Willow Creek Campground at Heron Lake State Park is near Heron Lake, offering a landscape of forests and water. Temperatures range from 20°F in winter to 80°F in summer. Visitors can explore Heron Lake for fishing and boating or visit the nearby El Vado Lake State Park.

Heron Lake State Park campground has 250 developed campsites sites for tents, trailers and RVs along the shoreline of beautiful Heron Lake.  There are seven camping areas to choose from including: Blanco, Brushy Point, Island View, La Laja, Rock Ridge, Ponderosa and Willow Creek. If you prefer primitive camping, you can also choose from several along the lake shore.

There are 54 campsites with electric hookups and all campsites have a table, fire ring and grate Our favorite Heron Lake State Park campsites are sites 74 and 91 in the Brushy Point area.

Heron Lake’s developed camping areas have level gravel sites with water and electric hookups. All of the camping areas have potable water. The Blanco camping area also has flush toilets and hot showers. The other camping areas have varying amounts of modern conveniences.

Heron Lake State Park – Area Recreation
The lake is ideal for sailing, kayaking, canoeing and windsurfing, as well as fishing for record-size trout. The Park has been designated a “quiet lake” where boats operate at no-wake speeds only.  The Park also has a visitor center, beach, marina, boat ramp and dock.

Ice fishing is popular in winter, as is snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Hiking and fishing trails can bee accessed along the gorgeous Rio Chama from the dramatic caprock stairway near Heron Dam. The 5.5-mile trail, which crosses the river by suspension bridge, affords panoramic views and an adventurous route to neighboring El Vado Lake.

Willow Creek Campground- Non Electric — Heron Lake State Park

Tierra Amarilla is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Tierra Amarilla is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Tierra Amarilla, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Tierra Amarilla

The Best Camping Near Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico

The lake is dismally low as the boat ramps are totally not usable. I don't know when they were last usable and it looks like it has been a while. The trail leading down to the Chama river isn't open, because the starting staircase is unsafe. There are other ways according to the rangers that stopped to chat. All sites are reservation only and that is important for those that just show up. You will have to go online and reserve your spot and cell service can be spotty. The campgrounds were patrolled by rangers and they were nice to talk to. Willow Creek loop was open and the other sites are closed during the winter. Nice abundance of trees and shade. I pretty place in Northern New Mexico. Many of the sites have water and electric. There are more primitive sites available too. Camping in the winter months was nice as there weren't that many people around. The toilets are closed during the winter months and the closest facility is the visitors center.

Lake still low

This was a nice site. We felt far enough away from everyone. Bathrooms were closed for the winter and don’t open until May 15 yearly. There were not a lot of hammock trees (mostly cedar) but we did find a good spot. The site was clean and well shaded. We had 1-2 bars of cell service (Verizon).

We were hoping we could get to the lake, but the level is extremely low. The boat dock was totally dry. We drove over to El Vado Lake, and while the level was low, the boat dock was still in service. We’re going to try that one for camping next time. It was very quiet and almost empty!

Photos of Willow Creek Campground- Non Electric — Heron Lake State Park

Real photos from real campers