For those who want to experience White Sands, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. Glamping near White Sands, NM is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. The Dyrt makes it easy to find glamping near White Sands.
This KOA is conveniently located one mile from I-10, overlooking the amazing views of Las Cruces, Mesilla Valley, and nearby mountains. Many upgrades have taken place over the last year, including Wi-fi with which you can stream and zoom, paved streets and a new playground. Choose from breathtaking view sites, big-rig friendly pull-thru sites, KOA Patio Sites with fire pits, Tent Sites or one-room Camping Cabins with refrigerator/freezer and fire pits. An RV wash area (Care Camps donation encouraged), 24-hr laundry and heated pool (seasonal) will complete your visit. Many come for one night and end up staying longer. Visit La Mesilla, known for its rich history and great cuisine. Shop for local specialties, chilies, and pecans at the popular farmers' market in downtown Las Cruces. Other area attractions include White Sands National Park & Missile Museum, Spaceport America Visitors Center, and the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. Pool: Mid May – Sept 31st. Max pull thru 85 ft.
Set against the dramatic Sacramento Mountains, this park features a historic ranch house, quiet camping in the Chihuahuan Desert, and pools of water under the cottonwood trees of Dog Canyon. Springs flow year-round and ferns cling to the sides of mossy rocks. The water in Dog Canyon has attracted people to the area for millennia.
The park’s namesake, Oliver Milton Lee (1865-1941) was a colorful figure in New Mexico history. In 1893 he settled at the mouth of Dog Canyon and built an extensive house at his ranch headquarters. At its peak, his holdings reached about one million acres. Oliver Lee explored ways of bringing water to the dry Tularosa Basin and was instrumental in establishing the town of Alamogordo. Lee is also credited for using his influence to attract the railroad to the area.
Oliver Lee’s home at Dog Canyon Ranch has been completely rebuilt from ruins. It is authentically furnished providing visitors with a glimpse of Lee’s life at the ranch. The house is closed for renovations. Please monitor the park events page to find out when tours resume.
Want to Visit?
The campground, just southwest of the mouth of Dog Canyon, is dry and rocky with desert grasses, mesquite, ocotillo, creosote, yucca, and various species of cacti. The sites vary widely in elevation offering privacy and incredible views across the Tularosa Basin.
Travel Tips:
Peak season for the park is October through April Park Elevation 4,400 ft We are the closest campground to White Sands National Park (30 min. / 27 miles) The park makes an excellent base for day trips Ruidoso 1.25 hours / 66 miles Three Rivers Petroglyph Site 56 min. / 50 miles Cloudcroft 44 min. / 35 miles There are attractions in Alamogordo less than 30 minutes away Alameda Park Zoo New Mexico Museum of Space History Heart of the Desert Pistachios & Wine McGinn’s Pistachio Land The nearby Lincoln National Forest offers miles of trails ranging from very easy to very challenging
$10 - $14 / night
From the KOA website: Nestled in the Tularosa Basin, the Alamogordo / White Sands KOA is a perfect location to set up as your base camp while touring the beauty and attractions of Southern New Mexico! With RV sites, tent sites, and cabins we can accommodate most every type of traveling camper. Mild winters make Alamogordo a wonderful place to escape the cold and snow of northern climates so be sure to ask about winter rates. Escape the desert heat by cooling off in our inviting pool. A large rec room and long covered outside patio work great for group events. Enjoy hiking or disk-sledding down the vast gypsum dunes at White Sands National Monument, only a short 15 mile drive from the campground! Learn about New Mexicos role in the US space program through interactive exhibits at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. Explore ancient rock drawings at the Three Rivers Petroglyph site, just 30 miles north of the campground! Or, simply unwind while taking a leisurely stroll through the oldest zoo in the Southwest the Alameda Park Zoo established in 1898. Though were located in the southern New Mexico desert, the tall, cool pines of Cloudcroft (8600 feet) and Ruidoso (7000 feet) are within an hours drive of the campground and make great day trips to escape the heat. Your hosts will gladly share other hidden gems in Alamogordo during your stay. Well see you soon!
$32 - $34 / night
**Campground **
**Unique Yurts & Retro Campers **
Vacation home rentals
No hassle, self check in
**WIFI **
Family owned & operated
Our campground offers the full range of accommodations including:
> Primitive campsites
> Water & Electric (20-30amp) sites
> House Rentals - 2 BD/2BA , sleeps 6-8 guests
> Yurt Rentals - sleeps 6 - 8 guests
> Camper rentals - sleeps 2 - 6 guests
Please see our website for full details on all that we have to offer. https://www.gleatherland.com/
$5 - $60 / night
Relax and enjoy yourself in our comfortable shipping container homes located just a short drive from the nationally famous Hueco Tanks State Park!
