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Best Tent Camping near Mimbres, NM

356 Reviews

The Gila National Forest offers numerous tent camping options near Mimbres, New Mexico, with several established campgrounds providing basic amenities for tent campers. Rocky Canyon Campground, located directly on the Continental Divide Trail, provides primitive tent sites in a quiet setting, while Railroad Canyon Campground features three to four tent sites nestled between a creek and forest service road. Black Canyon Campground and Lower Gallinas Campground offer additional tent camping opportunities within the region, though seasonal closures may affect availability.

Most tent sites in the Mimbres area include fire pits and picnic tables but lack drinking water, requiring campers to pack in their supplies. Vault toilets are available at many locations including Railroad Canyon and Lake Roberts, though maintenance varies seasonally. Access roads to tent campgrounds like Rocky Canyon can be challenging, with one camper noting that the "forest service road gets pretty rough" and recommending "4-wheel drive, motorcycle or ATV" for access. Sites typically feature dirt or gravel pads with minimal leveling, and many campgrounds operate seasonally from April through November, closing during winter months.

Tent campers in the Mimbres region often appreciate the solitude and natural settings these sites offer. Areas farther from main roads provide deeper wilderness experiences with opportunities to spot wildlife, including deer near Lake Roberts. During spring and early summer, the small creeks running behind campsites at Railroad Canyon enhance the camping experience. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, many tent sites remain peaceful even during peak season, with one visitor describing Railroad Canyon as "a solid little campground with few amenities" that offers good trail access to the wilderness. Kingston Campground provides a convenient base for exploring the charming nearby town while still offering tent camping in a natural setting, with a clean vault toilet and several tent sites along a seasonal creek.

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Best Tent Sites Near Mimbres, New Mexico (12)

    1. Railroad Canyon Campground

    7 Reviews
    Mimbres, NM
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 388-8201

    "This campground is a “little” more hidden from the road than other nearby campgrounds."

    "This campground is a “little” more hidden from the road than other nearby campgrounds."

    2. Silver City KOA

    9 Reviews
    Arenas Valley, NM
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 388-3351

    "Sites are well-maintained with plenty of space, and the amenities — from spotless restrooms to a cozy camp store — make it easy to relax."

    "Nice weather."

    3. Lake Roberts

    5 Reviews
    Hanover, NM
    18 miles
    Website

    "This is a great spot to launch your boat into the lake. The launch has bathrooms and even a fish washing station!
    Be sure to check out the tree covered in lures next to the launch."

    "It’s a few minutes from the lake but it’s nice and open.. both times we’ve gone it’s had quite a few people but beyond being able to hear them we weren’t running into each other."

    4. Kingston Campground

    3 Reviews
    Hillsboro, NM
    16 miles
    Website

    "This campground is right off the highway, but not too much traffic. The small creek bed has nice water depending on the time of year. Too hot in the summer. Gets cold I."

    "I walked through Kingstown and which is a friendly, adorable town. It is just up the road from their provided campground."

    5. Rocky Canyon Campground

    2 Reviews
    Mimbres, NM
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 536-2250

    "Definitely tents only Recommend that you have 4wheel drive, motorcycle or atv. Right on the continental divide trail. Very quiet"

    "Was going to camp here on 4/15/2021, but there was what appeared to be from signage, a controlled burn going on at the entrance to Forest Road 150."

    6. Gallinas - Lower

    Be the first to review!
    Mimbres, NM
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 388-8201

    7. Black Canyon Campground - Lower

    4 Reviews
    Mimbres, NM
    25 miles
    Website

    "It is cool at night, even in August, due to the elevation. We were so cozy in our wool socks and sleeping bags in a tent. It even hailed on us hard one day."

    "Beautiful campground in Santa Fe New Mexico. We came to stay one night to go to Meow Wolf and ended up staying 3 nights I liked it so much."

    8. Pine Flats Campground

    Be the first to review!
    Hanover, NM
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 346-2650

    9. Lower Scorpion Campground

    5 Reviews
    Gila, NM
    32 miles
    Website

    "I was able to set up a tent on the creek and dig down in the sand to find the hot water and then covered myself to get the geothermal properties."

    "There are designated spots around installed fire pits with grills. There is one bathroom that is handicap assessable. I don’t believe there’s water or electricity here."

    10. Black Canyon Campground - Upper

    Be the first to review!
    Mimbres, NM
    25 miles
    Website
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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Mimbres, NM

9 Photos of 12 Mimbres Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Mimbres, NM

356 Reviews of 12 Mimbres Campgrounds

  • 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.

