James Canyon Campground, near Mayhill, New Mexico, is a straightforward spot for those needing a quick and easy place to rest. Located just off US 82, it offers a handful of sites with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for a cozy evening under the stars.

This campground is known for its clean pit toilets and a laid-back vibe, making it a solid choice for a one-night stopover. Visitors have mentioned the convenience of the paved road leading in and the nearby amenities, like a fire pit at each site. Just a heads up, if you plan to enjoy a campfire, bring your own firewood since it’s not provided on-site.

While the campground is close to the highway, many campers found the noise manageable, especially at night when traffic dies down. The surrounding Lincoln National Forest provides a scenic backdrop, with plenty of trees that offer some shelter from the wind. As one camper noted, “It feels very secluded,” despite being right next to the road.

If you're looking to stretch your legs, the area is great for a quick walk, though there aren't any marked trails directly from the campground. With no fees to stay and a friendly atmosphere, James Canyon Campground is a practical choice for travelers passing through the region.

James Canyon Campground offer 5 sites along US82 just west of Mayhill, NM. The lower elevation of 6,800' means this small site is usable longer than most Sacramento Mountain area campgrounds when the snows begin. Picnic tables, grills, and one group ramada among scattered pine trees. 16' RV limit. James Canyon Campground - General Area

James Canyon Campground

Mayhill is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Mayhill, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Mayhill

The Best Camping Near Mayhill, New Mexico

**Campground Review:**

James Canyon Campground is the perfect stop for anyone passing through and needing a place to stay.

Located just a couple miles outside of Mayhill, NM inside the Lincoln National Forest, this primitive camping spot is directly off of US 82 and has a 5 spots total. Two of which have parking at the site and three that are across a small footbridge from a small parking lot. Now I say “primitive” but this small campsite has a whole lot to offer! There are vault toilette (no sinks-so bring your hand sanitizer), there is a fire pit with metal rack at every site along with picnic tables. Best of all, there is NO FEE to stay here!

Now I had read that there were only two sites that had parking directly next to the site and since we have had some bad luck with break-ins to our car with walk-in sites, I wanted to make sure we got one. When we arrived however the two sites with parking were already taken. Much to my surprise, the three walk-in sites were directly across from the parking area, so we were able to actually see our car from our site which was a big relief.

Although this site is right next to the highway, it feels very secluded. There are lots of pine trees which is great for hammock campers like us and there are mountains to either side of you which help a lot with keeping the wind out. There is some noise from the road as cars pass, but at night the traffic was very light and didn’t bother us at all. There were no trails accessible from the campsite that I could see and I did walk around a bit to look, so this is more of a stop and go sort of place, which was exactly what we needed after a long day of driving.

This is a first-come first-serve campground. Since it is small, spots fill up fast. We camped on a Saturday night and there was only one site left open by eight o’clock pm.

**Product Review:**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products from time to time. At James Canyon Campground I tested two meals from Mountain House Meals: the [Chicken Fried Rice](https://www.mountainhouse.com/M/product/chicken-fried-rice.html?variant_id=192) and the [Noodles &amp; Chicken](https://www.mountainhouse.com/M/product/noodles-chicken.html?variant_id=58).

First let me say, I have always been pretty opposed to freeze-dried meals. I always felt they had no flavor and were not worth eating unless you are backpacking and need to cut down on weight…

Now let me say…I love Mountain House!!! They are completely different from the meals I have tried in the past. They are FULL of flavor, not crunchy (if you follow directions), and so easy after a long day.

On the back of the bag of each meal there are simple instructions. Most bags say to fill with either 2 or 1.5 cups of boiling water, stir, then close pouch and let sit for about 10 minutes. SUPER SIMPLE! Now I made both the Chicken Fried Rice and Noodle &amp; Chicken at the same time for both my husband and I to try. I used a Nalgene to measure the water since I don’t have measuring cups on the fly.

