Camping at Sierra County’s Lakes, State Parks, and Wilderness Areas

South Monticello Campground, Elephant Butte Lake State Park

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.

camping at Elephant Butte Lake in a low lake level year

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.

photos: Donna Catterick

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 CFish 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.

Fish Hatchery Park (formerly Sierra del Rio) below Elephant Butte Dam

Paseo del Rio, also known as Fish Hatchery Park, is located on the banks of the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam

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

Camp Sites at Elephant Butte Lake State Park

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:

USDA Forest Service / Gila National Forest
Black Range Ranger District
1804 North Date Street
Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
575-894-6677
hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm (except national holidays)
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