$75 - $150 / night
Guide
Only five miles from Hueco Tanks SP. Has all the amenities, tons of primitive campsites, RV sites (electric/gray water & potable water hookups), yurt rentals and camp trailer rentals. Primitive sites are only $5/person nightly. Quiet desert scenery surrounding!
Ranger
Local to everything in Alamogordo. Propane available, laundry, cabins, hot as hell showers, water pressure is really high at around 155 psi. So definitely bring a regulator. Two KOA cats that are friendly so FYI
TravelerEveryone was super nice! Place was well kept and clean. Note: there is lots of railroad train coming by throughout the evening WiFi could be better. White Sands National Park is very close.
Scout
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Ranger
Beautiful location for sunsets. Sites are spread out, private, and a bargain at $10 ($14 for electric/water). Clean bathrooms. One very strenuous hike from the campground. We only went up 1/4 mile. The footing was challenging (along with the elevation gain). Good overnight. Quiet at night.
RangerWe usually opt more for National Forests and Parks, but this was a great stop after a fabulous but more rustic experience camping at Chiricahua National Monument. This place has been updated and has more amenities than I’ve ever seen at an RV park including a dog bath! The bathrooms are updated and clean. Our view site was great and more spacious than the pull through ones. No one was to our right, so our site felt extra spacious. Staff were kind and helpful. Very clean and quiet park. I’d stay here again.
ScoutPikashow tv app is an app used for streaming movies, TV shows, and live sports, often without official licensing, which raises legal and security concerns.
TravelerCar camped in a tent site for just a night after visiting WSNP. Non-flush toilets without sinks near tent sites and the full bathhouse is a bit of a walk away. Worth it, though, with spacious shower stalls and well-kept buildings. Sweet views of the valley and mountains and far off the highway.
LegendWe stopped on either end of our trip to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. It was a great midway point from home. We stayed in a patio site. The site was spacious and level. A fire pit with chairs, a propane grill, and table with 4 chairs was provided. The kids enjoyed cornhole, basketball, tetherball, and the playground. The store was well stocked. I only wish more local products were sold. Many of the items that appeared to be made by Native Americans were actually imported from overseas. We also wish the community room had board games or movies to check out. The coffee and pastries was a great touch! We will definitely be back to explore the area more. Employees were friendly and kind. A great place to stay!
GuideNice clean site , and facilities. A1.
Scout
The park itself is beautifully maintained, with lush green spaces and well-manicured sites that offer plenty of room for even the largest RVs. Each site is equipped with full hookups, which made our stay comfortable and convenient. We were particularly impressed with the cleanliness of the facilities, including the restrooms and laundry area, which were always spotless. I also get help from africanmag
TravelerStayed here while visiting White Sands National Park for 2 nights. Its a well kept fairly small campground. Everything worked as advertised. Highly recommend this place. Some nice hikes from the park with amazing views.
Guide
Beautiful area with a history site close from El Paso, TX
GuideA really great place to hang out for a few days and just enjoy life. Beautiful cliffs to the east towering over the sites, and the wide expanse of the valley to the east. Wonderful view of the starry night sky as well. Facilities were acceptable, nothing to complain about. Good cell service for both Verizon and T-mobile. Close for a day trip into the mountains or White Sands. Perfectly open to the sky for great solar.
GuideAbsolutely fantastic KOA! Either is brand new or redone/crazily well kept up! Tent spots, covered tent spots, RV spots with 120/30A/50A and water, dump station - shower house has better showers than most hotels, bathrooms are big and clean.
Really nice pool (that closes at 7 😢), basketball court, corn hole, play ground.
Pretty cool view of Las Cruces at night.
ScoutStayed overnight. Clean, roomy sites, nice people.
TravelerPros - gorgeous 360 views, quiet spot, clean pit toilets, water available throughout grounds
Cons - zero shade so it is HOT especially if you're tent camping, nothing to "do" at the campground but plenty activities in a reasonable drive
LegendOliver Lee Memorial, NM: We stayed in Loop B, non-electric. I did not evaluate Loop A. Good location for visiting White Sands (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 4.5 Great campground layout. Well designed. Sites are staggered giving view grand view for all sites
Security: Desert vegetation does not offer privacy
Site Spacing: Great .
Toilets and Showers :There is a dispersed camping area nearby, therefore, showers/flush toilet building is shut down at night to avoid their unauthorized usage of facilities during the night. Scattered pit toilets are always available.
Usage during visit: 95% full
Site Privacy: No
Site Spacing: GREAT
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Quiet
Outside Road Noise: This campground is at the end of the access road.
