Caballo Lake State Park Campground Review: Beautiful RV Camping in Southern New Mexico
Every once in a while, we pull into a campground and know almost immediately that we’ve found someplace special.
Caballo Lake State Park in southern New Mexico was one of those places.
Between the lake, mountains, desert scenery, full hookups, covered picnic area, and incredibly reasonable camping rate, this park quickly landed among our top five favorite campgrounds we’d visited up to that point in our travels.
And did I mention the view?
We could see Caballo Lake and the mountains right from our living room window.
Where Is Caballo Lake State Park?
Caballo Lake State Park is located in southern New Mexico, south of Truth or Consequences and north of Las Cruces.
That makes it a convenient place to camp while exploring this part of New Mexico.
The lake sits along the Rio Grande, which continues south toward El Paso and eventually Mexico.
But what really caught our attention when we arrived was the landscape.
We’d traveled through plenty of different scenery by this point, but this was one of our first opportunities to really experience the desert.
And there were cactuses!
Our First Real Desert Camping Experience
This may not seem terribly exciting if you live in the Southwest, but we’d never really seen cactuses growing naturally like this before.
There were several different kinds around the campground, including little cactus gardens planted throughout the property.
We loved them.
That’s one of our favorite things about traveling full-time. Things that might be completely ordinary to someone who lives in an area can be brand-new experiences for us.
Seeing a desert landscape filled with cactus, with mountains rising in the distance and a lake below us, was pretty amazing.
Our Campsite at Caballo Lake
Our campsite was arranged somewhat like a pull-through, which made getting situated pretty easy.
We also had a wonderful covered pavilion beside the RV with a picnic table and grill.
Having your own covered outdoor area is especially nice in a sunny desert environment.
But the best feature was definitely the view.
From the living room window over our couch, we looked out toward Caballo Lake with the mountains beyond it.
We were sitting slightly higher than the lake, which gave us a beautiful view over the surrounding landscape.
It was the kind of campsite where you could happily sit inside with a cup of coffee and just stare out the window.
Full Hookup Camping at Caballo Lake State Park
Our campsite had full hookups, including water, electric and sewer.
The park was divided into several smaller camping areas, and at the time of our visit, only a small number of sites in our section offered full hookups.
We were lucky enough to get one of them.
There was also a dump station conveniently located nearby for campers staying in sites without sewer connections.
For RV travelers who prefer having full hookups, our site gave us everything we needed while still feeling like we were camping in the middle of a beautiful natural setting.
What Did It Cost?
Here’s another reason we loved Caballo Lake State Park.
At the time of our stay, our campsite was $18 per night, plus a $4 daily-use fee, bringing our total to $22 per night.
For a full-hookup campsite with a covered picnic shelter and that view?
We thought it was a bargain.
Of course, campground rates and fee structures can change, so check the current New Mexico State Parks information when planning your own trip rather than relying on what we paid during our visit.
Primitive Camping Near the Lake
You don’t necessarily need an RV—or hookups—to enjoy camping at Caballo Lake.
From our campsite, we could see campers down closer to the lake in the primitive camping area.
These sites didn’t have hookups, making them a better choice for boondockers and campers who are comfortable being self-contained.
If your priority is getting closer to the water rather than having all the conveniences of an RV site, the primitive camping areas may be worth considering.
Bathrooms and Showers
I hadn’t checked the bathroom before filming our campground tour, so naturally I had to go investigate.
I was pleasantly surprised.
The bathroom and shower facilities looked clean and appeared to have been updated at some point.
The shower stalls had nice enclosures, and there was a bench nearby for changing and keeping your belongings off the floor.
The sinks and mirrors looked good, and overall the restroom was in nice condition.
One thing to know if you’re visiting during cooler weather: it was cold in there!
There wasn’t any heat that I could tell.
Still, as campground bathrooms go, we were impressed with the cleanliness and condition of the facilities.
Friendly Camp Hosts
Good camp hosts can make a noticeable difference in a campground, and the hosts here seemed to take their jobs seriously.
They were friendly, and we regularly saw them driving around the campground on their golf cart and taking care of things.
The campground felt well cared for during our visit.
Lake and Mountain Views
The scenery is what really pushed Caballo Lake into our list of favorite campgrounds.
This isn’t a heavily wooded campground where every site is tucked beneath tall trees.
This is New Mexico desert camping.
The landscape is open.
You can see the mountains.
You can see the sky.
And from our area of the campground, we had a wonderful view down toward the lake.
It felt completely different from so many of the campgrounds we’d stayed at before, and that’s exactly what we loved about it.
A Great Base for Exploring Southern New Mexico
Caballo Lake State Park also puts you in a good position for exploring more of southern New Mexico.
One place we particularly enjoyed was nearby Truth or Consequences.
Yes, that really is the name of the town!
Truth or Consequences turned out to be a fascinating place to explore, and we’ll share more about that adventure separately.
Las Cruces is farther south, giving travelers another option for sightseeing, shopping and stocking up on supplies while traveling through the region.
That makes Caballo Lake a nice base camp rather than simply an overnight stop.
What We Loved About Caballo Lake State Park
There was a lot going for this campground during our stay:
- Beautiful views of Caballo Lake
- Mountains surrounding the area
- Full-hookup RV sites
- Covered picnic shelters
- Grills at the campsites
- Clean restroom and shower facilities
- Primitive camping options
- Convenient dump station
- Friendly camp hosts
- Fascinating desert and cactus scenery
- Affordable camping
- Convenient location for exploring southern New Mexico
Most importantly, we simply enjoyed being there.
Sometimes that’s the best recommendation we can give a campground.
Things to Know Before You Go
If you’re considering camping at Caballo Lake State Park, keep a few things in mind.
The full-hookup sites were limited during our visit, so if having sewer at your site is important, check the campsite details carefully when making your reservation.
If you’re staying without sewer, there is a dump station available.
The primitive camping areas offer a completely different experience for those who don’t need hookups and want to stay closer to the lake.
And because this is desert camping, come prepared for the conditions. Temperatures, sun exposure and weather can be quite different from what you might experience in a wooded campground.
Finally, always verify current campsite amenities, rates, regulations and availability directly with the park before your trip. Our review reflects what we experienced when we stayed there.
Would We Stay at Caballo Lake State Park Again?
Absolutely.
At the time we filmed this campground review, we ranked Caballo Lake State Park among the top five campgrounds we’d stayed in so far.
That’s pretty high praise considering how many places we’d already visited.
We loved our campsite. We loved the desert landscape. We loved discovering all the different cactuses. We loved looking out our window at the lake and mountains.
And getting a full-hookup site in such a beautiful setting at the price we paid made it even better.
If your travels take you through southern New Mexico, Caballo Lake State Park is definitely one we’d recommend checking out.
For us, it was another reminder of why we chose this lifestyle in the first place.
You never quite know what you’ll find waiting for you just Over the Hills.
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