Dog Canyon Campground, Guadalupe Mts. N. P.

[RVhiker]

Has anyone ever camped at Dog Canyon Campground in Guadalupe Mountains National Park? The web site says there are 9 tent sites and 4 RV sites. I just need to know if my 30 foot fifth wheel and tow vehicle would fit.

[RVhiker]

We recently camped for three nights at Dog Canyon. huachuca's picture represents well what the campground looks like. There are four back in RV slots available and the sites are rather close. There is water available in the campground, but not at the site and there are no hookups and no dump station; generator hours are 8AM to 8PM. There was no problem fitting my 30 foot fifth wheel into the site; longer trailers might stick out into the gravel road a bit, but the road is wide and traffic light so that probably is not much of an issue. I talked with the campground host, and he said that except for unusual situations the RV sites are not heavily used. There were two other RV's there during part of our visit. The campground was peaceful. There are two long hiking trails available at the trail head in the campground, as well as other hiking/sightseeing in the area.

This is not a campground you would end up at accidentally; it is over one hundred miles from the main NP campground at Pine Springs. The roads to Dog Canyon are OK. There is no fuel (gas or diesel) in the area at all, so fuel up before your trip. And as huachuca said, look out for kamikaze cows.

[huachuca]

Dog Canyon is our favorite CG when visiting the Carlsbad Caverns area. You won't have any trouble with your rig as the 'RV' sites are informally located in a gravelled lot around a horse corral with no particular site markings. Water is available from spigots in the corral and clean restrooms just a short walk away.


As you might have noted, it's pretty remote but well worth the effort. We've camped their numerous times and I can recall only once when we had a neighbor. The ranger's residence is at the mouth of the canyon and the road in literally passes by his front door so security is not a problem.

Lots a great hikes and things to see in the area. Sitting Bull Falls is a USFS recreation area a few miles off the road into Dog Canyon and well worth a visit. We enjoyed the hike into McKittrick Canyon and seeing the Pratt Cabin near the end. Keep a sharp eye out on the drive as its open range with lots of cattle wandering into the road plus many deer crossing in early morning and late afternoon hours.

Please report back with your experience here as we haven't been in a few years and would like to know how things are now.

[Rug]

We have camped in Dog canyon in a tent. The RV area is across the road from the tent area. You should have no problem with your rig.

[RVhiker]

Thanks for the thoughts, PawPaw. If I get there I'll post back to this thread and let you know what I found.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Looking at satellite imagery it looks like the RV area is four picnic tables over an area about 80 feet long. The entire cleared area appears to be about 250 feet long by about 55 feet wide. The tent sites are walk-ins among trees.

The RV area is in wide open low scrub, so there should be plenty of room to park your rig parallel to the fence.

I've never found anyone who has actually been there, but would pull my 36 ft TT in there if I get the chance.