The Dyrt can help you find the perfect horse camping site near Santa Fe. Camping with horses is a beautiful way to experience nature. Search horse campsites and discover top-rated spots, as reviewed by other campers.
Located above 9,000 feet, Iron Gate Campground is an excellent spot to access the Pecos Wilderness for day hiking and horseback riding. Uses: camping, hiking, horseback riding. Facilities: 14 units, vaulted toilets, trash bin, tables, fire pit/grill, 4 horse corrals. NO WATER. Special Instructions: Maximum recommended length for vehicle and horse trailer is 30 feet. Forest Road 223 very rough and not recemmeded for low clearance vehicles. Users are encouraged to recycle and pack out trash. Please visit the Leave No Trace website for more information about frontcountry and backcountry outdoor ethics at www.lnt.org. NO ATVs ALLOWED IN CAMPGROUND
The Borrego Mesa Campground is located close to several trailheads leading into the north half of the Pecos Wilderness. Amenitites include picnic tables, firepits and small corrals at each site suitable for one or two horses. The Vaulted toilet is currently not in service. Adjacent to and south of the campground is the Rio Medio Trailhead, one of the major trailheads into the Pecos Wilderness. The campground is rather primitive and little used, and is much less developed than most. It is primarily used for picnicking by locals from nearby communities, and also serves those who use it for an overnight stay before embarking on a horsepack or backpack into the Pecos. There is ample space for trailer/RV camping, but no dump station is available. There is no potable water and no Campground Host.
$55 / night
The Jacks Creek Trailhead__is located 21 miles on NM 63. Uses: Trailhead parking and access for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding. Facilities: Vault toilets, trash bins, drinking water. Special Instructions: Users are encouraged to recycle and pack out trash. Please visit the Leave No Trace website for more information about frontcounty and backcountry outdoor ethics at www.lnt.org.
Santa Barbara Campground is situated nicely on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness area and next to Rio Santa Barbara, a beautiful and healthy trout stream.
This is a great drop off point for hikers and horseback riders seeking close access to the Pecos Wilderness and Jicarita Peak.
Santa Barbara is located in a mixed forest of spruce, fir and aspen trees, which provide some shade throughout the day. At an altitude of 8,900 feet, temperatures can cool off during the summer nights.
Trail access to Jicarita Peak, with close access to North Truchas Peak, Sipapu Ski Resort, the town of Vadito, and the town of Penasco are all nearby. All are within 8-15 miles from the campground. Most services are available in Taos, NM, 25 miles north of the campground or Espanola, NM, 45 miles southwest.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.
$70 / night
Travelers along the Santa Fe Trail used to arrive on horseback or by wagon to this lawless frontier town, where Billy the Kid once evaded a lynch mob. Today, travelers enjoy a more civilized reception at this KOA, tucked into the pinon- and juniper-scented foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Wagon-wheel ruts, 900 historic buildings and the Fort Union National Monument highlight the area's past. Lakes and a national wildlife refuge showcase its natural wonders. Come in for our tasty breakfast buffet from 7:30 am to 9:00 am at a bargain price of only $6.00 plus tax per person. Find Southwest items in the campground store. Pool: May 15 - September 15. Max pull thru: 110 feet.
50 Max Amp
110' Max Length
Wi-Fi
Pool (5/29 - 9/15)
Snack Bar
Firewood
Pavilion
Unique Amenities
Families
Military Clubs
Motorcycle Clubs
RV Clubs & Rallies
$45 - $75 / night
Jack's Creek Group Area is a picturesque, high-elevation campground situated just 50 miles from Santa Fe. Set at an altitude of approximately 8,000 feet within the Santa Fe National Forest, visitors can enjoy moderate temperatures and invigorating mountain breezes. Perfect for family reunions, recreational events, and large gatherings, it features 2 spacious group units to rent (Group A and Group B), each accommodating up to 40 guests. Open from mid-April to mid-November, this campground provides stunning views of the surrounding wilderness, making it an ideal retreat for outdoor enthusiasts.
