Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Truth or Consequences, NM

Elephant Butte Lake State Park campgrounds accommodate pets throughout numerous sites with water and electric hookups. Lions Beach, Lower Ridge Road, and Quail Run campgrounds all welcome dogs with standard leash requirements. Monticello Road offers free dispersed camping for pet owners seeking a more primitive experience. RV-specific options include Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort, which features spacious sites particularly suitable for travelers with multiple dogs, as one visitor noted when they were moved to site 27 specifically to accommodate their three pets. Cedar Cove RV Park provides pet-friendly accommodations with clean facilities and good hookup conditions in a quiet neighborhood setting.

Nearby trails surrounding Elephant Butte Lake provide exercise opportunities for dogs, though the lake's water levels fluctuate seasonally, sometimes leaving shorelines nearly three-quarters of a mile from designated waterfront camping areas. Hot Springs Glamp Camp and Riverbend Hot Springs offer alternative accommodation types including pet-friendly cabins, tents, and yurts for those preferring more shelter than traditional camping. Temperature considerations are important when camping with pets in this region, as summer temperatures regularly reach the low 100s even with very low humidity. The Truth or Consequences Camp on Rio Grande requires permits but allows pets for those seeking riverside camping experiences. Visitors with pets should note that bathroom facilities at some campgrounds may be temporarily unavailable during maintenance periods, requiring campers to use portable facilities.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico (41)

    1. Lower Ridge Road Camping Area — Elephant Butte Lake State Park

    29 Reviews
    Elephant Butte, NM
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 744-5923

    $30 / night

    "The public restroom was conveniently located nearby. Full signal for Verizon. It's on our list to return! 

    Be sure to visit Truth or Consequences, NM while here."

    "Convenient spot when driving south in New Mexico. Nice campground. The water level on the lake was pretty low."

    2. South Monticello Campground — Elephant Butte Lake

    16 Reviews
    Truth or Consequences, NM
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 744-5923

    $30 / night

    "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."

    "It is very quiet compared to Lions Beach and definitely the rowdy beach camping further South on the lake."

    3. Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort

    8 Reviews
    Elephant Butte, NM
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 744-5996

    "We travel with 3 dogs, so they moved me from site 23 to site 27. It was a site with plenty of room for our dog fence. It was in a nice corner of the park with immediate road access."

    "Nice area to visit with the lake and dam close by."

    4. Monticello Road Dispersed Camping

    11 Reviews
    Truth or Consequences, NM
    9 miles

    "Vast desert with mountains in distance. Flat pull out 1 mile from I25."

    "We drove all the way to the power line rd, made a right and then proceeded through multiple BLM gates that we had to open then close behind us."

    5. Riverbend Hot Springs

    7 Reviews
    Elephant Butte, NM
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 894-7625

    "Situated right on the river with awesome hot springs! There multiple pools to chose from and for privacy. They have running water and showers too."

    "While the campground itself isn’t much to write home about (just a parking lot across the street), quick access to the pools, the environment, and the scenery are simply amazing."

    6. Hot Springs Glamp Camp

    6 Reviews
    Elephant Butte, NM
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 740-6775

    $50 - $75 / night

    "It’s tucked away and such a cozy and slow place to stay. We stayed in a campsite for 5 nights. Highly recommend more than one day so you can enjoy the springs and the town!"

    "It is only a short walk to Main Street but it is very quiet at night. Highlight: It includes access to incredible mineral water baths built out of kitschy farm troughs!"

    7. Quail Run Campground — Elephant Butte Lake State Park

    2 Reviews
    Elephant Butte, NM
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 744-5923

    $30 / night

    "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."

    "I love the Elephant Butte State Park and have stayed around 4 times. February 2024 I spent a week there in my small travel trailer."

