Dipping Vat Campground
This is a fantastic place to get away from it all! Dipping Vat Campground is located adjacent to the west side of Snow Lake. Snow Lake is approximately 52 miles southeast of Reserve, New Mexico. The campground offers a variety of activities to the visitor, including fishing, overnight camping, and hiking. Dipping Vat Campground has a potable water system including a well with a pump. Snow Lake is stocked with trout three times a year, early spring, early summer, and late fall. If you wish to fish at Snow Lake you must have a New Mexico fishing license and more information is available at NM Department of Game and Fish
More like this: first-come in New Mexico · tent only in New Mexico
Site map
38 campsite locations mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The site numbers are theirs and may not match the posts at the campground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | The new fee is $10.00/night per site per vehicle for this campground. There is seasonal trasj service (April - November). |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Forest | Gila National Forest |
| Booking | All Gila NF campgrounds have a 14-day stay limit. |
| Fees | The new fee is $10.00/night per site per vehicle for this campground. There is seasonal trasj service (April - November). |
| Rules | There is a 14-day stay limit. OHV/ATV use is prohibited. Hunting is prohibited in the campground. Saddle, pack, and draft animals prohibited in the campground. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 33.4232° N, 108.5013° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Rendezvous Fy27
36 mi from the campground · 34 acres
- PrescribedRx Terry Well Piles Fy27
36 mi from the campground · 10 acres
- PrescribedRx Lincoln Canyon Piles Fy27
36 mi from the campground · 10 acres
- PrescribedRx Divide Well Piles Fy27
36 mi from the campground · 10 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Outdoor gear ↗ | 46.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Dipping Vat Campground, New Mexico 2nd Loop
Worth a stop
- 0.1 miSnow Lake #142 Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 0.2 miSnow Lake Boat Launch ↗Boat launch
- 2.7 miLoco Mountain #143 Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miSnowlake1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.6 miLoco Mtn3.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.8 miIron Creek Mesa ↗6.3 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.9 miClayton Mesa ↗5.3 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3 miCooper2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.5 miAeroplane Mesa3.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.1 miSnow Lake #142 Trailhead ↗Gila National Forest
- 2.7 miLoco Mountain #143 Trailhead ↗Gila National Forest
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Gila Wilderness, which overlaps Gila National Forest.
- inGila Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 559,310 acres
- inGila National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,389,394 acres
- 12.8 miApache-Sitgreaves National Forests ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,110,688 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Bearwallow Mountain Lookout Cabins and ShedBuilding · Bearwallow Park · 9.8 mi
- Mogollon Baldy Lookout CabinBuilding · Mogollon Baldy Peak · 11.8 mi
Guidebooks for New Mexico
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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 Dipping Vat Campground?
No. Dipping Vat Campground is first-come, first-served. All Gila NF campgrounds have a 14-day stay limit. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Dipping Vat Campground?
The new fee is $10.00/night per site per vehicle for this campground. There is seasonal trasj service (April - November).
Source: Forest Service
Is Dipping Vat Campground open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Dipping Vat Campground?
Dipping Vat Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Dipping Vat Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Willow Creek Campground (4.7 mi, first-come), Gwynn Tank Campground (8.1 mi, first-come), and South Fork Campground (8.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby