Karen N.
Guide
GuideSanta Barbara Campground
Beautiful weekend
Stay at Santa Barbara Campground in Northern New Mexico. Was a beautiful spot. Road to Campground was well taken care of Beautiful trails throughout area
Equestrian Camping near Ute Park, NM
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Mccrystal Campground offers dedicated horse camping facilities with installed corrals at each site. Popular with equestrians and hunters, the campground provides level sites with good separation between camping areas. Remote yet accessible, Mccrystal attracts riders seeking wilderness experiences in the Carson National Forest. Sites are designed for both horse trailers and camping equipment with adequate space for stock. The campground maintains pit toilets that are well-maintained, though no running water is available on site.
Trail access from Mccrystal Campground connects riders to a network of paths through meadows and valleys frequented by wildlife, including elk herds that are often spotted in the early mornings. A small creek runs near the campground, providing water access for horses and adding to the scenic setting. The access road requires slow driving at about 25mph to handle the washboard surface, taking approximately one hour from Cimarron on a graveled route. While no formal equestrian programs are offered, the area's terrain provides excellent opportunities for self-guided rides through diverse landscapes. Bears are known to frequent the area, making proper food storage essential when camping with horses.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Ute Park (13)
1. Cimarron Campground
"Beautiful location in a place I wasn’t expecting it to be sooo green! Very relaxing and remote as there is zero service. It was perfect & exactly what we were looking for."
"There is a walking trail at the back of the campground to get to Surree Ponds."
from $22 - $40 / night
Check Availability2. Rio Costilla Park
"This is the first campground I’ve found in New Mexico where I felt like I was camping in Colorado, it was so green and beautiful!"
"The park is HUGE and just so beautiful. 10,000 acres of aspens and ponderosa pines only one hour away from the town of Taos."
from $30 / night
Check Availability3. Mccrystal Campground
"A remote location and popular with horse campers and hunters. The campground has sites with horse corrals installed. The campground was quiet and mostly clean."
4. Mallette Creek North
"Serene surroundings and even and beautiful place to camp during a thunderstorm!"
5. Agua Piedra Campground
"There is a trail head with 2 trails, one atv accessible and one hiking/horse that goes up to Indian Lake. Beautiful views and about 1200' elevation change."
"Tent camped at this location in the middle of September (a week before closing). Very beautiful place to watch the leaves change, trailheads close by and picnic tables at each site."
from $30 - $175 / night
Check Availability6. Lake Alice Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park
"After a long drive from south Texas, this was my first visit to Sugarite Canyon and it definitely exceeded my expectations! The staff was friendly and helpful and the amenities were accommodating."
"** Campground Review:
Located in NW Raton, New Mexico..."
from $10 - $35 / night
Check Availability7. Big Arsenic Springs Campground
"The location is isolated and you need to bring plenty of water. The advantage is being able to walk into the Gorge, which if you fly fish, is an amazing thing."
8. Santa Barbara Campground
"Stay at Santa Barbara Campground in Northern New Mexico. Was a beautiful spot. Road to Campground was well taken care of Beautiful trails throughout area"
"The trails are absolutely wonderful and well worth taking a few hours to walk part of them. Hard core hikers will use the campground as a starting point for a lengthy hikes."
from $30 - $80 / night
Check Availability9. Soda Pocket Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park
"Traveling from Denver to Southern New Mexico, this is a nice stopping point. Very easy to get to off I-25. Pit toilets are very clean."
"Sites 1, 3, 14 and 16 have shade and a little more distance. Bathrooms were in great shape, and there is a free shower near the park entrance which had good water pressure and was very clean."
from $15 / night
Check Availability10. Purgatoire Campground
"The area surrounding Purgatory is GORGEOUS. It’s straight out of a movie or picture book."
"No access to electric or water. Road to camp is rough. Beautiful scenery. Short drive to Chucara and Stonewall."
from $25 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 2 hrs 13 min from Santa Fe, NM
- 2 hrs 20 min from Pueblo, CO
- 2 hrs 59 min from Colorado Springs, CO
- 3 hrs 2 min from Albuquerque, NM
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Ute Park, NM
84 Reviews of 13 Ute Park Campgrounds
George C.GuideLake Alice Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park
First visit and wow!
After a long drive from south Texas, this was my first visit to Sugarite Canyon and it definitely exceeded my expectations! The staff was friendly and helpful and the amenities were accommodating. The area is absolutely beautiful. This little park has something for everyone. Highland trails, lakes and streams, primitive and car-camping sites. Plenty of wildlife to see, birds and other critters everywhere. And of course the vistas. I will definitely be back there soon. Thanks, New Mexico!
- B
Bill O.GuideSoda Pocket Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park
Very easy to get to off of I-25
Traveling from Denver to Southern New Mexico, this is a nice stopping point. Very easy to get to off I-25.
Pit toilets are very clean. Unfortunately the camper next to me had his generator running the whole time until 10 pm. Even when they left their camper for the day. Very annoying. Other than that it was a quiet campground. The campground is less than half full (Tuesday night).
