Best Tent Camping near Peñasco, NM

As nice a campground as you could want and only be 15 minutes from center of town.  The walk to tent camp sites are great, and a short walk.  It was just myself when I stayed, looking for a place to sleep and break up drive from Phoenix to Denver.  I would go back with family, but most weekends seem booked, so reserve when you can!

This place seems like more of a day use area that has some fire rings and picnic tables. As best we could tell, there weren't any great tent camp sites, so we just pulled up onto a ridge and dragged a table up. Perhaps better for campers & small RV's.

That said, the lake is gorgeous and there's a great hike up the riverbed.

We decided to take a late fall trip to CA and drag a 34' 5er up to Hyde memorial state park.  Bad idea on many levels.  First, you have to navigate through old Santa Fe to get to the entrance to the park.  Narrow streets+a big 5th wheel+a huge F250= unfun drive which took well over an hour to get through just a few miles of roads due to the heavy traffic and numerous lights, plus the navigation required to get around very tight corners.  We got to the RV part of the park and it was not crowded, but the spaces require some skill to back into and are NOT the slightest bit level, or wide.  We managed. 

The hiking around the park and campgrounds is amazing, but a bit challenging.  We live at 8000 feet, so the altitude was not a problem for us, but if you are from sea level, be prepared to take your time and handle the altitude. 

It snowed on Oct 31 and we had to dig out from 8+ inches of snow to get on the road on November 1.  The dump station was filled with 6+ inches of mud/slush/water and we regrettably had to use it.  It was a disgusting mess to say the least.  To add insult to injury, we had to drive BACK through Old Santa Fe, in the snow. 

My advice is to go IF you have a smaller trailer or 5th wheel, or are tent camping.  The tent campground closed well before we arrived, so I can't add anything to the review on that. 

It's a beautiful campground, but the RV area is small, close together spaces, difficult to get into and the dump station is the stuff RV nightmares are made of.

Cimarron Canton State Park is a wonderful place to stay, right on the Cimarron River. Bring your fishing gear and license for some relaxing fishing. Some of the sites are immediately adjacent to the river. My favorite campground is Tolby, the Westernmost. It has a Ranger/Information Station in the east end of the campground. It has flush toilets and sinks, but no shower. This is my favorite, because I love to hike and backpack. Just south across Highway 64 from the campground entrance is the Tolby Trailhead. The Tolby Trail takes you all the way back to Tolby Meadow on an excellent trail. A good spot for overnight tent camping. Tolby campground is also just minutes from Eagle Nest, NM and within easy range of Angel Fire, Red River, and a little less than an hour from Taos.

There are two other campgrounds for RVs, Maverick and Ponderosa, as well as one more for tent camping. Maverick sits right next to a pair of gravel pit lakes for added Fishing opportunities. Ponderosa is across the street from that, but is more like a parking lot with painted camping slots around its perimeter.

In the town of Cimarron I recommend dining at the Historic St. James hotel (very haunted) or lunch at the Creemee. Stop in at the headquarters of Philmont Scout Ranch for the National Scounting Museum and a Tour of the Villa Philimonte (Waite Phillips’ mansion). Also recommended is the Tooth of Time Traders at Philmont. It’s a camping/hiking store that is like an REI.

If you’re coming via Raton, the Colfax Tavern between Raton and Cimarron at Cold Beer New Mexico is a great place to stop for food and drinks.

One of the most beautiful campsites I seen. Two nights tent camping in the valley where two rivers meet. No showers but restrooms were adequate.

The Juniper campground is perfection. The layout of the campground allows for both RV and tent camping, while still having you own quiet area. Plenty of water filling stations, and bear boxes. The evening ranger presentations, held at the amphitheater, are informative and interactive.

Not good for large trailers but if you have a smaller one or tent camping, this place is great. When it is full it is still fine as it seems people there are decent and know their manners. (becoming unusual these days) Will stay there again.

Great fishing opportunities, and wonderful hiking all around. Close by to two towns where you can pick up provisions. Campgrounds are great for tent camping, with many right by the river. Even though some sites are close to the road, the traffic is light so we didn’t notice.

Had a great experience here, stayed 3 nights tent camping with my dog. Bathrooms with showers, laundry room, store, and coffee/tea available in the office. The whole property has a friendly/family culture and the couple who manages the campground is very personable and knowledgeable about the area. Will be back!

Campsite is situated at the Cave Creek trailhead, a cool hike to some local caves. It's 5 bucks for the night, 2 dollars day use, all backpacking tent sites. Some shelters. Gorgeous views, camp guide says its booked fill every weekend. Good luck

Awesome 4 tent campsites tucked away at end of parking lot. A short jaunt from vehicle to campsites so does require carrying your gear. Pretty neat. Highly recommend.

If you have an RV, Hyde Park Sate Park is where you want to be. If you're tent camping, Big Tesuque is AMAZING!! It's small, but absolutely beautiful. Each site has a picknick table and a tent pad. There are basic toilets. No showers, no sinks. But there are 2 streams bordering the campground and trails leading into the mountains.

When I was there, it was 5 to 10 degrees warmer than Hyde Park! (end of May.)

Sites are exposed, and summer is hot. I imagine fall or spring would be more ideal weather. Definitely planning a trip back later in the year. Each tent site is small, relatively flat with picnic table. A few pull through sites are available. Firewood is pre-cut and can be purchased for $1 a log (cash only, drop box).