Best Equestrian Camping near Red River, NM
Rio Costilla Park offers horseback camping areas with spacious sites suitable for horse trailers and accompanying tents or RVs. The 10,000-acre park features miles of trails through aspen and ponderosa pine forests, with access to mountain meadows and valley views where wildlife is frequently spotted. Portable toilets are available near camping areas, though the park does not provide running water or horse-specific facilities such as corrals. The camping fee is $30 per vehicle per night, and the park prohibits ATVs and fireworks, creating a quiet environment for horses and riders. Sites are well-spaced with picnic tables and fire pits, offering a dispersed camping feel despite being in an established campground.
McCrystal Campground in Carson National Forest includes sites with installed horse corrals, making it particularly popular with equestrian campers and hunters. Located about an hour from Cimarron on a gravel road, the campground provides level sites with good separation between them and pit toilets. A small creek runs nearby, and the surrounding flat lands offer opportunities for riding. Early morning wildlife viewing is common, with elk herds frequently seen in the nearby valleys. The remote location and natural surroundings create ideal conditions for trail riding, though bears are known to frequent the area at night, which may concern some campers. The 25 mph washboard access road requires careful navigation, especially when pulling horse trailers.
