U.S. Forest Service · Carson National Forest · New Mexico

Mccrystal Campground

These 55 sites in Valle Vidal elk/bear country are a great hunting, hiking, fishing destination. From the town of Cimarron, drive 5 miles northeast on Highway 64 to Cerrososo Canyon. Follow this canyon approximately 21 miles to the Valle Vidal Unit Boundary. The route is marked by signs. From the boundary, travel 7 miles on Forest Service Road 1950. These graveled roads are not maintained during the rainy season and may be passable only with a four wheel drive vehicle.

Open nowFirst-come, first-served

More like this: first-come in New Mexico

2fires
active
Comanche Powderhouse Fall Rx (prescribed burn) · 10 mi away
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Season & status

StatusOpen
ForestCarson National Forest
FeesCampsite (includes parking for one vehicle) $16/night. Campsite for Senior or Access pass holders $8/night. Horse group site (6 sites) $75/night. Horse waste disposal $5. Extra vehicle $8/night. Day use parking $6/day. Fees are not charged in the fall.

Carson National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Mccrystal Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.60 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.95 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.26 inches of precipitationApril: 1.49 inches of precipitationMay: 1.25 inches of precipitationJune: 1.13 inches of precipitationJuly: 2.89 inches of precipitationAugust: 2.81 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.62 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.34 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.92 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.94 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.7°F averageFebruary: 25.9°F averageMarch: 33.5°F averageApril: 40.2°F averageMay: 48.7°F averageJune: 57.3°F averageJuly: 61.5°F averageAugust: 60.0°F averageSeptember: 53.6°F averageOctober: 43.4°F averageNovember: 32.1°F averageDecember: 22.8°F average0 in1 in2 in3 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Eagle Nest, 17 miles from the campground at 8,280 feet, station USC00292700 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year.

Getting there

36 miles northwest of Cimarron via US 64 &FR 1950

Coordinates36.7774° N, 105.1126° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Comanche Powderhouse Fall Rx

    10 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Martinez Fall Rx

    50 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearOutdoor gear ↗16.9 mi
RV sales & serviceSeco Bubble ↗31.2 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Limited data for this unit

No site-by-site records, no amenities, no fee schedule or photos in the Recreation.gov record. What is here comes from the agency's own listing. The rest lives there.

Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the record fills in.

Explore

Worth a stop

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Mccrystal Campground?

No. Mccrystal Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Mccrystal Campground?

Campsite (includes parking for one vehicle) $16/night. Campsite for Senior or Access pass holders $8/night. Horse group site (6 sites) $75/night.

Source: Forest Service

Is Mccrystal Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

What if Mccrystal Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Cimarron Campground (5.2 mi), Junebug Campground (18.5 mi, first-come), and Fawn Lakes Campground (19 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby