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Rio De Las Vacas Campground

Santa Fe National Forest — fishing, hiking

Location: Cuba, NM, NM

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (96 reviews)

Season: May through October

Less than two hours from the city of Albuquerque, Rio de las Vacas Campground offers a cool oasis from the New Mexico heat. Visitors delight in the hiking and fishing opportunities available in the shade of the pine covered Jemez Mountains. A few of the campsites have the creek running along them, providing a soothing atmosphere for campers.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Camp Host, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/rio-de-las-vacas-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Rio de las Vacas offers a cool, well-maintained oasis in the Jemez Mountains with excellent fishing and hiking opportunities just 11 miles from Cuba, NM. Campers consistently praise the cleanliness, peaceful atmosphere, and attentive camp host.

Wildlife alert: American Badger, Gunnison's Prairie Dog, Great Horned Owl, Dusky Grouse, and Greater Short-horned Lizard present in the area.

Insider tips for Rio De Las Vacas Campground: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 15 sites and high demand. Bring a self-contained RV; there are no hookups available. Request a creekside campsite when booking for the full experience.

Skip Rio De Las Vacas Campground if: You need RV hookups — none are available at this campground.. You're visiting November-April — the campground is closed seasonally.. You prefer developed facilities — amenities are limited to vault toilets and basic camp infrastructure..

Best time to visit Rio De Las Vacas Campground: May — Stream conditions are full from snowmelt; campground opens May 1st.. June-September — Peak season within the May-October operational window; cooler mountain refuge from New Mexico heat..

Nearby campgrounds: Clear Creek Campground (Nm) (Cuba, NM), Clear Creek Group Campground (Nm) (Cuba, NM), San Antonio Campground (Jemez Springs, NM), Redondo Campground (Jemez Springs, NM).

Cell Phone Coverage at Rio De Las Vacas Campground

Cell signal at Rio De Las Vacas Campground (Cuba, NM): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

    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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    CamperWatch›NM›Rio De Las Vacas Campground
    Rio De Las Vacas Campground — photo 1
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    Santa Fe National Forest — fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Rio De Las Vacas Campground

    Share: X Facebook
    Cuba, NM, NM★ 4.7 (96 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    Less than two hours from the city of Albuquerque, Rio de las Vacas Campground offers a cool oasis from the New Mexico heat. Visitors delight in the hiking and fishing opportunities available in the shade of the pine covered Jemez Mountains. A few of the campsites have the creek running along them, providing a soothing atmosphere for campers.

    Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites:TentRV
    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 RV42 ft
    HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    Pull-throughsAvailable
    PetsAllowed
    CampfiresAllowed
    Max/site6 people

    Amenities

    RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
    Essentials
    Fire RingsCamp Host
    Recreation
    Picnic TablesFishing
    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 RV hookups — none are available at this campground.✕ You're visiting November-April — the campground is closed seasonally.✕ You prefer developed facilities — amenities are limited to vault toilets and basic camp infrastructure.

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    this is a federal campground with only 15 sites and high demand.

    Bring a self-contained RV; there are no hookups available.

    Request a creekside campsite when booking for the full experience.

    Best: May

    Stream conditions are full from snowmelt; campground opens May 1st.

    Best: June-September

    Peak season within the May-October operational window; cooler mountain refuge from New Mexico heat.

    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 · 0%

    FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

    Wildlife nearby

    iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
    Alert: American Badger, Gunnison's Prairie Dog, Great Horned Owl, Dusky Grouse, and Greater Short-horned Lizard present in the area.

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    575-289-3264· Santa Fe National Forest
    Getting there →

    From Cuba, New Mexico, travel 11 miles east of Cuba on New Mexico State Highway 126. The campground is located approximately 11 miles from Cuba where lodging, restaurants, and gas stations are available. The campground is approximately a one and a half hour drive from Albuquerque.

    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 — Santa Fe National Forest fills fast in peak season.
    • Check current road conditions at Santa Fe National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

    Frequently asked questions

    RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
    How much does Rio De Las Vacas Campground cost per night?+
    Rio De Las Vacas Campground costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What season is Rio De Las Vacas Campground open?+
    Rio De Las Vacas Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Rio De Las Vacas Campground have hookups?+
    No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What is the maximum RV length at Rio De Las Vacas Campground?+
    Rio De Las Vacas Campground can accommodate RVs up to 42 feet.
    How do I make reservations at Rio De Las Vacas Campground?+
    Rio De Las Vacas Campground 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 Rio De Las Vacas Campground?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Rio De Las Vacas Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Rio De Las Vacas Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
    Rio De Las Vacas Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

    Official resources

    Print Facility Map
    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.

    $20 /night★ 4.7 (96)
    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 Rio De Las Vacas Campground cost per night?+
    What season is Rio De Las Vacas Campground open?+
    Does Rio De Las Vacas Campground have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Clear Creek Campground (Nm)

    Cuba, NM

    From $20/night

    Clear Creek Group Campground (Nm)

    Cuba, NM

    From $75/night

    San Antonio Campground

    Jemez Springs, NM

    From $20/night

    Redondo Campground

    Jemez Springs, NM

    From $15/night

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