The campground's close proximity to the popular Jacks Creek Trail is an added bonus. Jacks Creek Trail #257 is 14.3 miles long, starting at Trail 25 and ending at Trail 251. This trail is best for experienced hikers and horseback riders, making it a great option for those seeking a challenge. The trail is open for hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding. A common route leads to Pecos Baldy Lake, where overnight camping is allowed, with campfires permitted 200 feet from the water. For more information about the Jacks Creek Trail and its offerings, visit the Jacks Creek Trailhead website. Fishermen can enjoy catching rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout in Jacks Creek. Although Jacks creek is not regularly stocked, you can visit New Mexico Department of Game and Fish for weekly stocking reports and fishing regulations.
Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Jack's Creek Group Campground is located on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness, which encompasses 160,000 acres of mountain landscapes, high-altitude lakes, and the Pecos River. The campground is richly forested, featuring a mix of firs and aspens that showcase golden foliage in the fall. Down the road from to the group campground, Jack's Creek enhances the areas natural beauty, creating a serene atmosphere ideal for relaxation and great trout fishing. The region teems with diverse wildlife, including elk, mule deer, and migratory birds. In winter, bald eagles and other raptors can be spotted, making Jack's Creek a great destination for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
There are many hiking and fishing areas along the Pecos River, offering great opportunities for anglers and hikers alike. Just 50 minutes away, Pecos National Historical Park features prehistoric archaeological ruins, 19th-century ranches, and a Civil War battlefield, providing a rich glimpse into the areas history. The town of Pecos is located about 21 miles south of the campground. The City of Santa Fe is just over an hour drive away.
$50 / night
The RavenHouse RV spot and Horse Hotel offers a unique locale to pull up to your own deck and relax. The Cerrillos Hills State Park is across the road and the historic towns of Cerrillos and Madrid, NM are nearby to explore. Great view of the Ortiz Mountain Range and friendly chickens nearby. Horseback riding is permitted in the park and we have a horse corral with a small covered area for your horses.
A cactus garden oasis at the foot of the Cerrillos Hills and along the San Marcos arroyo, RavenHouse sits among history and beauty. The property offers you a game of horseshoes, a covered picnic area with a propane grill, an outdoor bathhouse with a fully plumbed bathroom and outdoor shower, and a deck for your vehicle to pull up to or your tent to sit on.
You can glamp in the RavenHouse Tipi, luxuriously rustic with a double futon bed and sitting area with a table. Or choose the van/RV spot which could also be a tent spot. It has electric hook up and water spigot.
Read reviews here: https://abnb.me/dmNkHTybknb
$42 - $75 / night
Agua Piedra, located in the Carson National Forest, is nestled near the Rio Pueblo and Agua Piedra Creek. The campground contains many shaded areas to camp, relax, and enjoy the outdoors.
Visitors to the Agua Piedra campground and group shelters can also enjoy fishing in the Rio Pueblo River, which is a tributary of the mighty Rio Grande. The river is stocked with rainbow trout and there is a small pier in the day use area.Hiking to Serpent Lake and Cordova Canyon, which are both within seven miles of the campground and group shelters, are also favorite activities for visitors. Also popular is further exploration of points of interest in the Pecos Wilderness, as well as within the Sangre De Cristos Mountains, the southernmost Rocky Mountain range.
Agua Piedra campground and group shelters are located in a mixed forest of spruce, fir and aspen trees, which provide some shade throughout the day. At an altitude of 8,100 feet, temperatures can cool off during the summer nights.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.
Sipapu Ski Resort, the town of Vadito, and the town of Penasco is within 3 - 17 miles from the campground and group shelter. Most services are available in Taos, NM, 25 miles north of the campground or Espanola, NM, 45 miles southwest.
$150 / night
Traveler
When you first arrive to the end of the road and the beginning of the public land - you have the option to go left, straight, or right. The left turn has one semi level campsite with a homemade fire ring but not as much on that left side. The straight route has the most options I found. I drove around for 15 minutes looking for the best spot but didn't see too many pre-cleared "camping spots" from previous travelers. Plenty of places to pull over to camp with a great view.
Incredible scenery, overlooking the valley and mountains in the West, with great sunsets. My first morning I was surrounded by a group of 5 cows grazing. They ended up laying 30 feet from the trailer all morning. Saw one other camper about a mile away.
The gravel roads are really tight for my 27" trailer, manageable but did rub on a couple of trees and shrubs on the drive in. Don't necessarily need a 4WD unless there is bad weather, but a few spots where ground clearance of a regular truck or SUV is important. Pretty isolated from supplies, which is the charm, but come prepared.
