Looking to cabin camp near Playas and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? The Dyrt can help you find the best cabin camping destinations for your next trip. You're sure to find the perfect cabin rental for your New Mexico camping adventure.
Located 6 miles North of Rodeo, NM, on historic Route 80, Rusty’s RV Ranch is nestled between the Peloncillo and Chiricahua Mountain Ranges with 360* views. Whether you only stop in for a few nights or want to put out the wheel chocks and stay awhile, we’ve got you covered. Our 200′ long pull-thru sites with full hook-ups can accommodate even the largest of BIG RIGS. Our on-site guest amenities are available 24 hours a day.
At an elevation of 4124 feet, our Summer weather is milder than most desert destinations. We rarely break 100 degrees and at least 10 degrees cooler than Tucson, AZ. Enjoy year-round activities like hiking, biking, birding, geocaching, hunting, and miles off-road trails for your ATV or Jeep.
We have a large dog park, complete with comfortable seating in the shade, and we offer over 2 miles of walking trails in the park. You can even use one of our courtesy bicycles to navigate our paths.
After your day of fun and adventure, take a dip in our heated swim spa or enjoy a relaxing evening watching the stars.
$29 / night
Campsites are clustered around a grassy meadow in this relatively open streamside camp. All sites are shaded, some more than others, and all are reasonably close to Cave Creek. Birdwatching is good right in camp (as it is in all Cave Creek camps) with elegant trogons and many other interesting species sighted regularly among the sycamores and oaks that border the creek. The open character of the area makes for exciting views of Cave Creek Canyon’s famous rock formations which tower over the area. Other recreation attractions in Cave Creek Canyon, such as birding areas along South Fork and a number of hiking trails, are just a short drive from this campground, which is along the Cave Creek Canyon/Portal to Paradise Loop scenic drive. Some attractions you may want to take advantage of while you’re camped at Sunny Flat are the scenic Vista Point Trail located a short distance downstream of the campground, and the Cave Creek Visitor Information Center a little farther downstream. The Center, is open year-round, offers interpretive information, books and pamphlets on the natural and cultural history of the area, and a few examples of local wildlife species. Note: Black bears in area.
Part of the Douglas Ranger District.
Stewart Campground is a cool, shady streamside camp where sites are clustered under a healthy stand of Arizona cypress trees, with some picturesque old sycamores closer to the streamside. As with all Cave Creek campgrounds, birdwatching is good right in the campground. It’s also close to other areas that are less disturbed and therefore even more productive for adding to your life-list. A short distance upstream from Stewart, the Vista Point Trail climbs above the canyon floor to offer unobstructed views of Cave Creek Canyon. Though this easy stroll has little elevation change, the view it presents is impressive. Other recreation amenities conveniently close to Stewart Campground include the Silver Peak Trail #280. The South Fork area, famous for its birdwatching and beautiful riparian forest, is a short drive away. The campground is located on the Cave Creek/Portal-to-Paradise scenic drive. Sites at Stewart have pull-ins making it one of the better places along Cave Creek for camping if you have an RV. Trailers to 16 feet are permitted. Note: Black bears in area.
The Portal CCC House is a five-room cabin located just west of Portal, Arizona. The fieldstone masonry cabin has been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the few remaining structures from the 1930s-era Cave Creek Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) Camp. The CCC House was built to serve as the camp's garage; the large vehicle entries were later filled in and the structure was converted to housing for a telephone switchboard and its operator. While the historic appearance has been maintained on the exterior, the interior was remodeled to provide modern amenities for visitors.
Cave Creek Canyon is located on the eastern slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona, about 2 1/2 hours from Tucson. Cave Creek Canyon is world-renowned for its dramatic rock formations and diverse wildlife. Birding is exceptional year-round, and particularly rewarding during the summer months. Hiking and rock-climbing are also popular activities, and the canyon has numerous picnic areas along Cave Creek for hikers.
Cave Creek Canyon is located on the eastern slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona, about 2 1/2 hours from Tucson. Cave Creek Canyon is world-renowned for its dramatic rock formations and diverse wildlife. Birding is exceptional year-round, and particularly rewarding during the summer months. Hiking and rock-climbing are also popular activities, and the canyon has numerous picnic areas along Cave Creek for hikers.
