Fort Stanton Cave Campground
Facility · New Mexico ·
Managed by the Bureau of Land Management
Roswell Field Office (Bureau of Land Management NM) · Open Access
- 6,124 ft
- Elevation
Surrounding the Fort Stanton Cave Campground is the Fort Stanton Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area (NCA). At around 6300' elevation the NCA offers a diverse habitat of High Desert cedar/juniper hillsides with Ponderosa Pine stringers and hardwoods meandering through the canyon bottoms. Within the NCA is Fort Stanton Cave. At over 44 miles, it is the second longest cave in New Mexico, the 9th longest cave in the U.S., the 40th longest in the world, and the largest cave managed by the BLM.
Fort Stanton Cave Campground features several shelters, tables and fire rings, as well as a vault toilet. All sites are dry and on a first-come, first-served basis. The access road off of U.S. Route 380 is graveled. This site provides a convenient location for camping, hiking, and exploring the history of the local area.
Getting there
From the east side of Capitan, NM, drive east on US 380 for approximately 5.78 miles to Cave Canyon Rd. Once on Cave Canyon Rd. (to the right), drive approximately 1.12 miles to the campground. From the west side of Lincoln, NM, drive west on US 380 for approximately 6.18 miles to Cave Canyon Rd.
33.50657, -105.49295 · 33°30'23.7"N 105°29'34.6"W
Typical weather
Typically 87°F in Jun, down to 50°F in Dec.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 51 | 55 | 62 | 69 | 77 | 87 | 85 | 83 | 78 | 70 | 60 | 50 |
| Low °F | 24 | 27 | 30 | 36 | 44 | 51 | 55 | 54 | 48 | 38 | 30 | 24 |
| Precip in | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.9 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 6.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
Fees and stay limits
No Fees
Stay limit: 14 Days
From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.
More photos
Member photos
Common questions about Fort Stanton Cave Campground
- Can you reserve a site at Fort Stanton Cave Campground?
- No. Fort Stanton Cave Campground is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.
- How long can you stay at Fort Stanton Cave Campground?
- 14 Days
Camping near Fort Stanton Cave Campground
- Rob Jagger's Campground 1.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
- CEDAR CREEK (Sam Tobias) 14.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Smokey Bear RD 5.2 mi · Facility
- Baca Campground 8 mi · Campground
- The Hubbard Museum of the American West 11.7 mi · Facility
- Monjeau Lookout 14.7 mi · Facility
- Cedar Creek Picnic Shelter 14.9 mi · Facility
- Sam Tobias Memorial Group Campground 14.9 mi · Campground
- Skyline Campground 15.1 mi · Campground
- South Fork Campground 15.5 mi · Campground
- Ruidoso Lookout 15.5 mi · Facility
- Oak Grove Campground 16.5 mi · Campground
Contact
- Phone 575-322-0030
- Email BLM_NM_PDO_Mail@blm.gov
- Info Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-06-04.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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