Note: The park office closed at 4. The sites are reservation only and there is no cell service. The sign at the gate states that you need to drive down the road to get cell service and make a reservation. Also the gate closes at dusk, so make sure you get there before then on your first night. After that you can get the combination to get in after dusk.
The campground staff were very friendly and helpful.
- Christa A.
TravelerRio Costilla Park
So spacious!
This is the first campground I’ve found in New Mexico where I felt like I was camping in Colorado, it was so green and beautiful! The camp sites were nicely spaced, so we felt like we were primitive camping, but it was nice to have a picnic table, especially because we have a small child. Family friendly. We wish we would have brought our 4x4 vehicle because we had initially planned to camp at little blue lake, but my Subaru Impreza was not powerful enough/didn’t have high enough clearance to make it up the road that lead to the lake! We are definitely planning on camping back to check out the lakes. The only negative thing was that we found some trash at our site from the previous campers. Also, some cows woke us up early in the morning, which was cool, but also scared the shit out of us!
ReubenGuideLake Alice Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park
Lovely location, but some tight sites
We've lived in New Mexico (Alamogordo and Albuquerque) for 30+ years, but had never made it up north to Sugarite Canyon State Park. But on our RV trip back home from Rocky Mountain National Park, we decided to spend a night here rather in the small town of Raton(eight miles away). It's a lovely park, with some steep walls, small lakes and an interesting history. We took a few of the smaller hikes(time was limited) and the one of the Coal Camp was very interesting.
Our 29ft RV barely fit in our site, and there were some tricky branches and overhanging trees to work around. The site was fairly narrow, but I will say we were spread out nicely between the sites. We were at a site with electric(30 amp only) and water(water pressure very low, due to a lower aquafer). The dump station was nearby, but no water available by it for flushing out the tank.
Camp hosts were super friendly. It was a very easy going place. Most of the sites are pretty small, and our"small" Class A was the biggest rig there, except for the hosts' 40' RV. So if you've got a bigger rig, you might have trouble finding a site to accommodate. But for smaller RVs, I think this is a great place to stay. VERY dark and quiet at night!! A lovely and reasonably priced spot that I can easily see spending a long weekend at.
(OH, there is NO wifi and no cell signal. Be prepared to be off-grid completely! You're at least 5 miles from a signal.)
- MMatt B.Guide
Soda Pocket Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park
Perfect for a Weekend
This State Park is beautiful, with hiking/fishing/historic walks galore. We arrived late on Friday, June 23 after a 10 hour drive from Arkansas. We were in Site #23 in the Soda Pocket Campground. Every site had a covered picnic table and was relatively level.
Sites 20-23 have spectacular views of the canyon, but you trade that for some serious wind and neighbors as there is no natural shade. Sites 1, 3, 14 and 16 have shade and a little more distance. Bathrooms were in great shape, and there is a free shower near the park entrance which had good water pressure and was very clean.
The visitor center is small but with a lot of good exhibits, and adjacent to the hiking trails of the abandoned coal camp and mine. The coal camp trails have lots of informative stands explaining what everything was, how the people lived, etc. The two lakes (Lake Alice is more like a pond) have nice walking paths. There is another lake just across the Colorado border and you can drive to the parking area just a mile or so away.
There are numerous nature hikes, and I did the short (.5) miles Vista Grande Nature Trail which has a beautiful bench for a sunrise view. Uphill some but not too strenuous and with lots of information.
A really beautiful hike is the Little Horse Mesa Trail which takes you to the top of the mesa you can see to the north of Soda Pocket Campground. It meanders a bit but at some point the trail builder said "I've given you all the switchbacks I can, you'll just have to go straight up" and the last 50 yards are pretty much straight uphill. When you get to the top though it's like another world. It's a pasture like setting with trees, and beautiful views from a trail that follows the cliffs. You'll have to make your own way over to the Lake Maloya overlook but it's well worth it. Highly recommend this.
The camp hosts and visitor center people were great, and the ranger came by one night and showed a group of kids a mountain lion pelt and a bear pelt. There was a report of bears on the road up to Soda Pocket Campground but we did not see any. The road was a typical dirt road, and not in bad shape at all.
I'm not a fisherman, but could easily spend two full days here hiking alone, much less fishing or kayaking Lake Maloya.
Ken M.TravelerMccrystal Campground
Remote camping with plenty of wildlife to see
A remote location and popular with horse campers and hunters. The campground has sites with horse corrals installed. The campground was quiet and mostly clean. There are pit toilets on site and well maintained. Level spots with good separation. Nice hiking accross some flat lands and a smal creek runs near by. Early one morning we saw a herd of elk down in a valley near a turn out off the road. Bears frequent the area trying to raid the garbage bins during the night. Makes tent camping a bit unnerving. If you want to explore the area, this is good place to camp. It takes an hour to get to the campsite on a graveled road off the highway out of Cimerron. 25mph was best speed to go to handle the washboard road to the campsite.
Steve & Ashley G.
