Best Tent Camping near Playas, NM

Recent Tent Reviews near Playas, New Mexico

85 Reviews of 9 Playas Campgrounds

• 

  Rachelle J.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 29, 2020

  Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

  Hidden GEM

  Beautiful and unexpected. The drive getting there is pretty disappointing however when you arrive the land scale completely changes. We have camped here twice. The first time tent camping in site 3 which was good but not a ton of privacy. The second time in our 23’ travel trailer In Site 11. Super cool very private spot (next to amphitheater but with COVID nothing was scheduled) may not be as private when people are attending amphitheater. but this site is NOT intended for trailers, the site is intended for tents however we had the reservation for so long they allowed us to attempt to stay and park the trailer. We did but other ground was very uneven. GREAT campground, quiet, cool hikes. They have blue birds that look like the angry birds and they are a nuisance dropping twigs in your food and coffee and tormenting your dog if you bring it. STILL AWESOME.

• k

  kr S.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 27, 2022

  Ridge Park RV

  Roomy sites, quiet, near Gila NF, CD trailhead and Silver City

  This is an awesome park. The RV sites all have full hookups and are extra long and wide. Because the rv sites are situated around the perimeter of the very large greenspace and dog park, all sites have expansive views in all directions. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets! There are tent sites in the central green area with picnic table, firepit and shade trees. There is a great hiking trail, about 1/2 mile, that makes a loop. It is comfortably wide so you and your dog can see the trail and won't accidentally run into cactus. The park is a straight-shot easy 15 minute drive into Silver City and is convenient to Gila NF trails, several Continental Divide trailheads, the Catwalk and lots of other natural areas. Rosie and Bill, the owners are a wealth of info about the local sites and trails. The campground has a bathhouse, laundry, gym, communal library with books, games and puzzles.

• 

  Shari G.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 3, 2019

  Stewart Campground

  Great shade for the summer months

  The Cave Creek Canyon on the western edge of the Chiricahua Mountains is a spectacular area that will completely take you by surprise. This cute campground tucked into the trees will charm your socks off!

  Each site has the standard picnic table, bear locker, fire ring and lots of shade. The bathroom is a vault toilet, kept clean by the volunteer camp host, staying at Sandy Flat. This campground is rather small with just a couple small RV sites and lots of shade. Perfect for tent camping though. Great for warmer months, not so great for solar charging due to the shade, so we moved up the road to Sunny Flat campground. There are two small cabins available for rent near the forest visitor’s center, check with the Coronado National Forest, Douglas District office.

  The area is a birder’s paradise and at certain times of year can get very busy. Great opportunities for hiking, biking and wildlife viewing throughout the entire mountain range. All the campgrounds are first-come, first-served.

  There's not much in the area for food and gas, so come prepared. There is one small grill/basic grocery store down the mountain, but if you are looking for real groceries, shop before you come.

• 

  Rod D.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 8, 2024

  Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

  Chiricahua National Monument is special indeed

  If approved by congress, Chiricahua National Monument will become Arizona's fourth National Park.  While the current monument  is a compact area geographically,  it definitely has the uniqueness of a national park and warrants the added protections.  It will however make a very special place more popular, so you might want to visit sooner than later. 

  If you camp in a tent, van, micro-camper, or small travel trailer you will find Bonita Canyon Campground to be a memorable and wonderful place.  Don't try to bring any big rigs as they simply won't fit.  Reservations are a must. 

  The campground is small, beautiful, shaded and right in the middle of some incredible scenery providing easy access to the fantastic hiking and wildlife viewing that is all around you.  Hosts were professional and friendly, bathhouse small but super clean, and the site boundaries were mostly marked with fences which is somewhat unique.  This is an old CCC built campground.  From the campground you can easily walk to the foundations of the original camp located nearby.  

  Pay attention to fire regulations and status.  If permitted, campfires are limited to the raised grills (no rings) but you can bring your own solo type camp stove. You will need to bring your own wood and ice.  Pay attention to your fuel levels in your vehicle as this is a remote place.  