    8. Lions Beach Campground — Elephant Butte Lake State Park

    2 Reviews
    Elephant Butte, NM
    3 miles
    +1 (575) 744-5923

    $30 / night

    "Had to duck in here one afternoon to avoid 70 mph cross winds on the highway.  What a find!  Loops A, B, and C of Lions Beach are terraces high above Elephant Butte Lake.   Spectacular lake views!   "

    "According to their website, the B loop is waterfront, but that just means it has the best water view, we are about three quarters of a mile from the actual lake.

    The actual campground is very quiet."

    9. Desert Cove Campground — Elephant Butte Lake State Park

    2 Reviews
    Elephant Butte, NM
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 744-5923

    $30 / night

    "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"

    "The lake level is super low and the fishing was slow."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Truth or Consequences, NM

177 Reviews of 41 Truth or Consequences Campgrounds


  • L
    Oct. 22, 2021

    Stallion Campground — Caballo Lake State Park

    Great views of Caballo Mountains and Lake

    This campground is not far from I-25, not far from Truth or Consequences, with easy access on paved roads. There is a dump and water fill station as well as sites with electric and water, fire pits, a grill, and a pavillion with half walls for shade and privacy. Dispersed camping is available down by the lake near the boat ramp. Cell coverage is iffy, at best. Comfort Stations are clean, toilets have running water. There is only cold water at sink, and sporadic warm but mostly cold water in showers. There are no surfaces to set things down on. Only very few hooks in shower and toilet stalls. Waking up with calls from the cranes across the lake made my day happy! You’ll enjoy the sounds of night creatures, although the noise from I-25, depending on the direction of the wind, can be deafening, especially if you are in a tent. Bring ear plugs! Sunsets are breathtaking! If it were warmer I’d love to go out on my paddle board. I’d come back to this campground again and again!

  • 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!

  • Chuck T.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 26, 2018

    Appaloosa Campground — Caballo Lake State Park

    paradise in the desert

    nice area, near Truth or Consequences. we camped with water and electric for a few days then parked down on the lake and primitive camped for a few more...fire pits, grills, covered picnic tables..clean bathrooms..

  • Dave G.
    Dec. 12, 2021

    Lower Ridge Road Camping Area — Elephant Butte Lake State Park

    Lower Ridge Road Sites

    When we first arrived, we were surprised by the size of this park. The signage could be improved to help direct first timers, but once here you'll soon learn the layout of the park. We stayed on Lower Ridge Road, site 2. It was a nice sandy spot, with ample room to park our 34' travel trailer. All sites have a picnic table, shelter, and fire pit. Our site also had electric and water. The public restroom was conveniently located nearby. Full signal for Verizon. It's on our list to return! 

    Be sure to visit Truth or Consequences, NM while here.

  • Ray & Terri F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 4, 2020

    Appaloosa Campground — Caballo Lake State Park

    Beautiful Views

    Were there in mid February. At the Appaloosa campground. Nice campground. We only had 30 amp, but that didn't seem to be a problem. Nice, covered picnic table/patio. Beautiful view of the mountains and Lake. Lovely sunsets.(look for the elephant shadow on the mountain at sunset). Serenaded by mourning doves and flocks or overflying geese. Not much around, but did have a nice soak in the Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences. Short, easy walking trails around park. Descent bathrooms and showers. Dark enough with no moon to see the Milky Way- a rare treat these days. Would stay again.

    When we left we drove through a kitchy little town called Hatch, might want to check that out next time.

  • S
    Nov. 1, 2021

    South Monticello Campground — Elephant Butte Lake

    Gorgeous Setting

    South Monticello Campground is part of Elephant Butte State Park. It is very quiet compared to Lions Beach and definitely the rowdy beach camping further South on the lake.

    Unfortunately because the lake is so low the boat ramp is out of the water and only the Rio Grande River runs through there. Keeps the crowds down!

    There’s a great trail that wonders from the campground 11 miles south. We rode our bicycles and most of the trail was well maintained but there can be spots where flooding cause sandy spots and can be difficult to ride through. Perfect for an adventure walking or running. Photo of the map on review.

