Best RV Parks & Resorts near Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Camping at Guadalupe Mountains National Park with an RV requires careful planning, as the options are more limited than you might expect. The park itself has only one campground that accepts RVs - Pine Springs - which has no hookups and can only accommodate vehicles up to 31 feet long. Most sites at Pine Springs sit on gravel pads with some leveling needed, and generators are allowed only during specific hours (8-10 am and 5-7 pm). For full hookups, you'll need to head about 35 miles away to Carlsbad or White's City, where commercial RV parks offer water, electric, and sewer connections for rigs up to 45 feet. The roads to the national park are paved and generally accessible for larger vehicles, though some sections have steep grades. Cell service throughout the area is spotty, with the best reception at higher elevations or in nearby towns. Each RV site within the park includes a picnic table and fire ring, but fires may be prohibited during dry periods. Water is available at Pine Springs, but there's no dump station - the closest one is 30 miles away in White's City. Most RVers stock up on supplies in Carlsbad before arriving, as the nearest grocery store is 35 miles from the park entrance. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F, making spring and fall the most comfortable seasons for RV camping in this remote desert location.

Best RV Sites Near Guadalupe Mountains National Park (25)

    1. Whites City RV Park

    23 Reviews
    Whites City, NM
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 361-3665

    $20 - $45 / night

    "Overall not too bad of a campground. 15 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns National Park and less than 40 minutes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park."

    "Clean facilities, including Grocery Store, laundromat, post office. It’s a dry area so remember to bring your alcohol. No light restrictions. Watch out for splinters in the picnic table."

    2. Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

    35 Reviews
    Carlsbad, NM
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 885-6333

    "Nice laundry facilities. Gift store with ice cream, yes. Very convenient to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and to Carlsbad, New Mexico. Nice indoorheated pool and a family-friendly environment."

    "Large RV campground. Some long term spots available. Full hook-ups. Level spots on gravel. Pool, laundry and camp store. Hosts were fantastic."

    3. Whites City RV Campground

    1 Review
    Whites City, NM
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 361-3665

    $25 / night

    "We moved from our free dispersed campsite to fill up, charge up, shower and do laundry. Very friendly staff and clean facilities."

    4. Buds Place RV Park

    3 Reviews
    Carlsbad, NM
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 200-1865

    $25 - $45 / night

    "Nice bathroom, friendly staff. A few trees, but mostly desert. Need an exception to have a dog over 25 lbs. They also want to know what kind. People are bad at not picking up after their dog."

    5. Pine Springs Campground

    17 Reviews
    Salt Flat, TX
    21 miles
    Website

    "Guadalupe Mountains National Park is seriously underrated. And their developed campground, Pine Springs, is a gem in the NPS."

    "Bag the peak of Guadelupe Mountains National Park and you will have bagged the highest point in Texas. The Pine Springs Campground is an excellent starting point for a trip to the park."

    6. Camp Washington Ranch

    4 Reviews
    Whites City, NM
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 785-2228

    $50 - $150 / night

    "They have 3 spots next to each other (with some space) in full sun, dirt-road style, no tables at sites. The cool thing is that you’re in an oasis."

    "We stumbled upon Camp Washington Ranch when looking for someplace to stay near Carlsbad Caverns. It is an interesting property."

    7. Horseshoe Creek RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Carlsbad, NM
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 361-0976

    $40 / night

    "Only $185/week w/ full hook ups! Nice big camp spots, Laundry, Ice Machine, Basketball Court, Horseshoe pit."

    8. Mountain View RV Park

    1 Review
    Salt Flat, TX
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (915) 500-9057

    $30 / night

    "They offer full hook ups and a Laundry Room. It is run by a friendly family who lives on the property. It is approximately 30 minutes to Guadaloupe, TX. Easy Access off the highway."

    9. Sunset Reef Campground

    43 Reviews
    Carlsbad Caverns, NM
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 234-5972

    "Great free campsite between Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Just a mile from the road but perfectly quiet."

    "It’s perfectly placed between the Caverns NP and Guadalupe mountains NP. It’s free and has a clean vault toilet and trash cans."

    10. Rattlesnake Canyon - Backcountry Camping — Carlsbad Caverns National Park

    5 Reviews
    Whites City, NM
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 785-2232

    "Rattlesnake canyon- backcountry camping close to Carlsbad caverns- wayyy cooler than the KOA in town or the other camping options I've explored."

    "Permits are required for camping along the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail, but those are easily acquired at the visitor center."

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RV Park Reviews near Guadalupe Mountains National Park

304 Reviews of 25 Guadalupe Mountains National Park Campgrounds


  • J
    Jun. 11, 2019

    Whites City RV Park

    Good stay close to Carlsbad Caverns NP

    Overall not too bad of a campground. 15 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns National Park and less than 40 minutes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park. A little pricy in my opinion ($90 for 2 nights) but they have no competitors so they can charge whatever they want I guess. Full hookups and a store right next door within walking distance.

