Lake Alice Campground, near Raton, New Mexico, is a fantastic spot for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors with a few comforts. This campground offers clean facilities, including well-maintained showers and restrooms, which visitors have praised for their cleanliness and spaciousness.

The campground is known for its beautiful views and proximity to hiking trails, making it a great base for exploring the surrounding area. Campers have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, with some noting the frequent visits from deer and the occasional bear sighting, adding a touch of wilderness to your stay. As one visitor put it, “We were surprised and pleased with Sugarite!”

With sites that accommodate both tents and RVs, you’ll find options that suit your needs. Many sites come equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for evening gatherings. Just keep in mind that cell service is spotty, so it’s a great chance to unplug and soak in the natural beauty around you.

If fishing is your thing, the nearby lake is reputed to have some of the best trout fishing in the area. Whether you’re here for a quick overnight stop or a longer adventure, Lake Alice Campground offers a welcoming environment to enjoy the outdoors.

150 MILES SOUTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS, CO; 170 MILES NORTH OF SANTA FE, NM; 100 MILES NORTH OF LAS VEGAS, NM; 6 MILES FROM RATON

  
New Mexico is beginning our Outdoor Recreation Plan and needs your input! The plan will:
- Address the state and nation's outdoor recreation trends and their economic impacts
- Inventory the state's resources and address how best to protect them
- Help determine the state's priorities for awarding federal funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Lake Alice Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park

Raton is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Raton campgrounds just for you. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Raton, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Raton

The Best Camping Near Raton, New Mexico

Great park with lots of options for camping.  There are a few campgrounds near the lake, one of which is kind of by itself.  I recommend getting there early and driving around all of the campgrounds to find a good spot.  The lake is really nice, specially if you get out on it in a canoe.  The facilities have showers (at least one of them does) and the bathrooms are pretty good.  Lots of different options for campsites so make sure and check out the map and drive around to find the one you like.

Awesome Area, plenty of open spots

**Sugarite Canyon is a Sweet Park to visit!**

**Campground Review:**

Located in NW Raton, New Mexico... Sugarite Canyon State Park ( [http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/spd/sugaritecanyonstatepark.html](http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/spd/sugaritecanyonstatepark.html) ) borders the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains.

During this two month camping and hiking roadtrip, I chose campgrounds purely based on our traveling trajectory...which landed us in Raton, New Mexico at Sugarite Canyon State Park.

The Sugarite Canyon State Park (pronounced "Sugareet") was easy to locate off I-25 in Raton, (72 to 526 six miles NE straight into the park) just a few miles south of the Colorado border. The only campground area open during our mid April visit was the Lake Alice Campground, roughly 6,664 ft. elevation.

The Lake Alice Campground was perched along 526 inside the state park. Being early spring at elevation, the bare trees and bushes were barely budding, so the other three tent sites were fairly visible (four total tent sites), but nicely spaced out. Water (which, at that time, needed to be filtered or boiled by posted warning) and vault toilets were a 40 yard walk from the tent sites. The shower house was located a short drive down 526 across from the Ranger headquarters...and it had electric, modern plumbing and hot showers (however, check with hours of operation).

Gravel tent pads were raised the height of a 8-10" timber box...and roughly 7'x10' in dimension. Each tent site had a picnic table (which could be moved), a stationary and elevated metal food container, and a fire pit/grill on a cement pad. Because of the tight spaces, I felt the fire pit was located too close to the tent pad for my liking...though the wind blew favorably during our visit, keeping embers off the rainfly.

Lake Alice is a small 3 acre reservoir along the Chicorica Creek that spills from the larger Lake Maloya (120 acres). Fishing and hiking (13 miles within the park) are extremely popular in this state park, drawing daily crowds as well as an annual fishing contest. I was advised around 100,000 visit during each summer. Neighboring Colorado State Wildlife Areas, Lake Dorothey SWA (10 acre lake) and James M. John SWA are a stones throw down the gravel road, offering extended hiking and fishing.

Hiking trails from the Ranger Headquarters offer a history lesson with the remnants of the 1920's coal mining town that prospered in this canyon. Purpose to spend some time in the Ranger headquarters perusing the small dioramas depicting life in Sugarite Canyon during the turn of the 1900's. Rangers Scott and Bob were knowledgeable, helpful and knew the history thoroughly. Artifacts and photos in the Ranger Headquarters offer a tremendous pictorial history of the people and events of that era. A few original stone buildings remain intact and usable...the Post Office, which now houses the Ranger Headquarters and the Mule Barn, now the maintenance facility. Self-guided placqards line a walkway surrounding the Ranger Headquarters.

Trails vary from worn singletrack to wide service roads. Be aware of your surroundings for the wildlife that inhabits this area. Gobblers cackled on and off 24 hours, and the beautiful Towhee mountain bluebird flitted around our campsite providing a photo op.

The rushing Chicorica Creek, across the roadway, offered soothing whitenoise to the Alice Campground. There is also tent overflow on the creekside, across from Alice Campground, but no real definable sites...pretty much pitch 'em where you can.

A fire ripped through this area in 2011 with the effects still visible but plenty of lush vegetation growing up.

A hike around Lake Maloya is possible, offering great views of both the alluring waters and towering mountains. The higher elevation Soda Pocket Campground was closed during our visit. The Ponderosa Ridge/Opportunity Trail begins at the Lake Maloya spillway and offers great views (6 mile). The Little Horse Mesa Trail is a two mile roundtrip but climbs to the highest point in the park, flat and giving long mountain views. Snow was still heavy on the peaks. Elevation ranges from near 7,000 ft above 9,000 ft. with a variation of flat-top mesas to sharp peaks and lava flows.

Sugarite Canyon State Park offers numerous activities throughout the year to draw the avid outdoorsperson. Cross country skiing, rock climbing, hunting, fishing, boating (human and electric power only), hiking and picnicing.

We made the short trek over the Colorado border to Lake Dorothey and walked those trails. I read there is an annual butterfly festival there in the adjacent meadow, and one year yielded a one day count of 637 buterflies of 38 species.

Tent camping is $10 a night, in addition to a $5 park vehicle fee. Note: I would give five stars to the Sugarite Canyon State Park overall...but I dinged them one star in this review because of the Lake Alice Campground proximity to the roadway and limited amount of dedicated tent sites. Though, it won't dissaude me from coming back.

**Nearby National Park System Capulin Volcano is a must visit. Like a lone sentinal it towers alone in the high plains. We were fortunate enough to get a visit on one of the sixteen free days each year. Driving the switchbacks and circling the mountain to the parking lot just short of the peak was breathtaking. Without guardrails it is not for the faint of heart. A paved one mile walkway circles the rim of the volcano mouth...and another trail travels down into the mouth. There are pit latrines at the south end of the upper parking lot.

**Gear Review: Leatherman WAVE Multi-tool**

As a Dyrt Ranger gear tester, I was offered an opportunity to test the latest version of the Leatherman WAVE Multi-tool ( http://www.leatherman.com/wave-10.html ). I have used an original Leatherman folding multi-tool on my dutyrig since 1991\. Before getting in too deep on the WAVE review...the Original mult-tool has undergone rigorous daily use for nearly three decades and it still looks and functions like new...so I was anxious to try the latest version of the WAVE and see if that level of quality still remains. Much has changed since the Original version...which is to be expected...and there are improvements from my son's well used military issue Leatherman WAVE.

Having the option, I chose the matte black over the brushed stainless finish...for subdued tactical reasons and anticipated crossover usage. I have attached a photo of all three of the Leatherman tools mentioned above for a visual comparison.

I had ample opportunity to use the function of each of the tools represented during my testing.

**_Pros_**

*   Razor sharp knife blades
*   Positive/Secure Liner-lock function
*   Tight tolerances
*   Reversable/Interchangeable driver bits
*   Durable finish
*   Great Customer Service and Warranty

**_Cons_**

*   Brushed Stainless easier to clean than Matte Black finish
*   Interchangeable driver bits (more to store/lose, etc)

The flat blade, while not a filet knife specifically, worked effectively on Rainbows and Browns. The saw blade made short work of saplings for gigs, tarp poles, and roasting sticks (disclaimer: no live trees were harmed in the testing of this tool). The scissors made intricate work easier and safer when my waistband button jettisoned off my Mountain Khakis (I guess too many trout, beans and s'mores)...for hasty handsewing with braided fishing line without removing said trousers.