  This is premier birdwatching country.  If you can, I would highly recommend taking  one of the guided walks provided by the rangers and park biologists.  We learned a bunch and I am not even "a birder" and enjoyed it.  The nearby visitor center will have the details. 

  The Arizona Coatimundi's are a very unique mammal and frequently visit the campground.  Deer, turkeys, quail, and other wildlife are in abundance and easy to see from the hikes.  The views of the night sky are unparalleled. 

  A short drive away provides access to some incredible trails for hiking or simply viewing the surrounding Wilderness areas.  The rock features found in this area make it unique. 

  This continues to be one of our favorite places in Arizona to camp and hike.

• 

  Lisa S.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 29, 2021

  Lordsburg KOA

  Convenient

  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.

• 

  Jake C.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 22, 2023

  Granite Gap Adventure Park

  New to the Dyrt!

  Jake from the Dyrt here!  Granite Gap Adventure Park is in a unique part of New Mexico with plenty of awesome natural views to take in.  Check them out and leave a review about your stay on the Dyrt!

• 

  Felix G.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 25, 2023

  Ridge Park RV

  Nickel and dimed to death

  This is a very nice park as far as scenery, the staff which is a husband and wife, are friendly enough. With no offense to anyone else who has written positives on this park, we don't mean to rain on your parade. But the one thing that really threw us back was, is that there are virtually no amenities, that come without a cost, if a person wants to take a shower, let's say for 5 minutes, that cost you$3, for yourself, and three more dollars for your spouse, add that up daily then multiply by weekly and then by monthly. And you can see that that is insane for the cost, and one does not find out about this until you get to the campground and fill out the paperwork and then they let you know this at the last minute, I am a handicap person, and needless to say, I count on Campground showers as there are roomier, and we make sure that we pay more than enough in our stay, so that we can enjoy such. But sadly for the month that we were there between November the 20th to December 20th. There was nothing very pleasurable, about our stay there. On top of that, there is no internet, nor do they have any Commerce with any service that has internet service, even though other RV parks in that region have them. There is no cable either. So basically the only thing that you get is your spot, running water, trash, and Sewer, for 425 per month. Needless to say as a forwarding to anybody, if you plan to travel between that park there and Silver City New Mexico it is approximately 12 miles between the two, but the expence gets up there quik, bth ways if you drive a truck. We camped at Ridge Park RV& Campground in a Travel Trailer.

• C

  Charlie

  Guide

  

  Jan. 28, 2021

  Rusty's RV Ranch

  Pet Friendly with Hiking Trails. Dark Skies and Quiet.

  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! 

  Visit our website for more.

• 

  Beth G.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 17, 2020

  Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

  One of our favorites

  My husband, myself and our 2 small dogs live in Tucson, AZ. We recently acquired a roof top tent and we’ve been trying out various campgrounds across the Southwest.

  This is still one of our favorite National Parks to stay at. The sites were “pull though” so it’s perfect for our Roof Top Tent set up. Plenty of trees and hiking opportunities. Honestly, it’s worth the trip just to see the coatimundis. They are ADORABLE!

  Pros: Coatis! Scenery. Easy to access. Water. Bear boxes.

  Cons: As typical in National Parks, the majority of hiking trails are not dog friendly. No showers. no fire pits, just BBQ that can be used for cooking with fire.

• M

  Mary B.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 24, 2019

  Chiricahua Mountains

  A must for hikers

  Small campground best suited for tents or small trailers. Ours is 24 and we just fit. Toilets and great tasting water are the amenities. The hiking and views were amazing as you walked thru the hoodos.

• 

  Joel R.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 19, 2024

  Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

  Quiet and peaceful

  Bonita Canyon Campground at the Chiricahua National Monument is a quiet little campground in a scrub pine forest. Chiricahua National Monument is a “dark sky” park, so there is very little light at night. Bring flashlights but leave lanterns at home! There are 36 sites with picnic tables and grills. There are community water faucets, but all were turned off when we were there. There are bathrooms with flush toilet, but no hookups or showers. Most sites are small and could accommodate tents, a small class C or van campers. 25’ is the max length and 14 days is max stay. The sign said the campground was full but there were empty sites. All sites are reservable through the www.US.gov web site.