  • Carlyne F.
    Feb. 8, 2021

    Whites City RV Park

    Whites City RV Park, NM

    The location is very convenient for anyone visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park, as the park entrance is only 7 miles from where we stayed. It’s also only 30 minutes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park, if you’re trying to visit two parks while staying in one place.

    The bathrooms were dirty and there was only one available to the whole campground. There was plenty of space to walk our dog, but no dog park and no doggie bags available.

    One perk was having the store right next door in case you forgot to stop for groceries or want to grab a late night ice cream. There is also a restaurant across the street. Check the days they’re open before going though.

  • John M.
    Apr. 17, 2022

    Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

    Perfect location for Caverns

    A very nice campground with brand new bath houses. Nice laundry facilities. Gift store with ice cream, yes. Very convenient to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and to Carlsbad, New Mexico. Nice indoorheated pool and a family-friendly environment. Treats for your dog and several dog parks fort off leash fun. We managed to get one of these shaded sites for our pop-up trailer.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 21, 2022

    Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

    Carlsbad RV Campground

    Large RV campground. Some long term spots available. Full hook-ups. Level spots on gravel. Pool, laundry and camp store. Hosts were fantastic.

  • Toni S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 20, 2023

    Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

    Great stopover for Carlsbad Caverns visit

    Full service campground with many amenities. Indoor pool, laundry facilities, showers and bathrooms. Most sites are full sun with a few partial shade. Level sites. Gravel pads with picnic tables. Helpful staff.

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 11, 2022

    Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

    Awesome Campground

    The campground is beautifully kept. Sites are easy to get into lots of room. Big rig sites too. Dog run if you have a dog. Water pressure is amazing, make sure you have a regulator. Indoor heated pool, laundry, small store, play area, dump stations, and tons of sites. They give you a gate card so if you leave the campground you can get back in after hours so the place is safe. We had a serious problem with our deisel pusher and the managers referred us to a person they use. The gentleman came out the very next day and literally saved our lives as the fuel rails were leaking. I've never been so thankful for a person! We really enjoyed staying here. Visited the Caverns and a local pizza joint. Managers have lots of referrals on hand. Would definitely come back here. If you come here and need help with your RV ask for Sam the Mechanic, he's the best!

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 11, 2018

    Carlsbad RV Park & Campground

    Closest Carlsbad Campground to the Caverns

    Let's start with the fact that there are few actually camping areas close to Carlsbad Caverns or Guadalupe National Park. Assuming travelers are coming to Carlsbad to see these great places, the location becomes a major player. Fine print: there is a small campground (absolutely no amenity campground) in Guadalupe National Park which is first-come, first-serve (aka: full), and there a campground in White's City--although having driven past it, I don't think I want to stay there.

    Carlsbad RV Park is primarily an RV Park. In fact, while we were there, they were bulldozing their only tent sites and I'm not sure if they are upgrading them or replacing them with more RV sites. So the "tent" site status is tentative. As with most RV Parks, the RVs are crammed in, side by side, and really the place is like an RV parking lot with amenities and hook-ups--but they do appear to be mostly pull through and the staff will show the way to go to pull through without hiccups. These are not spacious by any means. We stayed in one of two cabins, which were very reasonably priced, esp. when comparing to Carlsbad KOA. They even came with a cable and a fridge.

    The RV Park (like all of the RV Parks in Carlsbad) has overall become a residence for the oil field workers, so be prepared to try and sleep through the 4 a.m. traffic rush out of camp to oil field. However, the neighbors are pleasant and quiet to have, even if they must drive away before the roosters announce the coming of the sun.

    The park has gated access and we felt very safe during our stay. There is a playground that was being bulldozed with the tent site; I am unsure if it is being upgraded or eliminated. There is a camp store, a pool, a game room, showers (which were ok), laundry, a dishwashing sink, picnic tables at the cabins, and universal fire pit. Please note that I am inherently biased against parking lot style RV parks--so 2 stars from me for an RV Park is quite a compliment.

    Carlsbad RV Park and Carlsbad KOA direct comparison: we have stayed at both the Carlsbad KOA and the Carlsbad RV Park. The KOA is NOT actually in Carlsbad, and is over an hour away from Carlsbad Caverns and 30 minutes from town. On the other hand, the RV Park is at the southern end of town and only 30 minutes to the Caverns. While the KOA lots are more spacious, they offer no more and no fewer amenities than the RV Park…well the KOA sort-of offers meals but the RV Park is right in town, so delivery is an option. The basic, no frill KOA cabins cost double the RV Park charges. Additionally, the KOA staff was not as friendly or as helpful as the RV Park staff, imho.