I liked the reversable function of the removable driver bits, allowing the selection of the right size tool for the job. Enjoying the reversable function of the driver bits also brings with it a disdain for adding or keeping track of additional driver bits...not a fan of that. I also welcomed the web case and snapping that will permit attachment to any backpack, belt or Molle gear. My old leather case, though still fully usable...is extremely limited to a belt, unless jury-rigged.

As a sidenote: I have owned and used other brand multi-tools. Big box mult-tools have regularly failed and in my opinion not worth removing the wrapper. Popular named mult-tools have similar features, but use a "polymer" slide locking mechanism that I have had break or pop off, resulting in blades and tools that move and have no dependable rigidity (ie. sharp knife blade closing on gripping fingers...not good).

Overall, I believe the Leatherman WAVE mult-tool is a fantastic addition to both my tactical and outdoor adventures...and trust it will fulfill my expectations of longevity and durability as the Original.

Ranger Review: Leatherman WAVE Multi-tool at Sugarite Canyon State Park - Sugarite Canyon is a Sweet Park to visit!

There are 3 different campgrounds within the state park. Each has their own toilet facilities while the bathhouse (aka clean, hot, free showers) is located just across from the park entrance/visitor center. Tent camping was $10/night and super easy for someone passing through - there were 4 sites available as first come first served in the morning. Three were still available at 7pm (on a Tuesday). The visitor center was great, helpful staff and you can buy ice there. There are several hikes to do and the scenery is beautiful. 

Great campground

After a long drive from south Texas, this was my first visit to Sugarite Canyon and it definitely exceeded my expectations! The staff was friendly and helpful and the amenities were accommodating. The area is absolutely beautiful. This little park has something for everyone. Highland trails, lakes and streams, primitive and car-camping sites. Plenty of wildlife to see, birds and other critters everywhere. And of course the vistas. I will definitely be back there soon. Thanks, New Mexico! 

First visit and wow! 

We reserved a spot at Lake Alice for three nights.  Some reviews of the campground talk about the road being close.  Sites 15 and 16 are great.  Site 13 and 14 are ON THE ROAD and the accessible site near the bathroom is literally a couple of feet away so beware!  We were in site 16 and tucked away from everything.  Pit toilets were well kept and there is firewood available on the site.  We parked our tiny trailer in the driveway and set up a tent two stairs up on the main part of the site.  The free showers were great down by the ranger station.  The lake itself is gorgeous, there are plenty of hiking trails.  We brought kayaks and had a great time.  Being from Denver, it was so great to be away from crowds (almost no one at the lake on 4th of July weekend) and to not have to deal with I70 traffic.  We would definitely go back.

Great Location, easy camping

My boyfriend and I took a 13 state journey this summer over the course of 3 weeks and this was one of my favorite campsites we stayed at. The site itself was quaint and very nice to tent camp in. The tent sites had raised platforms to put your tent on and the ground underneath was softer, so it wasn’t that uncomfortable to sleep on👍🏻10/10 would go back🏕 they had bear boxes to keep all your food and odorants in over night. They have wood for sale for fires, there’s showers up the road and bathrooms within walking distance of every site. The camp hosts were very kind and helpful. 

It was wonderful

Lake Alice campground is really close to a paved road where people drive too fast and the sites are really close together. They are not actually on Lake Alice. I enjoyed the lake and the hiking but opted out of staying in my reserved site. 

Great Lake and trails

Not a lot of space between the sites but super clean; camp host Steve was AWESOME and what a view of the canyons.  Bear box is provided at each site and we were able to have fires as long as it stayed in the ring.  Clean bathroom not too far of a walk.  Sites were pretty full so for us, this is a good spot for just a stopover in between other locations where we'll disperse camp.  Brought a teardrop trailer on this trip - easy peasy.

Nice views - Primitive Site on top of hill

We've lived in New Mexico (Alamogordo and Albuquerque) for 30+ years, but had never made it up north to Sugarite Canyon State Park. But on our RV trip back home from Rocky Mountain National Park, we decided to spend a night here rather in the small town of Raton(eight miles away). It's a lovely park, with some steep walls, small lakes and an interesting history. We took a few of the smaller hikes(time was limited) and the one of the Coal Camp was very interesting.

  

Our 29ft RV barely fit in our site, and there were some tricky branches and overhanging trees to work around. The site was fairly narrow, but I will say we were spread out nicely between the sites. We were at a site with electric(30 amp only) and water(water pressure very low, due to a lower aquafer). The dump station was nearby, but no water available by it for flushing out the tank.

