Join the fun near Montezuma. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Montezuma, NM. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
$20 / night
"They also close the main bathroom/shower, there are port-o-lets outside next to them."
"This state park has nice views of the lake and mountains. The sun sets with a blaze in the sky. We stayed in the electric campground."
$45 - $75 / night
"It is off the highway but nice and secluded. Pretty location and outside of Las Vegas, NM. It isn’t a five star because the sites are pretty close together"
"4/5/2021 Right off the highway. One of the nicer KOA's we have stayed at in the Southwest."
$8 / night
"The road up from Montezuma/Las Vegas is very winding and sometimes close to one lane, but we had no problems when there was oncoming traffic."
"Very well maintained campground that is remote enough to get away but close to town in case you need something. Weather was great and the surrounding trails were beautiful!"
$10 / night
$20 - $30 / night
"The clean free hot showers and proximity to Vegas changed my mind."
"Close to Elk Mountain and Hermits Peak for hiking Looking forward to going again this year"
$15 - $30 / night
"A little off the beaten path but was worth it. Each campsite had a picnic area some even had shelters over them! The lower campground was right next to the river (very high when we were there)."
"The drive to this park takes us back in time through the tiny town of Villanueva. Once through the gates I was amazed at the fast flowing Pecos River right next to the tree shaded sites. A gem."
TravelerGreat camp sites with beautiful views! Had such a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Game warden was nice and respectful. Shout out to Debra who works for the campground. She was super helpful. Unable to follow hiking trail completely- I believe it's grown up.
3G phone service with Verizon, was able to make phone calls only.
TravelerEverything is online now did realize that the fishing was bad but still a great place to go and relax
GuideWe stayed here just a few nights when we first started our journey. It's a nice little park, and we LOVED the hiking trails in the back! The bathrooms and laundry room were very clean and well kept. The pool and "game room" were also nice. The area we stayed in was clearly for people just staying a few days. One thing I appreciated was the use of hedges to hide the neighboring sewer and hookups. Sites are close, so this helps. It is pretty tight in there, so maneuvering can be challenging if you have a bigger rig. But overall it was a nice place to stay.
GuideNumerous spots along the forest road and some are tucked off the road a bit. The spot we found about a 1/2 mile or so past the bridge has a little fire ring and right next to the little creek. Surprisingly not a lot of bugs for being so close to the water!
Plenty happy with this place for the night and not too far from Taos.
TravelerBeautiful forest with aspen, pine, fir, and spruce trees. The forest road is in good shape with several well spaced out dispersed camping sites.
ScoutThe campground is closed, even though the gate is opened. Looked like there’s been a fire in the area and then probably flooding which would explain all the sandbags around the locked bathrooms.
TravelerI often camp by Diablo Canyon, which has wonderful sunsets and decent off trail hiking. There's even a cave for those who know where to find it.
I've also camped down by the river for the access to water for splashing about and cooking, but the area is popular with Mexican families and sometimes attracts a party crowd.
There are plenty of more remote spots off the main gravel road that would be even quieter. The terrain is juniper and oak, with cottonwoods by the river.
Temperatures run hot in the summer and freezing in winter, although it is the best choice for winter camping near Santa Fe. Summers the wife and I most often drive up Artist Road and camp at Big Tesuque or the skiiiway at the top, but we did choose Buckman this summer when thunderstorms pounded the mountains.
It does take time to drive the gravel road, and there's not much for ordinary folks around Las Campanas, the wealthy housing division between the camping and town. You might get to Airport Road and Cerrillos under an hour, but getting to the Plaza will take longer.
Cell service is spotty.
ScoutBased on the reviews I thought this place would be a cool oasis up in the trees. Alas, it's not. There's a loop with 14 total sites. Unfortunately, at least half the sites in the inner ring are unusable because of road runoff making it tough to get to them, and we have a Toyota Tacoma. As a result, they do not get used and are, therefore, overgrown with New Mexico ground cover, which is not comparable to soft grass. That immediately bumps it down to about 10 sites. When we arrived, there was one site available that we could access. It was behind the main trailhead parking area and completely shaded. All in all, not bad, just not our ideal choice since it's right there close to any and all foot traffic. Luckily, as we walked the rest of the loop to see if there was anything else, a couple was just finishing packing up so we were able to snag their spot (#13), which we felt was the best one. Score!
Now, let's talk the road to get there. Absolutely do not try to take a camper of any size to this campground unless it's a legit overland type tear or squaredrop, ideally with an articulating hitch. People are not kidding when they say that's not a good idea. We had our Tacoma in 4L and I'm honestly not sure how some 2WD vehicles make it. There are many spots where the incline is pretty good, a number of deep crevices as a result of water runoff, many sections that are absolutely one lane only, and at least 6 spots where there was a small pond of standing water to drive through. Were any of the ponds show stoppers, no, but the water in one dip came up past the bottom of our doors. All in all, the road is no joke. Yes, I get this is a forest road, but the road snakes through multiple pieces of residential property (albeit they are probably summer homes but we saw people at almost every house when we drove past), and there's a hiking trailhead at the campground, so I expected it to be not THAT bad. In my book, it's not officially 'offroading' but it's worse than other forest service roads we've been on. Oh, and the couple residents we passed driving in their vehicles (you can tell by looking at them they are not campers or hikers) made it abundantly clear they weren't happy with us being on their road. All in all, nice campground with great trailheads but there are too many other beautiful places to hike and camp in NM for us to want to go back.
ScoutThere are about 10 (couldn't tell exactly due to the number of cars, campers, and tents) sites all lined up next to each other like parking spots in a Walmart parking lot. There's nothing that separates you from your neighbor. And, there's a rundown house with what appears to be 3 or 4 abandoned cars (at least they certainly do not look like they'd run) less than 100 yards to the south of the 'campground'. I can see why this is a popular spot, as it is right along the river, but there's no way I would ever camp there. That said, we went (or tried to, we didn't actually stay there) in late July, in the height of summer, so there were a TON people, cars, and campers all going up and down Highway 63 from Pecos. If the weather is nice, just know there will be a lot, and it ends up being more like a party private campground than a small, national forest environment. But regardless, unless it's the middle of winter, which may guarantee we wouldn't have someone else camping 12 feet from us, it's a hard pass for us on this one.
Camping near Montezuma, New Mexico, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and unique experiences. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.
Camping near Montezuma, New Mexico, offers a variety of experiences for everyone. From stunning views to family-friendly activities, there’s something for every camper to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Montezuma, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, Montezuma, NM offers a wide range of camping options, with 77 campgrounds and RV parks near Montezuma, NM and 13 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Montezuma, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Montezuma, NM is North Area Campground — Storrie Lake State Park with a 3.6-star rating from 18 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Montezuma, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 free dispersed camping spots near Montezuma, NM.
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