Are you planning a trip to Ranchos de Taos with your horse? We've got you covered. Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. With our help, you'll find the best New Mexico equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
Agua Piedra, located in the Carson National Forest, is nestled near the Rio Pueblo and Agua Piedra Creek. The campground contains many shaded areas to camp, relax, and enjoy the outdoors.
Visitors to the Agua Piedra campground and group shelters can also enjoy fishing in the Rio Pueblo River, which is a tributary of the mighty Rio Grande. The river is stocked with rainbow trout and there is a small pier in the day use area.Hiking to Serpent Lake and Cordova Canyon, which are both within seven miles of the campground and group shelters, are also favorite activities for visitors. Also popular is further exploration of points of interest in the Pecos Wilderness, as well as within the Sangre De Cristos Mountains, the southernmost Rocky Mountain range.
Agua Piedra campground and group shelters are located in a mixed forest of spruce, fir and aspen trees, which provide some shade throughout the day. At an altitude of 8,100 feet, temperatures can cool off during the summer nights.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.
Sipapu Ski Resort, the town of Vadito, and the town of Penasco is within 3 - 17 miles from the campground and group shelter. Most services are available in Taos, NM, 25 miles north of the campground or Espanola, NM, 45 miles southwest.
$150 / night
Santa Barbara Campground is situated nicely on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness area and next to Rio Santa Barbara, a beautiful and healthy trout stream.
This is a great drop off point for hikers and horseback riders seeking close access to the Pecos Wilderness and Jicarita Peak.
Santa Barbara is located in a mixed forest of spruce, fir and aspen trees, which provide some shade throughout the day. At an altitude of 8,900 feet, temperatures can cool off during the summer nights.
Trail access to Jicarita Peak, with close access to North Truchas Peak, Sipapu Ski Resort, the town of Vadito, and the town of Penasco are all nearby. All are within 8-15 miles from the campground. Most services are available in Taos, NM, 25 miles north of the campground or Espanola, NM, 45 miles southwest.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.
$70 / night
Cimarron Campground is located in the scenic Valle Vidal within Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico, at an elevation of 9,300 feet. The sites are tucked among spruce, aspen and fir trees, and the camp offers an open range feel. Visitors have opportunities to enjoy a variety of recreational activities in a picturesque setting. Viewing wildlife and simply relaxing in the mountain air are popular activities.
Anglers can fish for Rio Grande cutthroat trout in Comanche Creek and the Rio Pueblo. Nearby Shuree Ponds offers excellent fishing. The smaller pond is a fishing hole for kids 12 and under. The main pond is stocked with rainbow trout and is also popular for float tubing. The area around the campground is open to horseback riding, and there are few maintained trails. Elk and deer hunting is excellent.
Some of the finest mountain scenery in the Southwest is found in the 1.5 million acres within the Carson National Forest. Elevations range from 6,000 feet to 13,161 feet at Wheeler Peak, the highest in New Mexico. Big game animals roam the Carson, including mule deer, elk, antelope, black bear, mountain lion and bighorn sheep. Many species of smaller animals and songbirds can also been found in the forest. Cimarron Campground is located within the beautiful Valle Vidal, a Spanish term meaning "Valley of Life," of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Shuree Ponds, Comanche Creek and the Rio Pueblo are all near the campground, offering excellent fishing.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.
$22 / night
The Borrego Mesa Campground is located close to several trailheads leading into the north half of the Pecos Wilderness. Amenitites include picnic tables, firepits and small corrals at each site suitable for one or two horses. The Vaulted toilet is currently not in service. Adjacent to and south of the campground is the Rio Medio Trailhead, one of the major trailheads into the Pecos Wilderness. The campground is rather primitive and little used, and is much less developed than most. It is primarily used for picnicking by locals from nearby communities, and also serves those who use it for an overnight stay before embarking on a horsepack or backpack into the Pecos. There is ample space for trailer/RV camping, but no dump station is available. There is no potable water and no Campground Host.
