Desert camping in New Mexico with horseback riding

Explore ancient pueblos, soak in restorative springs, and see Mission-style architecture in this southwestern state.

95% (1692 reviews)
95% (1692 reviews)

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12 top desert campgrounds in New Mexico with horseback riding

100%
(46)

NO. 10 RANCH

5 sites · Lodging40 acres · Estancia, NM
This cabin sits on a ranch that's been in this breathtaking valley for generations. There are six other amazing cabins spread throughout the 40 acres. We are only 14 miles from Manzano Mountains and about 31 miles from Salinas Pueblo Missions National Park. This particular cabin was once a pig barn and this ranch was once a fully operational ranch that served its owners and community so well. Wide open fields with grass that sways in the gentle breeze, pinon a cedar trees that provide cover to the deer that graze and bed down across the property and some of the most stunning views come together to create an experience that will stick with you an entire lifetime. 4WD is recommended to reach the cabin safely. We purchased this ranch in the winter of 2021 and are just so grateful for the chance to love and care for it...and share it with YOU! Provided there are not fire bans, enjoy snugging up to a warm campfire.
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$37
 / night
98%
(154)

HarmonyTaos Regenerative Farm

5 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents4 acres · Taos, NM
Fall is winding down. Temperatures are still mild with nights getting into the forties now. Days are perfect around 75-80 mid day. The campfire has been going during some evenings. I have the calendar turned on for all sites . The glamping site will be down after November 1, if you missed it this year, you can book it starting in April of 2025. The other sites will be available all winter for sprinters and the like for you hearty folks. If I am home mid winter, I may take pity on you and invite you in for a bowl of hearty soup and sit by the fireplace. The glamping site is open til October 31. (Then back open again April 1.) Come stay in the bell tent with or without linens. (extra fee for linens). Harmony Taos is a regenerative farm located on approximately 4 acres, just minutes from the town of Taos. We specialize in Permaculture and teaching. Come enjoy the butterflies, raptors, magpies and hummingbirds fluttering throughout the orchards, ponderosas, vegetable gardens, and flowers on our organic community farm. Join us for camping, weekly yoga classes, monthly soup nights, ceremonies, and cultural events throughout the warmer months. Latest Offerings: I hav decided to open up my intuitive practice to visitors. DM Anastasia if you would like an intuitive reading and clearing. 90 minutes long. We will focus on getting to the underlying beliefs that are holding you back, then clearing them together. RENT THE ENTIRE PROPERTY: DM the host for availability and rates. Pitch your tent at one of our 2 drive-in mountain view campsites, located on the lush grounds of our regenerative agriculture farm and gardens. Or book the overflow site for larger vehicles. Rest and rejuvenate in this quiet haven, nestled below the canyon yet just minutes from town. Sites Uno and Dos has access to a beautifully equipped bathhouse, picnic tables, and an outdoor cold water washing area . (during winter months, the picnic tables and outdoor sink are not available) Overflow Tres has access to the stunning bathhouse as well. Overflow Tres is more primitive with a dirt base and can accommodate larger vehicles. Campsite UNO: Uno fits a small trailer and/ or a RV. If you are pulling 20 plus feet or a large RV, book the overflow site Tres to be safe.. You will need to be proficient at backing it into Campsite Uno. This site can accommodate two vehicles. Campsite DOS: It is large enough for a sprinter or smaller camper van. You can pull right in. You will need to back out to depart. It now accommodates two vehicles (two cars, a sprinter and a car, a car with teardrop and another car.) Overflow TRES: can accommodate almost any fifth wheel and you can turn around. It is a dirt area and primitive. The walk to the bathhouse is about 200 feet.. If you are traveling with another RV or trailer, you can both fit in. FYI: last .25 mi is level but potholed dirt road. Do not plan to pitch tents at overflow as it is dirt only. Glampiing Site : Deluxe bamboo encased memory foam king bed (breaks down to two twin beds). Stellar views of the mountains . BYO bedding or DM host for full sheets and towels set up. It will be taken down starting Nov. 1 2024 until April 2025. There is power in the bathhouse for charging phones. but there are no dedicated electrical hook ups for RVs. However, you can text the owner if you want to use a converter and access a nearby ( For Sites Uno and Dos) outlet with your extension cord for additional fee of $20.00 per day. IF you have more than a small sack of garbage, TAKE IT WITH YOU. We are a small farm and cannot accommodate everyones accumulated garbage from their travels. EVENTS: Harmony Taos Farm is open in 2025 for day long or weekend events. Weddings, family gatherings, teachers. Yoga. There are a number of options including large 12 person tent with heater. The indoor Living room of the main building holds 25-30 for gatherings. There are numerous areas around the farm that lend themselves to ceremony, gathering, etc. Harmony Farm is an excellent wedding venue. There are 4 types of accommodations (hotels, lodges, Inns, rental homes) within 1 mile of the property should you wish to use the site for your wedding and invite guests who require a hotel etc. And of course there are plenty of tent sites available at Harmony. If you rent the entire property, more tent sites can be accommodated than listed here. Harmony host Anastasia can also arrange for catering, flowers, music, party rentals, etc. DM the host with any requests and day use rates. Things to know: This is the hosts homesite and farm. You will be camping near the host's actual home.
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$48
 / night
92%
(42)

Smugglers' Roost

10 sites · RVs49 acres · Animas, NM
Smugglers' Roost is located in Animas, NM, situated at the site of the infamous Clanton Gang’s hideout along Smuggler’s Trail. The community is positioned along the original Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Winter Route; a short two hour drive from Las Cruces , New Mexico or just 2.5-hours from either El Paso, Texas or Tucson, Arizona. We are located in the Middle of Everywhere, surrounded by wealth of wide-ranging activities and natural amenities which include extraordinary, yet uncrowded state and national recreation areas, caves, mines, ghost towns, museums, historic locations, native sites, observatories, local wineries and micro-breweries. Learn more about this land: Bring your RV and join us at Smugglers' Roost for our warm sunny days and starlit nights! We are a pioneering community which serves as a hub for exploration, creativity, trade and most of all... the passionate celebration of life! We offer 228 Full Hook-up RV Sites with 50-amp electric, water, commercial septic and free high-speed Wi-Fi. Pull-throughs are available and there's plenty of room to spread out! Smugglers' Roost is located in Animas, NM, situated at the site of the infamous Clanton Gang’s hideout along Smuggler’s Trail. The community is positioned along the original Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Winter Route; a short two hour drive from Las Cruces , New Mexico or just 2.5-hours from either El Paso, Texas or Tucson, Arizona. We are located in the Middle of Everywhere, surrounded by a treasure trove of wide-ranging activities and natural amenities which include extraordinary, yet uncrowded state and national recreation areas, caves, mines, ghost towns, museums, historic locations, native sites, observatories, local wineries and micro-breweries. BIRD WITH US! We offer an onsite birding station and three additional affiliated and nationally acclaimed birding sites, including one at the mouth of the famed Cave Creek Canyon in Portal, AZ only a short drive away. EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE! Our dead-dark night skies are nothing short of awe-inspiring, so come explore with our onsite star guides with telescopes!
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$28
 / night
95%
(247)

Healing on the Rio Grande !

