New Mexico camping, boat launches and trailhead logistics

Abiquiu Lake (Carson National Forest (Abiquiu)
Angel Peak National BLM Recreational Site (Bloomfield)
Aquirre Springs National BLM Recreational Site (see I10 Corridor below)
Bandelier National Monument (Cliff houses - Los Alamos)
Capulin Volcano National Monument (Raton)
Carson National Forest (Tres Piedras)
Cochiti Lake (Cochiti Pueblo)
Conchas Lake (Conchas)
Datil Well National BLM Recreational Site (Datil)
El Vado Lake (Carson National Forest (El Vado)
Heron Lake (Carson National Forest (Rutherford)
Kiowa National Grasslands (Clayton)
Lincoln National Forest (Cloudcroft)
Lower Gila Box Canyon (see I10 Corridor above) Navajo Lake (Navajo City)
Orilla Verde National BLM Recreational Site (Pilar)
Ute Lake (Logan)
Santa Fe National Forest (Sante Fe)
Santa Rosa Lake (Santa Rosa)
Santa Cruz Lake National BLM Recreational Site (Chimayo)
Sumner Lake (Ft. Sumner)
Valley Of Fires Natural BLM Recreational Site (Carrizozo)
Wild Rivers National BLM Recreation Site (Questa)
White Sands National Monument

New Mexico State Parks range from $8 for undeveloped sites to $18 for full hookups. Senior discounts? more info.

From its junction with US 550 in Aztec, take NM 516 west and turn right at the sign in about .25 miles. Follow this road .25 to the park headquarters.

This was a tough one. Take NM 516 west from Aztec to Farmington. On the east side of Farmington is a Wal-Mart on the right. It is 5.5 miles to a 2nd Wal-Mart, also on the right. Turn left on Murray Street at Blake's, the 2nd light past Wal-Mart (including the Wal-Mart turn). Go .8 miles and turn right onto NM 371. Follow NM 371 34.7 miles to mm 71.4 and turn left onto CR 7297 at the Bisti sign. Note:Do not turn at the Bisti sign at mm 77. Go 1.8 miles on a gravel road. Turn left at the 'T' and go 1.2 miles to the signed parking area on the right (not .8 miles).

Several camping spots before and after the trailhead. The Wal-Mart on the west side of Farmington allows overnight parking. Dunno about the one on the east side.

Follow the road 100 yards or so past the parking area and turn left where you can. There are hoodoos beyond as well as a couple of camping spots.

After entering through the fence at the parking area I turned right to the area 1/2 mile in the distance for interesting formations.

After entering through the fence at the parking area bear right around the hills. Follow the fence around until it dead ends at a wall. Then just wander off to the right. Lots of mushroom hoodoos 100 yards. Farther on, if you bear to the right you'll come to another flat land. A canyon to the north has lots of hoo doos at the entrance. Dunno what lies beyond.

After entering through the fence at the parking area head for the two red hills in the distance. Hoo doos beyond. More hoo doos near the two black peaks in the distance. Canyon 2 miles from parking area with lots of hoo doos in the canyon and before it.

Monticello
Springtime
Cibola National Forest
12 S of I-25 Exit 115, NM 1, FR 225 (high clearance vehicles only). Free, 14 day limit, 6 sites, no RVs, Apr-Nov. more info.

Monticello
Luna Park
Cibola National Forest
8 NE of Monticello, FR 139 & FR 225 (high clearance vehicles only). Free, 14 day limit, 3 sites, no RVs, Apr-Nov. more info.

Magdelena
Hughes Mill
Cibola National Forest
26 SW of Magdalena, US 60 & NM 168. Free, 14 day limit, 2 sites, 20ft RV limit, May-Oct. more info.

Magdelena
Bear Trap
Cibola National Forest
25 SW of Magdalena, US 60 & NM 168. Free, 14 day limit, 4 sites, 20ft RV limit, May-Oct. more info.

Magdelena
Water Canyon
Cibola National Forest
16 SE of Magdalena, US 60 & FR235 . Free, 14 day limit, 14 sites, 22ft RV limit, Mar-Nov. more info.

Can't sleep in truck in tenting area. RV area is nothing but a parking lot. Truck traffic flows up into campground without the wind.

