Piñon Campground
Open seasonally mid-May through September 30. Individual sites are first-come, first-served; group sites are reservable via Recreation.gov. Potable water is available during the operating season. 14-day stay limit enforced.
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…
Romero Creek bridge replacement and traffic closure north of Luna (FR 220)
June 1 - November 5The Gila National Forest will close approximately 1.5 miles of Forest Road (FR) 220 north of Luna while a contractor for the Federal Highway Administration removes and replaces a bridge over Romero Creek, just east of Romero Lake. FR 220 will be closed near the Romero Creek…
Potentially Dangerous Animal Encounters
Spring usually coincides with increased animal activity, and this year is no exception. Over the past couple of months, we have received reports of possibly rabid and aggressive animals near popular recreation areas:In early April, we received multiple reports over one weekend of suspected rabid…
Hummingbird Fire Forest Closure and Updates
Hummingbird Fire Emergency Closure for Public Health and SafetyGlenwood, Reserve, and Wilderness Ranger DistrictsAs of June 1, the closure order for the Hummingbird Fire has been lifted. All trails previously closed under the order are now open. Hummingbird Fire updates are posted on Facebook,…
Suspected rabid animals reported near Cliff Dwellings
We recently received several reports of suspected rabid animals near the Gila Cliff Dwellings. DO NOT APPROACH ANY ANIMAL EXHIBITING STRANGE BEHAVIOR.If you encounter any animal that seems sick or is acting strangely, call the New Mexico Department of Wildlife (Las Cruces Office) at 575-532-2100…
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Begin March 23, 2026
The Gila National Forest will enact Stage 1 Restrictions on March 23. This decision is based on several factors, including: long term severe drought in the Gila region, increased tree mortality across the forest due to drought and insects, and forecasted weather patterns which indicate higher…
Vandalism on forest defers maintenance, decreases public safety
Resources diverted from recreation improvements and law enforcement to address damage from vandalismRepairing, restoring, and investigating vandalized sites takes Forest Service time and U.S. taxpayer money away from making other improvements on the 3.3 million acres of the Gila National Forest.…
Harmful algae detected in Quemado and Snow lakes
The New Mexico Environment Department is warning visitors to use caution at Quemado Lake, Snow Lake, and Hopewell Lake due to the formation of harmful algae blooms. Harmful algae blooms, or HABs, occur when certain types of algae grow excessively in water, posing potential health risks to people…
Gila National Forest to begin prescribed fires
Gila National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations this fall, pending all required approvals. We estimate this work to continue through the spring as weather conditions allow. We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and…
Gila National Forest Occupancy and Use Prohibitions
PROHIBITIONSPursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) the following is prohibited on the National Forest System (NFS) lands in the Gila National Forest (including those lands identified on the Gila National Forest Map as Apache National Forest, within the State of New Mexico)…
From Recreation.gov
**IMPORTANT ! **The Gila National Forest is currently in STAGE 1 FIRE RESTRICTIONS. Forest Service Stage 1 Restrictions essentially restrict campfires and cooking or stove wood/ briquet fires to designated developed recreation sites and within provided fire rings and grills.
From Recreation.gov
**IMPORTANT : The Quemado Lake recreation area water system is operational/ water is available. Thank you for your patience !**
About
Piñon Campground is a tranquil, lightly-visited campground in the Gila National Forest near Quemado Lake in western New Mexico. The sites are nestled among mature piñon and juniper trees at approximately 7,800 feet elevation, with some sites offering views of Quemado Lake. The campground consists of a family camping loop on the east side and a group camping loop on the west side. The campground offers 23 individual sites available first-come, first-served, plus 2 group sites that can be reserved through Recreation.gov. Amenities include vault toilets, seasonal potable water, picnic tables at each site, and fire rings. A dump station is available on-site. No hookups or showers are available. Quemado Lake, less than 2 miles away, offers fishing for rainbow trout and boating. Several hiking trails wind through the surrounding forest and along the lakeshore. The campground operates seasonally from mid-May through September 30, with a 14-day stay limit enforced.
Directions
From Quemado, NM, take NM 32 south 14.2 miles to the Quemado Lake/NM 103 sign. Turn left onto NM 103 and go 4 miles to where Forest Road 13 (gravel) begins. Continue straight on FR 13 for 1.4 miles to the campground sign and turn left into the campground.
Amenities
| Water | Yes |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | Yes |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $15 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | — |
| Pull Through Sites | — |
Contact
| Phone | +1 (575) 773-4678 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Photos
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