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Horse camping near Salt Flat, TX is limited but functional, with equestrian campgrounds offering corrals, potable water, and trail access in a remote high-desert setting. Dog Canyon Campground provides four RV sites and nine tent sites, with the RV sites arranged in a gravel parking lot. Behind the RV area is a horse corral, though usage appears to be infrequent according to visitor accounts. Water is available from a hand pump near the trailhead. The campground maintains flush toilets, trash facilities, and potable water, but does not offer electric hookups or sewer connections. Sites include picnic tables, and the campground is reservable for those planning stays in advance.
Located approximately 60 miles from the nearest gas station, Dog Canyon offers access to several hiking trails for day excursions. The remote location requires careful planning, with visitors advised to arrive with full fuel tanks and necessary supplies. The campground sits at a higher elevation than other park areas, resulting in cooler temperatures and more protection from the elements. While horses are allowed at the campground, trails within Guadalupe Mountains National Park do not permit pets or dogs. Winter visitors may experience strong winds exceeding 50 mph, and the area has no cell service, though WiFi is available at the visitor center. The night sky offers exceptional stargazing opportunities due to minimal light pollution.
"Be aware that the park is on mountain time but close enough to the central time zone border that your smartphone/watch may not display the correct time!"
"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."
from $20 - $60 / night
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GuideStayed in Dog Canyon for two nights. Every sunset and sunrise was jaw dropping. I loved the site I was in too, there were minimal trees blocking the mountains. I need to come back and summit the peak!!!!
TravelerShort walk to the campsites from the parking lot. The campground is extremely quiet and peaceful.
LegendDog 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.
GuideThis place is REMOTE! Like 1.5 hours away from any gas station remote. First and foremost make sure you fill up before you get off that highway. Whites City by Carlsbad is not to far. If youre coming that direction fill up before you go out there.
This campground does not have a lot of amenities. It has trash cans, a toilet, and some drinking fountains.. and the rest is nature. I really liked this place.
Dog Canyon is one of those places where the pictures just wont do it justice. Its big, youre little.
We spent 5 days @25$ a day
BATHROOOM SCORE: 3/5 # LEAKING TOILETS, LOW ON TOILET PAPER
STARLINK SCORE: 5/5
SOLAR SCORE:5/5
REMOTE WORKERS SCORE: 4/5
PS: the guys with the big trailers were not happy with the site... they are a little tight
TravelerWe first pulled up to the main campground and ranger station. The bathrooms were very dirty and not well kept. The campground for rv’s was just a parking lot. I held out hope for this campground and after a 2hr drive it was another parking lot for rv’s. Right next to each other. Luckily after the first night everyone else left and we were there all by ourselves until that night. Tent camping looked nicer.
LegendGeneral: small campground (four “RV” sites and nine tent sites (plus one group tent site). Access is remote (only one 60-mile paved option and one 30-mile dirt road alternative) so you need to make sure you have filled up with gas in Carlsbad as there are no services within many miles of the campground. No cell reception at all (not unexpected). Be aware that the park is on mountain time but close enough to the central time zone border that your smartphone/watch may not display the correct time!
Site Quality: The “RV” sites are just a gravel parking lot. Each site has a picnic table and while the sites are spaced a decent amount of distance apart, there is no physical separation between the sites. No hookups. The tent sites are walk-in.
Bathhouse: We were expecting a pit toilet in such a remote location but there is one men’s and one women’s bathroom with a flush toilet and sink. They were very clean. Soap dispensers but no paper towels. Although there was no hot water, the restrooms were heated, which was a nice bonus.
Activities: There is a .6-mile nature trail and several more challenging hiking trails. There was a horse corral behind the RV sites, but we did not see any horses while there. About 25 miles away is Sitting Bull Falls, a spring-fed waterfall that is a nice side trip.
We camped here because we were not able to get reservations in the other more popular campground in Guadalupe Mountains NP. Access between the two sides of the park is long (about 60 miles) so while this was a nice, comfortable campground, it is not easy to get to.
GuideThis campsite is very remote, but it is gorgeous. It’s quite small, with only 4 RV spots and several tent spots. There is no cell phone service, but there is free Wi-Fi available. There are bathrooms, but no showers. It’s about 1.5 hours from the closest gas station so make sure to fill up before heading in. Dogs are allowed at the campsite, but not on any of the trails. I definitely recommend this site if you are going to be hiking around the national parks (Guadalupe Mountain and Carlsbad Caverns). It was also very windy when we were there in December, so bring warm clothes!
TravelerThis was our first time visiting and it was absolutely amazing!!!! I will absolutely plan another trip back. The park Ranger (I can’t remember her name but I want to say it was Bev) was awesome. She was so kind and helpful and kept the park looking crisp and clean. We went the last week of February and stayed on a Sunday night. We were the only people in the park, including RVs and day-use. That creeped us out a bit since it’s so secluded and you don’t have cell service whatsoever, but the Ranger made us feel comfortable and like we had a friend there. I don’t know what it would be like during the busy season when it’s crowded because the campsites felt like they were on top of each other (like if you went camping with a group of people and you wanted to be close) but we didn’t have to worry about it since we were the only ones. My only complaint (and I didn’t dock a star on my review because it could’ve been that my fiancé and I just poorly planned and we also didn’t ask for help or clarification) was that the trails were not well marked. We hiked but we had no idea how far we went or what trail we were on, we just walked. That was frustrating because I wanted to keep going but I didn’t want to get lost, but the hiking was still gorgeous and enjoyable so I would still do it again.
