The state of New Mexico features wide landscape ranges including rose-colored deserts, broken mesas and snow-capped mountains. It also features popular rivers including Pecos, San Juan, Gila and Rio Grande, the eighth-longest river in the United States. All these make New Mexico an ideal camping and fishing destination in the southwest United States. The borders of New Mexico include Texas in the south, Oklahoma in the east, Colorado in the north and Arizona and the Mexican states Chihuahua and Sonora in the west.
National Forests
Most parts of New Mexico have heavily forested mountain wildernesses, making most parts of the state exemplary campgrounds and hunting and fishing areas.
New Mexico has six National Forests and dozens of river and lake attractions managed by the National Park Service (NPS). The federal government protects millions of acres of these National Forests, which include Carson National Forest, Cibola National Forest, Lincoln National Forest, Santa Fe National Forest, Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness.
Campgrounds and Campsites
As a popular mountain vacation and outdoor recreation destination, New Mexico offers an abundance of public hiking trails and campgrounds for camping, hiking, hunting and fishing. Most sites for backcountry hiking and camping are free, but permits are necessary. It is important to check for fire restrictions before camping out in these areas. RV facilities are typically limited on federally managed campgrounds, but they are available in almost all New Mexico State Parks.
New Mexico Camping Regions
As the fifth-largest U.S. state, New Mexico is practically divided into regions based on their locations within the state. The central region is a mountainous area with campgrounds situated in the Magdalena, Manzano and Sandia Mountains and the Gila National Forest. The north-central region features varying campgrounds at the Carson National Forest, Bandelier National Monument, Columbine Canyon, Elephant Rock, Jemez Mountains and Rio Grande Gorge. The northeast region provides campgrounds around the Sugarite Canyon State Park and Lake Alice. The northwest region has campgrounds at the Chaco Culture National Historic Park. The south-central region features campgrounds in Tularosa Valley and Oliver Lee Memorial State Park.
The southeast region has campground locations at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Brantley Lake State Park. The southwest region has campgrounds at the Rockhound State Park and City of Rocks State Park. The west-central region provides campgrounds around Datil Mountains, Mount Taylor and the El Malpais National Monument. On the border with Mexico, it has featured campgrounds around the Pancho Villa State Park.
State and Federal Fishing Waters
A number of lakes and creeks operated by the state and federal governments offer many opportunities for fishing activities. The Cowles campground along the Winsor Creek is close to the Cowles Pond, a popular fishing site. The scenic Bonito Lake in the Ruidoso area has a fishing season running from April 1 to Nov. 30. It is about 5 miles north off Highway 37. Meanwhile, the nearby Rio Ruidoso River running through the Sacramento Mountains' Upper Canyon is stocked with trout the entire year. The Grindstone Reservoir is open to fishing year-round for those with fishing licenses or permits, which are available at the Ruidoso Parks and Recreation office.
Private Fishing Waters
Private fishing waters around New Mexico provide additional spots for fishing activities. Most of them don't require fishing licenses, which make them more readily accessible to campers who want to go fishing. The Seeping Springs Trout Lake, located about 4 miles east of the Ruidoso Downs racetrack, is open from March to September for family-oriented camping and fishing. The Ranch Sosegado Trout Pond near Highway 70 in Bent features a private trout pond with a natural backdrop of the area's surrounding mountains.
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