New Mexico Raises Yearly Camping Pass
It’s official – after much back and forth, New Mexico is raising the price of its annual non-resident camping pass from $225 to $600 beginning January 1st, 2025.
We covered the proposal earlier this year, but the plan was never finalized after the state received a big outpouring of public comments.
In addition to the non-resident pass increase, state residents will also see a change. The resident camping pass will increase from $180 to $300 starting January 1st, 2025.
One of the Best Deals in Camping?
The New Mexico camping pass has long been one of the best deals in camping, especially for people who spend a lot of time in the state. However, this new rate appears to no longer be as economically beneficial.
How Does the Camping Pass Work?
The camping pass provides free camping at developed sites, but then you pay on top of that for hookups along with a reservation fee. So now, after paying your $300 or $600 fee, you’ll pay an additional $19 a night for a typical water/electric site, including the $4 a night reservation fee.
The New Mexico camping pass isn’t like other states; it’s not a park entrance pass, so it’s not required. You can still pay the nightly rate to camp – but those rates have gone up, too. You’ll now spend about $34 a night for a water/electric site or $29 if you’re a resident. It’s still not a bad price, as its well below many states. It just makes the math of the annual pass no longer make financial sense. You pay $600 to save $15 a night – so you’d have to camp for 40 nights to break even.
Editor’s Note: Through the end of 2024, if you purchase a camping pass at the current price, it will be good for one full year from the date of purchase. Beginning January 1st, 2025, the price will rise, and the pass will only be good for one calendar year.
History of the New Mexico Camping Pass
In the past, non-residents would pay $225 and could book a no-hookup site for just a $4 reservation fee per night, and an electric site would cost an additional $4 a night. The few sewer-equipped sites in the state would be another $4. Those nightly fees for reservations and services increased along with the camping pass cost. Electric hookups will now be $10, sewer hookups will be an additional $5, and they’ve added a line item for water hookups, which is also $5.
New Mexico Raises the Yearly Camping Pass – Should We Be Mad?
I just want to say – the overall rise in the cost of camping is really unfortunate, but I don’t blame New Mexico at all. New Mexico’s camping is still in line with or even more affordable than other state parks in the southwest, and it’s a fantastic state to camp in.
When we shared this story earlier this year, some people commented, “That’s it, New Mexico’s off my list of places to camp”!” Personally, I think that’s a bit silly. A camping pass can still make sense if you plan to spend a couple of months or more touring the state.
The state also has senior, disabled, veteran and military camping passes for $150 a year, but they’re only for state residents.
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