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Established Camping

Big Tesuque Campground

Big Tesuque Campground, near Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a picturesque spot tucked away in the Santa Fe National Forest. This campground is perfect for those who appreciate nature's beauty, with stunning mountain views and a lovely babbling brook that adds a soothing soundtrack to your stay.

The campground offers basic amenities like picnic tables and fire rings, making it easy to enjoy meals outdoors and gather around the fire at night. Visitors have noted the small tent pads, so if you're camping with a larger group, you might want to plan accordingly. As one camper mentioned, “It’s small, but absolutely beautiful,” highlighting the charm of this location.

For outdoor enthusiasts, there are trails nearby that lead into the mountains, perfect for hiking and exploring. The area is also known for its breathtaking sunsets, just a short drive up the mountain. While it can get chilly, even in summer, the peaceful atmosphere and natural beauty make it a worthwhile destination for a camping trip. Whether you're looking for a quick getaway or a longer stay, Big Tesuque Campground has a lot to offer.

Description

National Forest

Big Tesuque is a walk in campground not conducive to trailer or RV campoing. There are 10 units, Picnic tables and grills, and Vaulted toilets in the parking lot. There is no potable water and no Campground Host. The entire area is very scenic, and NM 475 is also designated as the Santa Fe Scenic Byway. Because of the large stands of aspen, the area is very busy, especially in the fall aspen viewing season. There are additional recreation opportunities along NM 475, both above and below Big Tesuque Campground, including hiking and biking trails, picnic areas, and in the winter. both nordic and alpine skiing. Tesuque is pronounced "Tess-U-key"

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Location

Big Tesuque Campground is located in New Mexico

Detail location of campground

Directions

Twelve miles from downtown Santa Fe on NM 475. Take Bishop’s Lodge Road to Artist Road, which will turn into NM 475, also known as Hyde Park Road.

Coordinates

35.76923293 N
105.80922828 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Available
  • Verizon
    Available
  • AT&T
    Fair
  • T-Mobile
    Available

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Phone Service
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

8 Reviews

Reviewed Jul. 12, 2024

Tight spot, Gorgeous Sunset

Pros:

  • In a National Forest, so beautiful, remote.
  • Nice babbling brook alongside campsites, fun for kids to play in (COLD, but shallow), and makes for great white noise.
  • Convenient to Santa Fe (20-25 min from downtown)
  • drive up the mountain 4 minutes for a gorgeous vista and sunset view
  • nice trails in the area, but we didn’t use them (one night stopover)
  • pit toilets (smelly, but they exist)

Cons

  • essential hike in, uphill, have to carry your gear. The further in your campsite, the more hiking you will do (we chose one close to the parking lot, but sacrificed privacy)
  • limited spots, and high traffic (people came in in the middle of the night, hiked in with dogs, cyclists, potential regulars (?)
  • campsite tent pads are small/limited. Our family of 6 usually would use 3 small tents, but had to limit ourselves to 2, so everyone was squeezed together.

Chilly, even in July, just FYI, come prepared.
Picnic table, fire ring provided

Siteleft trail, 1st on the left
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by C.J. L., July 12, 2024
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by C.J. L., July 12, 2024
Reviewed Dec. 8, 2023

Winter wonderland

Fantastic. Easy to access. Road is paved all the way and regularly plowed during the cold seasons. I'm sure this is very busy during the warm seasons but we had the place to ourselves during the week in early December.

Month of VisitDecember
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Jorge G., December 8, 2023
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Jorge G., December 8, 2023
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Jorge G., December 8, 2023
Reviewed Jul. 20, 2023

Beautiful Mountain Campground

Stopped here as part of a road trip in March. It snowed heavily, but that only added to the beauty! I didn't realize the elevation here was nearly 10,000 ft, so we were affected slightly by altitude sickness while unloading our gear. It was easily accessible, even in two feet of snow. A small stream was nearby, and the bathrooms were clean. No one else stayed the night for obvious reasons, though some families were there during the day enjoying the snow. Had a wonderful time enjoying the views. Can't wait to go back sometime! You can check out current conditions at:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/santafe/recarea/?recid=75602

Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Brett B., July 20, 2023
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Brett B., July 20, 2023
  • Beautiful snowfall
    Play button icon
  • (11) View All
Reviewed Nov. 3, 2020

Simple beauty

12 miles uphill drive into the Santa Fe National Forest, just past million dollar mansions in Santa Fe. Easy access, just drive up and park. Multiple tent camp sites with fire pit and picnic table.  Accessible to trails. Beautiful sunset views.

Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by tiffany T., November 3, 2020
Reviewed Oct. 15, 2020

Simple camping

Great location for free tent camping. Sites are located starting at the trail head and continuing up Big Tesque Trail. Recommend going during the week as it’s very busy on the weekends.

  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Megan  E., October 15, 2020
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Megan  E., October 15, 2020
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Megan  E., October 15, 2020
Reviewed Jun. 3, 2018

Absolutely beautiful! If you're tent camping, it's perfect! And it's free. What a gem!!

If you have an RV, Hyde Park Sate Park is where you want to be. If you're tent camping, Big Tesuque is AMAZING!! It's small, but absolutely beautiful. Each site has a picknick table and a tent pad. There are basic toilets. No showers, no sinks. But there are 2 streams bordering the campground and trails leading into the mountains.

When I was there, it was 5 to 10 degrees warmer than Hyde Park! (end of May.)

  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Alex G., June 3, 2018
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Alex G., June 3, 2018
  • Review photo of Big Tesuque Campground by Alex G., June 3, 2018
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 17, 2017

Creeks!

This campground is beautiful and has two creeks running along either side. There aren't many spots but it is free and there is a toilet.

SiteSite 4
Month of VisitJuly

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are fires allowed at Big Tesuque Campground?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Big Tesuque Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Big Tesuque Campground have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Big Tesuque Campground does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Big Tesuque Campground?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is available, AT&T is fair, and T-Mobile is available.