The mountains are stunning but what keeps replaying over in my mind is the stargazing. I’m an amateur stargazer and I brought my telescope to check it out but unfortunately it was so cold and windy I couldn’t set it up long enough to use it. However, the stars were so bright and so vivid I couldn’t take my eyes off of the sky. And the moon came out over the mountains (which was almost a full moon) and it was like someone turned on a spot light on the campground. It was breathtaking.
We didn’t really get a pleasurable experience outside of that because it got so cold overnight (earlier that day the ranger warned us that it was supposed to be one of the coldest nights) and we weren’t really as prepared as we could’ve been so we ended up sleeping in the car with the heat on and leaving at first light but we are dying to go back again when it’s warmer. It also snowed incredibly heavily leaving the next day on our way out so the roads got pretty dangerous. Overall, still completely worth it!!!
If you go, at least take some binoculars for stargazing. You will absolutely not regret it!
GuideYou must carry your own water in. These are primitive desert backpacking sites. Since it is the first camp at the end of a fairly tough hike,it is often full. You must get a permit from the rangers to camp here. Fairly rocky, if you are lucky you will see elk. Beautiful night sky’s. The winds can be very brutal. (50 mph plus)
Dog Canyon Campground in Guadalupe Mountains National Park serves equestrians with specific facilities, though trail usage for horses remains limited. Located on the northern end of the park at higher elevation, this campground experiences temperature variations that can drop significantly at night, even during summer months. Winter visitors should prepare for extreme winds that frequently exceed 50 mph in this exposed location.
Hiking the McKittrick Canyon Trail: This trail offers diverse terrain and vegetation zones. "There is a .6-mile nature trail and several more challenging hiking trails," notes Lee D. about Dog Canyon Campground. Hikers should carry sufficient water as desert conditions can be deceptive even in cooler weather.
Stargazing at night: The remote location provides exceptional dark sky viewing opportunities. "Dog Canyon is one of those places where the pictures just won't do it justice. It's big, you're little," writes Kurtis S. about the expansive night sky views.
Wildlife observation: The varied terrain supports diverse wildlife. Campers may spot deer, various bird species, and occasionally larger mammals. Higher elevations in the backcountry provide different wildlife viewing opportunities than the lower desert areas.
Cooler temperatures: The higher elevation provides relief from Texas heat. "Due to the elevation, this campground is cooler and has more shelter than the Pine Springs campground," explains GoWhereYouAreDraw N. about Dog Canyon's microclimate advantage.
Accessible water sources: Unlike other primitive sites in the area, Dog Canyon provides potable water. "Water, bathrooms, and sinks for washing dishes were also really close to the site," reports Johnna C. about the convenient facilities.
Spacious campsites: The tent sites provide adequate space between neighbors. "The sites were fairly huge," notes Jasmine L., who appreciated the roominess despite the fire restrictions.
Remote location preparation: The campground requires extensive planning due to its isolation. "Access is remote (only one 60-mile paved option and one 30-mile dirt road alternative) so you need to make sure you have filled up with gas in Carlsbad as there are no services within many miles of the campground," cautions Lee D..
Fire restrictions: Open fires are prohibited throughout Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Campers must use propane stoves for cooking. Park regulations strictly enforce these rules due to the dry conditions and wildfire risk.
Cell service limitations: Communications remain extremely limited. "No cell reception at all (not unexpected)," confirms one camper. The visitor center offers WiFi, but signal strength varies significantly across the campground.
Water management: When backpacking with children to more remote sites, plan water needs carefully. "You must carry your own water in. These are primitive desert backpacking sites," warns Charles A. about the Pine Top wilderness area.
Weather precautions: The exposed location experiences significant weather fluctuations. "The winds can be very brutal. (50 mph plus)," notes one camper about conditions that can arise suddenly, requiring secure tent setups and extra layers for children.
Timing arrival strategically: Peak periods fill quickly, especially on weekends. "We arrived in the evening, and the place was full-up," reports Andrew R. about finding limited space. Families should arrive early or make reservations when possible.
Site selection considerations: The RV area has specific limitations to consider. "RV-A, and RV-D are on the ends. These are the best sites... RV-D is the best site if you can park your RV nose first. This makes sitting area more private," advises Roger W., who provides detailed site assessments.
Size restrictions: Large rigs face significant challenges in the tight spaces. "I cannot imagine that these sites will accommodate rigs over 25'," notes Roger W. The campground design favors smaller trailers and camper vans rather than large motorhomes.
Solar power reliance: With no hookups available, solar becomes essential. "Solar: Excellent," rates Roger W., indicating good sun exposure for solar panels. RVers should arrive with fully charged batteries and solar capability for extended stays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Salt Flat, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Salt Flat, TX is Dog Canyon Campground — Guadalupe Mountains National Park with a 4.3-star rating from 16 reviews.
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