Looking for the best campgrounds near Mills, NM? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that New Mexico camping has to offer. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Mills, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
"Pit toilets and recycling at the entrance. The lake was completely dry but has fishing and trolling motor boats only allowed when there is water. Very quiet place to stay the night."
"Easy access and camping adjacent to a dam overlooking a lake."
"Just northwest of the town of Springer, the lake is also stocked regularly with rainbows, and bullheads are also taken.
Play elastic man game while enjoy its beauty."
$15 - $20 / night
"We stayed here primarily because it was on our route to Northern New Mexico and Colorado. It was exactly as we expected and we enjoyed an overnight here in June."
"We were parked right on the lake, and being right after a holiday the lake was pretty much empty. They have several different campsites, with a website that makes it easy to reserve a spot."
"We stayed here on route between Texas and Colorado - close to the volcano national park so popped in there too. This is a crushed rock lot with pull through sites - nothing scenic here."
$30 / night
"Love the views of Conchas lake! Clean and open space! Electric and water connections! No fires allowed during our trip. Fishing, hiking and boating!"
"Cell service is spotty, but the view is amazing, beautiful lake, beautiful sunsets, all around a great place to stay. Off 40 a bit but 100% worth it. Great fishing, great camp host! Very very quiet."
$47 - $57 / night
$20 - $25 / night
$10 - $30 / night
"There are some pay to camp sites and some primitive, so helpful to arrive earlier to navigate as no cell reception most of way from highway."
"Very clean campground with many spots to camp overlooking the lake. Good bathrooms too."
"Plenty of wildlife to see around the area and a very quiet place to set up camp."
"There are lots of trees around and natural grass growing. There aren’t any shooting competitions going on at the time, so we don’t hear much shooting."
$25 - $50 / night
"We needed a spot to stay and found a happy location at Hikers Cimarron Inn & RV Park. Their reservation system on their website was easy to use and navigate."
ScoutI give this campground 2 stars - one because it is a lovely spot and two, because it is well-maintained considering its remoteness. The other 2-3 stars it may well have deserved were blacked out by the sheer numbers of outright rude and inconsiderate campers.
The drive into the canyon is, indeed, bumpy but doable in a high-clearance car or SUV. There is no cell service. The campground is near the river but does not have river access - it is possible to get to it but the stickers make it extremely uncomfortable, especially if your bring your pooches. There are some places to walk and see both the ruins of the Mills orchard homestead, as well as access the river, but walking was made very unpleasant by the numbers of trucks, ATVs, and motorcycles zooming by - very loud and lots of dirt in the eyes and mouth.
Not sure if it's the "COVID camping" phenomena but the campground was full to near-full the 3 days, 2 nights we camped there. During that time there were multiple very large groups (10-16 people) of people pulling in and out. One group from Texas brought along very loud 50cc motorcycles and large ATV/Side by sides for their kids, who would make rounds around the campground loop, sending plumes of fine dirt into all of the campgrounds around the loop, not to mention the noise. Another large group of trucks from Texas pulled into the campsite next to ours and literally drove 6 vehicles into the actual camping spot and proceeded to then set up tents all the way into my spot -- loud music, loud talking, loud wood chopping, 4:30 am trucks in and out (I suppose they were driving to the bathroom, which was about a 2 minute walk away). I was forced to sleep in my car, instead of my tent thanks to the noise and the fact that I was not comfortable sleeping with a bunch of strangers who didn't seem to care that I had already set up there. As I packed up the next day and was checking my campground for trash I noticed theirs was strewn with it - I considered cleaning it until I noticed it was mostly used toilet paper.
Camping in New Mexico is amazing and one of the reasons I live here. I don't understand why people need to come to the middle of nowhere to be obnoxious, ruin the experience for everyone else, and trash the place in the process.
Until the COVID camping phenomena ends, expect the worst.
GuideWe stayed here primarily because it was on our route to Northern New Mexico and Colorado. It was exactly as we expected and we enjoyed an overnight here in June. Fortunately we had electric power for AC and were comfortable. Enjoyed some short hikes right from our campsite. Very isolated location between Tucumcari and Las Vegas, New Mexico, but that was our intended route. Marginal highway, but almost no traffic.
