Winston is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Winston, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
This state park has 173 developed campsites, beach camping and boat-in camping. If you like camping, fishing, boating, or just being outdoors, Elephant Butte is for you. There is plenty of water and plenty of beach room and this is New Mexico's largest State Park. Besides sandy beaches, the State Park offers restrooms, picnic areas, playgrounds, and developed sites with electric and water hook-ups for RV's. Park Elevation 4,527 ft
$8 - $14 / night
Odd volcanic rock formations give moon-like appearance to this popular picnic spot which also has three campsites, but little shade and no water.
Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort offers 140 full hook-up sites with big rig, level sites up to 70 feet. 20, 30 and 50 amp service is available. Daily or monthly rates, cable TV, covered patio with picnic tables and BBQ grills by the lounges. Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort offers free Wi-Fi.
Gila Hot Springs Campground is a private business owned by Allen and Carla Campbell. It offers camping and natural hot spring pools beside the Gila River in southwest New Mexico. We are located 40 miles north of Silver City and about 4 miles from the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Our area is surrounded by the Gila Wilderness and the larger Gila National Forest.
PLEASE NOTE! We are NOT an RV campground. We have no hookups. Small self-contained RV ONLY.
The hot springs campground has three pools with natural rock perimeters and gravel bottoms. Each pool has its own personality and temperature so you are sure to find one that pleases you. The normal temperature of the pools is between 101º and 104ºF.
There are twelve camping areas spaced for privacy and are located around shade trees. Small self-contained campers and trailers are welcome (must be less than 20 feet long) but few sites can accommodate them. No hookups are available.
Toilet facilities (composting) and drinking water is available. We do not provide electricity or trash containers, and there are no bathing or shower facilities. The pools are NOT for bathing.
There are water faucets for cold and hot potable water next to the “dragon spout”, in the pool area. The hot spring water coming out of the dragon spout is 140ºF. Do not wash your dishes there, carry the water to your campsite.
$7 / night
Bring your own RV. Our small, gravel RV spaces have 30 & 50 amp electric, water, sewer hookups, and free wi-fi. RV guests get the same soaking privileges as our room guests. Spaces are across the street from the rest of the resort and about 15-20′ wide x 50′ long in size. RECREATIONAL VEHICLES ONLY. No car, van, truck or tent camping allowed. Rigs must have their own bathroom facilities (Toilet and Sink). Base rate includes one or two guests. Four guests maximum and each guest beyond 2 is $30/guest/night. Pet restrictions and fee are waived for quiet pets that stay in RV and don’t disturb other guests.
RV site guests get the same soaking privileges and discounts as hotel room guests. High speed wireless Internet available. Some amenities that are provided in hotel rooms are not available to RV guests. These include robes (ask about rentals), spa or bath towels, coffee, soaps/shampoo/etc, and Direct TV. Propane is available at Cortez Gas Co but you must go to them to fill your tanks.
Your home away from home, the newest destination for Glamping in Southern New Mexico.
Whether you choose to stay in one of our renovated and styled vintage RVs or you bring your own glamper, we are a free-spirited space for all those seeking ease and leisure.
Sleep in and then soak in our treasured natural hot springs, we offer private tubs and a quiet zone to ensure you find peace here.
$50 - $75 / night
This is a beautiful remote camping area. Trail #94 begins at the rear of the campground.Located in a remote area of forest__approximately 30 miles from the Wilderness Ranger District office. This campground is accessible from FR 150, and driving approximately .5 miles from the road, across the stream. You will enter an area with a newer vault toilet__and a beautiful meadow next to the stream.Please be advised - the district recommends high-clearance 4x4 vehicles on FR 150.
This is a nice shady campground under ponderosa pines. Sapillo is an undeveloped campground under ponderosa pine and is a favorite of group campers. For any large group, we recommend this large campground.
This state park has 173 developed campsites, beach camping and boat-in camping. If you like camping, fishing, boating, or just being outdoors, Elephant Butte is for you. There is plenty of water and plenty of beach room and this is New Mexico's largest State Park. Besides sandy beaches, the State Park offers restrooms, picnic areas, playgrounds, and developed sites with electric and water hook-ups for RV's. Park Elevation 4,527 ft
$8 - $14 / night
Odd volcanic rock formations give moon-like appearance to this popular picnic spot which also has three campsites, but little shade and no water.
Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort offers 140 full hook-up sites with big rig, level sites up to 70 feet. 20, 30 and 50 amp service is available. Daily or monthly rates, cable TV, covered patio with picnic tables and BBQ grills by the lounges. Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort offers free Wi-Fi.
