Aspen Group Area

About

At an elevation of almost 9,000 ft, Aspen Group Area offers a cool mountain escape from the desert valley below. The campground sits in Lincoln National Forest's Sacramento Mountains, surrounded by mixed pine, fir, and white-trunked aspen trees. The area overlooks Dog Canyon and the Tularosa Basin, providing stunning vistas across the landscape. Wildlife includes elk, deer, bears, and occasionally roadrunners. This is a group-only reservation site that can accommodate between 4 and 70 people. Facilities include vault toilets, campfire pits, grills, picnic tables, and a covered pavilion. Potable water is not available on-site but can be obtained at nearby Sleepy Grass Campground during peak season. No RVs over 30 feet are permitted. Hiking opportunities abound with trails leading to outstanding overlooks from Alamo Peak and Stark Peak. The popular Osha Trail is a 2.5-mile loop. The Rim Trail, a 32-mile multi-use path for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, begins just a quarter mile from the campground.

Directions

From Alamogordo, take US 82 east for 16 miles. Just before Cloudcroft, turn right (south) on NM 130 and go 1.4 miles. Turn left (east) on Forest Road 24B and go 0.5 miles. Aspen Group Area is on the left, across from Black Bear Group Area.