Best Campgrounds near Salem, NM

Always stay here on my way back to Texas or heading farther west. A few solid campsites on mossman road; roads are a little rough closer to the campsite but nothing crazy, should be good for a 2wd. Never see anyone here, besides a ranger this time. Good spot under open sky.

I loved the view from this campsite. If I had known better, I would have booked a site along the lake. There were plenty of sites and only maybe 1/5 were booked. Easy to back in and hook up in minutes. Plenty of open space and using my Starlink was a breeze. Hope to stay again!

This is a parking lot in the hills. Flat gravel and quiet after the atv's are gone.

This is a pretty nice campground. The campsites are fairly close together and there is little privacy. Good view of the lake and a decent amount of birds flying around. Good place for a family vacation but not a great place to get back to nature. When I was here in the bathrooms were being worked on and the only facilities was outhouses.

Great sites in a phenomenal place

Small and quiet campground near Deming NM. We stayed at one of the primitive sites. The camp hosts were friendly and helpful. It was very windy when we were there (January)

My bus was squeaking, twisting, driving at an angle, and it was a brutal drive... While I'll not come back because it's not well maintained, it does have very beautiful vistas, so that's why it got 3 stars.

This is a very nicely spaced campground. Can't really see the water from here but the sites have water and electric. The bathroom was being worked on so not open during the visit and the water level is at like 5 % capacity but there are lots of places to walk and bike and camping here in the winter provides very livable temperatures.

This is a pretty normal lake campground. Not a lot of shade or privacy but picnic tables and covered outdoor spaces. There are bathrooms close by and they seem fine. Quiet during the off season and nice hiking trails.

If it were to stay here again, I'd stay in this campground as the layout is a lot nicer and more private. This campground is full and none of the others are right now. Nice walking trails and spots with some privacy and full hook ups.

You can camp right up next to the lake if you want. This appeals to certain campers. No services and you are literally just parking. I'm not sure what the above review is on about, this would be just like camping near any other lake in NM.

Caballo is kind of hidden between Percha and Elephant Butte but has lots of places to camp and is well maintained. This has a nice paved road leading to it, tons of spots where you can have privacy and trees. During the spring, it would keep you out of the wind.

I stayed here in 2018 and the trees didn't look very good. They must have had to remove a lot of them and the spots are now in the sun. Very hot and dry most of the year and the river doesn't run most of the year either. Stickers everywhere and the trails are not well maintained.

Lots of dispersed sites but looks like a very popular area we passed over 20 campers before finding a spot. Spots are pretty well spaced out with lots of vegetation inbetween. Road is a little rough 4x4 definitely recommended.

I had hiked here before but staying was nice. Quiet and somewhat off spaces but very well maintained. Do not expect any privacy in spots.

As the photos show, I'm not sure this is open. Nice long and private spots if it were open.

Stayed in #43. Most sites are uneven and short. BLM recommends nothing more than 23' long. Water available at host site near gate before driving about 4 or 5 mi to campsites. Road IS narrow and winding and steep in place but pave and ONE way (don't turn wrong direction). Toilets were clean and mens toilets all had soft-close lids. I am told womens do not. Campground was clean, great 4 mile loop hike, and other much more strenuous/technical options for mountain climbers. Mountain crags remind me of a mix of Tetons, Patagonia and Sawtooth in Idaho. Great views to Sacramento Mountains to the east (Ruidoso/Cloudcroft area--Sierra Blanca covered in snow early Nov.). White Sands nearby along with White Sands Missile Range Museum).  Met some BLM peeps who were very nice, helpful and provided great information re: geology of the area and other points of interest. We brought our own 5 gal of water and were fine for 3 nights.

ALSO: shout out to New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors who were doing trail rehab./maintenance work while we were in area, yay!