Amole Canyon Group Shelter

Carson National Forest — lakeside

Location: Penasco, NM, NM

Price: From $100 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Amole Group Shelter is located immediately adjacent to the popular wooded Amole Canyon Day Use Area at 8,400 feet in elevation. The group shelter accommodates up to 100 people with plenty of solitude since this is the only group facility in this location. There are approximately 11 miles of non-motorized trails located in the Amole Canyon Day Use Area.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): weak signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: AT&T.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/amole-canyon-group-shelter to be notified when sites open up.

This is the only group facility in the Amole Canyon area at 8,400 feet, offering solitude for groups up to 100 people. Access to 11 miles of non-motorized trails including the South Loop Trail with Rio Pueblo Valley views.

Wildlife alert: Bobcat present in area. Also expect Mountain Chickadee, Mountain Bluebird, Steller's Jay, and Black-billed Magpie.

Insider tips for Amole Canyon Group Shelter: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 group site, so demand is high Gate access requires a coded padlock — the code will be emailed to you after booking, so check your email before arriving Located adjacent to day use area with 11 miles of trails; plan multi-day group trips to maximize trail exploration

Skip Amole Canyon Group Shelter if: You need hookups — no hookups available at this site. You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal closure. You're a solo camper or small group seeking privacy — this is a group shelter designed for large parties.

Best time to visit Amole Canyon Group Shelter: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Agua Piedra Campground (Vadito, NM), Santa Barbara Campground (Vadito, NM), Rio Bravo Group Shelter (Taos, NM), Taos Junction Group Shelter (Taos, NM).

Cell Phone Coverage at Amole Canyon Group Shelter

Cell signal at Amole Canyon Group Shelter (Penasco, NM): weak overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: AT&T.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Carson National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Amole Canyon Group Shelter

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Penasco, NM, NM★ 4.8 (4 reviews)From $100/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Amole Group Shelter is located immediately adjacent to the popular wooded Amole Canyon Day Use Area at 8,400 feet in elevation. The group shelter accommodates up to 100 people with plenty of solitude since this is the only group facility in this location. There are approximately 11 miles of non-motorized trails located in the Amole Canyon Day Use Area.

Best for:Wildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV30 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups — no hookups available at this site✕ You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal closure✕ You're a solo camper or small group seeking privacy — this is a group shelter designed for large parties

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 group site, so demand is high

Gate access requires a coded padlock

the code will be emailed to you after booking, so check your email before arriving

Located adjacent to day use area with 11 miles of trails; plan multi-day group trips to maximize trail exploration

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: AT&T.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Bobcat present in area. Also expect Mountain Chickadee, Mountain Bluebird, Steller's Jay, and Black-billed Magpie.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
575-587-2255· Carson National Forest
Getting there →

From State Road 68 in Ranchos de Taos, go south on 518 14.2 miles to the junction with National Forest System Road 703, go southeast on FSR703 approximately 0.4 mile to a gate locked with a coded padlock. The code will be provided to you in an email. Unlock the gate and proceed south into the group shelter parking area.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Carson National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Carson National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Amole Canyon Group Shelter cost per night?+
Amole Canyon Group Shelter costs $100 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Amole Canyon Group Shelter open?+
Amole Canyon Group Shelter is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Amole Canyon Group Shelter have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Amole Canyon Group Shelter?+
Amole Canyon Group Shelter can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
How do I make reservations at Amole Canyon Group Shelter?+
Amole Canyon Group Shelter is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Amole Canyon Group Shelter?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Amole Canyon Group Shelter is rated weak. Best carrier: AT&T. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Amole Canyon Group Shelter open, and what are check-in times?+
Amole Canyon Group Shelter is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$100 /night★ 4.8 (4)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Amole Canyon Group Shelter cost per night?+
What season is Amole Canyon Group Shelter open?+
Does Amole Canyon Group Shelter have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Agua Piedra Campground

Vadito, NM

From $30/night

Santa Barbara Campground

Vadito, NM

From $30/night

Rio Bravo Group Shelter

Taos, NM

From $40/night

Taos Junction Group Shelter

Taos, NM

From $40/night

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