    While in Carlsbad check out Fiesta Drive-In for one of America's few remaining drive-in movie theaters.

  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 4, 2024

    Dog Canyon Campground — Guadalupe Mountains National Park

    RV Area - Nice Virw

    Dog Canyon RV area: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

    (71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)

    Overall Rating: 3.5 Price 2024: $ 10 winteragency pass Security: No Usage during visit: 50 to 100%, however there are more no shows than usually experienced elsewhere. Site Privacy: No Site Spacing: Close Pad surface: Gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet Outside Road Noise: This campground is the end of the road. Through Traffic in campground: Hiker parking area across from the RV sites Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: No Potable Water Available: Yes. I didn’t notice the hand pump to the left of the trailhead the first couple days here. Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Flush toilets are a short walk, located in the tent camping area. There is also a heated bathroom at the visitor center which is a short distance further.
    Showers: No Pull Throughs: All 4 sites are back in Cell Service (AT&T): No bars. There is WiFi at the visitor center. We were able to periodically pick up WiFi at our campsite, RV- D. Setting: Surrounded by ridges. Recent Weather: Very windy and cold nights.
    Solar: Excellent.
    Insects: None Host: Not filled.
    Rig Size: i cannot imagine that these sites will accommodate rigs over 25’. Sites: RV-A, and RV-D are on the ends. These are the best sites. RV-A door faces horse trailer parking area. No horse there trailers during our stay. RV- D is the best site if you can park your RV nose first. This makes sitting area more private . In RV- D and RV-A sites the occupant can spread out more.

  • CC C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 13, 2022

    Parks Ranch Campground

    Great overnight spot close to caverns

    Stayed here while seeing the Carlsbad caverns. Great free spot close to whites city with laundry and showers as well as the national park. Close enough to highway where you can see headlights in the distance but you can’t hear the noise at all. Level site, and some spots big enough for big rigs. We stayed in early Feb, and the weather was chilly at night but 50’s during the day. Great spot.


Guide to Guadalupe Mountains National Park

RV camping near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas offers a variety of options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore the stunning landscapes and unique geological features of the area.

Big rigs should check out Whites City RV Park

  • Whites City RV Park provides spacious sites with full hookups, making it a great choice for larger RVs.
  • The park features a convenient location just minutes from Carlsbad Caverns, perfect for those planning to visit the national park.
  • With amenities like laundry facilities and a gift shop, this park caters well to RV travelers.

Most parks have electrical and sewer hookups

  • At Carlsbad RV Park & Campground, you’ll find well-maintained sites with both water and electric hookups, ideal for a comfortable stay.
  • Horseshoe Creek RV Park offers full hookups and a friendly atmosphere, making it a solid choice for RV campers.
  • Windmill RV Park features essential amenities including sewer hookups, ensuring a hassle-free experience for RV travelers.

Some prices for RV Parks range from $45 to $185

  • Rates at Buds Place RV Park start at around $45 per night, providing a budget-friendly option for campers.
  • For those looking for a longer stay, Horseshoe Creek RV Park offers weekly rates at approximately $185, which includes full hookups.
  • Whites City RV Campground is another option, with competitive pricing and essential amenities for RV camping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Horseshoe Creek RV Park a good option for visiting Guadalupe Mountains?

While specific reviews for Horseshoe Creek RV Park are limited in relation to Guadalupe Mountains National Park visits, comparable alternatives provide better documented experiences. Limestone Campground — Brantley Lake State Park offers electric and water hookups, clean showers, and nicely spaced sites with picnic tables and covered patio areas. Though slightly farther from Guadalupe Mountains, the amenities and lake views make it worth considering. Alternatively, Parks Ranch Campground provides a free option with level sites large enough for big rigs while still being reasonably close to both Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns.

Where can I find RV camping near Guadalupe Mountains National Park?

Several RV-friendly options exist near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Whites City RV Park is located about 40 minutes from the park entrance, offering full hookups and a convenient store. It serves as a strategic base for visiting both Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns. For those seeking RV camping within the national park itself, Dog Canyon Campground — Guadalupe Mountains National Park provides dedicated RV sites, though with limited amenities. The campground experiences moderate usage with occasional no-shows, making it potentially available even without advance reservations during certain periods.

What campgrounds are available near Guadalupe Mountains National Park?

Beyond RV-specific sites, several diverse camping options surround Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Carlsbad RV Park & Campground offers a full-service experience with amenities including an indoor heated pool, laundry facilities, and level gravel pads. For budget travelers, Sunset Reef Campground provides free camping between Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains. This site sits just a mile from the main road yet remains quiet, with clean facilities including a pit toilet. While not the most private, the newer sites make it a practical option for those exploring both parks.