The Noodle &amp; Chicken was by far our favorite. It reminded me a lot of Campbell’s Chicken and Noodle Soup. It was SO good! The chicken was very tender and there was a very good helping of it. I will definitely be purchasing it again. It was a big winner with my husband as well!

The Chicken Fried Rice was also good, but not our favorite. The rice was tender along with the chicken. I really liked how they incorporated the egg that you find in fried rice but I will say that it was missing that soy flavor that usually comes with in your usual Asian cuisine. I also am not a huge fan of mushrooms and it had quite a bit in there. I should have read the ingredients first. Altogether though, still a very satisfying meal.

Best thing about Mountain House…absolutely NO clean up!!! No scrubbing pots in freezing cold water, no plastic wrappers flying away in the wind, No mess!

Now freeze-dried meals can get a bit expensive, at least with Mountain House you are getting the bang for your buck. Once prepared, the pouches are filled with a wonderful, tasty meal filled with lots of protein and calories to keep you going on your adventure.

I can’t wait to try more!

Ranger Review: Mountain House Meals at James Canyon Campground, NM

04/14/22 James Canyon, Lincoln National Forest, NM 

Thursday night/Friday morning. 

I arrived a little after 5 am and found a couple campsites that had parking pads. One pad was already occupied by a single vehicle so I took the last open spot. A car full of young adults pulled up about five minutes later and they just set up their tent right in the overflow parking area. They were packing up when I woke up a few hours later and the car camper was long gone.

There was an additional tent site with an open cabin shelter next to the first two spots and five additional spots across a footbridge that goes over a creek bed. All of the spots have nice level areas for tents, and picnic tables and fire rings. None of the area had cell coverage, however an occasional text would get through. There are bear proof trash cans at the entrance, along with an outhouse at the far edge of the parking lot. With easy access right off the main road. It’s a “dispersed” camp so there’s no fee.

A scenic bluff behind the sites provides a great backdrop, with rolling hills across the street. While the view is great, the camp is right next to a fairly busy road so there was a lot of noise from traffic during the day. It was calm and quiet when I arrived, but that quickly changed once the sun came up. It also became very windy the day I camped so I ended up using the open cabin as a wind shelter, as I was the only camper left in the morning. 

Quick access, but a little too much trafffic  

This a small campground with only 6 sites. The pit toilets were clean. The site stayed at had a fire ring/grill, picnic table and a tent pad. One of the sites had an Adirondack shelter. This site is close to US 82 which means road noise but I ignored it after 20 minutes.

Nice Lincoln National Forest Campground 

This spot saved us at the end of our drive from Texas. It was one of the first stops in and we were pleasantly surprised. Easy access and a nice paved road, bathroom, fire ring, and picnic table. There was not much wood so I’d recommend bringing some, as it gets really cold. 

Great Accessible Stop Off

James Canyon, NM: This is right off the highway, so easy access.  There are only two sides when you can accommodate an RV..  A couple folks parked in the parking lot overnight. Ad jacent highway noise is very noticeable, however, traffic is pretty light and very late at night time.
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)

Overall Rating:  For a stop over: 4.  
Price 2024: Free
Security: no
Usage during visit: two RV sites filled up. Ted sites for him to. Room in the parking lot. Small Riggs only
Site Privacy:  no
Site Spacing:  good
Pad surface: RV sites
Reservations:   no
Campground Noise:   no, no
Outside Road Noise: noticeable
Through Traffic in campground:    no, except for stopping to use the bathrooms
Electric Hookup:  no
Sewer Hookup: no, no
Dump Station: no
Potable Water Available: No
Generators: allowed
Bathroom: very clean pit toilets
Showers: no
Pull Throughs: both RV sites are back in. A little bit of extra work is required to back the trailer down to go to one of the two site.
Cell Service (AT&amp;T): no
Setting: just off the highway
Recent Weather: cool nights
Solar: some
Insects: none
Host: no
Rig Size: much over 22’ would be difficult 

Photos of James Canyon Campground

Real photos from real campers