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.

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"

Big Tesuque Campground

Tesuque is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Tesuque, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Tesuque

The Best Camping Near Tesuque, New Mexico

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.

Creeks!

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.)

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

Quiet at night, not much privacy and road noise.

Roadside hillside wide open camp ground.

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. 

Simple camping 

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.

Simple beauty 

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

Beautiful Mountain Campground

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. 



Winter wonderland

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 

Tight spot, Gorgeous Sunset

I will start with the only downside of this site: it is very active with hikers, families, dogs, and photographers. You can expect dozens upwards of a hundred faces a day hiking up here which can be extremely annoying and the car traffic can drive you nuts. That said, for the ease of access, for the beautiful trails, and for the clean amenities I think it is worth it. In the winter right before the ski area opens is your best bet for quiet camping. But in the summer, spring, fall, and during ski season you will have a lot of friendly faces. Again, not bad, but I know some folks are very interested in getting "away" from people while camping. To those I recommend this site for hiking and not staying. Highly recommend for folks who are less physically abled; I developed a heart condition which limits my abilities most days and the ease of access to these sites and close parking is great for someone who wants to be in touch with nature while enduring limiting conditions. 

Photos of Big Tesuque Campground

Real photos from real campers