Rio Costilla ~ Pristine Wilderness is located in Northern Taos County, New Mexico. Lush forests offer Spring & Summer Recreation through Labor Day Weekend and are a Hunter’s Paradise throughout the year.
Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Bike Riding, Rock Hounding, and just plain Relaxing are among many activities to be enjoyed during warmer months of the year in Rio Costilla Park.
$30 / night
Located above 9,000 feet, Iron Gate Campground is an excellent spot to access the Pecos Wilderness for day hiking and horseback riding. Uses: camping, hiking, horseback riding. Facilities: 14 units, vaulted toilets, trash bin, tables, fire pit/grill, 4 horse corrals. NO WATER. Special Instructions: Maximum recommended length for vehicle and horse trailer is 30 feet. Forest Road 223 very rough and not recemmeded for low clearance vehicles. Users are encouraged to recycle and pack out trash. Please visit the Leave No Trace website for more information about frontcountry and backcountry outdoor ethics at www.lnt.org. NO ATVs ALLOWED IN CAMPGROUND
Hopewell Lake Campground sits next to its scenic namesake lake between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla in northern New Mexico. Visitors enjoy horseback riding, hiking, fishing and canoeing.
The 14-acre lake is perfect for canoeing and is regularly stocked with rainbow and brook trout. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail goes through the campgound, and is popular with horseback riders and hikers.
Hopewell Lake is a small, man-made lake, set high in the Carson National Forest at an elevation of 9,500 feet. A forest of conifer and aspen trees covers the area and offers partial shade in the campground.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.
$24 / night
The Jacks Creek Trailhead__is located 21 miles on NM 63. Uses: Trailhead parking and access for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding. Facilities: Vault toilets, trash bins, drinking water. Special Instructions: Users are encouraged to recycle and pack out trash. Please visit the Leave No Trace website for more information about frontcounty and backcountry outdoor ethics at www.lnt.org.
Jack's Creek Group Area is a picturesque, high-elevation campground situated just 50 miles from Santa Fe. Set at an altitude of approximately 8,000 feet within the Santa Fe National Forest, visitors can enjoy moderate temperatures and invigorating mountain breezes. Perfect for family reunions, recreational events, and large gatherings, it features 2 spacious group units to rent (Group A and Group B), each accommodating up to 40 guests. Open from mid-April to mid-November, this campground provides stunning views of the surrounding wilderness, making it an ideal retreat for outdoor enthusiasts.
The campground's close proximity to the popular Jacks Creek Trail is an added bonus. Jacks Creek Trail #257 is 14.3 miles long, starting at Trail 25 and ending at Trail 251. This trail is best for experienced hikers and horseback riders, making it a great option for those seeking a challenge. The trail is open for hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding. A common route leads to Pecos Baldy Lake, where overnight camping is allowed, with campfires permitted 200 feet from the water. For more information about the Jacks Creek Trail and its offerings, visit the Jacks Creek Trailhead website. Fishermen can enjoy catching rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout in Jacks Creek. Although Jacks creek is not regularly stocked, you can visit New Mexico Department of Game and Fish for weekly stocking reports and fishing regulations.
Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Jack's Creek Group Campground is located on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness, which encompasses 160,000 acres of mountain landscapes, high-altitude lakes, and the Pecos River. The campground is richly forested, featuring a mix of firs and aspens that showcase golden foliage in the fall. Down the road from to the group campground, Jack's Creek enhances the areas natural beauty, creating a serene atmosphere ideal for relaxation and great trout fishing. The region teems with diverse wildlife, including elk, mule deer, and migratory birds. In winter, bald eagles and other raptors can be spotted, making Jack's Creek a great destination for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
There are many hiking and fishing areas along the Pecos River, offering great opportunities for anglers and hikers alike. Just 50 minutes away, Pecos National Historical Park features prehistoric archaeological ruins, 19th-century ranches, and a Civil War battlefield, providing a rich glimpse into the areas history. The town of Pecos is located about 21 miles south of the campground. The City of Santa Fe is just over an hour drive away.
