Campers love us for our mild winter weather, open spaces, eye-popping scenery, and the array of camping options for RV campers and tent campers alike.
State Park Campgrounds
Each of our state parks offers a different vibe and varying amenities. All three offer camping for tents and RVs.
The largest of the three is Elephant Butte Lake State Park, 5 miles north of Truth or Consequences. Caballo Lake State Park is 20-25 miles south of TorC / Elephant Butte. Ten miles south of Caballo is Percha Dam State Park, which is also one of Sierra County’s prime birding spots.
Some (not all) campsites at Elephant Butte Lake State Park may be reserved between March 1 and September 30 either online by calling 877-664-7787.
Campsites on the beach are available on a first-come-first serve basis, but electrical sites at Desert Cove, Quail Run, Lions Beach and South Monticello may be reserved.
Campsites at Elephant Butte’s Long Point and other northern camp areas typically close in the fall and reopen in the spring.
Other sites that can be reserved are Group Shelters at Dirt Dam, Ridge Road, and Hot Springs Landing.
For campsite availability at Caballo Lake State Park and Percha Dam State Park, call 575-743-3942 or check NM state parks’ online reservation system.
Fish Hatchery Park
Near T or C, Fish Hatchery Park campground offers tent camp sites in a scenic area along the Rio Grande. Fish Hatchery Park is 3 miles from downtown Truth or Consequences, below Elephant Butte Dam.
Wilderness Areas
The Gila Wilderness and Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area are easily accessed via the roads to Hillsboro (152) and Chloride (52), respectively. High-clearance vehicles are recommended.
View a map of Sierra County (Wilderness areas are not marked on this map, but generally run north-to-south along the west edge of the county.)
Campsite locations and other information for these two wilderness areas can be found on the US Forest Service’s website.
Information may also be picked up at the Ranger District Office:
USDA Forest Service / Gila National Forest
Black Range Ranger District
1804 North Date Street
Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
575-894-6677hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm (except national holidays)
A few Sierra County RV Parks also allow tent camping (see our RV Parks page for info).
RV Parks
