Best place to tent camp in New Mexico???

Looking to take my 13 year old son on a daddy/son camping trip in early July. Wanting to get to the mountains for a change of scenery. Thinking New Mexico would be the closest place.

Anybody have any recommendations on where to tent camp in New Mexico? Hoping for mountain scenery, elk and deer spotting, hiking, streams. Would be fine with an established "camping" area with bathrooms, water, etc. But also don't want to be crowded by RV generators all day either.

Thanks for any suggestions you may have!

I would say go towards the south east part of the state, maybe around Cloudcroft, or Ruidoso. May PM Dogcatcher on here, he has place in Ruidoso and knows the area good.

Also, north of Ruidoso take the turn off like you were going to Ski Apache Ski Resort, Road number 532, there is forest road 117 just a few miles from the main highway that turns to the right that takes you up into the national forest to the Monjeau Fire Tower at the top of the mountain. Only a very few houses scattered along the way and lots of places to camp along the streams and near the top.

Pecos River. Camp at the last campground. Remember to stop in Pecos and buy firewood if campfires are allowed.

I can tell you that the Florida Mtns isn't the place to go. The winds there where horrible and after a week, my tent was destroyed and I ended up sleeping in the back of my Ford Bronco.

I've always thought the area near the Colorado boarder is really nice. I've only driven it a few times, but every time I saw plenty of wildlife there and would consider it as a place I might possible move to when I retire.

lots of places in the Gila. Might look into the Gila Cliff Dwellings. Plenty of camping in the general area, wildlife, lakes and camping. Thats in the Mimbres area. Cibola is also great country. One thing about NM is they have plenty of public camping areas in pristine areas.

Try the Gila near Lake Roberts. Head up North Star rd about 15 miles.

Lake Roberts is just Roberts for the last year or more lol. Its drained while they are working on the dam. Still a nice area just no lake. Closer to town further north you can check out Bear Lake. They have a waterfall but its private camping.

For the Ruidoso area, this one is closed as of now, but I read somewhere it is supposed to be reopen this summer. The Little Bear Fire that was 2 years ago still has things up in the air as to when they will open.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/lincoln/recarea/?recid=34200

Lincoln National Forest website. http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/southwst/linc.htm

I would also suggest calling the Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce. (575) 257-7395

Be aware of any of the fire restrictions, and keep track of them daily.

I'll second the Gila cliff dwellings and the surrounding eastern portion of the Gila national forest. Plenty of water access and trail hiking unless it's the raining season then the multiple River crossings can get a little deep.

Another place I really enjoyed was camping in the Jemenez National Recreation area and driving over to hike in the Bandeleier Natl monument. Some amazing scenery and incredible cliff dwellings/Indian ruins. This is just north of Santa Fe and South, SW of Los Alamos.

As others have mentioned, Carson, Cibola, Lincoln national forests. Just have to be cognizant of where water is or is not. Some seasonal rivers/streams but hopefully with El Nino this year there will be plenty of water.

Thanks everyone! Great suggestions and I'll check into them all!

I was wrong the Bonita Lake South Fork campground might open in 2016, not 2015.
http://www.ruidosonews.com/news/ci_27797...ty-set-for-2016

There are still the other Lincoln National Forest campgrounds in the above link. Rains have been pretty good this spring so they should have them open, but that can change in a heartbeat because of fire dangers. There are also campgrounds in the area around Cloudcroft, but I am not familiar with those.

A favorite place of ours that is not in New Mexico but in Texas, check out the FT Davis State Park in the FT Davis Mountains. You will also be close to Big Bend area, with the national park and state park in there. But I would chose FT Davis and definitely make a side trip to Balmorhea State Park's swimming pool.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/davis-mountains

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/balmorhea

I'll second the Gila NWA, I've only been in the area just north of Silver City but it was very nice.

If I had to pick one place though, I'd go to somewhere around Chama, in NW New Mexico. It's a great area, check it out and I bet you'll agree.

The Valle Vidal north of Questa has everything you mentioned. It was actually part of the famous Vermejo Ranch that the government took in to cover a tax lien about 20 years ago. Tons of elk, mule deer, bear. Great stream fishing and several lakes with world class trout. It is the prettiest place in New Mexico as far as I am concerned. Usually not overrun by people.

from what I have read and heard personally, the Lake Bonita area looks like a nuke went off there after the fires. I wouldn't go there for camping expecting to see much in the way of scenery. The lake is toxic from the ash and may never return to normal.

Very sad, I've caught trout out of there, sat on the bank and listen to Elk bugle in the fall.

We have allot of good camping options up in the Chama area of Northern NM. Lots of good fishing and looking at deer and elk. Message me if you need some details. Wouldn't come up here till mid July though.

Try the Cloudcroft, Sunspot area.

Third the gila and cliffs

Backpacked many times in the Gila. That would be my recommendation. Grab a couple of ultralights and 50 bucks worth of mepps and panther martins and have a blast. Lots of great little trout streams up there.

Cloudcroft is your best bet right now. All the spots I'd send you to in Ruidoso are moon scaped now - and the one that are left will probably have more traffic since they are fewer and far between.

As previously stated GILA NATIONAL FOREST and right next to it is the APACHE FOREST. Lake Roberts or Wall Lake are great; the Cat Walks and Mogollon will take you into an old mining town, and then camp along the Cherry Creek areas. July is usually very dry in New Mexico, so take plenty of water and stay hydrated.

If you end up in northern NM, take some guns along and stop by the NRA Whittington Center near Raton. It's a nice facility with a variety of ranges. They have onsite camping as well.

http://www.nrawc.org/

We used to camp outside of Cloud Croft.

When my BIL was in college he and some buddies would always go up to Red River. Lots to see and do.

I've camped at Conjillon Lakes which is northwest of Santa Fe and the Big Tesuque Campground near the Pecos Wilderness. Both were beautiful areas with light use (early June) when I was camped. Conjillon has a couple "lakes" that are stocked with trout and there are streams in the Pecos that have trout as well.

Spot on Huntwest. Rio Castillo Park. North of Questa. Has all your asking for.

i like gila area. sun flower mesa good place to camp with kid . have snow lake pretty close buy mogollon old mining ghost town close

I did Argentina trail by bonito lake this spring. It was burnt, but still looked good to me and going to keep looking better.