U.S. Forest Service · Santa Fe National Forest · New Mexico

Iron Gate Campground

Important Note: The campground is OPEN to the public but visitors may encounter a closed gate on Forest Road 223 before the campground. This gate is for livestock management. Please feel free to enter through the gate but close it again once you pass through. Thank you for your cooperation. Located above 9,000 feet, Iron Gate Campground is an excellent spot to access the Pecos Wilderness for day hiking and horseback riding. This campground features 14 indivdual units, vaulted toilets, trash bin, tables, fire pit/grill, 4 horse corrals. Maximum recommended length for vehicle and horse trailer is 30 feet.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-servedFrom $4 per nightTents only

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

1fire
active
Apache Saloman Fall Rx (prescribed burn) · 42 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-26
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
Fees$4.00 per night per vehicle

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 to November, weather permitting
ForestSanta Fe National Forest
Fees$4.00 per night per vehicle
RulesNo ATVs allowed. 3 car per site limit. Quiet hours from 10pm to 7am.

Santa Fe National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Iron Gate Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.96 inches of precipitation, 14.5 inches of snowFebruary: 1.46 inches of precipitation, 16.9 inches of snowMarch: 1.92 inches of precipitation, 22.9 inches of snowApril: 1.91 inches of precipitation, 15.8 inches of snowMay: 1.88 inches of precipitation, 2.3 inches of snowJune: 1.79 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.68 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.87 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.26 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.63 inches of precipitation, 7.0 inches of snowNovember: 1.30 inches of precipitation, 11.0 inches of snowDecember: 1.28 inches of precipitation, 17.9 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.3°F averageFebruary: 32.6°F averageMarch: 37.7°F averageApril: 42.9°F averageMay: 50.6°F averageJune: 59.2°F averageJuly: 61.7°F averageAugust: 60.2°F averageSeptember: 55.1°F averageOctober: 46.9°F averageNovember: 37.8°F averageDecember: 31.1°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Gascon, 10 miles from the campground at 8,250 feet, station USC00293488 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 25 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 108 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates35.8399° N, 105.6203° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Apache Saloman Fall Rx

    42 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearSierra ↗21.1 mi
RV sales & serviceLand of Enchantment RV ↗30.1 mi
Dump stationJuniper Campground Dump Station ↗37.1 mi

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

Explore

Video

Iron Gate Campground | Almost FREE Tent Camping in the Pecos Wilderness | New Mexico

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

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.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Pecos Wilderness.

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.

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 Iron Gate Campground?

No. Iron Gate Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Iron Gate Campground?

$4.00 per night per vehicle

Source: Forest Service

Is Iron Gate Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season May to November, weather permitting.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Iron Gate Campground?

Iron Gate Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Iron Gate Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Jacks Creek Group Area (2 mi), Jacks Creek Horse Camp (2 mi, first-come), and Panchuela (2.6 mi, partly first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby