City of Rocks State Park

Dates Stayed: March 7 - 10, 2013

Location:

State: New Mexico
Nearest City/Town: Faywood
GPS Coordinates: 32.5945N 107.9717W

View City of Rocks State Park in a larger map

Campground Setting: City of Rocks is a huge boulder field out in the middle of a prairie in the New Mexico desert. There are 10 water/electric sites in a fairly typical RV-park type set-up. Then there are another 42 no hook-up campsites of various sizes surrounding the rocks. The road to City of Rocks is about halfway between Deming, NM (to the south) and Silver City (to the north). It's several miles to any stores or services, so come prepared.

Our Site #: 14 (no hook-ups)

Site Photo:

Hook-Ups: 10 electric/water Sites (mix of 50 amp & 30 amp), 4 of which have full hook-ups but those are for volunteers; 42 sites have no hook-ups; No dump station; water available in electric site area and at only one other spigot on the west side of the rocks; Showers and flush toilets available at the Visitors Center; Pit toilets available at other locations around the loop

Access Road: Paved

Interior Roads: Gravel/Dirt

Site Pad: Gravel in electric sites; Gravel/Dirt in other sites

Big Rig Friendly: Electric sites are definitely big rig friendly; Road around the rocks to the no hook-up sites is pretty rough; Several sites suitable for big rigs, but getting level may be an issue

Price: $14/Night for electric sites; $10 for no hook-up sites; No separate park entrance fee for campers; Policy is to charge for an extra vehicle, but most New Mexico State Parks haven't charged us since it's just the two of us and the truck rarely moves after being parked

Discounts: Only if you have New Mexico Annual Camping Permit; $225 for out-of-state residents gets you free camping in no hook-up sites, $4 in electric sites, & $8 in full hook-up sites - Pays for itself after 23 days of camping in a year; Permit is $180 for New Mexico residents and $100 for New Mexico seniors (age 62 and over) and disabled

Nature Activities: A few hiking trails in the park; Climbing through the boulders seems to be the main activity; There is an observatory in the group camping area and they sometimes have star watching events

"IT" Factor Rating: 9

"IT" Factor Comments: Unfortunately, the weather while we were there was terrible and we had to leave before we were ready. However, with better weather, our site definitely had the "IT" factor. There wasn't anyone around us for a few hundred feet, and we would have loved to have sat outside and enjoyed the views or had dinner and a campfire on the nice pad behind the rig (photo below).

The only drawback to our site was that it was too close to the campground road. It's not busy, but we saw and heard every vehicle that went through to other sites or just checking out the park. Not a big deal, but it detracted a bit.

Value Rating: 8

Value Comments: Hard to beat the pricing in New Mexico State Parks. $14 for water/electric in a state park setting with large sites is awesome. $10 isn't bad for many of the no hook-up sites. The "IT" factor rating for our site (Site 14) could bump the value rating up to a 9, but I think an 8 is probably right for the electric sites and many of the other no hook-up sites.

Didn't check out the showers, but at least they have them.

No dump station. Water at all electric sites and a place to take on water.

Surprisingly good cellular especially in the electric campsites area. Cell signals varied farther back depending on site in relation to the rocks. No issues with satellite.

Self check-in. About 30 miles to either Silver City or Deming. Super Walmart, I-10 interchange, fuel, propane, laundry in Deming.

Other Photos:

Sites 15 - 19 are no hook-ups sites in the Pegasus area. All these sites are reservable (the only reservable sites of the 42 no hook-up sites). Some of Pegasus sites are the best of the no hook-up sites for larger rigs and being able to get level. Site 16 is shown below.