I didn't spend a lot of time here; I arrived late in the evening, set up my crossover to sleep in, and left fairly early in the morning. So I don't have much to say, but it was totally adequate for what I needed: a safe place to sleep. I will say there was nothing particularly interesting to me about this campground. Everything was good, but I don't feel a strong desire to return unless I'm just passing through.
The campground: It's about a fifteen minute drive off highway 40. Once inside the campground the road is gravel and fairly easy to navigate. There's about 10 sites; each site has a pavilion with a picnic table, a grill, and a fire pit with a grill on top. Plus there are two vault toilets; one in the upper area and one in the lower area. I arrived just before sundown and there was only one site left, so getting a spot might be an issue during busier times. Everything was clean, including the toilets. It was very quiet; everyone seemed to turn in not long after I arrived.
The area: It's in El Malpais area, and I've been told there's a lot to explore around there; unfortunately I didn't have the time. There's a Phillips 66 located where you get off 40 to head to the campground.
Booking: No booking or fee, but minimal sites. I didn't see any good spots to camp inside the campground that weren't official sites. There's some "restoration" areas that might have been spots for camping, but are now blocked off.
Cell service: Spotty with Verizon. I could make calls, but couldn't text or use the internet. My spot was near a ridge, so maybe other spots had better service.