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: Loop A
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes. Open from about dawn to nighttime to avoid unlawful use.
Potable Water Available: Scattered spigots in Loop B.
Bathroom: Pit toilets and one nice shower/flush toilet facility.
Showers: Private stalls.
Pull Throughs: Some
Cell Service (AT&T): Good service from our site.
Setting: Nestled close to the mountain range with nice views of the desert below.
Recent Weather: Sunny. 60s to 30s
Solar: GREAT
Insects:None
Host: Great hosts
Rig Size:Large rigs
Sites: best sunsets sites.:42, 43, 44(however, you can see the sunset from most sites.). Nice view sides: 41, 40, 39, 38, 32, 33, (35, 36, 37, great views just close to the bathroom). Every site here has an extraordinary view. These are just a little bit better, in my opinion.
ScoutStaying in a wooden house could be really cool, looking at the photos, I realized that I should do it one day, I'm usually someone who likes to play basketball https://basketballlegends.fun , maybe I can do it there.
RangerI messed up thinking I had booked this campground - I hadn’t. It was five minutes to seven pm and the staff called me back and got me a site for less than $50 for the night. It was a nice, level pull through site with water/sewer/cable/electric. I was pretty relieved that we would have somewhere to camp - no one else picked up their phones.
We didn’t arrive until nearly nine and the same staff person was still working - helping someone back into their site. She was very kind and welcoming.
The next morning I checked out the campground. The area was pretty industrial, but less than two minutes to the science museum and zoo. Individual spaces were generous (especially the tent sites - they would fit any tent size) and I liked the little patio we had. The playground was newish, the pool looked like it would be nice when filled, the laundry room looked great (but cash only - I prefer the card ones) and there was a lovely store and rec room. There were also showers and a small dog run.
This KOA had everything you could need - including excellent customer service.
20-25 minutes to White Sands National Monument.
ScoutTent camping was wonderful at this location. Clean and reasonably priced.
LegendGreat state park. Clean and well thought out camping sites. Not much shade but some sites have shelters over picnic tables. Stayed at dry site (no water or electric) but water is available around campground.
LegendThis is a small RV park just west of ElPaso. It’s older and could use some maintenance. Sites are level, but very close to. Lots of dust. (This is the desert , so maybe expected) 30/50 amp, water & sewer. Free WiFi and Cable TV No dog park. No pool There is a convenience store and grocery store.
Travelervery cool historical and geographically interesting location. campsites back right up against the north mountain. didn't use the showers, but bathrooms were clean and heated
GuideWe arrived after dark to the Las Cruces KOA. The park was about 1/2 full and the sites were spacious, clean and had both gravel and cement area for parking. The skies at night were clear and the location of the camp, set on a hilltop, was perfect for seeing stars and the distant city lights. During the daytime, the park has beautiful views of the mountains nearby. Some of the sites are considered premium and they had the best mountain views and a patio area and outdoor fitpit.
The dog run area was exceptionally clean, nice and spacious for our two dog. The dog area has a patch of grass in the middle and then surrounded by decompressed granite. I preferred this to the dog parks that are all grass. It was very clean and had climbing structures for the pups. The restroom near the dog park was sparkling clean with marble floors. I popped into the gift shop/welcome desk and there were a lot of items for sale, crafts, food items, etc. I can see spending a longer visit here and exploring the town of Las Cruces and the nearby Medilla area wineries. The location is convenient if you are traveling on I-10 and feels very safe and secure.
ScoutAs other people have mentioned, there are some sites that have small shelters built over the picnic tables, but I couldn't figure out a pattern to them, so it would be difficult to reserve ahead. (Also, many of them were at the RV sites--which have water and electricity but no sewer connections--which seemed like a waste since RV's come with built-in shade. Luckily, we had brought an 8' square canopy which was a lifesaver. About 15 minutes from Alamogordo and 30 minutes from White Sands, so convenient, too. It seemed to be full on Friday night but only half-full on Saturday night. (The Trinity Site was open on Saturday, so my guess was that some people went there and then moved on.) Nice flush bathrooms with free showers, and there were additional spigots and vault toilets for backup. Didn't go on it but the Dog Canyon trail looks like a beast and started from the campground. Highlight was definitely the views, especially during sunrise and sunset. The sites across from us ($42 and #44) would have been even better for views (though neither had the prized picnic table shade!).
ScoutClean and well maintained place to set up home for a few days! Friendly and helpful folks running the place. Offered good advice on area “things to see.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near White Sands, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near White Sands, NM is Las Cruces KOA with a 4.7-star rating from 47 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near White Sands, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 glamping camping locations near White Sands, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
