after days of exploration.

Stream activities: Bonito Hollow provides creek-side recreation. "Some of the campsites back up to a nice running creek. Beautiful bridge crossing over the creek," notes a visitor who found the water features engaging for children.

Group facilities: Lincoln National Forest Slide Group Campground accommodates large family gatherings. "It easily held 3 RVs and 20 people. They provide 300 gallons of water in a tank," states a reviewer who successfully hosted a multi-family camping event.

Tips from RVers

Water pressure awareness: Alamogordo/White Sands KOA requires pressure regulation. "Water pressure is really high at around 155 psi. So definitely bring a regulator," cautions an RVer who discovered the unusually strong water pressure.

Site selection strategy: Boot Hill RV Resort offers premium sites with additional amenities. "We paid extra for a site with swing, paver patio, table and chairs. Site was very large, private, and well worth the extra $," suggests a camper who found value in upgrading their site.

Train noise considerations: Multiple RV parks near Alamogordo experience railroad noise. "There is a train close by that blew the horn very loud all throughout the night. Woke me up at 1am, 3am, and 5:30 am," warns a light sleeper who stayed at the KOA.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Mescalero, NM is Alamogordo / White Sands KOA with a 4.5-star rating from 37 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 25 cabin camping locations near Mescalero, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.