U.S. Forest Service · Cibola National Forest and Grasslands · New Mexico

Quaking Aspen Campground

Quaking Aspen campground offers a respite from the heat in a setting of aspen and mature ponderosa pine trees. Approximately 6 miles south of Fort Wingate, this is the most recently renovated campground on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District. The area has a rich history of railroad logging and the original town of McGaffey was built in the vicinity of McGaffey Lake a few miles down the road. Pay attention to road conditions and your vehicle's abilities before driving off of the main road.

Closed for the seasonBooking not publishedFrom $10 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in New Mexico · tent only in New Mexico · accessible sites in New Mexico

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesSelf-service pay station. Overnight camping - $10/site. Day use - $5.00/vehicle.
AccessibilityToilets

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMay 15 to October 15
ForestCibola National Forest and Grasslands
FeesSelf-service pay station. Overnight camping - $10/site. Day use - $5.00/vehicle.
RulesThere is a 14-day stay limit for this campground; Trailers limited to less than 22 feet in length.

Cibola National Forest and Grasslands recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Quaking Aspen Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.79 inches of precipitation, 9.0 inches of snowFebruary: 1.46 inches of precipitation, 8.7 inches of snowMarch: 1.51 inches of precipitation, 6.6 inches of snowApril: 1.13 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowMay: 0.98 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 0.55 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 2.82 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.14 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.64 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.43 inches of precipitation, 2.5 inches of snowNovember: 1.63 inches of precipitation, 2.6 inches of snowDecember: 1.61 inches of precipitation, 10.1 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 27.7°F averageFebruary: 30.6°F averageMarch: 37.2°F averageApril: 43.3°F averageMay: 51.8°F averageJune: 61.7°F averageJuly: 66.6°F averageAugust: 64.8°F averageSeptember: 59.2°F averageOctober: 48.3°F averageNovember: 36.8°F averageDecember: 28.1°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mcgaffey 5 SE, 7 miles from the campground at 8,000 feet, station USC00295560 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 20 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 42 inches a year on the same inches scale. The shaded span is the published season, May 15 to October 15.

Getting there

Coordinates35.4058° N, 108.5402° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗25.5 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.5 mi
    Quaking Aspen
    3.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Stuck Truck
    2.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Purple Haze
    4.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.6 mi
    Burma Rd Trail
    2.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.9 mi
    Sawmill ↗
    4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.9 mi
    Broken Nose
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

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

How much does it cost to camp at Quaking Aspen Campground?

Self-service pay station. Overnight camping - $10/site. Day use - $5.00/vehicle.

Source: Forest Service

Is Quaking Aspen Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season May 15 to October 15.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Quaking Aspen Campground?

Quaking Aspen Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Are there accessible sites at Quaking Aspen Campground?

Toilets.

Source: Forest Service

What if Quaking Aspen Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Mcgaffey Campground (2.6 mi, first-come), El Morro Campground (28 mi, first-come), and Ojo Redondo Campground (29.7 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby