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This KOA is conveniently located one mile from I-10, overlooking the amazing views of Las Cruces, Mesilla Valley, and nearby mountains. Many upgrades have taken place over the last year, including Wi-fi with which you can stream and zoom, paved streets and a new playground. Choose from breathtaking view sites, big-rig friendly pull-thru sites, KOA Patio Sites with fire pits, Tent Sites or one-room Camping Cabins with refrigerator/freezer and fire pits. An RV wash area (Care Camps donation encouraged), 24-hr laundry and heated pool (seasonal) will complete your visit. Many come for one night and end up staying longer. Visit La Mesilla, known for its rich history and great cuisine. Shop for local specialties, chilies, and pecans at the popular farmers' market in downtown Las Cruces. Other area attractions include White Sands National Park & Missile Museum, Spaceport America Visitors Center, and the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. Pool: Mid May – Sept 31st. Max pull thru 85 ft.
The high wall, needle-like spires of the Organ Mountains curve dramatically around a semicircle of Chihuahuan Desert habitat at the Aguirre Spring Campground. The campground, nestled at the base of spectacular cliffs, overlooks the Tularosa Basin and White Sands National Park. Alligator juniper, gray oak, mountain mahogany and sotol are a few of the abundant plant species here. Seasonal springs and streams occur in the canyon bottoms, with a few perennial springs that support riparian habitats. Entrance Gate Hours (change with Daylight Savings Time) Winter Hours (Nov - March): 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Summer Hours (March - Nov): 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. The campground has a total of 55 sites that are available at a first come, first served basis, and two group sites that can be reserved by calling 575-525-4300. Water is only available at the entrance of the recreation site by the Camp Host Site. RVs can camp in the campground but should be aware that the road up to the campground becomes narrow and winding. Due to safety precautions for vehicles, the recommended max length for RVs is 23 feet. All sites have a shade shelter, picnic table, grill and tent pad.
Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort offers 140 full hook-up sites with big rig, level sites up to 70 feet. 20, 30 and 50 amp service is available. Daily or monthly rates, cable TV, covered patio with picnic tables and BBQ grills by the lounges. Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort offers free Wi-Fi.
BLM land near the City of Rocks entrance
Ranger
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!
GuideGreat sites with close and clean toilets. We found a few level spots that would work for rooftop tents, but most spots seemed a little rocky and uneven for tents. There is a lovely 4 mile hike that loops up in the mountains by the sites.
Ranger
We usually opt more for National Forests and Parks, but this was a great stop after a fabulous but more rustic experience camping at Chiricahua National Monument. This place has been updated and has more amenities than I’ve ever seen at an RV park including a dog bath! The bathrooms are updated and clean. Our view site was great and more spacious than the pull through ones. No one was to our right, so our site felt extra spacious. Staff were kind and helpful. Very clean and quiet park. I’d stay here again.
ScoutIt’s great to hear about the spacious sites and beautiful surroundings that enhance the outdoor experience. Your mention of nearby hiking trails is particularly helpful for those looking to explore. Sprunki
GuideWe stayed with the doggos and our son on a RTT and had a great time other people are camping and might be too loud for your taste but not too much to ruin it. Views are amazing especially from the hikes
Guide
When I called about availability we were told there were a lot of dry spots available. Works for us! When we got there the person at gate had no idea where the campgrounds were and would not let us check out sites without paying for day use. The campground had water shutoff on Memorial Day weekend. No bathrooms or showers.
Management aside, this place is gorgeous. We dry camped by lake right under mountains. Would not pay for campground with no water but for $10 to dry camp by the water, love it.
Great T-Mobile service. Easy to access.
GuideGreat campsite right outside of las cruces. Very pretty drive in but easy to fly by if you’re going too fast on the main highway. Good spot to stay if you want to hike any of the trails in the Organ mountains
GuideThis campground is good for tent and very small rv camping. The views of the Organ mountains were amazing with plenty of hiking trails.
GuideVery windy road back to campground. Putable water at beginning of road. Get it if you need it before you go up. Pit toilets, just okay. Sites are awesome! Spread out. Nice fire pits and covered picnic tables. Tucked right under mountain. Great views!
Legend
Nice level Lake view spot. Easy access to site and dump station. Fire pit and shade over picnic table.
GuideBeautiful, manicured place on a hill overlooking town. Really nice staff and concrete/gravel site. We will be back!!
TravelerVery helpful staff. The place was very clean and spacious. There are plenty of places to hike and fish. Great place to take the family to create memories.
Legend
Campground is very nice with great views. Grounds are well kept. Bathhouse is clean. Water in the showers are annoying because it auto cuts off after about 10-15 seconds and you have to keep it going for at least a minute or two to get hot water. Sites are close but separated my some bushes. The Dyrt app says there is WiFi which there isn’t and also that there are sewer hookups which they aren’t. Not a problem but just fyi.
GuideWe spent the whole winter here 2021
TravelerWe were going to dry camp, but there was a windy, rainy storm going on. We pulled in to Elephant Butte RV Park in the dark, called the security number, and he directed us to a spot. It was easy to hook up, to pull in, easy to pull out with our 36’ 5th wheel. Really nice people! 