$50 / night
Guide
Very small, but quiet and secluded primitive campground. Several sites appear to be overgrown or have too much debris to be usable. There are a couple sites that could fit a small trailer. All are suitable for tents or a van. The bathroom is still out of order. Mobile coverage was spotty, worked better if you went up to the nearby trailhead. The road up to the campground is in good shape, 4x4 not required. Overall traffic was very low. There was a little bit of firewood cutting nearby, with a few trucks making multiple trips. A few families were up on Sat for picnics. UTVs were minimal. There are a few dispersed options in the area.
Traveler
Our truck broke down 1 mile from the ranch and we weren’t sure what to do so I hopped on my mountain bike and rode to the welcome center. I met a wonderful lady who offered a gentleman who worked there to help me. He grabbed his truck and towed me and my trailer to the campsite. We ended up staying there for about five or six days while the truck was being fixed in Albuquerque. Couldn’t have broken down in a better place. The scenery is beautiful and the people are nice. It’s true they had meal plans, but we were prepared to camp off grid so we didn’t need anything. Instead, we enjoyed the views and the museum and the, swimming pool and horseback riding. Completely unplanned. It’s probably important to know this is not a remote campsite because there’s lots of amenities and if you’re the kind of person looking for a flat asphalt pad to park is your camper on them, you might wanna move on. We definitely love this place and would recommend it to anyone looking for secret little area to chill out. The vibe was perfect. looking forward to coming back.
Scout
Everyone, this is a beautiful site with Lots of trees. The camp ground is nestled up in the mountains several miles from town. The stream is nice and comforting and the camp host was very informative and helpful.**** HOWEVER, there are herds of cows that roam the campground. They defecate EVERYWHERE!!! The cows keep you up all matters of the night. You can’t take 4 steps without stepping in poop-It’s EVERYWHERE!!!( Flies included) This site would be so perfect but you can’t eat or cook around the pit because it is surrounded by cow poop. We cut our camping trip short because it was just too much.
GuideIf you're in the area and they have availability, it's hard to beat Ghost Ranch for value. RV spots with hookups are $45 a night!
Most guests stay in housing/lodging, so the ranch has a dining hall that serves three meals a day. $16 per person per meal but $30 for three meals on a "meal plan" whe you book, and kids eat for free! All in all we got three meals for our family of 4 and a nights stay while we hiked around trails on the property for less than $100 all in, and the food (upscale summer camp type) was very good.
Georgia O'Keefe lived in the property for a while, so there's a lot of history about her, and there's a small dinosaur and anthropology museum on site.
Chimney Rock hike is not to be missed!
Guide
There are a bunch of different roads you can turn off to camp on if you’re driving from Taos to Durango. We mapped Forest Road 578 and it took us to a dirt road with a lot of flat spots you can camp on. We spent the night there and it was very quiet and peaceful. If you keep going to Durango you’ll get to Carson National Forest, which is not too far from the coordinates on The Dyrt. That’s where more people are camping, you can pull off right before the 64H road marker. You’ll keep passing camping spots as you drive to Durango so you can really go almost anywhere!
ScoutVisited late September, about a quarter of the sites were occupied. All sites are close enough to the river to hear it from a tent. The site has drinking water and pit toilets, but no cell service. Overall, stay was very peaceful and relaxing.
Scout
Stayed two nights and loved every minute. Took inner tubes and rode them down the stream!
GuideStay at Santa Barbara Campground in Northern New Mexico. Was a beautiful spot. Road to Campground was well taken care of Beautiful trails throughout area
Scout
This is a great place for couples who want to camp
TravelerCampground is a little off the beaten path, about 30m from the High Drive highway. Dirt roads were nothing to worry about, should be fine for any SUV or sedan. Campground itself is on ranch land (keep an eye out for cows) and does have trash around, but nothing too bad. Bathroom is very much out of order.