• 

  Bill R.

  Ranger

  

  Feb. 24, 2024

  Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

  Old school CCC built campground in an out of the way location

  We've stayed here a number of times, always in March. Very nice, quiet campground in a wooded canyon with a small stream running right through the CG. There are 25 sites, mostly smallish, better suited for small rvs/trailers or tents. Not enough room for very rigs in here. 

  Water spigots are scattered throughout, 1 restroom with flush toilet. Last time we were there they had an issue with water system and had to shut it off and bring in port-a-potties.

  As far as other amenities, there's spotty cell service (at least Verizon) and Wifi at the visitor center not far from the CG. Nearest services and dump station are in Willcox, 37 miles away. There's also a gas station/convenience store at a place called the Mustang Mall (it's not a mall in the usual sense), 29 miles west of Bonita.

  A number of good hiking trails, mostly up on top at Massai Point with a few additional trails starting at the CG. Our favorite is Echo Canyon to the Visitor Cntr.

  One important note: Ground fires are not allowed (at least as of 2023), which means you can have one in the above ground little BBQ grill or you have to have your own fire pan to have a wood fire. Speaking of which, no wood is for sale at the Monument nor are you allowed to gather it.

  So, bring everything you need!!

• E

  Elisa

  Traveler

  

  May. 4, 2021

  Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

  Small and scenic campground

  Hubs and I really enjoyed our 4 day/3 night stay at Bonita Canyon. The problem was with the online reservations. We stayed April 28, 29 and 30 and left on May 1 after making the reservations at recreation.gov back in December 2020. We completed the online registration exactly as directed and entered our InterAgency Senior pass number. In spite of this, we were charged$30 per night and were not given our Senior discount. I contacted recreation.gov by e mail twice to dispute the charges. The first response stated that they had charged me correctly and that case was closed. I sent a 2nd e mail asking them to check again, given that recreation.gov showed the nightly rate as$20 WITHOUT the senior discount- after that, they failed to respond entirely. I've been home 4 days now and still no response. Ignoring us is not the right way to handle things. I'm disappointed. Anyway as far as the campground goes- it is a delightful treed setting with level terrain. There is a tent pad(gravel), a picnic table and a dirty BBQ grill on each site. There is also an ash pail and a rudimentary BBQ tool to shove the ashes into the pail.(Our pail had large holes in the bottom). Only ADA site(#08) has electric. Electric is not available in any other site except the camp host sites. There are water spigots placed evenly throughout the campground. This campground is NOT for any RV over 30 feet. There are dips and tight corners, trees and boulders(as well as fences) all around the grounds and within the sites themselves. We saw mostly tent campers, car campers, vans, small couples campers and truck campers. There were a few larger units but they had difficulty with the dips in the road and backing into their sites. There are no showers. There is only one restroom building containing a men's room and a ladies room. These bathrooms are heated and have two toilets each.(one stall is ADA). The bathrooms are filthy, have only a cold water, no paper towels and if you're lucky- liquid soap. There is also an air hand dryer. The bathrooms really need to be power-washed. I was there 4 days and 3 nights and the bathrooms were never touched. Once a day the fellow who emptied the garbage threw a couple of rolls of toilet paper on the ledge between the bathroom stalls. That was it. Next time I visit I'll be bringing along a pair of rubber gloves, a can of Ajax and a scrubbie pad. There are bear-safe containers for food at each site and trash cans dispersed throughout the campground. There's a Visitor's Center and a small museum(museum was closed during our visit due to Covid- and masks required inside the building). The hiking trails are numerous and have a variety of difficulty levels. Massai Point(a short drive up the hill) has a great little nature hike and is a good learning experience as well. We will be going back in October to hike more trails. The closest town is Willcox, AZ which is 37 miles from Bonita Canyon. Make sure you have everything you need BEFORE you go to the campground as there is nowhere to buy ice or other items. Our first 2 days/nights were very peaceful, filled with rustling trees, gentle breezes and great star-gazing. Our last night(Friday) was pretty noisy as larger groups of people arrived for the weekend- so time your visit to match your preferences.