19 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents1 acre · Albuquerque, NM
Come to New Mexico ! The Land of Enchantment. Sing Chants to the Moon, The Sun, The Rain, The Stars , The Beautiful Land and the Ancestors ! HAPPY 2024, The Year of the Dragon. We won , an award with Hipcamp, Best of 2023 !!!! - out of a list of many great places in NM . 2024 will be yet another great year ! We love hosting, this will be out 7th year . We are so happy to Host . Come enjoy organic . Urban Permaculture . Awesome, thanks for loving on our peaceful garden. It is an honor to serve the traveler, the camper, sweet tourist , wild vacationer , folks visiting friends and family , the many folks who explore and folks on grand adventures. We love to camp as well. BE OUTSIDE ! Heal from Nature . We have a lot to offer. Our place is good for folks who work on the road, Great WIFI ! Easy to manage a job while on the road . Eat flowers and herbs. There is a great herb store , herbal clinic and more . Just down the road, called, RED ROOT , next to the Food Co-op on Rio Grande Blvd. Our Space is in the heart of the Griegos Neighborhood , A very old style , old world area. Safe area. Same Hispanic families have lived here since 1712, no joke, that is real. Rural feel for an urban / suburban setting , space space, off street parking. We are NOT an RV park nor are we a " camp ground " . We Are an Organic Garden ( Urban Permaculture ) that you can stay inside a magical, growing goodness space . This place is very, very private . The parking area is not private . Our road is dead end , very low traffic . The garden wall around the whole tent area has a 6 foot tall , very thick wall , and trees , surrounding every thing. There is a forest and pond for ducks behind the garden . Our place is for Wildlife, to be fed, and given water and safe space to raise young. We are located in an area where the birds of the world fly from the north to the south and then change direction each season. Many lizards . Many wild mammals . There are many farms in the area. With Horses , goats , chickens , ducks , mules, donkeys , other livestock . We have no pets and no livestock. At night this is dark ( we do have solar lights on walk ways ) and it is peaceful. A safe zone for travelers . Serene , gentle and lovely . You get your privacy . New Mexico is so amazing, all year . We have inside space in Fall / Winter . Welcome to Mother Bosque Garden . Started in Corrales NM in 2010 . We are in the North valley of Albuquerque New Mexico 87107. The same families have lived here for 100, 200, 300 plus years . 1000s of years . Native people have lived in this valley for close to 20,000 years more . The Rio Grande is very close by ( 2 miles west of us ) bike or by car . We are close to route 40 and route 25, just 7 mins. away . There is a Food Co-op with in a 5 mins. drive . And a regular store and gas within one mile of our place. Come eat Traditional New Mexican Foods and Heal with Very Living Traditional New Mexican Herbal Medicines . Relax, rest, find repose. Happy travels, happy hiking, happy sleeping under the stars, happy home made food, happy resting. Old Town is close by, so is the Rio Grande River and Nature Center ( 2 miles up the street ) . So many things in our area to see, to do, learn history . Awesome food, music and arts/ crafts, everywhere. So much activity all over. SO MANY CULTURES and Languages , so much diversity !
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$45
 / night
100%
(27)

Plateau Hame De Colquhoun

5 sites · RVs, Tents15 acres · Bosque, NM
Our family purchased this land in January of 2020 with living on and building a tiny house. Along the way we plan on setting up a couple campsites and have a few small events.Learn more about this land:Here at Plateau Hame De Colquhoun our goal is to live off our land without leaving much of a carbon footprint. We have opened our land in hopes that others can come be themselves, relax, explore, learn or teach within a safe Environment! Plateau Hame De Colquhoun is reasonably private and you can make your visit your own. Enjoy being yourself amongst the space.. 420 friendly. Located on edge of the Mesa overlooking the Rio Grande with beautiful mountains views, keep in mind this is an ongoing project and much of the land is untamed and in all its natural glory. *Snakes, other wild life included* Like the lives of pioneers before us the amenities are sparse. If you enjoy ruggedness and serene isolation with majestic views of the local mountain ranges, then this is your place to visit.
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$12
 / night
91%
(27)

Perry Farms RV Park

15 sites · RVs, Tents40 acres · Socorro, NM
Perry Farms is the home place of the Perry Family, established in 1980, and provided much open space for the children to grow and play. It is located in the northern edges of the Chihuahuan Desert. Native fauna and flora as well as beautiful blue skies, with millions of stars provide peaceful, quiet moments of nature. Learn more about this land: Desert Camp consists of six RV spots with full hookups (electricity-30 and 50 amp, septic, water, and WIFI) and 11 unimproved tent camping areas on family property of Perry Farms. The land has arroyos, mesas, lots of flat areas to car camp, pitch a tent or sleep on the ground under the beautiful, dark New Mexico skies. There are also a few places to hang a hammock.  To the west, there are miles and miles to hike, mountain bike, or just enjoy the view of the Magdalena Mountains.  Neighbors are quiet and you can choose a spot away from anyone.
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$20
 / night
95%
(29)

El Mistico

7 sites · Lodging30 acres · Nogal, NM
Unplug from the city to soak up in nature and experience El Mistico Ranch. El Mistico Ranch consist of 30 acres of natural high desert land with natural spring waters, nearby Lincoln National Forest as our next door neighbor, you are actually just a short drive to Capitan for basic services and shopping; Ruidoso for arts, golf, dining, skiing, and more. The climate is mild here and the property is vegetated with pinon pine, juniper, and a variety of cacti. We're delighted to introduce you to Chester, our friendly Saint Bernard. At just a year old, Chester is a gentle giant with a heart of gold, spreading joy to all who visit. Chester not only brings warmth and joy to our guests but also plays an important role in taking care of the property. He roams around the ranch, ensuring that everything is in order and providing a sense of security to our guests. Sometimes, he even accompanies guests to their units to ensure they arrive safely.
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$148.50
 / night
96%
(14)

