Face it, you don't go to Chaco Canyon, or Chaco Culture National Historical Park, for the camping experience. You go for the history, archaeology, ruins, mystery, astronomy and appreciation for the peoples who built these great houses 1200 years ago. But the facilities for tent camping are adequate-to-better, with very good restroom facilities and drinking water. No showers - carefully read the descriptions. No T-Mobile coverage to speak of, although if you make the climb up to Pueblo Alto to overlook Pueblo Bonito, I did get a weak signal that was good enough to download emails, but that was it.

Some of the campsites are closer to each other than others. The camp is arranged in a loop, generally I'd prefer to be toward the far end end of the loop for vehicle privacy. 

CAUTION: Pay attention to the weather and especially rain in the preceding days. I drove up to Chaco from Grants (from the south) and got stuck in about what turned out to be about a foot of mud under a few inches of standing water in a wash 4.4 miles from the Chaco Visitor's Center. Don't risk it! I drove out to the north on the road that connects to NM 550. That's the much preferred road IMO, and apparently the one also usually recommended by the NPS staff.

This San Diego County campground owes one of its stars to the only local business that has WiFi for travelers (my T-Mobile had zero bars, no coverage at all). That business is .25 miles from the campground and goes by names including "the malt shop," "the malt liquor shop", "Oak Shores Store," or "the only place in town with WiFi." It's a small multi-functional burger grill, ice cream store, convenience store, and well-stocked (if your beer tastes run solely to IPA) beer/wine store. The park allows alcohol only up to 20% alcohol content.

The shower and restroom facilities are good, the shower had plenty of hot water, 4 minutes for $.50, longer for more quarters. The campsites would be cramped if you had 3 or more in a row occupied. It's a confusing maze of one-way, one-lane 'streets' that aren't always consistent in their "one-way" and are number sequentially along the one-ways, site numbers only visible from the correct direction, but the signage for turns refers to the order that you'll come upon the sites, not numerically (i.e., "Sites 80-67"). 

This Lake Morena area has obviously seen its better days and probably not likely to regain the days when the lake was full. I won't be returning, but I did enjoy my three nights there. The ranger staff was helpful and attentive, with regular patrols.

68-year old, still tenderfoot tent camper. This was my first experience in California after three prior stays in Texas and Arizona. The San Diego County system centrally handles reservations of its campgrounds, which was fortunate for me. I mistakenly reserved one campground thinking it was another (my preferred, Potrero), but it was 30 miles away. Even though I paid for two nights in advance, their phone reservations help was superb and got me transferred without any hiccups. Big shout-out to the ranger at Potrero for suggesting. I interacted with several and they were all professional, friendly and helpful.

There's one central plumbed restroom and shower facility. Further out along the tent sites there was a hand portapotty. When you first drive in you'll go past a very large day-use area with its own facilities before you get to the overnight camping sites. Alcohol is permitted if alcohol content < 20%.

My site #7 was the last in the row of tent-only sites and appeared to be the largest with plenty of shade and flat pad site. Without seeing other tents it's a little hard to gauge size, but I'd guess walking by the other sites that there's probably at least 80-100 feet between tent pads, or even more. Lots of open spaces. The seven tent sites shared a couple (maybe more) of water spigots.

The primary annoyance was with the park's neighbors who seemingly had a whole pound of dogs who barked loudly through the nights. Given how otherwise silent it was, it was the barking was noticeable and to be distinguished from the coyotes, birds and owls. I think I also heard roosters crowing each morning as early as 3am.

The major event of my stay was the arrival of, as Steely Dan sang, "Here come those Santa Ana winds again …" At 5 a.m. the first morning, it was still and quiet as can be (sans the neighborhood dogs). A few minutes later, the winds hit. For the next 11 hours, surviving the wind 30-40 mph sustained winds, gusts over 50 was the only concern – both for my little tent and my car and myself due to the wind effects on the large trees surrounding us. In the end, there was no noticeable damage but seldom have I spent a full day out in the weather like that.