• 

  Duncan G.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 20, 2023

  Sunsets at The Fiddlers Roost

  Convenient Spot with Hookups

   I called the number to check availability and no one answered and there was no voicemail.  I drove there because it was getting dark and I was tired.  I dry camped in one of the sites.  There are six full hookup RV sites that did not look functional.  It all looked pretty funky and old. However, out of curiosity I checked the 30 amp plug at my site and it had power.  This place could benefit from some TLC.  It was quiet and peaceful.

• h

  holly C.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 25, 2023

  Granite Gap

  Beautiful! Quite! Amazing!

  Amazing views. A bit sandy of a drive. You have to open and close a gate but it is not locked. Quite, no lights nearby, dispersed camping at its best. Just a few cows. I would camp here again. We made it up in a long bed crew an Chevy 2500. Some camp sites at the bottom. But if you go up to the dead end keep to the left. Site is not to level but throw a couple of rocks under the tires and you can level out. Drive up is a little bit narrow with cactus close to the road. I would not think you need 4x4 but maybe something more then a car would be better. If wet I would think it may get a bit squishy, but with it dry a stock suv would make it just fine. Camped next to a rock face. Just beautiful!

• C

  Claudia H.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 28, 2024

  Granite Gap

  Classic New Mexi o

  Great spot. Rocks and cactus and sunrises. Narrow sandy road, but manageable for smaller RV.

• N

  Nathan S.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 14, 2024

  Granite Gap

  Extreme solitude

  First off do not use Google maps. It will not take you to the right place. Use the built-in location found in DYRT. After you turn off I 10 on the left to travel approximately 10 miles the site will be on your right hand side. Follow the road to the left as you go through the gate. The site is very well-maintained. There are only a handful of sites available, but when I was there, I was the only one.

• 

  Dave B.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 8, 2025

  Granite Gap

  Unique area

  Enter thru gate. Make sure you close behind you. Road is Sandy but doable in most vehicles.getting service with Verizon. 4g 1 or 2 bars. I'm at the last site top of the hill and it's beautiful!?

• F

  Francois T.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 29, 2021

  Rusty's RV Ranch

  Nice place for Stargazing

  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.

• 

  Carla J.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 24, 2021

  Rusty's RV Ranch

  Perfect place except for WiFi

  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.

• 

  SMCadventures4u .

  Guide

  

  Jan. 10, 2021

  Rusty's RV Ranch

  Very quite and peaceful.

  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.

• R

  Rick F.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 15, 2024

  Rusty's RV Ranch

  Well-run and good location

  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).

• 

  Untrammelers B.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 3, 2023

  Rusty's RV Ranch

  Well kept

  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.

• 

  Alicia F.

  Legend

  

  May. 1, 2020

  Lordsburg KOA

  Dry...

  This campground is halfway between Tucson and El Paso and makes it a convenient to stop if you’ve been driving through like we were. It’s a very dusty campground ⛺️. The areas are nicely separated and it’s was good for a night. They have a camp store and good size bathroom with showers and several sinks. It’s an older KOA and not as nice as a lot of others I’ve stayed at. It’s definitely nice to have internet and service. The campground is located within a small, kind of rundown town. There is a grocery store within a mile which was good for grabbing stuff to make dinner if you don’t already have it.

  The area we stayed in was for tenters however, there are various areas for RV’ers.

  They have a swimming pool in season (May 15-September 15, game room, free cable TV, free wireless internet, and a Camping Kitchen ready for group events. An activity center is available for groups as well as food service on certain days. Max pull thru: 80 feet.

• 

  Rick D.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 3, 2021

  Lordsburg KOA

  Google reviews are wrong

  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!

• S

  Seth P.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 11, 2021

  Lordsburg KOA

  Wide open campground right next to I-10

  Convenient.  Sites are close together

• 

  Michael C.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 25, 2021

  Lordsburg KOA

  Good RV Park

  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,