LegendAgua Piedra Campground
Great Northern New Mexico Camp
We stayed at this site on the way back to Texas from our Colorado trip this summer. This is a great National Forest Campground south of Taos in the Carson Forest. The campground is just off the highway and situated in a beautiful mountain pine forest and next to a great trout stream. You have great shade during the hotter summer months. It’s far enough away from the highway that you don’t hear the traffic. It has a huge meadow and group camp site which look fantastic. The individual sites have some privacy between the sites and come equipped with fire pits and picnic tables. We made a reservation but the camp had a number of open sites in the peak summer season. The highlight here is the proximity of great hiking to nearby lakes and fishing in the trout stream. They had great facilities including clean pit toilets and some historic log cabins. They have a camp host and the sites accommodate tents and smaller vans and campers. I would give this another visit on our next trip to NM.
Callie C.GuideLake Alice Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park
Worth the price, kind of remote
Small campground near CO border. Perks would be lake at top of mountain, 5-7 min drive from CG and showers, at entrance to park. Downfall is you need to drive to everything unless you want to walk along trails on the other side of road. Trails in park were nice - t-mobile service did not work at all, zero bars. Bear boxes provided, deer walked through campground often. I did see bear tracks while hiking but host said they’ve never been a human issue.
Guide to Ute Park
Mccrystal Campground sits at high elevation within Carson National Forest, requiring careful trip planning. The access road from Cimarron takes approximately one hour on a graveled route with washboard surfaces that limit speeds to 25mph. Winter closures typically extend from November through April, with weather determining exact opening dates each spring.
What to do
Trail exploration on horseback: At Mallette Creek North, riders can access multiple backcountry routes. "Even with a couple and a new born up the hill I never heard them from our campervan! Serene surroundings and even and beautiful place to camp during a thunderstorm!" reports Erika L.
Wildlife viewing: Early mornings provide opportunities to spot elk herds in nearby valleys. At Rio Costilla Park, visitors report consistent sightings. "The park is HUGE and just so beautiful. 10,000 acres of aspens and ponderosa pines only one hour away from the town of Taos," notes Lila L.
Fishing access: Several campgrounds offer stream or pond access for anglers. "Fishing is great and quality waters. It is fisherman's fly fishing dream," writes Michelle B. about Rio Costilla Park. Remember that many areas require barbless hooks and have specific regulations.
What campers like
Solitude and separation: Most equestrian campgrounds provide good spacing between sites for privacy. "Level spots with good separation" notes Ken M., while campgrounds like Cimarron Campground offer similar benefits where "the campsites were large and surrounded by trees."
Seasonal aspects: Many visitors appreciate the changing seasons at these high-elevation sites. "We stayed July 1st-5th, 2021. Beautiful location in a place I wasn't expecting it to be sooo green!" shares Jade T. Autumn brings colorful foliage, while spring offers wildflowers and snowmelt-fed streams.
Stargazing opportunities: The remote location provides exceptional night skies. "Overall it is quiet and peaceful with amazing stargazing at night," mentions Jen M. The lack of light pollution makes these horse campgrounds near Ute Park ideal for astronomy enthusiasts.
What you should know
Water availability varies: Not all horse-friendly campgrounds provide potable water. At Agua Piedra Campground, "Potable water available at camp host's location. It has sulfer but the smell cleared after half a day sitting in the sun," notes Tammy V. Plan to bring adequate water supplies.
Road conditions: Access roads to equestrian campgrounds can be challenging. "The road to get to the campsite from Cimerron takes approximately one hour on a graveled road. 25mph was best speed to go to handle the washboard road," explains Ken M. Four-wheel drive is recommended during wet weather.
Cell service limitations: Most campgrounds have minimal or no connectivity. "No cell service at the camp site but a short 5 min drive back to the first cattle guard allowed for service to multiple cell providers," says Drew. Consider bringing alternative communication methods for emergencies.
Tips for camping with families
Wildlife education opportunities: Children can learn about local fauna at Santa Barbara Campground, where "We had deer roam through our campsite, they could care less that we were even there. The kids had a few streams to keep them busy," explains Terry R.
Fishing for beginners: Several locations have designated youth fishing areas. "There's a nice easy/moderate half mile hike down to the Shuree Ponds which were stocked with trout. The smaller was reserved for kids's fishing," notes Stephen K.
Weather preparation: High-elevation camping means significant temperature changes. "The weather was great we had a short shower just about every evening but nothing bad," reports Terry R., while others mention bringing warm clothing for cool nights, even in summer months.
Tips for RVers
Site limitations for large rigs: Not all equestrian campgrounds accommodate larger trailers. At Little Arsenic Springs Campground, sites are limited in size but "There are two campsites I3 and I2 that are cliffside campsites with amazing views," according to Parth P.
Leveling challenges: Many sites require careful positioning. "It's not the easiest piece of ground to get the trailer leveled but we made it work," shares Rosalinda S. Bring adequate leveling blocks and chocks for uneven terrain.
Limited hookups: Most horse-friendly campgrounds offer dry camping only. "This is a large campground, with 36 camping sites," notes Jen M., but like most in the area, it provides no electrical or water connections at individual sites. Plan accordingly with full water tanks and alternative power sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian
campsite near Ute Park, NM?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Ute Park, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Ute Park, NM is Cimarron Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 10 reviews.
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equestrian camping near
Ute Park, NM?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Ute Park, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Ute Park, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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