Great Starlink location and pretty good cell service (3/4 bars)
GuideDon’t arrive when it’s dark. Not much going on, no fire rings, no wild horses to wake up to. Maybe it was too cold for the horses. No fire rings I saw nonetheless.
TravelerMostly residential area until you get to the open space. I didn't make it to the actual coordinates as I took a wrong turn near the end, but there is a ton of open space out here. Easy to get to in 25' RV. Recommend.
TravelerThis is my second time camping here and it is a perfect hidden gem for campervanning. Road gets a little sketchy at the end but you don’t have to go all the way to the coordinates. Beautiful sunrise and sunset. Wild horses in the area. And, you can clearly see the Milky Way. No light pollution except the beautiful view of the city far away.
ScoutWe spent one night here in our class c while on our trip to Miami and yeah the road is to be taken slow but it was worth it! There is a tiny art gallery on the side of the road!! Check it out!
ScoutTop of New Mexico" near Albuquerque is a fantastic camping spot if you love open spaces and beautiful desert views. The sunsets here are breathtaking, and you might even spot wild horses roaming around. There's plenty of space for tents or RVs, and it's quiet and well-maintained, making it a perfect place to relax and enjoy nature. It can get a little windy, but that just adds to the experience. The road to get there winds through some houses, but once you arrive, you're surrounded by pure nature. also the food is so good, there are many food brands like subway menu who offers quality fast food services.
Legend
This is an overall nice CG. Gravel roadways and relatively level pull through sites. Good FHUs. When we arrived, the office was closed. We reserved E010 but were told to pick any open space in the "A" row. There were quite a few long-term residents. The conditions were very dry and dusty. No shade trees, but the pines planted will eventually provide. This was a great CG for our overnight stay. We would stay here again.
ScoutThere are no neighbors, and other vehicles are parked here, but they had to be a quarter of a mile away. Wild horses visit in the morning. We enjoyed the sunrise to sunset. There are easy hikes, and you can do some mountain biking.
LegendUsed Google Maps and had no problem finding the place. Lots of open area to choose from for parking. The road up to the location is paved but once you enter it is gravel. I have a pro master van and had absolutely no problems. Just drive slow and you should be fine. Might be worse if it was raining heavy or something but overall not a bad path. Saw wild horses which was awesome. The vegetation has a lot of thorns and spikes so for a casual hiker it’s best to stay on the gravel roads. The cell signal was pretty good but not perfect. Enough to have phone calls easy but internet connection was a bit slow.
GuidePerfect for an overnight stop, quiet, clean, there are several long term residents which is not reflected on the online booking system, most overnighters stay in row A. The playground was nice for our daughter
Guide
Very small, but quiet and secluded primitive campground. Several sites appear to be overgrown or have too much debris to be usable. There are a couple sites that could fit a small trailer. All are suitable for tents or a van. The bathroom is still out of order. Mobile coverage was spotty, worked better if you went up to the nearby trailhead. The road up to the campground is in good shape, 4x4 not required. Overall traffic was very low. There was a little bit of firewood cutting nearby, with a few trucks making multiple trips. A few families were up on Sat for picnics. UTVs were minimal. There are a few dispersed options in the area.
TravelerEverything about this place is gorgeous. The 360 views from the top are incredible. I didn’t go down into the valley to see what was available but a man came through and mentioned there were options there too.
On the top of the ridge you’re a little limited for spots but it wasn’t busy enough to cause me an issue. My closest neighbor was a few hundred yards away just like I like it.
I car camp in a small SUV and the road is definitely not as well worn in as others. You’re also pretty close to the sides of the mountain on a winding rock path so larger or trailered vehicles are probably not ideal.
The wild horses are active. I saw them in the neighborhood coming through and they came through camp a few times in the evening/night. Dog didn’t love it but they gave us about 30ft of space and didn’t bother much.
Love this spot but definitely keep size and safety in mind.
Guide
Really like this KOA. At first thought it was out of the way but really like it. Just off I25. Nice Big Rig friendly. Some of the sites I went by thought was not level but then you look closer the pad itself was very level. Nice pool.
