Rio Costilla Park & Campground

Stunning campgrounds. If you are in the area and need a place to get out this is it. The staff are very friendly, nice spots. Almost all of the campsite follow along the river.

I love this park. Incredibly beautiful! Privately owned by ranchers. Operated like a "fee-area national forest". In 2017 August, I did "dispersed camping" next to one of the alpine lakes. When I visited the office, the staff were fun to talk with -- good stories about the area. Overall, I had a great experience! 9 alpine lakes! Trout fishing in alpine streams. (I did not fish, but saw other people doing so.) Many picturesque viewpoints within the park. Latir Peak is 12700' (above tree line), an awesome hike. Base of mountain is about 7500', which means the summit view is from about 1 mile above the desert floor. You can take a 4WD registered vehicle to campsites at 11200', where there is lush greenery. An absolutely beautiful park! Has a hunting season, when no regular camping is allowed (hunters only). The wild animals grow big and healthy around there, including the Black bears and Cougars/mountain lions. (No brown/Grizzly bears.) Safest to hike in groups of 3 or more people, at least one of whom has good sight and hearing. Same if camping in a more remote spot. While hiking and while camping in the more "remote" areas (like I did), keep you ears and eyes open and scanning at all times for predators. Seal the scent of your food & garbage, to prevent attracting bears. Use standard back-country protocol. Some of the physically stronger predators in this area may view humans as weak enough to hunt as food... If you see a predator, then "make yourself big and scary". Do not run away or you will invoke predator instinct. Yell, bang pots, throw rocks & sticks, use 1 warning shot, air horn, etc. These types of predators will typically GIVE UP hunting a human if we "Make Big". If you are actually charged (rare!!), then FIGHT BACK. Do not give up; do not play dead. Playing dead makes it easier to eat you. Extremely rare for these types of predators to be willing to fight an adult man. If you do not feel physically strong, then okay to bring your pistol, pepper spray, hatchet, 10 ounce hammer, or other weapon that you can "quickly" wield. I was told that a man had been charged by a hungry Black Bear the week before I camped. Thankfully the guy had a pistol, knew how to use it, and saw the bear coming. He shot it dead. I don't know the details, but I wonder if it was literally "overkill" to shoot the bear, because I do not know whether he first tried scaring off the bear with a warning shot -- or if the guy even had enough time to do that.

Gorgeous wilderness in Northern New Mexico's best-kept-secret. $30 a night per vehicle. Fishing outside the gates along the campgrounds is free with NM fishing license, $15 day pass plus $10 fishing fee inside the gates (fees subject to change).

Beautiful campground with so many good spots for setting up a camper or tent. Most of the spots are close to a stream, which is wonderful!

Some if the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. Its like walking around a Bob Ross painting. Making the drive to the lakes is worth the challenge.