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Joe Skeen Campground - El Malpais NCA

21 Reviews

About

Bureau of Land Management

Location

Joe Skeen Campground - El Malpais NCA is located in New Mexico

Coordinates

34.944178709558585 N
107.82085304227672 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Available
Verizon
Good
AT&T
Good
T-Mobile
Fair

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Reservable
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites

Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.

PERMIT might be REQUIRED

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For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

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Contact

General Info

Reservations

(505) 761-8700

Candy's Catmobile RV Life-Utube S.

Traveler

Reviewed Apr. 18, 2024

Best dispersed camping you'll find! Some cell service, read review

I enjoyed my week at Joe Skeen in April 2024. If you camp near the top of the loop, overlooking the road below you'll get some cell service. I was in camp site 8 and have Tmobile I had 5G 2 bars, but it came in and out. I was still able to stream and use my phone hot spot. Nice cement pads with picnic tables, pavillion, fire pit and BBQ stands. Vault toilets with trash bins, but NO WATER! Be careful if you're towing anything, as my trailer bottomed out and bent the jack stand on my brand new car hauler trailer at the gulley in the road on the way into the campground. They should fill that in!! Check out my Utube journey's at: Candy's Catmobile RV Life on Utube. (:

Site8

Month of VisitMay

Kevin I.

Scout

Reviewed Dec. 30, 2023

Great free camping spot!

This is a great campground! We came in with a 34' toy hauler and there was plenty of spots that would accommodate our size. Their website says there are spots to accommodate up to 50'. There are 10 spots and it is first come, first serve, so make sure you get here early. At the end of December, there were plenty of open spots. There is a little dip when you turn off the main road which we made it through without any issues. Campground was clean, had outhouses, and covered seating areas. Great find!

Month of VisitJanuary

Kurt O.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 17, 2023

Great camping area

This is a great area to camp in.... but not in the summer, there is no shade for tent people. This would be a perfect spot for spring and fall. We stayed in the northwest camping site that was about 25 feet from the cliff overlooking 117. Perfect spot. The ground is hard and required a Mason bit and cordless drill to set tent stakes.

SiteNW corner, no number, see pictures

Month of VisitAugust

Megan B.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 11, 2023

Couldn’t ask for better free camping!!

Such a great site. Literally cannot imagine better free camping!!

Month of VisitMay

Robert W.

Scout

Reviewed Apr. 9, 2023

BLM overnight

Easy to find, each spot has a picnic table and fire rings. Sites filled up by 6pm. Needed levelers on one side for our Class B Travato. Two vehicles max per site.

SiteFourth one on the right, did not see numbers.

Month of VisitMay

Bill

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 3, 2023

Very nice free campground

Each site has a covered picnic table and fire ring. Fairly exposed to the wind. Vault toilets. BLM dirt road near the entrance you can walk / hike down. Brochures of El Malpais at the entrance to the campground. Got there at 4 pm and only half the sites taken. Not bad for a spring break Saturday. Eventually all the sites filed up. Woke up to a beautiful snow storm. Dogs are allowed on this national monument trails, but discouraged because of the sharp lava rocks.

Month of VisitApril

zoe

Traveler

Reviewed Mar. 26, 2023

Easily accessible private sites

These sites were the most equipped, free sites we’ve ever stayed at in our ram pro master

Month of VisitApril

Benjamin

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 11, 2022

nice campground

nice place. seems to be windy most of the days and rain can make the sites awfully muddy. ranger station is only open on weekend but maps are available 24/7. spots are a little close together.

Site3

Month of VisitJanuary

Christoph R.

Guide

Reviewed Oct. 20, 2022

Beautiful place

Great free campground in a marvelous place. Great sunsets, clean toilets. Water only at ranger station

Sitenon assigned

Month of VisitNovember

Patrick B.

Traveler

Reviewed Mar. 7, 2022

Great camping spot

Love this place. Amazing colors and only had 3 others here. Mind you it is below freezing out and super cold. The bluff view as I am calling it has a smaller pull through and a great fire pit and covered picnic table. Or 22’ camper trailer fit perfect. Thanks to the Dyrt for having it on thier page!

SiteSmall bluffSmall bluff view.

Month of VisitApril

(7) View All

Lizzy N.