The Portal CCC House is located at the entrance to Cave Creek Canyon at an elevation of 5,000 feet. The canyon's soaring cliffs, with their caves and pinnacles, are often described as "Arizona's 'Secret' Grand Canyon." Cave Creek, a perennial stream, flows nearby.
The Portal CCC House is located approximately one mile west of Portal, Arizona. Attractions in the area include Chiricahua National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historical Park, historic Camp Rucker, the Geronimo Surrender sites, and the International Border and the border community of Douglas, Arizona.
$125 / night
The Portal Bunkhouse is a two-room cabin located one mile west of Portal, Arizona. Constructed in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Bunkhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure is one of the finest remaining examples of river-cobble masonry construction from that era.
Cave Creek Canyon is located on the eastern slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona, about 2.5 hours from Tucson. It is world-renowned for its dramatic rock formations and diverse wildlife. Birding is exceptional year-round, and particularly rewarding during the summer months. Hiking and rock-climbing are also popular activities, and picnic areas dot the canyon for its many hikers.
Cave Creek Canyon is located on the eastern slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona, about 2.5 hours from Tucson. It is world-renowned for its dramatic rock formations and diverse wildlife. Birding is exceptional year-round, and particularly rewarding during the summer months. Hiking and rock-climbing are also popular activities, and picnic areas dot the canyon for its many hikers.
The Portal Bunkhouse is located at the entrance to Cave Creek Canyon at an elevation of 5,000 feet. The canyon's soaring cliffs, with their caves and pinnacles, are often described as "Arizona's 'Secret' Grand Canyon." Cave Creek, a perennial stream, flows through the canyon nearby. The diverse wildlife that can be seen in the canyon include a stunning variety of bird species.
The Portal Bunkhouse is located approximately 1 mile west of Portal, Arizona. Attractions in the area include Chiricahua National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historical Park, historic Camp Rucker, the Geronimo Surrender sites, and the International Border and the border community of Douglas, AZ.
$100 / night
Beautiful location, but odds of finding an available campsite are almost nil. FCFS policy. Have tried several times, never successful. Similar for Stewart Campground nearby, these are the only ones open in winter. Be prepared for alternatives.
Rusty runs a tight ship, and the state of the campground reflects that. All services work properly and facilities are neat and clean. Price is $35 per night and absolutely no refunds are given for any reason (you sign a separate agreement to that effect).
Level gravel sites. FHU worked fine; appears to be maintained. Nice staff, well stocked store. Would stay here again.
Nice CG for our overnight stay. Plenty of amenities. Guy in the office was very helpful. Level gravel spots, FHUs were in good order. Road noise from I-10 and trains on the Southrn Pacific - not a bother for us. We would stay here again.
Staff is not as friendly as other KOAS.
Rusty does a lot to keep this little rv park a cool place to visit. She’s built trails and has goats/birds that the campers can interact with. Showers are lovely. The gathering hall and laundry room is clean and inviting.
Our Space was level and had good Wi-Fi . Felt safe and got a good nights rest. Dirt and gravel.
Very nice place, well maintained. Very quiet place too. Perfect for astronomer / stargazing. Concrete pad (could support 2 telescopes) are available with power outlet to run all astronomy gear. Bring some tie down, the wind could be very strong. Highly recommend this place.
(Very poor wifi internet connection)
I was there 3 times in 8 months… August, February and April.
We depend on solar so we really liked having enough sunshine even though we are surrounded by gorgeous peaks. Lots of wildlife and birds, we had families of deer nesting down in the bushes around our camper. Great hikes in the area. Enjoyed meeting new friends around our fire pit.
Sites were a little close together, but flush toilets and beautiful night skies! Beautiful, easy trail right off the campsite when you are ready for something a bit less demanding. Bear boxes at every site. I'll be back!
My uncle left his 5th wheel up here for the month for our family to use. My husband, our 4 year old, and myself stayed 2 nights as there wasn’t a lot to do. We got to use his RZR to explore trails but I think we would have been bored without the RZR. There aren’t any creeks or lakes near by. To get here you have to go down 7 miles of dirt road, make sure to follow the signs not your GPS. Most of the residents there stay for months at a time, it’s very quiet and green right now. Some of the spots are super close together. You get service almost everywhere but your camp site lol deer also roam the area and they came close up multiple times.
The bathrooms were a little outdated but that didn’t take away from how well kept the bathrooms were. Especially when I got there after hours. The water pressure for the shower in the bathroom was decent. It was a darker lot, which I’m not mad about because I don’t like sun beaming in the camper anyways. Made a reservation with a man on the phone, he was very nice. Came after hours & had no problem with it. The “dog park” isn’t the best of the KOAs I’ve been to.. but it’s better than nothing. If I was passing through, I’d stay again. & also, the pool wasn’t filled. Not sure why..
We are birders and were happy with the proximity to many mountain canyons. Our space was private with a nice patio. Everyone was easy going and friendly. The dog park was convenient and clean.
The river gets lower until the snow melts. Makes for a fun snow day and great backpacking.
As long as you go when it's not snowing! There's hundreds of beautiful, well maintained and overgrown trails throughout the mountain range. Tons of wildlife and big trees. It's a forest wonderland compared to the surrounding Arizona desert.
If you take Turkey Creek Rd to Sycamore campground, you'll sleep with the beautiful sound of a mountain stream behind you. They have restrooms that are sanitized and many bear proof trash cans that are emptied regularly. There's a good chance to see wildlife if you hike one of the various trails around the area. Highly recommend this sight! Just remember to leave it cleaner than you left it! Snows during winter often. Not as good for hiking and backpacking but makes for a fun snow day!
We stayed the night. Arrived around 11:00. The office is split hours with morning and afternoon. We arrived during the break. Check in was like after hours. Our site was listed and a map was provided. We stopped by the office at 2:00 when the afternoon shift was there. Got the customary sheet/map with door codes and WiFi password. The pool was closed, but hey..... it’s very early spring. Our site had 30 amp service (was listed as 50 amp I believe). Not a problem in March. The WiFi was excellent, the cable has 40 some channels, the provided paper only listed 20 stations. But our Firestick and their WiFi.... we survived. :-) Full hookups, all in good condition. Gravel parking sites. We tried to find something interesting but it’s Lordsburg. We did eat lunch at a very nice diner in town Kranberrys Chattwrbox,
Easily accessible from Tucson, Sliver City, El Paso and even Phoenix, this 10 space campground is one of a few in Cave Creek Canyon. The sites were spacious and my fussy wife said the vault toilet was the cleanest she had ever visited.
During our visit some of the nearby campsites were closed and ours was at 80% capacity. I was told that birders overrun the area in March and April in search of the Trojan (look it up). Also there are many day visitors during those months.
There is some good hiking of various degrees of difficulty, check AllTrails. South Fork Trail #243 is a particularly easy 4.1 mile hike with a few water crossings. A little busy, but not to be missed.
Two tips:
Forget your gps and take highway 80 South from I 10 versus the dirt road from San Simon, you will be glad you did.
It is first come first serve for the campsites. Sunday and Monday are the best days to arrive.
There are some campgrounds that just stick out in your mind for their beauty, location, and proximity to other cool stuff. Sunny Flat is one of them. As the name implies, here’s a place where you can put out your solar panel and charge up. But the experience re-charges more than just your camper batteries. We could probably spend an entire season in this place.
Located on the eastern side of the Chiricahuan Mountains, in the Coronado National Forest, Sunny Flat lies tucked in a wide basin surrounded by stunning rock out croppings. Each site offers a picnic table, sun shelter, and fire ring. The pit toilets were clean and well-maintained, and the potable water on-site was delicious. But it just feels like you’re tucked away into a little nook of forested landscape in an otherwise spare desert location. Here is an oasis that welcomes migrating birds, a habitat for bears and mountain lions and a break from the heat of the valley.
Hiking and mountain biking opportunities are plenty, as well as birding locations. During the hummingbird migration, several sites within the town of Portal, AZ, offer opportunities to observe some of your favorites.
The closest town with anything other than a convenience store is a long way away, so come prepared with groceries...and fill up on gas.
Convenient. Sites are close together
Stayed one night on the way to Tucson, nice facilities are nice and clean and the clerk at the counter was friendly. I would stay here again!
