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Best Tent Camping near Salem, NM

432 Reviews

The Gila National Forest surrounding Salem, New Mexico offers several tent camping options with varying levels of amenities and accessibility. Kingston Campground provides free tent campsites with basic facilities including vault toilets and trash service. Railroad Canyon Campground, located near Hanover, features small walk-in tent sites situated along a creek with access to wilderness trails. Both campgrounds are relatively small, with Kingston offering just a couple of spots and Railroad Canyon limited to 3-4 tent sites, making them suitable for campers seeking quieter primitive tent camping experiences.

Sites at these campgrounds typically feature flat, natural surfaces suitable for tent setup. Kingston Campground sits right off the highway but experiences minimal traffic, making it accessible for most vehicles. Railroad Canyon provides more seclusion from the road compared to other nearby campgrounds. Both locations offer vault toilets but lack drinking water, so tent campers must bring their own supply. Railroad Canyon permits fires in designated rings and allows pets, while Kingston provides trash collection. Seasonal considerations affect accessibility, with Railroad Canyon generally open from April to November, and Kingston serving as a good alternative when higher elevation campgrounds are too cold.

Tent campers frequently appreciate the natural features surrounding these sites. According to reviews, Railroad Canyon Campground offers "many trails to access the wilderness from, and a small creek running behind each of the three campsites." The small size of these campgrounds contributes to their appeal, with one visitor noting they "were the only people there during our visit." Kingston Campground provides a convenient backcountry tent camping option when weather conditions make higher elevations less hospitable. For those seeking more remote experiences, Sierra Vista Back Side Dispersed camping area offers primitive tent-only sites with no facilities but greater seclusion. Campers note that "the best sites are furthest from the entrance," requiring high-clearance vehicles to access or the willingness to park and walk in to reach the most desirable tent campsites.

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Best Tent Sites Near Salem, New Mexico (5)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Salem, NM

5 Photos of 5 Salem Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Salem, NM

432 Reviews of 5 Salem Campgrounds

  • Jacob W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 23, 2022

    Aguirre Spring Recreation Area and Campground

    Outdoor ambivalence but still outdoors

    We 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.

  • Mark O.
    Apr. 17, 2021

    Railroad Canyon Campground

    Clean Quick Stop

    This is a solid little campground with 3 (maybe 4?) campsites and few amenities. This campground is a “little” more hidden from the road than other nearby campgrounds. Railroad Canyon Campground has many trails to access the wilderness from, and a small creek running behind each of the three campsites.

    The campground does have a toilet, fire pits, picnic tables, and trash service. Please clean up after yourself, and leave no trace.

  • Shari G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 5, 2024

    South Monticello Campground — Elephant Butte Lake

    Beautiful, Remote, & Inexpensive

    Situated on the edge of a sprawling reservoir along the Rio Grande river, this park is the perfect place to enjoy the vast landscape of the area. The nearby town of Truth or Consequences, NM is small, but has all the services you might need for food, gas, supplies, or soaking in hot springs. 

    The campground is well spaced out, each spot has a picnic table with shade/rain structure (I’ll let you guess which purpose gets more use) and nearly all have electricity and water. That means NO generators! The bath house is clean and offers flush toilets, running sinks and warm showers. All sites are reservation only, but you can do that when you get there as there is plenty of LTE cell service.  We've never seen this place crowded in the winter months.  For what you get at this campground, it’s a bargain at twice the price. 

    The campground is ideal for solar power, as is the New Mexico weather. We also had no problem connecting with Starlink.  Hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing and all other sorts of desert recreation is available right from the campground.  Definitely worth the visit!

  • Mark O.
    Apr. 17, 2021

    Railroad Canyon Campground

    Clean Quick Stop

    This is a solid little campground with 3 (maybe 4?) campsites and few amenities. This campground is a “little” more hidden from the road than other nearby campgrounds. Railroad Canyon Campground has many trails to access the wilderness from, and a small creek running behind each of the three campsites.

    The campground does have a toilet and trash service. Please clean up after yourself, and leave no trace.

