Big Tesuque Campground
Big Tesuque is a travel-in campground not conducive to trailer or RV camping. There are 10 units, picnic tables and grills, and vaulted toilets in the parking lot. There is no potable water and no campground host. The entire area is very scenic, and NM 475 is designated as the Santa Fe Scenic Byway. Because of the large stands of aspen, the area is very busy, especially in the fall aspen viewing season. both above and below Big Tesuque Campground, including hiking, biking, and picnic areas. Winter activities include both nordic and alpine skiing. Tesuque is pronounced "tes-sue-kay"
More like this: first-come in New Mexico · tent only in New Mexico
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Forest | Santa Fe National Forest |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 35.7692° N, 105.8086° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedPaliza South Rx
45 mi from the campground · 412 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Sierra ↗ | 9.5 mi |
| RV sales & service | Land of Enchantment RV ↗ | 18.8 mi |
| Dump station | Juniper Campground Dump Station ↗ | 26.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Big Tesuque Creek Campground
Worth a stop
- 0.6 miAspen Vista Picnic Site ↗Day use
- 1.4 miNorski Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 1.8 miWinsor Trailhead #254 ↗Trailhead
- 3.4 miLittle Tesuque Picnic Site ↗Day use
- 9.5 miNational Trails Office Regions 6, 7, & 8 ↗Visitor center
- 10.6 miUpper Dalton Fishing Access Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
Trails nearby
- 1.1 miTesuque Creek3.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.4 miNorski ↗5.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, snowshoe and 1 more
- 1.9 miBear Wallow1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.1 miBorrego ↗20.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.5 miAspen Spur2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 2.7 miLower Nambe1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
Trailheads within three miles
- 1.4 miNorski Trailhead ↗Santa Fe National Forest
- 1.8 miWinsor Trailhead #254 ↗Santa Fe National Forest
- 2.2 miBear Wallow Trailhead ↗Santa Fe 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
Pecos Wilderness begins about 2.1 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 2.1 miPecos Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 221,796 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
Historic landmarks nearby
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
Is Big Tesuque Campground open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Big Tesuque Campground?
Big Tesuque Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Big Tesuque Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Aspen Basin Campground (1.8 mi, first-come), Black Canyon Campground (5.2 mi), and Holy Ghost Group Area (5.9 mi, partly first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby