San Antonio Bosque Park

Stopped here since I was tired and couldn’t make it to the Box area. The sites are nice enough etc. Woke up to the sound of birdshot raining in around me. I confronted the hunters saying they ought to mind their aim because there’s a campground. They responded with “it’s duck season”.

After returning to my site it rained in yet again and it seemed intentional. I am a hunter and can say that is entirely unacceptable. I should’ve called the police on them in hindsight but instead I decided to leave immediately so I could get on with my day.

It’s idiots like that which give hunters a bad rap.

Easy in and out with 23' trailer. Weeds are tall and mosquitos are plentiful. Great spot for an overnight but I would never spend more time than that.

This really is just a legal place to overnight when visiting the wildlife refuge. Perfect for that.

Free campground, easy to get to from the town of San Antonio, NM. Not a place that I’d recommend as a destination, but a good spot to stop for a night. It’s right along the Rio Grande and close to the Bosque Del Apache refuge, where we went to see sandhill cranes the next morning.

Good cell service from all 3 major carriers. No amenities here. Pack out your trash and your poo. No restrooms, water, or garbage service. 

There are 6 sites, each with a picnic table and fire ring. Area is overgrown and not well maintained but you can clearly distinguish the sites. Not a bad spot for free. You can hear road noise from Hwy 380. 

2 other campers were here when we stayed here in mid November. Campers were not sketchy, they seemed like travelers, and we felt safe here.

They do here!

As others have stated, this place is quite fine for a night or two to recharge but nothing special about the location. No view etc but easily accessed.

What has not yet been noted is that there is a lot of fresh black bear scat throughout the campsite with higher concentrations the further you go back, past the five spots with fire rings. No sightings and a problem free night but do take into consideration.

There are 5 larger spots with picnic tables and fire pits. While here, several long travel trailers parked in the first 2 spots. Then there are several other spots down the dirt road suitable for vans or small campers. It’s fairly quiet how we you will hear road noise in the background all day and night.

~5 sites with picnic tables + more areas farther back. Room for trailers, schoolies, RV’s, etc.

Access is from a short gravel road off a paved road. Turn right down the first hill. There are potentially more areas further down, but the road gets sandier and I did not see any official markings.

It is right near the Rio Grande (but admittedly not a very spectacular portion). The foliage in late fall is a lovely pale yellow and orange.

Some sites are right near a busy road highway, but noise would probably only be an issue in a tent. There were people coming and going at all hours of the day.

15 minutes from a Socorro, which has a Walmart and a water/ice stand to fill jugs for 25 cents a a gallon.

Not the prettiest views here or best accommodations, but the ease of access is appreciated. Great place to stay if you need a break from the road or just somewhere to stop overnight. Would definitely stay again.

+Near Civilization +East to access +Shade

• Fire pits (but signs seem to indicate no fires allowed any longer)

-No water -No bathroom

I decided to stay here last minute and arrived after dark on Jan. 21st. It was easy to find- look for the drive just to the side of the canal (I turned left onto the dirt road after coming off I-25). There are 2 dirt roads - take the upper one to the right, and within a few hundred feet there is a steepish driveway to the right down to under the trees.

Tables and fire rings provided- although as another reviewer stated, there are posted fire restrictions.

Sites are very flat. There is a semi-busy road nearby but it feels secluded under the trees. One other camper set up when I got in- I was surprised to see anyone, but it was nice to know someone else was around too.

I’d definitely stay here again, even as a solo female traveler.

Lots of cell service (ATT)

Nice spot in the cottonwoods room for about 10 with good space in between. Concrete tables with fire pits although there's restrictions right now. It is right off the road and a little steep to get into.

We just arrived at this free campground. Concrete picnic tables and fire rings provided. We are surrounded by what looks to me like oak trees, but I have yet to confirm that. It reminds me of my home state of Minnesota!

We are near the Rio Grande Bosque, and are looking forward to our ventures observing the migratory birds of the area.



Finding this little park on the banks of the Rio Grande just outside of town in the dark would have been unlikely without the very specific directions given to us at Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center. “From the blinking light go east for 0.7 miles and turn left on the dirt road between the canal and the river.” Sure enough, there it is.

This small campground has about 5 sites, with picnic tables, but offers no other services—no water, fire rings or even toilets. But as the directions say, it’s close to town and it’s FREE. So, on a day where we spent most of the afternoon and watched the sunset while in the National Wildlife Refuge, this campsite served us well. We even planned to get up before sunrise to watch the birds take to the sky from their night-time roosting areas, so we weren’t there long. 

The wildlife refuge is a birder’s paradise during the late fall and winter. Species of Sand Hill Cranes, Snow Geese, Canada Geese, and a multitude of ducks winter here feeding on grain grown in nearby fields and roosting overnight in the shallow wetlands. The numbers of birds are overwhelming, and awe-inspiring. But when we learned that the Sand Hill Cranes have been making this journey for nearly 10 million years, we were simply blown away. 

There are plenty of opportunities for other recreation in the area, road cycling, mountain biking, hiking and motor-sports. As we pulled out of the campground, we noticed a beach buggy cruising by which looked as cool as it was retro – total ‘70s style. There are other free, “dry camps” in the area, BLM land, etc. as well as a few other RV parks offering shorter or longer stays.