  • Abby M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 5, 2021

    Aguirre Spring Recreation Area and Campground

    Fabulous spot!

    It’s tucked away off the main road so it’s very quiet at night (assuming neighbors aren’t an issue). It’s felt far enough apart so you had privacy. Several vault toilets and trash cans around the campground. There’s 2 loops, 55 sites total. Each site has a grill and a covered picnic table. There’s 2 hiking trails in the area and beautiful sunsets. There’s no water at the campground but water at the front gate by the host (3 mi from campground). The winter hours are 8am-6pm so if you don’t arrive at the gate by 6, you’re locked out. $7/night and definitely recommend!

  • Alistar B.
    Apr. 4, 2021

    Aguirre Spring Recreation Area and Campground

    UNIQUE

    I've been on a nationwide roadtrip for a few months that now and I have tent camped alone in many sites from Florida to Arkansas to, now, New Mexico. I chose Aguirra because of its close proximity to White Sands National Park. It is a First Come First Serve site and you must pay in cash. I was lucky to find a site in the afternoon. There are many sites. Over 40. I lucked out with 43 because it is huge! It's a jilly Rocky site with no one around me and several stone fire pits, a BBQ grill, and animal proof garbage can. There are Porta John's in close proximity. I have not found any water yet. Not sure. No RV hookups. But what do you expect for 7 bucks a night. I was here over Easter weekend so it got noisy with Fiesta music and someone throwing up across from my site at midnight! Whole families come here, jam their music etc. It's Easter so whatever. There is a covered picnic table and lots of tree cover to deal with the intense NM sun. I love how this place is at the end of an ascending, remote, windy road though. It's large enough that no rangers come and bug you for trivialities.

  • M
    Oct. 5, 2020

    Faywood Hot Springs

    Best. Place. Ever.

    I was worried that this place wasn’t open due to the fact there were only two reviews and it had been a while since a review. I can happily share that they are open and thriving. I was driving from Gila Cliff Dwellings towards White Sands NP and needed a place to camp. I passed some dispersed camping along the way, but most of the cultivated sites were closed, I’m guessing due to COVID as New Mexico has really cracked down on their camping and I ran into lots of sites that were either closed or only open to residents. Anyway, this place was a STEAL. For only $21 (the typical price of most regular vault toilet and picnic table camp sites), you get heaven on earth. You wouldn’t expect it driving in from either direction, but the sites themselves are extremely shaded and surrounded by trees and as private as possible given the close proximity to neighbors. I stayed at site #47 and even though I was right next to the pools and bathhouse, I couldn’t be seen at all from those places. There’s a potable water tap at EACH campsite, free showers, unlimited 24/7 access to hot springs (clothing required & clothing optional pools), a clubhouse to wash dishes or cook or simply hang out inside in a comfortable chair to read or play games at a table), several bathrooms, phone service (and I didn’t have any driving in or out), peacocks and other wildlife to admire, friendly staff, firewood for sale, labyrinth maze, short scenic trails to watch the sunset and rise, inside facilities, amazing cabins (cheapest one is only $60 and comes with an hour long soak in a private pool which is otherwise $28 for one hour), etc. I could go on and on about this place. The best $21 I have ever spent to spend the night anywhere in my entire life and I am always camping and traveling. A literal oasis. I soaked from 7pm-11pm and had the pools to myself several times on a Sunday evening. Everyone was respectful and there was no sense of party / loud groups as so common is seen at hot springs. Alcohol allowed.

  • RoadTripEddie V.
    Aug. 9, 2021

    Iron Creek Campground

    One of my favorites in the Gila Forest

    About 10 sites, most of them shaded with picnic tables and fire rings. Has garbage collection, and a vault toilet. Usually peaceful and quiet. Nice hiking trails throughout. No cell signal. Most spots are fairly flat with slight adjustment.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 23, 2020

    Sierra Vista - Back Side Dispersed

    Rugged area past the main parking lot

    Coming in off of Dripping Springs Rd, you pass a large flat parking area with small sites you can pull off into, and this area is easy for any rig to access. But if you keep going all the way to the trail head and turn left, you can access more dispersed and remote camp sites just around the bend. You will need a high clearance 4x4 to get to these sites, or you can park in one of the sites in the beginning lot and hike in.  There are several large flat spots that are great for camping.  There are small rock fire rings and hiking trails throughout.  Good Verizon and AT&T reception.

