Short sidewalk trail with benches and water along the way. Sit and play an acoustic guitar, bring a…read morewhole singer with you or whisper sweet nothings to a loved one; everyone will hear it.:) Stunning. Must stop.

For a small US Forest Service campground/picnic area, this place is visually spectacular…read more Located about 28 miles south of the the small town of Tierra Amarillo on Highway 84 and about three miles north of Ghost Ranch, Echo Amphitheater has several covered tables, RV spots, potable water and toilet facilities (the Forest Service webpage says no facilities, but they are there as of March 2015.) From the parking lot, it's just a short walk to the amphitheater where you can take in the awesomeness of the looming cliff walls. There are no trails here. Small fee to use the area ($3).

Nice hike for us fairly fit seniors is the loop trail. Park at the lodge or just before it st the…read morecampground where sign indicates black canyon trail. Walk past the lodge and look for sign with trail map. We thought we'd try the waterfall trail but no signage made us stop after crossing the stream several times and ending at a memorial cross. Someone said you need to scramble with large rock/cliff to the left and keep going. The lodge was closed when we went in mid September. Lovely cool day for a 9:00 am hike.

This is camping! The trees are absolutely gorgeous and there are little trails right off the…read morecampsites. The sites are level and have a nice big table and a pole with two hooks for hanging trash or food so critters can't reach it. The way the loop is developed gives each campsite lots of privacy and you're never too far from a restroom or trash can. The people in the park were really friendly and the camp fees were totally reasonable. It's also not too far from town to run in to spend time in at the beautiful plaza area and browse for adorable nick knacks for souvenirs and gifts. It's also convenient for groceries or gas. There is an Albertsons and Whole Foods right off the highway as soon as you get to town.

This weekend we decided to venture in to the Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the…read moreSan Isabel National Forest to enjoy the wildflowers and try our hand at fishing. The headwaters of the rainbow trout-stocked Purgatoire River run through Purgatoire Campground and we were lucky enough to pitch our tents just a few paces from it this weekend; the crashing and tumbling water providing a surprisingly perfect "white noise" each night for slumber. The area surrounding the river is absolutely stunning with wildflowers and dense aspen and conifer growth everywhere. And, as is usually the case, it isn't until after we experience a place such as this that I become curious about its history. This weekend was no exception. Just 30 minutes of research this morning revealed an intriguing irony: the attraction and abundant life that characterizes the Purgatoire River is shrouded in historical mystery, hardship, and death: "It was once thought that Spanish explorers, namely a party led by Francisco Leyva de Bonilla in 1593, were the first to visit the Purgatoire River in the sixteenth century. An attack by Native Americans killed all but one of the Bonilla party at some point after it left New Mexico and reached the Great Plains. The attack was initially thought to have occurred on the Purgatoire; the river was so named because of the unblessed Catholic souls that were allegedly sent to el purgatorio--purgatory--along its banks. The name stuck (its current version is French), but the river may be named for the souls of men who never reached it--the location of the Bonilla expedition's demise remains uncertain." (Ref: https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/las-animas-county) At any rate, it is well worth the 2-1/2 hour drive from Colorado Springs to visit this alluring area and imagine what it was like before paved roads, iPhones, and grocery stores. To get there: Purgatoire Campground GPS coordinates are: (Latitude, Longitude): 37.2525, -105.10917 37°15'9"N, 105°6'33"W From La Veta, Colorado, take State Route 12 south for 25.3 miles to Purgatoire campground sign. Turn right onto gravel Route 34. Go 0.2 miles to "T" intersection. Turn right and drive 4 miles on rough gravel road to campground. The campground is very clean and monitored by camp hosts, Helga and Larry. I recommend Site 4, in particular, because it sits on the river and is sandwiched in between just one other campsite to the right and open space and the 5-mile North Fork Trail trailhead to the left.