    We were there in October and many flocks of Sandhill cranes fly over and sometimes land in the valley below near the river.

    The shelters are great with large smooth concrete bases and nice big tables. The sites are raked in a fun Fen Shui pattern by the Camphost.

    The spaces are spread out along several loops along the edge of the mesas over looking the valley to the Rio and Elephant Butte lake. Water and electric hook ups!

    It’s 9 miles to Elephant Butte for gas, a dollar store and several decent “eats”. A golf course in town that looks nice but we don’t golf so no review on that.

    Another 5 to the town of Truth or Consequences for WalMart, Sonic, McDonalds, Denny’s, etc! T or C is know for its hots springs and Ted Turner owns Sierra Grande a motel and spa. I’ve heard some rooms have hot springs tubs in the room!

    Would have loved to stay longer but the park has a 14 day limit!

  • 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.

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 2, 2019

    South Monticello Campground — Elephant Butte Lake

    Quiet, Inexpensive, & Warm in December!

    This very popular state park, on the edge of the Elephant Butte reservoir, is a great wintertime get away. We spent the winter solstice here and woke up at sunrise to see the moon setting in the west and the sun rising in the east. Spectacular!

    The campground offers many reservable spots, as well as first-come, first-served sites. Each site has water, electric, picnic table (with sunshade) and a fire ring. The bathrooms are either vault toilets or full service with showers. There are no trees for privacy, but the sites are nicely spaced apart so you don't feel like you are on top of your neighbors.

    Now, we don’t normally get critical of other reviews on this site. But some were very negative about the bathrooms, and we simply cannot understand why. The bathrooms were heated, the toilets were clean, as were the showers. The water was warm! Yes, these showers are the push-button type which only gives you a minute or so of water before you push it again. However, the showers were free with the campsite, which only costs $14 (2018) and is in the desert! Water is a precious resource here, so you can’t get your nose out of joint over decisions made by management to limit water consumption when you’re only paying this little.

    During the summer months when the reservoir is up to recreational levels, boating and fishing are the most popular activities. Judging by the size of the boat-launch parking lot, you’re going to have to get up early in the morning to grab a spot. There is a great hiking and mountain biking trail right out of the campground which winds between all the other park roads, picnic areas and amenities on the western side of the lake. The trail is relatively new and in most areas is graveled. However, rainstorms have washed a lot of sand across the trail in areas and it can be pretty soft. Further south along the trail we encountered many more arroyos which upped the challenge. The nice thing is that you can always hop back on the pavement to return to the campground.

    The town of Elephant Butte is nearby which offers a few restaurants, a general store, and gas. But just 15 miles south is the larger town of Truth or Consequences (interesting story about the name). This town has everything you might need, grocery, gas, food and other lodging....and hot springs! Check out our blog for more details about the latter.

  • Mike M.
    May. 24, 2019

    Lower Ridge Road Camping Area — Elephant Butte Lake State Park

    Convenient spot when driving sales in New Mexico. Nice campground. The wate

    Convenient spot when driving south in New Mexico. Nice campground. The water level on the lake was pretty low. There is some good hiking nearby and also a bike trail that goes around the lake which is quite long. We were there early in the season so there was a lot of accessibility for campsites.


Guide to Truth or Consequences

If you're looking for pet-friendly camping options near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, there are several great spots that welcome your furry friends. These campgrounds offer a variety of amenities and activities to ensure both you and your pets have a fantastic outdoor experience.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Truth or Consequences

Dog owners appreciate the amenities available

Pet owners like the welcoming environment

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Truth or Consequences, NM?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Truth or Consequences, NM is Lower Ridge Road Camping Area — Elephant Butte Lake State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 29 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Truth or Consequences, NM?

TheDyrt.com has all 41 dog-friendly camping locations near Truth or Consequences, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.