Pristine High Desert Wilderness

10 sites · RVs, Tents160 acres · San Antonito, NM
Here is a beautiful wide-open 160 acre site in the Socorro High Desert with wonderful scenic views of the Magdalena Mountains to your West and the Rio Grande Basin to your East. ⛰🚵‍♀️ A small circular road has been carved onsite with plenty of cleared out camping spaces along its length. Excellent terrain for ATVs and Jeep’s! 🌵🏍 Feel free to bring wood and start a fire. 🔥 Please don't harvest wood onsite as I am in the process of regenerating the land through permaculture and need all the organic material I can spare. Amazing Stargazing Opportunities! 🌌 Perfect for a Peaceful Trip in Nature. 🍄 Plenty of safe space to do whatever you want, just be mindful of the Land and your Neighbors. ⛺️ Bring shade! Brief Directions for Those Without Internet: Exit the I-25 at San Marcial onto Highway 178/Willow Springs Ranch Road. At the end off the off-ramp you're going to turn right at the stop sign and drive West towards the Magdalena Mountains. You'll pretty quickly cross over a cattle-guard and then be on a dirt road for the remainder of the drive, but it's very well maintained by the county, so don't worry! Keep going West towards the mountains for about five miles until you cross over another cattle-guard. Shortly after this second cattle-guard you'll come across a four-way intersection where Sunset Vista bisects Willow Springs Ranch Rd. A lot of the signage gets blown over out here, so this may or may not be adequately marked. Turn left at the intersection. Drive about 2600ft and you'll cross over one last cattle-guard and quickly notice three cairns on your left. These sort of notate the upper Northwestern corner of the property. The next 2600ft beyond those three stacks of rocks is the Western face of the property. If you pass a big-wash you went too far. There's two dirt driveways leading into the property, making it pretty navigable in virtually any vehicle as well as dozens of cleared out sites.
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$13
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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Desert camping in New Mexico with horseback riding guide

Overview

In the southwestern US, New Mexico offers a distinct vibe not found elsewhere in the country, or even in the region. Here you’ll find Old West mining towns, restorative hot springs, and all sorts of historic sites, including ancient pueblos and protected national monuments, not to mention a distinct cuisine that borrows elements from Tex-Mex and Indigenous culinary traditions. You won’t be disappointed with the camping—the state offers a variety of terrains, from quiet forests to vast expanses of desert, and with five national forests, 30 state parks, and lots of untouched private land, there's no shortage of spots to set up a tent.

Where to go

Central and North Central New Mexico

New Mexico's Central and North-Central regions are home to many of the state's most popular cultural attractions, and both Albuquerque and Santa Fe are here. Area highlights include Bandelier National Monument and Petroglyph National Monument, as well as numerous pueblos. The most famous of these—the Taos Pueblo—is a UNESCO World Heritage site that has been continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years.

Northwest New Mexico

Cultural attractions abound in Northwestern New Mexico. Highlights include the Zuni Pueblo and the Acoma Pueblo—both the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Navajo Nation call this region home. Other points of interest include the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument, and El Mapais National Monument.

Northeast New Mexico

Situated where the Rocky Mountains give way to the Southwestern plains, this area is characterized by prairies, ranches, and Western charm. Popular historic and natural attractions include the Fort Union National Monument and the Capulin Volcano National Monument. Conchas Lake State Park and Ute Lake State Park offer ample opportunities for fishing, boating, and lakeside camping.

Southwest New Mexico

For a Wild West experience, head to the southwestern corner of the state. Here you'll find plenty of old ghost towns, historic mission communities, and pristine natural areas. The area is also rich with hot springs, particularly in the low-key spa town of Truth or Consequences.

Southeast New Mexico

Culture, history, and the great outdoors converge in southeastern New Mexico, home to both of the state's national parks (White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns) as well as a host of museums, from the New Mexico Museum of Space History to the Billy the Kid Museum in Fort Sumner. Fans of the paranormal won't want to miss Roswell, the site of the famous Area 51 UFO sightings and a de facto pilgrimage site for all things alien.

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