TravelerLove the views of Conchas lake! Clean and open space! Electric and water connections! No fires allowed during our trip. Fishing, hiking and boating! Pet friendly, our dog loved every minute of our trip! Great memories!
LegendFREE campground! Large relatively flat grass lot with garbage cans and picnic tables. Pit toilets and recycling at the entrance. The lake was completely dry but has fishing and trolling motor boats only allowed when there is water. Very quiet place to stay the night. There was only one other camper that showed up when we stayed here. Lots of wildlife and pets allowed on leash.
GuideWe spent two nights and it only cost us $16. We were parked right on the lake, and being right after a holiday the lake was pretty much empty. They have several different campsites, with a website that makes it easy to reserve a spot. However, we called to ask, and ranger let us know we could come for first come first serve. They have signs that make finding your way around easy, also having stations that you can pay(cash only) for your campsite. The rangers were sweet and helpful as well as having a host, who was there all night in case of an emergencies. The restrooms/showers were clean and it looked to be recently remodeled. Also they had ramps going into the water for boats and a dock for fishing. Something else we learned about New Mexico, not being from here, April-May is a rainy and windy season. So be sure to check the weather before heading out
ScoutWe were looking forward to boondocking at Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge today, in early May - and we will try again in Oct when we come back this way. But north eastern and north central New Mexico have had days of heavy rain and flooding alerts. Today was dry until shortly after we arrived to check out the camping area. We deemed the ground too damp, figuring we would get stuck sinking into the soft earth if we drove onto the grass. Another rainstorm was coming in fast. The 2-3 miles of dirt washboard road was not a problem when dry, but would be a problem after rain. We were lucky to leave just as the rain started. We encourage folks to camp here. It's not a bad place! But don't bring a heavy big rig if it's been raining. We went on to a Harvest Host location (Calfax Bar and Diner, about 12 miles west, very nice people), but the ground was too soft there too. We ended up in the Raton, NM KOA. It's not free, but it's a fine place.
GuideYou wouldn’t expect seeing a place like this in the flat land that it rests in. Mills canyon is a nice litttle camping spot with fun little secrets. Can you find them? There is a fire pit per site with a few restrooms between sites.
GuideA beautiful little campground of solitude was found if you drove on just past the Mills Canyon Campground. Not very much available in terms of hiking, but what there was went along the Canadian River, and yielded some interesting, crumbled old structures. Definitely take the time to read a little bit of the history once you have a signal again! Campfires weren’t allowed while we were there, but they are allowed when the fire danger isn’t so high. There are vault toilets (which were well maintained), but no running water. There is no cell service. Bring trash bags, as there are no trash cans or dumpsters. No bear lockers, though there are bears in the area. Recommend 4 wheel drive to access the Canyon itself. Many of the primitive roads have been closed to motorized vehicles, but still make for a nice hike! We could hear owls every night, and saw a mountain lion one morning.
TravelerThis canyon is a too little known gem tucked away in a corner of the state too few travel, as the near ghost town of Roy demonstrates. for those wondering why I'd part with secrecy and reveal a local treasure, that's why: we've far too few tourists, unlike Barcelona.
Back to the canyon, the key attractions are the river, often a rippling stream, and sometimes mere puddles, but still, water in a dry land, and the ruins of a thriving orchard and stagecoach stop, complete with an impressive hotel. The hotel is the largest ruin, abandoned after a flood destroyed the business more than a century ago. There are other stone buildings scattered about for those motivated to hike around the valley.
The canyon remains hidden until you reach the rim and peer down (an excellent method for spotting ruins), and the first Forest Service campground is there, and best for those with larger trailers or lower clearances.
The second Forest Service campground is by the river, complete with picnic tables, iron fire rings, and vault toilets. Both are free as of this writing.
I've never seen any explicit regulations beyond the obvious (don't do damage that gets us all a bad name) and 4x4 paths exist to get one further up and down the canyon for dispersed camping.
I'd certainly camp away from large or loud groups if I needed, but neither campground gets a rowdy crowd, or, indeed, much of a crowd.
p.s. If you read this far, I'll throw in some nearby treats: Charette Lake, Fort Union, Pecos National Monument and Sugarite State Park all offer insights into the history and natural beauty of this part of NM.
Discover the best spots for pets-allowed camping near Mills, New Mexico, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Mills, NM is Lake 13-Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge with a 4.3-star rating from 22 reviews.
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