OK, so the campsite itself is actually really good option and very affordable for camping in the…read moreJemez area. The campsite has access to a number of trailhead, including the main trailhead to Jemez Falls and a few of the Hot Springs in the area. During the colder months, they keep the gates closed, so people walk the road to where the trailhead starts. Even in April, where most of the snow has melted they still have the gates closed, and the campsite is not monitored. It really sucks because that extra is not super fun and might kill a little bit of your energy for doing one of the hikes. The Falls Trail is a rather short one but watch out for rock and pinecones. I don't think the Falls are worth a much longer hike. They're pretty small. I really wish they would leave just the access to the Falls open during the day even when the campgrounds themselves are closed. But again at the end of the day, it's free, its nature and definitely worth enjoying. On the camping side of things there is a website and you can make reservations really easily.

Nice campground in the Jemez area. Well maintained and the hosts were very nice. Beautiful area,…read moreand we didn't have any issues with wildlife.

Nice place to go to get away and stay cool. Really nice…read morepeople that run the campground. Bathrooms are clean. There's a little market down the road so you don't have to drive very far for supplies.

Great place to go camp out if you don't feel like driving far from Albuquerque..This camp site is…read moreonly 14 miles due east.. NMTS.org/rides/cedro peak trails.htm GPS INFO=(lat,long): 35.03306,-106.34972 14700 ft. Great trails for motorcycles,atv,4x4s Make reservations on a campsite 4 days prior at recreation.gov or 877-444-6777 and review the rules before you go..Loud music..riding a dirt bike half naked, stuff like that.. They look down on that kinda. So said the park ranger..

This place was awesome as the people were so nice and friendly. My girlfriend and I called up(…read moreoff-season) about an hour before heading to the campsite and asked if there's any availability. They said yes and that it would be $10. What a great price! They met us at the campsite and were very helpful and friendly and overall great hosts. Would definitely come back for the turkey or elk hunting season.

The staff was absolutely fantastic. They went above and beyond to assist us with our camping…read moreexperience and our visit to the Pagosa Springs area. The facilities were very quaint and well maintained. The campground store had literally anything a camper might have forgotten at reasonable prices. The campsites were all close to the amenities. A special shout out to Naomi and the other staff for covering our tent with a tarp when an unexpected rainstorm was approaching. The campground offers lots to do for all ages and is also a perfect place to just relax and enjoy the beauties of nature. We visited in the summer and would definitely come back for future summer trips but also hope to experience Pagosa and Pagosa Riverside Campground in the fall.

Forgot to take photos, but trust me this place is amazing…read more Helpful people at info desk. Great dog park a great trail. The site layout is super nice as well. Staggered and only a few per road. We will definitely be back.

Fabulous place to stay with an RV! Wonderful! ~ very clean bathrooms with individual shower…read morestalls, great laundry facilities, beautiful location overlooking Santa Fe, level drive-through spots with full hookups. The price was excellent. Also, there's a nice path around the perimeter which is nice to walk on in the evening to watch the beautiful sunsets over Santa Fe. If we ever go back to Santa Fe, we'll definitely stay there!

Checkin was a breeze. Site was very clean, large, ample trees and level. Water has great pressure…read morewith sewage drain. Amenities are too many to list. Great for families!

We've been coming here for a few years, (anytime we pass through the area.) Always peaceful and…read morefriendly. Even though fires have burned many surrounding acres, Pendaries still has theirs beautiful trees - we hiked the turquoise mine (pretty steep hike) amidst the burned trees.... Sad, but still beautiful. Always enjoy our stops here and the wildlife in the park.

We camped at this location and it is a beautiful place. There are about 4 pull through sites and…read moreabout 10 back in sites. All with electrical and water but no per site sewage dumping. There is a on site dump station. We were offered free firewood! There is a nice pond for fishing and there is a boat ramp. Not sure if they allow motors. There is an updated playground, and a basketball court, with a basketball available so you don't need to bring your own. The shower house is clean but not heated, with two showers. The price is as cheap also at only $20 a night. The only downside is the train tracks you have to cross when entering but we only heard the train once or twice the entire weekend, and luckily not at night. Will stay again!