RV Parks In Ranchos De Taos, NM

Ranchos de Taos is a historic community just south of Taos on Highway 68 in northern New Mexico, sitting at about 7,000 feet in the high desert plateau between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Rio Grande Gorge. The area has several RV campgrounds and parks, with some free camping options in the surrounding Carson National Forest and BLM land. The community is best known for the San Francisco de Asis Church, a massive adobe structure that has been painted and photographed by artists from Georgia O'Keeffe to Ansel Adams, making it one of the most recognizable churches in the American Southwest. Ranchos de Taos maintains a quieter, more residential character than Taos proper while putting you within minutes of the town's galleries, restaurants, Taos Pueblo, and the ski valley. The high elevation keeps summer temperatures pleasant with cool nights ideal for sleeping, while winter brings genuine snow and cold that feeds the nearby Taos Ski Valley. For RVers who want to experience Taos without camping in the busier area around the plaza, Ranchos de Taos offers a slightly more laid-back starting point with easy access to everything the Taos area has to offer including world-class art, Native American culture, mountain recreation, and some of the most dramatic landscape in all of New Mexico.

Of the campgrounds near Ranchos de Taos, a portion% are free while a portion% charge a fee. RV parks in the greater Taos area charge about $35 to $55 per night for full hookups, with weekly and monthly rates available at many parks. The rates here are higher than most of rural New Mexico but reflect the area's popularity as a tourist destination. Free dispersed camping on BLM land west of the Rio Grande Gorge and in Carson National Forest provides budget alternatives for self-contained rigs. Summer and fall are the busiest seasons with the highest prices, while spring and late fall offer better deals.