Ruidoso Camping Guide
Discover the best places to camp in Ruidoso, New Mexico
Camp out in the beautiful mountains in and around Ruidoso, New Mexico. Sleep under the stars in pine-scented air. Choose from rustic forest service sites, remote wilderness camping, or full-service RV resorts with tent sites. Enjoy all the amenities Ruidoso has to offer plus biking and hiking trails, lakes, and much more.
Recommended Ruidoso camping ideas and experiences
Do your part to keep Ruidoso safe by keeping these wildfire prevention tips in mind before you leave home as well as on the trail to make for an enjoyable and safe outdoor experience in Ruidoso.
Need to know the best places to stock up on outdoor gear for backcountry outings in Ruidoso? Whether you are planning a camping vacation or you’ve forgotten something important, here's where to find everything you need for an outdoor getaway.
Grindstone Lake Campground remains CLOSED for the summer 2023 season.
Download these nature apps before your next Ruidoso outdoor vacation. Whether helping you to identify trees, flowers, birds, bugs, and stars, use these handy nature apps to inspire and inform your time outdoors in Ruidoso.
Whether you're roughing it in a tent, car camping, or traveling in an RV, there are many ways to make sure that your camping experience is fun and safe. Consider the following basic tips.
Break out the tents, hiking boots, and fishing rods because Mescalero Parks and Recreation has officially opened up Silver Lake, Eagle Creek and the Mescalero cabins for summertime fun.
With a convenient downtown location, a fitness room, dry sauna, and easy access to hiking trails, it’s no surprise that Midtown Mountain Campground & RV Park made RV Life’s Top 5 list of New Mexico dream RV stays.
Southfork Campground on the Smokey Bear Ranger District near Ruidoso, NM opened its gates for the first time in eight years on Friday, August 14, 2020. A campsite costs $20 per night, $5 per night for each additional vehicle, and is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Most of the fees will be used to further improve the campground.
If you’re willing to forgo the amenities of commercial campgrounds and RV Parks, the freedom to pitch your tent away in the wilderness of our national forests is available. “Dispersed camping,” as it’s called by the Forest Service, is legal camping in undeveloped campsites, often just off of forest access roads.
Useful Planning Information for Camping in Ruidoso
Call ahead to reserve your RV or camp site. Space is limited and campgrounds can fill quickly.
Campfires and grills may be prohibited during very dry weather. See our municipal site for the most recent fire restrictions.
No time to plan a camping trip? Ruidoso has a range of accommodations to suit all budgets.
The Smokey Bear Ranger District in Ruidoso offers many different recreation opportunities for all seasons including picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, camping and more.