TravelerBeautiful camp grounds! There was plenty of space so we still got to have a fairly secluded experience. Some sites can be difficult to find a flat area for a tent.
They seem to be operating summer hours now, so the gates actually close at 8pm!
Watch out for ant mounds, flies, and gnats when setting up though.
RangerWe tent camped at Aguirre Spring campground over Father’s Day weekend in June 2022. I don’t know. Maybe it was too hot or I was too tired, or a combination of both with a causal connection. I love the outdoors but I can’t really think of anything good or bad to write about this campground.
It seemed like a nice place and the vault toilet bathroom was clean and extremely stocked with TP. There is a great trail called pine tree loop from which you can actually see real pine trees on the mountainside above the barren desert basin. We fell victim to the one-way road that other campers bemoaned too. The camp host’s phone is 575-644-9143 (as announced on the BLM’s voicemail greeting) and he was helpful when I called ahead and told me the campground was open (as of 6/22/2022, the Dyrt has an alert that the campground is closed for the season), that there was plenty of space, and that there was a fire ban.
We pitched our tent without the rain fly. Right when we layed down for the night, it started raining, so we scrambled to overlay the rain fly and then the rain stops. In the middle of a desert drought, if such a thing is a thing. The tent pad barely accommodated our 6-person tent and it seemed like all the sites suffered the same fate. We scouted the whole campground, mainly searching for shade and settled on a decent site with a giant boulder on the western side for some evening shade. The campground was maybe 1/3 full. Overall it was good to get outdoors for father’s day despite the fatigue.
ScoutIt really is beautiful here. Southeast New Mexico has mountains believe it or not. The camp is nestled up against one. It’s Memorial Day weekend and not too crowded. Highly recommend for the price (basically free). If you are tent camping and low maintenance this place rocks. If you have a huge rig I’m not even sure I would want to make the drive up the road to the camp site. Spots are small, so you would need to find the best spot if you have an RV or Trailer.
GuideThis is a very nice KOA! I am constantly impressed with every KOA I stay at. This one is very well designed and spacious. Very clean and quiet. We arrived late and our packet was waiting for us in the box to the left of the ofc which was so cool. There is half court basketball, a pool, picnic areas, playground, tetherball, and laundry. New sites going in this year. Wifi is great.
GuideWe stayed here for 3 nights in early April. The campground was less than 50% full so very quiet and peaceful. The hiking was great and it was an easy drive for a day trip to White Sands which was delightful. The bathrooms were clean and the sites simple with no hookups but a shaded picnic table at each. It was windy for one day but otherwise it was a lovely spot.
GuideBeautifully done lay out. Pictures speak for themselves. Everyone friendly. Well done!
TravelerBeyond amazing campsite tucked up against an incredible expanse of towering mountains. Great hikes nearby. Clean out toilets. Sites are very well spaced—I felt like I was the only one around!
GuideGreat camping area with a variety of camp sites. All site are closely located to vault toilets that are kept clean. Each site has, pavilion, fire pit, charcoal grill, and bear proof trash cans. It does get busy, for best selection of spots arrive late morning to early afternoon.
Traveler
Stopped here for a night before visiting White Sands NP. Beautiful campground tucked between the Organ Mountains and the San Andrés National Wildlife Refuge. The views are incredible with trails and lots of rocks to explore.
You pay $7/night at the entrance through their envelope system (cash or check). There are pit toilets with toilet paper. Each site has a fire pit and pavilion with picnic table. Down the road, at the camp host, there is supposed to be water. We haven’t checked it out yet. Fill up before coming up to the campground because the camp host isn’t close yet. Gates lock each night, so no reentry after 6pm ( in winter).
LegendVery maintained KOA campground. Online reservation very smooth. Arrived at 2:30 Christmas afternoon. Registration packet was ready even if office was closed.
RangerThe park is on the lake it's named after. They have a brand new visitor Center opened yesterday December 11, 2021. There are views of the lake and the nearby mountains. The sites are spacious and spread out on flat level gravel. There are a few tall trees but there are shrubs and some small Juniper and Pinyon tree's. It is not far off of I 25. There is another state park within 10 miles on the other side of the dam. You can sometimes hear highway noise from 817. You can see the traffic on I-25.
GuideThis BLM is tucked in the midst of God’s creation and is well worth the drive in alone, let alone the peaceful stay.
The host is very welcoming and nice, she is about 4 miles before the campgrounds and has water for fill ups! I have a small 3.5 water kit so I was able to carry my kit to the hookup, however, for larger rigs prepare to have a 50ft (or longer) hookup.
The 4 miles of witnessing a backdrop of heaven makes you want to go the speed limit or under, nice twisties and curves up to the pay station (cash or check only).
I stayed at site 35, and although I did not completely setup my over-landing gear, I enjoyed my stay. This particular site has a slight incline but does have a small area that is leveled.
It was very quiet and peaceful here, has vault toilets, trash cans and picnic tables with shedding.
I will definitely be back! And, you cannot beat the $7 nightly stay (especially for the amenities on BLM ; hell, I’d pay for the views)
Horse camping in New Mexico offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and equestrian-friendly facilities, making it an ideal destination for riders and their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Salem, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Salem, NM is Las Cruces KOA with a 4.7-star rating from 47 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Salem, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Salem, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