  • RoadTripEddie V.
    Aug. 9, 2021

    Cherry Creek Campground

    One of my favorites

    Nice campground with about 10 sites. With concrete picnic tables, and a fire ring. Vault toilets, hiking trails, and with cell signal. No hookups. Curative camping at its finest

  • Jorge G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 4, 2024

    Comfort Well Dispersed Camping

    Low-key dispersed sites

    A handful of sites located on the other side of Skates Canyon from Sapillo Campground. Close to great hiking around the CDT and fishing in Lake Roberts. Most of the sites sit on the shades of ponderosa and there's plenty of space for group camping.

    This is as bare as it gets. No services, no cell signal, no trash disposal, not even a pit toilet. Some sites have rock rings for campfires but that's about it. Please recreate responsibly and leave no trace. Pack out whatever you pack in.

    Quiet during the winter, but gets busy during the summer as evidenced by how well worn the dirt paths around the area are.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Angela G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 24, 2021

    Mesa Campground

    Good National Forest Camping

    Stayed here with a couple of friends in late December of 2019. Great proximity to Gila National Forest, which is the primary reason we chose this campground. Obviously was very cold during December, but we were comfortable with an all-season tent & sleeping bags.

    Camp hosts were super nice and gave us a lighter when we couldn’t find ours, which was a saving grace when it came to be dinner time. Picnic tables were great, especially when you’ve become used to primitive camping without such luxuries. Pit toilets were clean and accessible. Overall, nothing special but a great campground for the location and the helpfulness of the hosts.

  • E
    Apr. 19, 2025

    McMillan Campground

    Fun campsite! For Free!

    After not finding a campsite at the other near one called Cherry Creek. We ended up at McMillan campsite. Super close to the restroom but not close enough where it is unsanitary. Perfect place the camp. There are only 3 sites but they have picnic tables and fire pits. Plenty of space even for large groups. No cell phone service at all! For miles you won’t have service especially coming from Silver City so plan accordingly! The Park ranger came by to clean out the bathrooms. No place to dump trash and no water. During our time here the weather was unpredictable, which is probably expected deep in the mountain. We had a great time!! The only down side was that some random hikers parked at a site and were extremely loud at 8 in the morning however they were not campers.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 1, 2023

    Lower Ridge Road Camping Area — Elephant Butte Lake State Park

    HUGE state park with many camping options

    General: There are many different camping options at this state park from dispersed (especially on the beach) to those with electric/water hookups. We stayed in the Lions Beach campground with the w/e hookups. 

    Site Quality: Lions Beach is laid out much like an RV park with little to no separation between sites. Each site has a fire ring, and covered picnic table in addition to the hookups. The driveway was paved and level. 

    Bath/Shower: Only vault toilets close to the Lions Beach campground. They are ADA accessible complete with a ramp but although clean, there was no hand sanitizer in any of them. The only restrooms with running water, flush toilets, and showers are located about a mile from Lions Beach and IMO, not adequate for the crowds this park attracts, especially on the weekends. The showers looked sketchy, and I decided not to use them. 

    Activities: If you like to fish or have a boat, this is the place for you! There is a marina. Some hiking trails. We enjoyed Riverbed Hot Springs a few miles down the road in Truth or Consequences. We don’t have a boat or fish so although we stayed for two nights, we chose this campground because it was on our route. 

    Because dispersed camping on the beach is allowed, it is very popular, especially on the weekends but be warned the sand is soft and deep – I’m not sure how vehicles without 4-wheel drive can navigate it without getting stuck. We were told there were wall-to-wall RVs on the beach on the weekend before our arrival (third weekend in April) so thankfully we were not there on a weekend! If we were to return, we would select the sites overlooking the lake on Ridge Road with no hookups but generally, not our preferred camping vibe but for others, it might be different.

Guide to Mimbres

Tent camping near Mimbres, New Mexico offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the stunning landscapes of the Gila National Forest. With a variety of campgrounds available, you'll find options that cater to different preferences and needs.

Affordable Tent Camping Options

Local Attractions to Explore

  • The scenic beauty of the Gila National Forest is just a short drive from Lake Roberts, where you can enjoy fishing and wildlife watching.
  • Black Canyon Campground - Upper is located near stunning hiking trails that lead to breathtaking views and natural wonders.
  • Experience the tranquility of Lower Gallinas Campground, which is perfect for those looking to hike and explore the surrounding wilderness.

Activities for Outdoor Enthusiasts

  • At Railroad Canyon Campground, you can enjoy peaceful camping with access to nearby trails for hiking and exploring.
  • Silver City KOA offers a range of amenities, including clean facilities and friendly staff, making it a great base for outdoor activities.
  • For a more secluded experience, Rocky Canyon Campground provides a quiet setting with opportunities for hiking along the Continental Divide Trail.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mimbres, NM is Railroad Canyon Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 7 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Mimbres, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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