Lincoln National Forest is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Lincoln National Forest is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Discover great camping spots near Lincoln National Forest, reviewed by campers like you.
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!
Partially developed picnic and dispersed camping area nestled next to the waterfalls called Bluff Springs. A short trail exists just beyond the bridge that will take you up and over the waterfalls as well as another trail (Willie White Spur T112) that follows and old railroad grade to the east.
We offer a get-away that is just what you've been looking for -- remote enough to be a welcome break from urban life, but close enough to enjoy any weekend.
With 15 acres in the beautiful Sacramento Mountains, our RV park is the ideal base of exploration for the many exciting natural treasures in south central New Mexico. Our rustic atmosphere appeals to all who want the "outdoor" experience with the comforts of a full RV hook-up.
We are open year-round.
Saddle Campground offers 16 single units for tents or RV's. Mixed conifer/aspen forest sites provide southern NM escape from summer heat on the desert floor Tables, fire rings, parking spurs, gray water sumps, toilets, showers, central garbage depository, plus interpretive trails. RVs are limited to a maximum of 30' in length. (Sacramento District Camping Brochure)
$28 / night
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!
Partially developed picnic and dispersed camping area nestled next to the waterfalls called Bluff Springs. A short trail exists just beyond the bridge that will take you up and over the waterfalls as well as another trail (Willie White Spur T112) that follows and old railroad grade to the east.
