El Rito Campground Introduce
El Rito Campground, located in the serene landscape of Vallecitos, NM, offers a unique and peaceful camping experience for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Nestled in a picturesque setting, this campground is perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in the beauty of the great outdoors.
One of the standout features of El Rito Campground is its free access, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious travelers. The campground allows you to camp anywhere within 200 feet of the road, providing flexibility and a sense of freedom. However, there are also designated campsites equipped with picnic tables and firepits for added convenience.
The environment at El Rito Campground is truly breathtaking. Visitors can enjoy the soothing sounds of the nearby stream, embrace the fresh mountain air, and marvel at the stunning night skies, including the awe-inspiring view of the Milky Way. The trails around the campground offer opportunities for hiking and exploration, though some may find the rocky terrain challenging.
While the campground offers a tranquil retreat, it is important to note that some visitors have reported occasional disturbances from late-night vehicles and ATVs. Additionally, the presence of litter and trash in certain areas can detract from the natural beauty. Despite these drawbacks, many campers appreciate the campground's scenic charm and peaceful ambiance.
For those planning a visit, it is essential to come prepared with all necessary supplies, as the campground is quite remote and far from gas stations and other amenities. Fishing enthusiasts should also be aware that the creek may be too low for fishing during certain times of the year.
Overall, El Rito Campground is a beautiful and peaceful destination that offers a unique camping experience. Whether you're seeking solitude, adventure, or simply a chance to connect with nature, this campground is definitely worth the trip.
- Free camping with flexible site options
- Stunning night skies and scenic trails
- Peaceful environment with the sounds of a nearby stream
- Remote location - come prepared with all supplies
- Occasional disturbances from late-night vehicles and ATVs
- Some areas may have litter - please help keep the campground clean
Location
Customer Reviews
We stayed here for 3 days, 2 nights in the middle of September. The camp area near this ridge (pictured) required us to have all wheel drive due to the entrance having DEEP pot holes & ruts. Perhaps they’ll smooth it out, but just be mindful. We were able to cross the stream at a designated road too in order to camp directly near the orange caps. It was gorgeous. Hearing the stream at night and embracing the fresh air was peaceful. The trails were okay, lots of rocks on some of them where you were basically walking on severely uneven rock roads. The park is FREE though which is amazing. However, there were lots of glass and beer bottle caps around the designated camp sites. It’s sad how people don’t appreciate nature like they should. We spent some time cleaning up our area prior to setting up. Also, make sure to have EVERYTHING you need. You are pretty far from gas & civilization (which is great). So make sure you make a list! Either way, it was beautiful & peaceful. For the first time in my life, I got to see the Milky Way in the sky. And my two dogs loved it! Definitely would recommend.
El Rito Campground is very beautiful with the scenary. You can actually camp anywhere 200ft from the road once you enter the campground anywhere, so keep that in mind if one of the 8 campground spaces that has picnic tables and actual firepits is not open! One of the main drawbacks of this campground though is the amount of late night cars and ATVs that drive by. My fiance and I were woken up several times in the night by cars driving by the road around 2am. It seems mostly what people do here is bring their motor bikes or ATVs and go off roading. As such, don't expect to see any wildlife. There was quite a bit of litter and trash in every part of the campground when we were there. I'm not sure if this was just a busy weekend, we went late in July. Also, there is fishing apparently in this area, yet, the creek was too low to fish in. Maybe other times of the year it's better. All things considered, this is a free campground and very beautiful. Definitely worth the trip!
Just spent the weekend here, just up the road. So beautiful but the traffic all night from hunting and logging, is a bummer, But not a deal breaker.
It’s a cool spot. Not as busy as some other campgrounds in northern nm. But, if you don’t have a car with 4 wheel drive or truck it’s tough to get to. The roads are very rocky and lots of pot holes.
Went up for the night to get away from town it was nice alot of people and a bunch of side by sides but a breath of fresh air
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