Guide to Salem

The Gila National Forest and surrounding public lands near Salem, New Mexico provide camping opportunities at elevations ranging from 6,000 to 8,000 feet. The region experiences warm days and cool nights during spring and fall camping seasons. Tent camping in Salem, New Mexico benefits from the area's diverse terrain, with options ranging from creek-side sites to mountain settings.

What to do

Hiking trails access: Railroad Canyon Campground offers multiple trail access points for day hikes. "Trees, a decent hike on a maintained trail. Only a few spots to take but cute if you get one," notes Teresa T., highlighting the maintained pathways available to campers.

Wildlife observation: Kingston Campground provides opportunities for wildlife viewing during cooler months. According to Amziah Z., visitors may see "cute wild or domesticated animals walk the space not aggressive just cute and helpful with the leafs and cycle of vegetation foods/leafs in the area."

Stream exploration: At Railroad Canyon Campground, visitors can enjoy the small waterway running through the area. Beth G. mentions the campground is "right next to the road, but also next to the water," making it convenient for creek access while tent camping near Salem, New Mexico.

What campers like

Natural separation: Sierra Vista - Back Side Dispersed offers space between campsites for privacy. Ro G. appreciated that "Quiet, pull through camp sites. There are even more dispersed spots if you go past the initial entrance."

Elevation options: Seasonal temperature variations make Kingston Campground valuable during colder periods. Lara S. notes it's "a nice place when the weather is too cold to go further up the mountains to other campgrounds in the Gila."

Small campground atmosphere: Railroad Canyon Campground provides an intimate camping environment. Beth G. appreciated that "We enjoyed how small this campsite is and we were the only people there during our visit."

What you should know

Seasonal closures: Multiple campgrounds implement winter closures. Todd J. reports, "The four campgrounds in this area (Iron Creek, Railroad Canyon, Upper and Lower Gallinas) are all closed in December 2021. Perhaps just for the season. Contact NFS for status."

Road conditions: Kingston Campground has easy vehicle access despite its rural setting. "This campground is right off the highway, but not too much traffic," confirms Lara S., making it accessible for tent camping near Salem.

Four-wheel drive requirements: Sierra Vista dispersed camping requires appropriate vehicles for back areas. Darin C. advises, "You will need a 4x4 to get into the back area. The last few spots are the best."

Tips for camping with families

Town proximity: Kingston offers nearby exploration opportunities for children. Teresa T. writes, "I walked through Kingstown and which is a friendly, adorable town. It is just up the road from their provided campground."

Flat camping surfaces: Baylor Canyon - Organ Mountains Basecamp provides good terrain for family tent setup. Amziah Z. found it "a good place to park and enjoy the view and night time breeze."

Water features: Small children enjoy the seasonal streams at Railroad Canyon. Amziah Z. notes "the water stream is very satisfying to view while relaxing away from town or city life."

Tips from RVers

Limited RV sites: Small trailers can access Kingston Campground with preparation. Lara S. advises, "We tent camp, but I think you'd be able to park a small camper or trailer."

Dispersed options: Sierra Vista - Back Side Dispersed has varying access levels for different vehicles. Laura M. explains, "Coming in off of Dripping Springs Rd, you pass a large flat parking area with small sites you can pull off into, and this area is easy for any rig to access."

Tent camping alternative: Some RVers choose to park and walk into better sites at dispersed locations. Laura M. suggests for Sierra Vista, "You will need a high clearance 4x4 to get to these sites, or you can park in one of the sites in the beginning lot and hike in."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Salem, NM?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Salem, NM is Kingston Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Salem, NM?

TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Salem, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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