ScoutFrom the moment we arrived, we were struck by the sheer beauty of the surroundings. The panoramic views of the mountains and valleys are simply stunning, making every moment a perfect photo opportunity. The site is well-maintained, with plenty of flat areas for tents and parking. And at this place i also wish to try Chicken Strips
GuideDidn't camp here but came to enjoy the beautiful sunset. Drove a short distance from Albuquerque through Placitas, saw so many horses! This is an open space that overlooks the tail of Albuquerque, and the vistas beyond. I came for the sunset but would definitely stay if I was car camping. Wouldn't necessarily set up a tent for me, but some are braver than others!
Scout
Everyone, this is a beautiful site with Lots of trees. The camp ground is nestled up in the mountains several miles from town. The stream is nice and comforting and the camp host was very informative and helpful.**** HOWEVER, there are herds of cows that roam the campground. They defecate EVERYWHERE!!! The cows keep you up all matters of the night. You can’t take 4 steps without stepping in poop-It’s EVERYWHERE!!!( Flies included) This site would be so perfect but you can’t eat or cook around the pit because it is surrounded by cow poop. We cut our camping trip short because it was just too much.
TravelerWe stayed here in June for two nights. The days were warm, but the nights were lovely. We were in spot 53 which was a long pull through, but very narrow and close to the neighboring spots. We were lucky that they were not reserved so we had a little more room. We were glad we were in the trees due to the daytime temps. If you need a large spot, 1 through 7 have a nice view of the valley, but no trees. Resident and neighboring dogs and cats roam throughout and may come visit your campsite. The county road to the campground is nice and quiet and makes for a good place to go for long walks.
Guide
This is a very spacious private campground southwest of Santa Fe with access to public land. Located 20 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. There are probably 50 sites with restrooms and showers. I saw a few tent but this is really geared toward RVs. They have discounts if you stay 4 to 6 days it is 10% off and 7 to 14 days it is 15% off. There is really nothing to it but it is so spacious and quiet, great vibe and the staff is super nice and helpful. They offer overnight stabling for horses too.
TravelerThe road to drive up is through a neighborhood and is 2 miles of windy road it was a little hard to maneuver with my 32’ trailer I just had to go slow nothing crazy. I was the only one around and the view was great, it was a little windy but it didn’t shake the trailer or anything. The only reason I’m giving 4 stars and not 5 is because or the rebar I found sticking out of the ground. At first I thought it was random but then I found 2 other pieces sticking straight out of the ground and they were in there deep
GuideI had some trouble finding the entrance, you have to get in from the southeast side of the neighborhood, @ Llano el Norte street, but other than that I’ve spoiled myself with finding such a great campsite so early on in my trip. Definitely windy.
TravelerBeautiful place to watch the sunset. A little windy, but very beautiful and private.
GuideReally easy to get to, up this lil windy residential road, go slow, that opens up into a huge public land past an open gate. Lots of paths from cars, just follow anyone you'd like and then pull over beside any ol bush. Don't run over any cactus.
Stayed for two nights and the sunsets were awesome. During the day it was very very windy but not too hot. Saw some wild horses the first morning but when I got too close one of them starting running toward me and I said hell no. Classic dispersed desert camping but with good service and close to Albuquerque.
LegendEasy off/on I25. Campsites are spread out with trees separating sites. The only bad is water pressure; very low. We slowly filled tank and used our pump.
TravelerYour on top of a mesa like area so it may be a little windy, it was when we went. Stayed for 1 night. It was very clean and no one else was around other than a few walkers in the morning.
GuideStayed here overnight for a quick stop. Wide open range with amazing views and a herd of wild horses.
TravelerPulled in right before sunset and only saw 2 other cars in the area. Watched a rainbow form over the Sandia Mtns and a herd of wild horses ran right through our campsite! Best night of my life!!
TravelerThis is a gem of a spot. You drive through a residential area of really nice hi purses and horses. It’s opens up with a spectacular view and some wide open spots to watch the sun go down. It is windy though but worth it.
Horse camping in New Mexico offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and equestrian-friendly facilities, making it a perfect getaway for horse lovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Santa Fe, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Santa Fe, NM is Top of New Mexico - Dispersed Site with a 4.8-star rating from 25 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Santa Fe, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Santa Fe, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.