Paliza Family Campground is located near Jemez Springs in the Santa Fe National Forest. The area features forested terrain with elevations that can influence temperatures, ranging from lows in the 30s°F during spring and fall to highs in the 80s°F in summer. Nearby attractions include the Jemez Hot Springs and the Valles Caldera National Preserve, offering opportunities for relaxation and exploration.

## Overview

 Paliza Group Campground is found north of the small community of Ponderosa, surrounded by ponderosa pines and views of the stunning cliff faces of majestic mesas. There are two group areas within the campground, with walk in and drive in sites found separately in each loop. The group campground generally opens in mid-May and closes in October. Its location is ideal for enjoying quiet, star filled nights as it is far away from major cities. The Jemez National Recreation Area is a short drive away and providesmany opportunities to enjoy the Santa Fe National Forest. 
## Recreation

 Paliza Group Campground is not far from NM Highway 4 and the popular Jemez National Recreation Area. Scenic day hikes, hot springs, and historical landmarks can be found nearby. Fishing is popular on the nearby San Antonio Creek with plenty of fishing sites available. 
## Natural Features

 The short driveway from Forest Road 10 to the group campground is scenic, with riparian trees changing to towering ponderosa pines as the road climbs in elevation. Spectacular views of the surrounding mesas and clear blue skies are hallmarks of this campground. The dark greens of the conifers stand out against the bright yellows of flowering chamisa in the summer, and the yellows and reds of fall foliage provide a variety of scenery through the seasons. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The East Fork of the Jemez National Wildand Scenic River can be accessed nearby. The Valles Caldera National Preserve is conveniently located north of Forest Road 10 on NM 4. An impressive geological formation known as Battleship Rock is worth stopping to look on NM 4, north of the town of Jemez Springs. The town itself has art created by locals, hot springs, and a restaurant for those not wanting to cook.

Paliza Family Campground

Searching for the best camping near Jemez Springs, NM? Jemez Springs is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your New Mexico camping adventure.

Jemez Springs

The Best Camping Near Jemez Springs, New Mexico

Camping in Santa Fe National Forest is great if you know what you're in for. There aren't a ton of amenities depending on where you camp and it's in high elevations so during winter months it can get FREEZING. We went in November and it got down to negative temperatures. Thankfully my wife's sleeping bag was rated for -20 but I was not that fortunate. So for sure if you're going in the winter then be prepared! 

Other than this the views up in the mountains were amazing and each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and a location for a tent. 

Definitely would recommend checking out!

Easy access and amazing views

Although there are no hook-ups and currently, you can't reserve spots in advance, this campsite is absolutely worth the effort to secure a space. It is relatively small but it is VERY peaceful. About an hour from Albuquerque, but it feels worlds away. While some of the sites are a bit close together, most are quite large. We stayed at one of the"medium" sized spaces and there was room for our rig(30 ft) our tow vehicle and 2 large tents(our adult kids), plus a great fire pit, grill and sturdy picnic table. Our space(#16) backed up against the forest, so we had huge amounts of room and privacy. Cell coverage is VERY spotty. While you can make phone calls almost anytime, expect a garbled experience. As far as data...it popped in occasionally, based on the sudden arrival of hours worth of emails, but do NOT expect to stay here and enjoy those advantages of "modern life." You will be largely disconnected. Forget about surfing the web. The lots are relatively level. Some back up against a very nice stream(these are grabbed up first, of course). There are toilet facilities(vault toilets) throughout the grounds and the camp hosts do a remarkable job of keeping them clean and the odors at a minimum. 3 of the sites have wooden shelters, built in the 1930's. These feature chimneys! You're also quite close to the start of Paliza trail, which is a roughly 4 mile roundtrip, and ends at "Goblin Village", a rather amazing collection of hoodoos. This ought to be a more major site, in my opinion, but when we hiked there on a Saturday noon-time, we had the entire amazing place to ourselves. That was a great experience. The little village of Ponderosa is just a couple of miles away, and it contains Ponderosa Winery, a small winery with a modest tasting room, but you can buy a bottle and sit out on their grounds and enjoy the views. We had a GREAT 3 nights here, and look forward to coming again. Certainly recommend this spot!

Photos of Paliza Family Campground

Real photos from real campers