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Upper Scorpion Campground

6 ReviewsAdd Review

With six to eight first-come, first-served sites accessible via a 90-minute drive from Silver City on paved but winding Highway 15, Upper Scorpion Campground provides free camping within Gila National Forest. The campground functions as a parking area with nearby tent sites, where campers park in the lot and walk to their designated spots. Each site includes a fire ring, and some feature picnic tables.

Vault toilets stay consistently stocked with toilet paper, and water spigots are available throughout the campground. Sites sit relatively close together but maintain adequate spacing for privacy. The campground fills quickly during peak seasons, making early arrival essential for securing a spot. Monte W. notes the campground "provides a vault toilet (which was clean), water, a fire ring and picnic table" during his September visit.

Cell service remains unavailable from Silver City to the campground, though Doc's store a few miles down the road offers Wi-Fi access. The store stocks limited supplies, so campers should gather firewood and provisions in Silver City before the drive up. No trash service operates in the area, requiring visitors to pack out all waste. The campground sits within a five-minute walk of the Gila Cliff Dwellings trailhead and provides access to the nearby river, though water levels vary seasonally. Lower Scorpion Campground offers additional sites just 0.2 miles away for overflow camping.

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Map & DirectionsUpper Scorpion Campground is located in New Mexico near Gila

Detail location of campground
Public Campground

Directions

Upper Scorpion Campground directions and information are available at https://www.nps.gov/gicl/planyourvisit/camping.htm.

Coordinates

33.230499 N
108.260996 W

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Connectivity

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    AT&T
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Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    Verizon
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

Access

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

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Market
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol

FREE established camping

Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.

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Reviews6 Camper Reviews - Upper Scorpion Campground

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5 Stars

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1 Star

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4.5

out of 5

6 Reviews

A free first-come campground with clean facilities and helpful hosts, located just minutes from cliff dwellings. Parking lot-style layout may feel crowded, but visitors appreciated the convenience and proximity to hiking trails.

Reviewed Sep. 4, 2023

Walking distance to Cliff dwellings

Stayed here for a couple nights in the beginning of September 2023. Weather was upper 80’s during the day and mid 50’s during the night. This site is free and provides a vault toilet (which was clean), water, a fire ring and picnic table. There were about 6-8 sites. I lucked out and ended up getting the last one. The sites were pretty close together but spread out enough. I was able to walk right to the entrance of the cliff dwellings trail from this site in about 5 minutes. I could also walk across street and woods to the river, wasn’t much water though. From silver city on 15, it took me about 90 minutes to reach the campsite. It’s a paved road but gets pretty twisty in spots. I stocked up on food and everything I needed at wal mart in silver city. There was no cell service from silver city to the campground. There is a store, Docs, that will let you use their Wi-Fi. The store has a few things but nothing impressive. It was also difficult finding wood in the immediate area, so either bring wood or stock up along 15 when you’re in the pines. There is also no trash pickup anywhere in the area, so prepare to pack out all trash. The only downside of this site is being able to get a spot. There is also the lower scorpion campsite, plus a few others along the way. There are also plenty of dispersed sites along 15.

Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Monte W., September 4, 2023
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Monte W., September 4, 2023
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Monte W., September 4, 2023
  • (9) View All
Reviewed Mar. 1, 2023

Awesome Cliff Dwellings - not a Bad Site

The Gila cliff dwellings are awesome. Well worth the 1.5 hour drive in from Silver City. The Upper Scorpion campground is really a parking lot with nearby tent sites. Campers park in the lot. With that said I was the only occupant of the campground. It was very quiet with a spectacular night sky. The Lower Scorpion campground is the same. The host was very friendly and helpful. No services except pit toilets.

Month of VisitFebruary
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by David R., March 1, 2023
Reviewed May. 2, 2021

Great Stay

The rangers came by to let us know info about the water table and answered all our questions about attractions nearby.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Sophia R., May 2, 2021
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Sophia R., May 2, 2021
Reviewed Mar. 21, 2021

Close to cliff dwellings and Gila NF trailheads

This campground is really nice for being free. There is a very clean bathroom with vault toilets and there are a couple sm water spigots. Some sites have picnic tables and all have some sort of fire pit. It's good to have a trash bag handy to pack out your trash, as there is no trash service up there. Some spots are a little awkward as you might have to walk through someone else's site to get to/from your car. It is within walking distance of several trailheads in the national forest and the cliff dwellings, so that is super convenient. If you want firewood, there is a little store a few miles back down the road run by some very friendly folks.

Reviewed May. 8, 2019

Our favorite spot

This campsite is perfect. There’s about 6-8 spots at this particular site. It’s first come first serve so, get there early because it fills up fast. There are toilets in the parking lot and they are constantly stocked with toilet paper. Each campsite has a fire pit in the middle and some have picnic tables. Most of the sites are close to the parking lot so you don’t have haul your stuff very far. Also, it’s the site closest to the Cliff Dwellings Monument (about 1/4 mile away). We’ve camped here twice and every time it is perfect. Nights in the spring do get a bit chilly so bring warm clothes.

  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Lauren R., May 8, 2019
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Lauren R., May 8, 2019
  • Review photo of Upper Scorpion Campground by Lauren R., May 8, 2019
  • (4) View All
Showing results 1-6 of 6 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Scorpion Campground from Gila Cliff Dwellings?

Scorpion Campground is located very close to the Gila Cliff Dwellings, making it an ideal base for exploring this archaeological site. The proximity allows for easy access to the dwellings, which rangers describe as "awesome" and "well worth the drive." Visitors staying at the campground can conveniently visit the cliff dwellings without a long commute. Rangers often visit the campground to provide information about the dwellings and other nearby attractions.

What's the difference between Upper and Lower Scorpion Campground?

Upper Scorpion Campground is primarily a parking lot with adjacent tent sites, offering about 6-8 camping spots. Lower Scorpion Campground has a camp host on site to assist visitors. Both campgrounds are free and first-come, first-served, but Upper Scorpion tends to fill up quickly due to limited spots. Each offers fire pits at campsites, and some sites include picnic tables. For the most comprehensive information about differences, check with the ranger station when arriving.

Where is Upper Scorpion Campground located?

Upper Scorpion Campground is located in the Gila National Forest near the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in New Mexico. The campground is situated about 1.5 hours drive from Silver City. It features a parking lot area with nearby tent sites in a scenic mountain setting with spectacular night views. The remote location offers a quiet wilderness experience while providing access to the popular Gila Cliff Dwellings and surrounding natural attractions.

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