campgrounds.fyiIndependent · federal campgrounds · no paid placements
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USFSCibola National Forest and Grasslands · New Mexico

Water Canyon Campground

This campground is located at an elevation of 6,800 feet in the Magdalena Mountains.
Sites0all reservable
Elev.6,857ft
Comf.Apr-Nov8 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Albuquerque2h04real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27

At 6,857 ft, Water Canyon Campground has a 8-month comfortable window (Apr-Nov). Winter nights average around 26°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. Within about 4 miles: 16 named hiking routes, 69 peaks, lake or river access.

The campground at a glance

01 · CHARACTER
QuietCoolRoomyShadeRV-fitReserv.

Reads strongest on cool nights and quiet. Softest on quiet.

Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.

When to go

02 · CLIMATE
JFMAMJJASOND
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Apr
Apr-Nov
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
76%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Apr 13
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 21.
63°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.

Getting there

03 · ACCESS
01
Albuquerque
98 mi
2h04
02
Santa Fe
161 mi
3h10
By drive time
Albuquerque · 2h04Santa Fe · 3h10Camp

Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 4.5 mi away.

What's within four miles

05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER

Trails & Peaks

Named hiking routes
16
Trail segments
38
Peaks
69
Viewpoints
1

Water & Access

Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
4.5 mi
Method

We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.

Check availability on Recreation.gov →