Join the fun near Pinos Altos. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Pinos Altos is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your New Mexico camping adventure.
$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)."
"This is an awesome campsite if you chose the right location. Every site is booked online and comes with an adobe-style pergola thing with a picnic table."
$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."
"If you don't want the hook-ups and added safety, there is a large gravel lot adjacent to the gas station where you can boondock. Would stay again."
"Stopped for the night after a long drive. Spots are very nice for what we needed"
"It is located in the foothills so it is not out in the hot windy flatlands or the cool woods. It is close to but not in or near SantaFe."
"Stayed here for a week with the family close to Santa Fe and Pecos national forest. Managers very friendly and can be quite entertaining if you hang around for a bit."
"We were evacuated from our camping spot in Northern New Mexico due to wildfires and set out for a new spot. Exhausted from driving, we pulled into this campground."
"FYI, when calling for reservation, request to be in back or at least away from 1 night stay people, if that's what you desire. No issues with the staff. If your nice to them, they will be nice to you."
"Just a short drive to the outskirts of Santa Fe in mountain country we found our campground, Rancheros de Santa Fe."
"If you have a big rig or tow a car, you can drive around the loop instead of trying to make the turn to go back out by the front of the office."
$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."
$15 - $30 / night
"Book on Reserve America for New Mexico “Santa Rosa Lake” very pretty and peaceful. Not all streets were labeled but the directions worked to get us there just fine."
"Nice campground in desert setting overlooking the lake. A lot of pull thru sites as well as back ins. Electric was all thru the loop, however water hook ups were not."
$71 - $91 / night
"This campground will be rated as a Basecamp — grounds that offer a comfortable home base that you’re happy to return to after a day of exploring the surrounding area."
"There is art scattered around the property as well as along the walking paths. The sunsets are amazing all within just 5 to 10 minutes from town."
$43 - $87 / night
"The slides and awning were fully extended without getting close to the adjacent sites. Office was open later than most and you can stay in open spots even if you arrive after hours!"
"Very clean, large restroom/shower...many sites appear to be long term campers...I had a site close to the office/restroom...quiet and helpful owner...internet was sufficient...sites are pull thru which"
RangerStopped on my way thru NM. Bathroom/shower facilities are great! Most sites have a covered picnic table and grill. There is a playground for kids and dumping station. It’s about a 7 mile drive from Int 40.
TravelerEverything is online now did realize that the fishing was bad but still a great place to go and relax
GuideStopped for the night on our way through NM. Short drive off hwy 40. Arrived after hours and all the sites at the Juniper camp were open (Sunday in August). We chose J11. Nice view of the lake. There is a bit of trash around the site though 😕 Used the envelope at the pay station to pay. Have cash and a pen handy. The sites at Juniper could not be reserved online. They were “walk in” only.
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.
GuideGood level concrete pad, plenty long for my 36ft travel trailer and long box pick up. Great voltage, 121vac on my 50 amp connection. Back in site, very easy to get in to. Only negative is my site was right beside big truck entrance, but with a/c on, we heard very little.
GuideIt's an older campground, quite small but a very welcome overnight stop. I guess my biggest complaint is dirt/dusty driveway. The site is very long and very level and plenty acceptable in width. No septic at my site(#1), but they doo have a pull up dump station. Our 50amp service had very good voltage at 117.9vac with both our a/c units running on high. Only reason for 4 stars was dusty driveway. Oh, o e more thing, the office staff was awesome, very friendly and helpful.
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.
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 Pinos Altos, New Mexico, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and unique experiences. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Pinos Altos, 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 Pinos Altos, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, Pinos Altos, NM offers a wide range of camping options, with 58 campgrounds and RV parks near Pinos Altos, NM and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Pinos Altos, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Pinos Altos, NM is Villanueva State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 28 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Pinos Altos, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Pinos Altos, NM.
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