This KOA is a convenient pit stop when crossing Southern New Mexico on Rt. 10. The gravél covered acre has been nicely landscaped around the perimeter. Road noise from the highway is heavy. The very clean shower dressing area was barely big enough to turn around in. All amenities are available including propane, which was served up by a grumpy technician.
It’ll be nice when New Mexico opens its’ State Parks to camping again so touring the State becomes possible.
We wanted to get away for a few days during Covid and wanted to stay south where it was warmer so we found Rusty's RV Ranch in Rodeo New Mexico. It was quiet and friendly and just what we were looking for. While visiting we went exploring and visited the Chiricahua Desert Museum & the Apache Museum next door. Enjoyed all of the displays and history as Geronimo surrendered nearby.
We took a ride over to the Coronado National Forest and coming from the wide-open desert we felt like we had stepped into another world. Definitely worth the trip. We tried to drive the loop around the area on the first day but the directions weren't very good and we didn't go all the way. We went back the next day and went the other direction and went through the little town of Paradise. It was a long bumpy gravel road this way and really wasn't worth the trip....enjoyed the paved road in the National Forest much more.
We needed some supplies so we drove down to Douglas AZ at the Mexico border. Visited Walmart and got some tacos that were excellent. Not much between Rusty's and Douglas but was a good drive with little to no traffic. Did see a number of Border Control agents on patrol.
Rusty's RV Ranch was very clean and well maintained. You could tell that they have made a concerted effort to make the grounds nice from the Swan & Duck pond to the bird enclosures and Koi pond. Loved the hiking trails that went around the entire property and we used those a number of times.
The space was huge and very private. We didn't have to unhook our toad vehicle until we needed the car which was really nice. The management was very friendly and helpful.
We have t-mobile and I will tell you we had no service here. We hooked up to their park wi-fi but could barely check our email. We don't have satellite either so we were totally disconnected mostly.... but that was good too for a change. Fall and Winter are the busiest times here with people looking for warmer winters and avoiding the hot summers.
There are a couple of restaurants nearby and the closest has a convenience store but that is it... so be sure that you are stocked up on supplies before you go or expect to drive to get them. If you bring your pet be sure to have some flashlights to walk them at night because it is dark dark 😀
We would definitely visit Rusty's again!
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Tucked in behind a small neighborhood just off I-10. We'll placed signs direct you to the campground, just in case you think you're in the wrong area. Depending on the time of year, there may be some snow on the ground. This campground is in great proximity to the Continental Divide Trail, if that's your thing.
Some of the campgrounds located in the middle island have less privacy but there are still some trees and shrubs to separate them. Sites on the outside are large and very private. There are a ton of trees in the campground which I'm sure are great for shade in the warmer months. We would have loved to see more of the stars but the trees obviously block the views so I would recommend walking out to the road to stargaze at night. The bathrooms, while dated, were clean and functional. We were apprehensive about needing to make a fire in the BBQ grill but it was actually quite nice and kept our hands warm while playing cards. Everything in the National Monuments is very accessible from the campground.
Nice sites that are well spaced. All roads and sites are dirt, so it can get a bit dusty, especially when the wind blows. AT&T was about four bars of 4g and Verizon is one bar of 4g, not very good. Bring supplies because the closest place for decent shopping is Douglas, AZ about 55 miles south.
Nice campground convenient about half way between Tucson and El Paso for us. Campground was very easy in and out, town is declining but appears safe, sheriff vehicle just in front of campground. Campground was close to 10 but not to bad noise wise. We had a very scenic drive up into mountains to silver city, cute old town, we passed through Gila national forrest , it's about 45 miles, but a very easy nice drive on very good roads. I would stay here again passing through, only 3 channels on air tv, but they have included cable of about 20 channels. This campground is very close or in the dust bowl area, but was not bad while we were there and it was a little windy. Enjoyed our stay.
Camping near Playas, New Mexico, offers a unique blend of outdoor experiences, from stargazing to exploring local wildlife. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy nature.
Camping near Playas, New Mexico, offers a mix of adventure and relaxation, making it a great destination for families and RVers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Playas, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Playas, NM is Lordsburg KOA with a 3.6-star rating from 12 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Playas, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 cabin camping locations near Playas, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