  

Camp hosts were super friendly. It was a very easy going place. Most of the sites are pretty small, and our"small" Class A was the biggest rig there, except for the hosts' 40' RV. So if you've got a bigger rig, you might have trouble finding a site to accommodate. But for smaller RVs, I think this is a great place to stay. VERY dark and quiet at night!! A lovely and reasonably priced spot that I can easily see spending a long weekend at.

  

(OH, there is NO wifi and no cell signal. Be prepared to be off-grid completely! You're at least 5 miles from a signal.)

Lovely location, but some tight sites

We managed to arrive just before dark so didn’t really take in our surroundings until daybreak. Wow what a spot. Right off the road between the two canyons. Snuggling. 

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Stopped at this place on the way home from CO. Camp host were super nice and helpful! Hubby and I Canoed on the reservoir￼￼. Seen a bear while we were out there! Campgrounds we’re super nice. We had a table, fire ring, and canopy.
We were told that the lake is the best trout fishing in the area and have prizes if you catch a red tag fish. 

Off the beating path

Spent two nights here and loved it. One hound dog in the adjacent site made her presence known, but otherwise a quiet place. Fall colors crept down the mountainside. Crisp in the morning (40 degrees).

Beautiful Fall colors

Nice campsite in between the valley, clean bathrooms, and very clean campsite. We stayed for just a quick overnight. There is a town just 10min drive away if you need anything extra. 

Nice campsite with what we needed. 

They are a first come first serve RV site, which luckily when we showed up there was only 1 other RV parked. We picked a secluded back corner spot which was 1 of 2 full hookup sites (electric &amp; water, no sewer). The dump station was unavailable due to a broken drain, and there were only porta-potty style bathrooms on the campground. The showers were down the road a bit, amd were your typical state park showers - hot water, no amenities which is totally fine. There are bear boxes on each site which was good to have in that area! We hiked the old coal mining camp on the side of the canyon and the woods behind our site which was a lot of fun!

Secluded, beautiful sites 

2022 headed home from CO to Dallas and didn't want to stay in Amarillo again so we threw the dice and were able to snag an AMAZING spot (no hookups) for one night. Tha-t was all we needed to make this our go-to place to stop at beginning and end of each trip.  Lots of options for camping (we pull a TAB 400) - camp host was so cool and friendly. Absolutely beautiful views and clean facilities (we only used the toilets)  We were surprised and pleased with Sugarite!

GEM! 

Small campground near CO border. Perks would be lake at top of mountain, 5-7 min drive from CG and showers, at entrance to park. Downfall is you need to drive to everything unless you want to walk along trails on the other side of road. Trails in park were nice - t-mobile service did not work at all, zero bars. Bear boxes provided, deer walked through campground often. I did see bear tracks while hiking but host said they’ve never been a human issue. 

Worth the price, kind of remote

Stayed: May 22, 2024
Cost: $18
Site: Lake Alice Loop - 01
Cell Service: None (AT&amp;T and T-Mobile)
Equipment: Tent

We stayed in the Lake Alice loop in Site 1. We tented, but it looks like they have it split between tents and RVs, and this was technically an RV site. It had water and electric, so that’s why we chose this site. Sites were nice and clean, with a fire ring and table. Close to neighbors.

Vault toilet in the loop and running water and showers located 1/2 mile from the Lake Alice loop. Showers were very nice for a campground. They were actual showers, not just concrete or dirty tile, and had plenty of room and hooks for clothing. Two showers per side for Men’s and Women’s.

No cell service for either of our carriers, and I don’t think for any, until about a mile beyond the shower house, prior to the entrance of the park.

Nice campground with clean showers!

We stayed in the first entrance sent to the left as you enter the smallish tent area, I'd guess site #1. The tent pad is standard size but we sleep in 2 single tents and we're tight. The campground is right off the road, and while there wasn't a lot of traffic, we heard everything go by. The vault toilet is nearby, I am unsure if there is potable water at the site. We stayed one night in June, temps were in the upper 40s and there had been a pretty big rain just prior to our arrival. Nonetheless, the campsite itself is decent, I took points for it's proximity to the road, lack of privacy, and small sites. Surrounding scenery is non-existent from the site, but a short drive and there are some beautiful sights to behold.

Photos of Lake Alice Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park

Real photos from real campers