Lower Scorpion Campground
Open year-round, free, first-come first-served. Water availability is uncertain; bring your own supply. Stage 1 fire restrictions in effect since March 23, 2026. Highway 15 and Highway 35 are at risk for flash flooding during monsoon season. 14-day stay limit.
Cannabis Possession Prohibited
Order 03-00-00-21-002 prohibits possessing, storing, or transporting a cannabis plant, any part of a cannabis plant, or any substance derived from a cannabis plant within the Southwestern Region National Forests in the State of New Mexico and the National Grasslands in the states of Texas and…
Black Range Ranger District network and phones down June 24, 2026
Computer network and phones are out of service at the Black Range Ranger District since about 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 23. The office is open for visitors, but without access to the network and point-of-sale system, we are unable to make any sales until the outage is resolved.
Bear Fire Area/Road Closure
An area closure goes into effect at 6:00 a.m. Saturday, June 13 for all National Forest System lands east of Catron County Road A095 (Mangas Road), as well as all roads and trails within the area closure (see map).
About
Lower Scorpion Campground sits in the Gila National Forest within walking distance of the West Fork of the Gila River, less than one mile from Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. This partially developed campground offers 7 tent camping sites with picnic tables, vault toilets, and grills at select sites. Camping is free and operates on a first-come, first-served basis with a 14-day stay limit. The campground is designed primarily for tent camping. While RVs and trailers up to 25 feet may park in the paved parking area, the sites themselves are not optimized for larger rigs. One ADA-accessible site is available with accessible picnic table, fire pit, and toilet access. Quiet hours run from 10 PM to 7 AM. Campfires are permitted only in provided metal grills or fire pits. Pack out all trash as no trash services exist in the monument area. The area experiences monsoon season flash flooding and visitors should check weather conditions before traveling Highway 15 and Highway 35.
Directions
From Silver City, NM, take NM Highway 15 north approximately 44 miles to the Gila Cliff Dwellings area. Lower Scorpion Campground is located just off Highway 15, less than one mile from the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.
Location
Amenities
| Water | — |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | — |
| Wifi | — |
| Pets Allowed | — |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | — |
| Price | $0 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | 25ft |
| Max Trailer Length | 25ft |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | — |
Contact
| gicl_information@nps.gov |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Photos
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