Valley of Fires Recreation Area—New Mexico
Bureau of Land Management
Sitting in the shadow of the Sacramento Mountains and overlooking the ancient Valley of Fires lava flows, this campground is in an absolutely beautiful spot. The desert landscape is devoid of trees, but each site has a covered picnic table. Water and electric connections and close proximity to the dump station make this a nice stop even in the heat of summer.
The sites are clean, well spread out offer some view of the surrounding geological features. A small rise at the end of the campground offers the best views of the valley.
The facilities look relatively new. There are both vault and flush toilets with a very nice, modern shower house. The dump station is operational and well maintained. The visitor center was not staffed when I was there, but there is a camp host available for questions.
Alamogordo is about an hour south and the nearest city of any consequence. The nearby town of Carrizozo offers some limited shopping and restaurants.
If I am back in this area, Valley of Fires is a place I would plan to stay for a limited period.
Additional Information:
Page link: https://on.doi.gov/3E9JYeq
Reservation: no
Fee: $12 to $18
Discounts: senior/interagency pass
Number of sites: 19
Max length: big rig
Hookup: electric (20/30/50 amp), water
Dump station: yes ($15)
Potable water: yes
Other amenities: flush toilets, showers
Cell service: Verizon (2), AT&T (3), T-Mobile (3)