Villanueva State Park RV & Campground Guide
New Mexico
One of the few state parks created through a land grant, Villanueva State Park is a haven for hikers and canoe enthusiasts. When you visit, be sure to hike to the observation deck and gaze down at the Pecos River below. You may see canoers paddling in the river, anglers along its sandy shoreline, and children splashing on its edges. Hike on a different path and you can see the campground that is located next to the river from a different vantage point. While the area around you seems desolate, if you look closer, you may see birds and wildlife that call this park home. This park is located about 1 mile outside of Villanueva, whose residents gave the land to the state, 9 miles by road southwest of El Cerrito and 55 miles southeast of Santa Fe.
Spring 38-69 F
Summer 57-88 F
Fall 44-86 F
Winter 24-51 F
El Cerrito, NM
Santa Fe, NM
RV Resorts & Campsites in Villanueva State Park
If you love solitude and quiet, then you may not want to disrupt the sanctity of your trip by staying in a hotel. Instead, bring your RV or rent one on RVshare.com. This New Mexico destination is perfect for RVers.
Villanueva State Park Campground
The campground at Villanueva State Park sits near the Pecos River, making it an ideal place for swimmers, canoers and anglers to stay. Rates start at about $10 per day and $70 per week at this campground with wheelchair-accessible sites.
• Water hookup: No
• Electrical hookup: Yes
• Sewer hookup: No
• Wi-Fi: No
• Pet-friendly: Yes
• Other amenities: Nearby river
Las Vegas, New Mexico KOA
Shop for local handicrafts at the camp store, enjoy the tasty breakfast buffet, and swim in the seasonally opened pool at Las Vegas, New Mexico KOA. Rates start at about $30 per night at this campground, where you can rent bikes to explore the local area.
• Water hookup: Yes
• Electrical hookup: Yes
• Sewer hookup: Yes
• Wi-Fi: Yes
• Pet-friendly: Yes
• Other amenities: Pool, breakfast buffet, camp store
Clines Corners RV Park
Get a sandwich from the Subway before exploring the gift shop and convenience store at Clines Corners RV Park. Rates start at about $26 a night at this campground with a café, gas station, and other conveniences.
• Water hookup: Yes
• Electrical hookup: Yes
• Sewer hookup: Yes
• Wi-Fi: Yes
• Pet-friendly: Yes
• Other amenities: 2 restaurants, gift shop, convenience store
Rancheros de Santa Fe Campground
Located on 22 acres of pinion pine and juniper on the edge of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rancheros de Santa Fe Campground offers free nightly movies during the summer, an outdoor, seasonally open pool and hiking trails. Rates start at about $30 per night at this campground.
• Water hookup: Yes
• Electrical hookup: Yes
• Sewer hookup: Yes
• Wi-Fi: Yes
• Pet-friendly: Yes
• Other amenities: Cable TV, nightly movies, seasonal pool
What to Do at
Villanueva State Park
Inside Villanueva State Park
If you love kicking back and taking life at a slower pace, Villanueva State Park makes for a satisfying road trip. Stroll along the trails and cross the hiking bridges to see this unique park scenery. Throw a line in the Pecos River, or watch your children play in the playground and the sandy beach. Depending on rainfall amounts, you can enjoy canoeing on the Pecos River.
Outside Villanueva State Park
Villanueva State Park’s location makes it a great spot to visit communities within an hour's drive. Historic Las Vegas, New Mexico, with its 900 historical buildings, makes a great day trip. You may also enjoy exploring Santa Fe, with its interesting mix of heritage and modern technology while Clines Corner is an interesting destination to the south.
Restaurants
Charlie’s Bakery and Café
Charlie’s is your spot for Mexican food. If you're looking for something unique to eat that will leave a lasting memory, consider the sopapillas stuffed with your choice of beans, ground beef, or chicken.
Type: Mexican
Location: 713 Douglas Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701
The Skillet
Step into this eclectic venue and enjoy Mexican favorites with heathy twists in a sports bar vibe. You can easily watch the big game on the three televisions while dining on burrito bowls, chopped salads, or quesadillas.
Type: Mexican
Location: 623 12th St, Las Vegas, NM 87701
Sazon
You'll see artwork created by artists in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Cabo, Mexico, that are highlighted with specially designed fixtures at this upscale restaurant in Santa Fe. The Latin-inspired specials that appear on your table are delicious works of art.
Type: Latin
Location: 221 Shelby St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Geronimo
Geronimo is set inside an adobe home built in 1756, and this dining room has been named among the top 10 in America by TripAdvisor. You will not want to miss the chance to eat the French-fusion food served there.
Type: French
Location: 724 Canyon Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Shopping
Clines Corner Retail Center
This combination retail store and restaurant offers good diner-style food in a large retail space filled with lots of interesting gifts and souvenirs.
Location: 1 Yacht Club Dr, Clines Corners, NM 87070
The Golden Eye
For more than 25 years, shoppers have been finding one-of-a-kind jewelry at this store. The pieces are designed to be stacked or worn separately.
Location: 115 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Honey Salon & Tea Shop
Find honey from around the world and products made with honey at this shop. You can also pick up plenty of Southwest décor that's up for sale.
Location: 554 Juanita St., Santa Fe, NM 87501
Silver Art
Located in what is billed at the oldest trading post in the United States, check out the jewelry handmade by Navajo, Santa Domingo and Zuni Pueblo Native Americans at this store.
Location: 201 W San Francisco St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Posters of Santa Fe
Shop the wide selection of Southwest posters available at this location that also frames artwork.
Location: 2107 Warner Circle, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Sightseeing
Dwan Light Sanctuary
Located on the United World College-USA campus, the Dawn Light Sanctuary has been carefully positioned so that prisms reflect the light in unique ways to create a peaceful environment.
Location: Forest 263 Rd, Las Vegas, NM 87701
Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
Go wildlife watching, hiking, hunting, and attend educational and interpretive programs at this 8,672-acre refuge that contains some of the few remaining wetlands in the state.
Location: Route 1, Box 399, Las Vegas, New Mexico 87701
Storrie Lake State Park
Built around a 1,100-acre lake, you can go boating, windsurfing, fishing, and camping at this state park.
Location: 3 Esequiel C De Baca LN, Las Vegas, NM 87701
Fort Union National Monument
See the remnants of the adobe-style Fort Union Fort, which was the largest military fort in the area from 1851 to 1891, at this site.
Location: 3115 NM-161, Watrous, NM 87753
Kaizen Scuba
The New Mexico desert may not be where you expect to find a scuba diving school, but visiting this business that teaches diving and arranges trips will be enough to prove you wrong.
Location: 1422 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
Reflecting a unique blending of Native American and Spanish Colonial architecture, tour the summer home of Georgia O’Keeffe, where she painted many of her masterpieces.
Location: 217 Johnson St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
How to Get to
Villanueva State Park
It's pretty straightforward getting to Villanueva State Park from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Get on Interstate 25 going southeast, then get off at exit 323 for NM-3 S toward Villanueva. Turn right onto NM-3 S, veer a slight left onto County Rd B29E and continue straight to get on Dodge Drive. Look up, and you will see the park.
Entering Villanueva State Park
For day use, Villanueva State Park is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Per vehicle : $5
Villanueva State Park is a wonderful place to visit regardless of the season. If you have visited this state park, share a funny or happy experience that happened during your travels on your social media feed. Be sure to tag RVshare so that the team can see what you and your friends have to say. You can also send your stories and photos via email to [email protected]