All in all, I'm not sure you could ask for more at about $25/night. Although I would've paid double if there were a no-wind option. I also had two great tent parties my second night, a couple about my age who were returning to California after summering in Baja, and a young woman from Germany traveling by herself around the world. Interesting neighbors to say the least.

At site #7 I had zero T-Mobile signal. Outside the Ranger Station I could get at most, 2 bars LTE.

Being from New Mexico, the few petroglyphs are a big yawn, especially given the amount of defacement and graffiti. But if you're looking for large, fairly separated, easy-in, easy-out RVing or tenting – cheap – this is the place. I arrived about 4:30am and waited in the entrance parking area until the hosts got up and around. They were very friendly and helpful. The fees seem to be inconsistently documented … the sign on the entrance map says $8 to overnight, then there's another sign that adds $2 for a day fee. But the host only asked me for $4, which included a 50% discount for a senior America the Beautiful pass. Some of the sites can be reserved, but most are first come, and there's no real difference in desirability.

The sites are HUGE compared to the few other campgrounds I've stayed at. They vary in size and usable space, but they do have concrete benches/seats and a fire pit. There are two restrooms at the entrance (one M, one W), plus at the far end there's a one-hole  vault.

The reviews that comment on the lack of shade have obviously been there on a day like I was there … this is early February. The day I arrived and the morning I left there was a combined total of ZERO clouds ever in the sky. How brutal is the sun? The air temp during the afternoon was in the mid-upper 60s; a temp gauge I brought recorded 91 in my tent sitting on a table near the corner with the two-sides both getting direct sunlight all day. I put it in the middle of the floor and it dropped to 83. When the sun set it was probably low 60s, but dropped to 37 when I got up at 6:30a to check it. This is the place for an awning or anything that makes shade.

I was in site #122 in the Cenizo Loop ($16). The $10 water-only tent sites weren't reservable and I needed the assurance of a site with a later arrival planned.  I arrived at 5:02p and the office had closed but my name and site were posted on the board and the person who was there said I just needed to return in the morning by 9 to check-in.

This loop was~80% occupied. I appeared to be the only tent camper, the others were RVs, vans or trailers. The sites are close together and sounds from more than one neighbor were regular, but not too annoying (save for one younger parent riding through with a boom box playing). My particular site didn't seemed cramped because the back side was brush, but the cleared space for a tent was limited and required  shortening the guy wires. 

Restroom w/showers was just one site away and didn't cause any noise issues. The facilities were marginal but functional, didn't use the shower.

Overall I'd say this would be average expectations. Definitely recommend studying the maps to choose a site carefully depending on your own priorities.

68 year-old solo camper getting ready to travel around the country, car/tent camping primarily. Haven't really camped since 1973, so I drove out to Lake Ray Roberts for a one-night trial for some new gear and knock off the rust. 

This was a terrific choice – Hawthorn Area #9, wooded area, 4th on the path from the Hawthorn parking lot to the other nine campsites on this loop (150 steps from campsite to car and restrooms, a little over 100 yards). As most (maybe all) of the campsites here, this was walk-in to the campsite from a common parking lot.

I walked around the rest of this loop and the adjoining one (16-40). Each campsite had a tent pad, picnic table, fire pit and lantern post. Mine was one of the more private in that I couldn't see another picnic table. However, with the trees and in some places tall grass, I would rate most of the sites as private. 

The next morning there were about half-dozen deer roaming around the area between my camp and the parking lot. There was only one other car in the parking lot overnight and they camped in one of the other areas. One of the lots (I think it was #13) actually had lake front. Others had views of the water. 

Depending on exact location you could see the dam and except for a few hours of the deepest night you could faintly hear the drone of road noise. But the near-full moon lit the area so well I walked to my car about 4:30 in the morning without a light and could see very well – it was really nice and bright. 

The Isle du Bois unit is at the far southeast corner of the lake, near the eastern end of the dam. The Hawthorn area is one of the first sites from the entrance, maybe a 5-minute drive.