Sierra County is home to three great state parks! 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. South of Caballo another 10 miles is Percha Dam State Park, one of Sierra County’s best birding spots. All three parks offer camping for tents and RVs.

STATE PARK CAMPGROUNDS: click any image to view maps showing campsites at our 3 state parks.

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.

South Monticello Campground, Elephant Butte Lake State Park

Caballo Lake state park camping area

South Monticello Campground, Elephant Butte Lake State Park

Trail by Elephant Butte Lake — Hot Springs Landing to South Monticello campground

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.

Tent Campsites 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.

Some of the RV Parks in town also allow tent camping (see our RV Parks page).

Wilderness Areas

The Gila Wilderness and Aldo Leopold Wilderness Areas 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:

Read about a writer’s experience camping and horseback riding in the Gila (source: LA Times).