Gila Hot Springs Campground is a private business owned by Allen and Carla Campbell. It offers camping and natural hot spring pools beside the Gila River in southwest New Mexico. We are located 40 miles north of Silver City and about 4 miles from the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Our area is surrounded by the Gila Wilderness and the larger Gila National Forest.
PLEASE NOTE! We are NOT an RV campground. We have no hookups. Small self-contained RV ONLY.
The hot springs campground has three pools with natural rock perimeters and gravel bottoms. Each pool has its own personality and temperature so you are sure to find one that pleases you. The normal temperature of the pools is between 101º and 104ºF.
There are twelve camping areas spaced for privacy and are located around shade trees. Small self-contained campers and trailers are welcome (must be less than 20 feet long) but few sites can accommodate them. No hookups are available.
Toilet facilities (composting) and drinking water is available. We do not provide electricity or trash containers, and there are no bathing or shower facilities. The pools are NOT for bathing.
There are water faucets for cold and hot potable water next to the “dragon spout”, in the pool area. The hot spring water coming out of the dragon spout is 140ºF. Do not wash your dishes there, carry the water to your campsite.
$7 / night
Scout
Ok RV PRk. No showers or rest rooms, Needs a serious upgrade. Owner is nice. Lots of permanent trailers. Goat heads are everywhere, along with lots if weeds.
Guide
Great campground. Good size spots with good distance between sites. Ramadas at each site provide precious shade. Lots of trash bins nearby. Long flat trail (bike/walk) starts at the campground. Note that is has a boat launch except there’s no more water in this area.
GuideGreat flat spot with great views. It’s inside the Elephant Butte lake state park, but seems to be a dispersed site. No one around. No amenities. There is a vault toilet maybe a half mile away. There are pay stations around. We had paid for a site on south Monticello campground but came here instead.
Scout
Road is a little rough but well worth it. No one camped near us. Was able to let the dogs roam without fear. Lots of wood in the area. A small creek along the road. Good hiking area. Will definitely go back.
Scoutgreat rural campground. lake valley ghost town is worth the ride
Legend
There are a few hot spring resorts that we keep in the back of our minds, always ready to return whenever we’re within striking distance…and this is one of them! A good friend who used to live in T or C raved about this place, and let’s say she was not wrong.
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. The campsites are full-hook up slots, tastefully divided by local plants and shade trees, but very close to each other. You’re within the city limits, but it feels somehow more like a quiet neighborhood.
The resort offers showers, bathrooms, and of course a multitude of pools at different temperatures to balance whatever the weather might throw at you. With nothing but the Rio Grande River, and the Chihuahuan Desert sprawling into the distance, the resort is serene, and feels a million miles away from the interstate which is only a couple miles away.
Even with the electrical hook ups, we still gathered all we needed with our solar powered system, and our south facing campsite was perfect for satellite internet as well, even though the resort has some spotty wifi.
The town within walking distance has everything you might want, especially if you like New Mexican cuisine, the answer is always “Christmas” WYKYK. Gas, food, Walmart all close by, etc. it’s all there.
Nearby is the Elephant Butte State Park with a massive reservoir for all kinds of boating recreation, mountain biking and hiking. Just make sure you go at the right time of year! Also check out the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge if you are at all interested in birds and other wildlife. You'll find reviews for all of these places on our The Dyrt Reviews.
Guide
Very clean and well maintained. Staff were very friendly. No shade for the trailer, but the covered picnic table was good. Electric hookup worked. Water was off due to water system maintenance. We were able to fill up at the campground below the dam. Quiet at night, just some road noise from the highway. The lake is great with easy access for kayaking at the boat ramp. We would stay here again.
LegendSituated 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!
Scout
Stayed in the open area not at a site . Area I parked had a big area with shaded trees, very quite at night and had no issues with neighbors
Guide
When I called about availability we were told there were a lot of dry spots available. Works for us! When we got there the person at gate had no idea where the campgrounds were and would not let us check out sites without paying for day use. The campground had water shutoff on Memorial Day weekend. No bathrooms or showers.
Management aside, this place is gorgeous. We dry camped by lake right under mountains. Would not pay for campground with no water but for $10 to dry camp by the water, love it.
Great T-Mobile service. Easy to access.
Guide
No facilities, but a beautiful spot. Lots of shade. Dirt road in decent shape. No road signs off of highway 15. Just need to use the GPS coordinates. A few level spots with fire rings. A little ways in you'll see large piles of gravel. Not sure what that's for. There is a placard that states "Constructed by the United States Conservation Corp in 1976". Not sure what was constructed. There is just a dirt road.