ScoutThe location on Dyrt maps is wrong, forest service is NW of 285 & 64. Beautiful dispersed camping spots plentiful. Park ranger Melissa was the top notch. Couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly. Definitely stay there again.
Traveler
Took my boys camping and had a great time. We went June 2 and the water was not on yet. The facilities were very clean and the staff agent was present and available. We had no issues. It is a long way down a dirt road but well worth the drive to be remote. No cell service at the camp site but a short 5 min drive back to the first cattle guard allowed for service to multiple cell providers. A short beautiful hike to the ponds allowed for some fishing for the kids. All artificial lures and barbless hooks. It’s not glamping but is some great camping!
TravelerA nice secluded little forest road. RVs will not make it, so it's nice and quiet.
AWD/4WD needed on the rutted rocky road.
Stayed one night and saw no one else.
Multiple pulloffs for unmarked campsites, but the one I picked was right off the road.
Cell service drops completely pretty soon after leaving the highway. I sporadically received some messages at my camp site but not reliably.
Traveler
A remote location and popular with horse campers and hunters. The campground has sites with horse corrals installed. The campground was quiet and mostly clean. There are pit toilets on site and well maintained. Level spots with good separation. Nice hiking accross some flat lands and a smal creek runs near by. Early one morning we saw a herd of elk down in a valley near a turn out off the road. Bears frequent the area trying to raid the garbage bins during the night. Makes tent camping a bit unnerving. If you want to explore the area, this is good place to camp. It takes an hour to get to the campsite on a graveled road off the highway out of Cimerron. 25mph was best speed to go to handle the washboard road to the campsite.
TravelerStopped at Ghost Ranch for a quick night to catch some sleep, wish we had more time really great location!
TravelerMy wife and I spent 3 days and 2 nights at Rio Costillo and really enjoyed our time. We are typically dispersed campers, so paying to camp is a bit of a departure. The fee to camp has increased to $30 per night, but we decided to give it try. It was probably more about what we didn't experience that we enjoyed the most. There is NO FIREWORKS permitted and NO ATV's permitted. Thus, a pleasant and quiet camp trip. There have been no recent fires in the area, so the views were beautiful!. Not sure how many head of cattle roam the park, but they could care less about you and do not pose any threat. The sites are spread apart so much that it feels like dispersed camping. Portable toilets are close to all sites, but no running water. The lakes were closed at the time of our visit (clearing the road of fallen trees we were told). Most of the sites were close to running streams of water, though we only fished in the Rio Costilla outside the park entrance. The fees are $30 per vehicle/night and $10 to fish per person per day. No fee to fish in the river outside of the park, only a NM license or out of state permit.
TravelerThis is a beautiful campground in a unique spot with incredible hike. Great amenities - showers, ice, refrigerator, sink for washing dishes - only downside is that the sites themselves seem a bit crowded in and not all have cover. Some are larger than others and it’s a bit of a pint what you will get. Recommend arriving not too late to see if you can get a good spot, we didn’t have shade so had to go find a nice shady bench away from our site for eating lunch / relaxing after our hike.
TravelerWe stayed July 1st-5th, 2021. Beautiful location in a place I wasn’t expecting it to be sooo green! Very relaxing and remote as there is zero service. It was perfect & exactly what we were looking for. Vault toilets are well kept and within good proximity to most sites. The grass was about knee high, so yard games/ activities weren’t possible. The hiking trail to the lake was reasonable and not too inclined/strenuous. It rained only in the afternoons but everyday.
ScoutMany open areas to camp right off the highway. The views of the mountains across the valley are best after the fork in the road. Please pick up extra trash if you use
GuideThis is a great spot with wonderful huge ponderosa pines all around, but there has been a bunch of shooting up the toilets and there is a fair amount of trash around. Still we had it to ourselves during the week, and could find a spot that was clean and fit our teardrop trailer. it would be difficult to get an fullsize RV up there at all. The road is rather arduous especially because of the fairly recent fire damage. Still is was a peaceful place with lots of nice walking around.
RangerI tent-camped off of Carson NF Forest Service Road 578 in mid April 2022. FS 578 is south of Tres Piedras about 5 miles on the west side of Hwy 285. There are several dirt road turn offs but FS 578 is clearly marked with a brown NFS sign (see photo) and has no gate but there is a cattle guard/grate. Here is a NFS road use map that shows dispersed camping along FS 578 and many other NFS roads: https://www.fs.fed.us/r3/gis/mvum/Carson/CarsonTresPiedrasCanjilonElRito.pdf (see also screenshot). My Tacoma had no problem on the dirt road, which has ruts and might be tough for an RV. There were few clearings suitable for dispersed camping but I found a nice spot with a small fire circle in a small clearing on the south side of the road just past a fork in the road. I carried two black boulders over to serve as a table and chair. I didn’t see anyone else camping or driving by. The forest is a nice mix of sage, juniper, and pine trees. I saw two elk across a swath of sage. I could see the snow capped peaks of the Sangre de Cristo range on the eastern horizon when I walked farther up the road. It got cold at night, like 27 F. It was a nice waypoint on my trip between Gunnison CO and El Paso TX but it didn’t look like many people camped there. I had intended to drive to Taos the next day on Hwy 64, but didn’t.
GuideIt's a nice little place tucked away in the woods. The road to get there is a bit rough, hence the title. By no means, Not a road for a large trailer or 5th wheel. Wild life everywhere..
Traveler
This is our favorite spot for our annual big family camping trip. It is gorgeous! The views are spectacular. It's nice and cool even in summer. The trout fishing is fun and always a success at the lake. We've only stayed at the developed camp ground once, and it was nice especially with the toilets. We prefer to stay in one of the dispersed areas now, though, because we have such a large group.
ScoutThis campground is always overcrowded, and the camping sites are too close to each other but it’s located between trees and is really close to trail heads. There is a river nearby but not to close to the camping sites that you can overlook the river. Sadly, bathroom facilities are not clean
TravelerI wasn’t sure what to think of the site before coming, but it was pretty and the road in wasn’t that bad. There were a good number of yellow jackets around. It wasn’t very quiet due to ATVs and chainsaws. The site had some trash and I wasn’t able to help pick up all of it but it wasn’t so much that it was bothersome. It was really nice that there was only one other site being used and they were at the opposite end so I couldn’t see or hear them. The bathroom isn’t in service right now either, but for one night it was a nice site!
GuideThis is a great campground if you like to take some hikes through some beautiful national forest with a picturesque river. The Santa Barbara Campground is relatively small and most of the sites can't accommodate large rv's. A small travel trailer or tent works well in most sites. None of the sites have hook ups so you will be boon docking. There are vault toilets and water available. Sign on the water spigot said not to connect a hose though so filling your rv or trailer is not what they were intended for. I guess it was good that I filled before I left home. There are lots of trees for shade and beauty. The trails are absolutely wonderful and well worth taking a few hours to walk part of them. Hard core hikers will use the campground as a starting point for a lengthy hikes. There were a few cows that got into the camping area. There can also be horses on the trails so be vigilant.The temperatures were quite moderate as the campsite is at 8900 feet. You can hear the Santa Barbara River as it is very close.
Scout
Lovely small camping area about 15 mi north of Pecos, NM on NM 63. 2 loops. Good sites for car/tent camping. Well maintained with clean vault toilets. Fire rings and picnic tables. Rained every afternoon (real boomers!) while we were there, but no problem for us. Will definitely visit again!
Horse camping in New Mexico offers a unique opportunity to explore the stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and hit the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Ranchos de Taos, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Ranchos de Taos, NM is Agua Piedra Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Ranchos de Taos, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Ranchos de Taos, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