Carlsbad, Brantley Lake State Park Primitive $8 Developed $14 (includes entrance fees)

On the east side of Farmington is a Wal-Mart on the right. It is 5.5 miles to a 2nd Wal-Mart, also on the right. Turn left on Murray Street at Blake's, the 2nd light past Wal-Mart (including the Wal-Mart turn). Go .8 miles and turn right onto NM 371. Folloq NM 371 70 miles to mm 30.5. Turn left onto East Route 9 at the Chaco Canyon sign. Go 12.6 miles and turn left on the rough, stoney, bumpy, washer board road. Follow it 18 miles to the visitor center.

Gallo Canyon Campground east of the visitor center. $10/night. Flush toilets, dumpsters, water at the visitor center.

On the east side of Farmington is a Wal-Mart on the right. It is 5.5 miles to a 2nd Wal-Mart, also on the right. Turn left on Murray Street at Blake's, the 2nd light past Wal-Mart (including the Wal-Mart turn). Go .8 miles and turn right onto NM 371. Follow NM 371 Follow it about 50 miles to mm 62.5 and turn left onto CR 7555 at the De-Na-Zin sign. Go 9 miles and look for a small parking area and a De-Na-Zin sign(?).

From Bloomfield: Follow US 550 south for about 30 miles. Turn right onto CR 75xx between El Heurfano Trading Post and about 3 miles before Blanco Trading Post. Go 9 miles and look for a small parking area and a De-Na-Zin sign(?).

Airplane noise, some street noise. If water's turned off there's no fee (winter)

Black Range District, Crest Trail North - Gila National Forest Emory Pass Vista Road

Black Range District, Crest Trail South - Gila National Forest Emory Pass Vista turnoff

Lake Roberts Area, Trail 96 - Exiting Gila National Forest Sapillo Group Camping area turn left (northwest) and go 1.5 miles on NM 35. Turn right at the trail sign and trailhead.

Gila Cliff Area, Little Bear Canyon Trail - Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument TJ's Corral parking area

Gila Cliff Area, Middle Fork Trail - Beyond Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Visitor Center parking lot

Gila Cliff Area, McKenna Park Trail - Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Woody's Corral parking area

Gila Cliff Area, West Fork Loop Trail - Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument TJ's Corral parking area

Gila Cliff Area, Stock Loop Trail - Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument TJ's Corral parking area

Gila Cliff Area, Gila Flats Trail - Gila National Forest between mile markers 32 & 33

Glenwood District, Holt Spring Trail (Trail # 181)- From the Leopold Vista Picnic Area on US 180 in the Gila National Forest drive north towards Glenwood 3.5 miles. Turn right on the dirt road at the Trail 181 trail sign. Follow dirt road four miles to the trailhead at the end.

Glenwood District, Catwalk Trail & Whitewater Canyon Trail (Trail # 207) - From US 180 in Glenwood turn right on NM 174 and follow it 4-5 miles to the Whitewater Canyon Picnic Area in the Gila National Forest.

Lordsburg
Lower Gila Box Canyon
Bureau of Land Management
To access the Gila Lower Box Canyon, take U.S. 70 West from Lordsburg 1.5 miles to New Mexico 464. Go North on NM 464 for 14 miles, and turn West on the bladed County Road. There are three access points to the river -- by turning North off the County Road at 3.5, 6, and 8 miles. The first road (3.5 miles off NM 464) goes North 3.5 miles to the river at Nichol's Canyon, where you can park and camp under majestic cottonwood trees. Motor vehicles are limited to three access routes to the river in Nichol's Canyon, and off-road use is prohibited. The other access roads (at 6 and 8 miles off NM 464) take you to the canyon rim at Fisherman's Point and Spring-on-the-Bluff, where you will need to take fishing access trails down to the river. more info.

Demming
Rockhound State Park
From Deming, take N.M. 11 south for 5 miles, and then go east on N.M. 141 for about 9 miles. more info.

Los Cruces
Aquirre Springs National Recreation Site
Organ Mountain Recreation Area
Bureau of Land Management
Take US70 for 14 miles east of the I25/US70 interchange in Las Cruces, then turn south on the Aguirre Spring Road (1.1 miles after San Augustine Pass) for 6 miles. At mile 4 the road becomes a one-way loop and climbs steeply. $3/night, 14 day limit, 53 sites, 22ft RV limit, no drinking water, vault toilets, trash barrels. more info.

Los Cruces
Leasburg Dam State Park
15 miles north of Las Cruces on I-25. Take exit 19, turn left and take NM 157 west to the park entrance. $3/night, 14 day limit, 31 sites, 36ft RV limit, drinking water, toilets, showers, hookups, dump station. more info.

New Mexico Trip Logistics