TravelerClean, quiet campground not far from Emory pass. Pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables. Only a handful of people there on Friday night
Guide
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! Loop B (sites 66 thru 79) is particularly sweet because the sites back up to the edge of the terrace for gorgeous lake views right from your camper window. We wish we could've stayed longer.
ScoutFree camping (14 days) on the riverside! Amazing. Perfect for van life. Space for big rigs too but only a couple big turnaround spots so just be strategic about it.
Ranger
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. We ended up down in the reservoir valley, out of the wind. Phenomenal spot. Good verizon service.
RangerBeautiful scenery, clean facilities. Sites in the main campground are kinda close together, but dispersed camping has better views and plenty of space. Good Verizon service, hot showers.
Guide
Highly recommend this gem. 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 has lovely clean hot spring tubs that are open 24/7. It’s an intimate camp so we rarely had to wait for a tub. Also has clean bathrooms and showers and a grill. 2 blocks away from Main Street and 2 blocks from the Rio grande. Great host and great service too.
Guide
A handful of sites located on the other side of Skates Canyon from Sapillo Campground. Close to great hiking around the CDT and fishing in Lake Roberts. Most of the sites sit on the shades of ponderosa and there's plenty of space for group camping.
This is as bare as it gets. No services, no cell signal, no trash disposal, not even a pit toilet. Some sites have rock rings for campfires but that's about it. Please recreate responsibly and leave no trace. Pack out whatever you pack in.
Quiet during the winter, but gets busy during the summer as evidenced by how well worn the dirt paths around the area are.
Guide
Sapillo Creek lies straddling the original branch of the CDT. This is a free, national forest dispersed campsite with a couple pit toilets and very few other amenities, no cell signal either. Easily accessible from NM-35 and near a couple of general stores in Lake Roberts (10 minute drive north) and Mimbres (15 minute drive south).
Popular with the local crowd during peak camping/ATV season, so be mindful that there might be some related noise during the summer; but generally sees little use during winter and the shoulder seasons.
RangerStay for two days to allow us to visit Gila lift Dwellings. Full hookups (30 amp) with water and sewer. Good cell coverage. Amazing Starlink speeds. Staff was awesome and they filled our propane for us.
ScoutThe site was clean the hookups were in good condition. We enjoyed our stay. There is a huge tower of some kind, maybe cellphone, in the middle of the park.
GuideThis is one of my fave spots yet.. drove to almost next cattle guard and ended up in the middle of a mountain range Fairy circle.
Didn’t see another person for 3 days. Sun rise and sets are AMAZING
RangerVery quiet with water and electric at each site. Spaced out a bit and you can walk to the lake but no real views of it. There is a 12 mile trail that takes off from here. Well laid out and very easy walking. Otherwise during the winter it is great but I'm guessing very hot in summer with no shade.
Guide
There are plenty of nice spots to camp along North Star Road, north of Mimbres, NM. You'll find dispersed campsites with fire-rings all along the edges of the road and on spur forest roads sprouting from it. North Star Road is usually well maintained and most vehicles should make it to at least North Star Mesa.
Nothing in terms of services and amenities, but nice hiking nearby. Very clear skies at night.
As always, please follow LNT principles when dispersed camping.
Legend
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.
ScoutClean restrooms, comfy outdoor furniture and terrific vibe ! We really enjoyed staying here this past spring and plan to return this winter!
GuideSite is typical for state campground, well maintained, clean with water, electricity, RV dump, and showers (had hot water!). Sites are fairly level on asphalt pads. Childrens' playground on site. The lake is very low during my visit but still had some boating going on. Nice trails adjacent to campgrounds. Great reception for Mint. Internet is available for $8/day. Fair connection, I was able to watch movies and football without too much buffering.
I stayed at the Desert Cove campground. It was quiet and well maintained. Stayed a couple of nights on long trip to rest up. I would stay here a again.
Note: Seems every park is going the way of private booking for reservations and NM is no different. Had to book on line or phone. Used both methods and was fairly easy.
Camping near Winston, New Mexico, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're into fishing, hiking, or just soaking in the scenery, there's something for every outdoor enthusiast.
Camping near Winston, New Mexico, has something for everyone, from families to RVers. With beautiful scenery and plenty of activities, it’s a great spot to unwind and enjoy the outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Winston, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, Winston, NM offers a wide range of camping options, with 78 campgrounds and RV parks near Winston, NM and 15 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Winston, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Winston, NM is Lower Ridge Road — Elephant Butte Lake State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 29 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Winston, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 free dispersed camping spots near Winston, NM.
What parks are near Winston, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 parks near Winston, NM that allow camping, notably Gila National Forest and Lincoln National Forest.