Traveler

Reviewed Feb. 18, 2022

Good overnight spot

Definitely get here before sunset! We were arriving around 6pm as the sun was setting and only two sites were left. I was surprised since it was the off season. Amazing views though. Nearest town is 20 min drive away which is nice. Only had enough service to send messages which is just enough.

Month of VisitMarch

Robert C.

Scout

Reviewed Sep. 11, 2021

Awesomeness

Couldn’t ask for more.

Month of VisitOctober

Haley S.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 31, 2021

Love!

Stopped here for the night on the way from Tucson to Denver and I'm so glad I did! I was a little nervous bc I'd read reviews saying it fills up fast and to get there before 5, but I got there about 8pm on a Monday in July and only saw one other spot taken. My 2wd car had no problem getting in and out and the ground was great for tent camping. Was solo camping and felt very safe the whole time. I'd love to go back again when I have time to explore the park, everything was SO beautiful.

Month of VisitAugust

Jessica S.

Scout

Reviewed Mar. 15, 2021

Easy access, good facilities

Each site has a covered patio with picnic table and a fire pit. We stopped through here for one night on our way to AZ and it worked out really well. No check-in/fees; first come first serve. There were a few spots open when we rolled in around 1800.

Sara R.

Ranger

Reviewed Nov. 7, 2020

Peaceful and quiet but accessible

This was a lovely stop on our trip from CA to CT. We walked to the top of the adjacent hill for sunset which was very nice. After traveling through Utah we weren’t as impressed by the landscape but it is definitely a nice getaway with good views and a natural setting. Pretty level spots and had no trouble getting there with our 30 ft RV. I think we got the last spot (all first come first serve) and we arrived around 4:30 on a Thursday. Would definitely come back if we’re passing through the area again but won’t plan a trip around it (like we plan to with some of the sites in Utah).

(13) View All

Kelley G.

Guide

Reviewed Oct. 31, 2020

Beautiful overnight stay

Stopped here for the night as our first campsite after purchasing our travel trailer.

Gorgeous drive in from 40 to the campsite.

Awesome pull-through site.

Only saw one person doing tent camping. Looked like a cold stay Oct 30th-31st.

Beautiful sunset, unfortunately slept through dawn.

Moon was so bright we didn’t need a flashlight for the bathroom with a clear path from our site. Bear safe trash through out.

Each site is spaces a decent amount apart from the rest.

Quiet time 10 pm - 6 am.

We saw chipmunks scurrying about in the morning. We were hoping to see more wildlife but can’t complain for pulling in around 3:30 and choosing from about 4 empty sites and leaving by 9 am.

Very clean and safe toilet area. Incredible views!

Watch your dogs stepping in cactus. Dogs need to be on leash, but not enforced. Our dog loved this spot but he did sniff cactus too close ouch.

Highly recommend.

(10) View All

Taylor

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 31, 2020

Beautiful, quiet, perfect

This campsite was amazing. Beautiful scenery, easy to find location, quiet, felt really safe, had a bathroom (no running water).

I loved seeing all the cactuses and climbing up the rocks. So fun!

(6) View All

Johnny P.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 9, 2020

Quiet Clean Beautiful Place (RV)

We were passing through and found BLM land on AllStays about 10 miles off I-40. Very clean bathrooms. You can bring a RV in. We have a 34’ class A. Only about 10 sites each one has a fire pit, grill, tables and and cover. Some sites are pull through. No water or any kind of hook ups.

Jared F.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 25, 2019

Not far from HWY40

This is a good spot to stay the night if your passing though, very clean bathrooms.

Stephanie W.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 5, 2018

Perfect spot only a few miles off the 40

Bout 10 free campsites in a beautiful location. Several vault toilets, great spots to set up a tent, landscape is nice but the Sunset was breathtaking. One of the best sites we’ve had the privilege to stay at in the West.

Anthony G.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 3, 2018

Peaceful mountain top

This is a donation based campground. There are approximately 10 sites. Each is equipped with a metal pavallion, table, and firepit/cooking pit. There are pit toilets. The sites are amply spaced, and there is cleared area in the high desert terrain to place a tent or two. During my stay, we strung our hammocks up in the pavillion. The site is easy access from the road, and about a 15 min drive from closest town, (Grants).

Month of VisitAugust