Sierra Vista campground just outside of Las Cruces voted best place to camp in the United States

LAS CRUCES – Las Cruces’ Sierra Vista campground recently ranked No. 1 in the country for best places to camp based on reviews by campers through the outdoor information site The Dyrt.

The Dyrt is an online community of campers and those who enjoy the outdoors. The site states that its mission is to help people enjoy their outdoor environments and connect them with information when planning their trips.

The site released its 2022 list of top 10 places in the US to camp on Monday, July 11 featuring locations from across the country. Eight of the sites were recently featured as top locations in their respective regions — including Sierra Vista for the South/Southwest region.

A news release from The Dyrt stated that over four million reviews, ratings photos and tips from campers on their site were taken into consideration when determining the top 10 list. The over 40,000 campgrounds in the United States were whittled down to the 10 places campers preferred to visit this year. The list includes:

• Sierra Vista, New Mexico
• Many Glacier Campground, Montana
• “The Wall” in Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, South Dakota
• Alabama Hills Recreation Area, California
• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Minnesota
• White Star Campground, Colorado
• Fort De Soto Campground, Florida
• Kalaloch Campground, Washington
• Letchworth State Park, New York
• 525 Coconino National Forest Road, Arizona

“These 10 spots are campers’ dream destinations — idyllic, peaceful and the epitome of the great outdoors,” the news release stated.

Sierra Vista campground is operated by the Bureau of Land Management and is located off Drippings Springs Road, just west of the Dripping Springs Natural Area. It is a dispersed camping area, meaning there are few amenities available, such as tables and fire pits.

There is no charge to camp at Sierra Vista.

The location has a direct view of the Organ Mountains and the back side of Tortugas “A” Mountain. Numerous hiking trails are near the grounds, including the 29-mile Sierra Vista Trail, which parallels the Organs to the west.

“The site was cleared and ready for a tent. Las Cruces city glow is visible in the distance at night. The stars were out. We heard coyotes at some point in the night. The morning brought a brilliant sunrise over the mountains in the distance,” said Spencer R. in a review on The Dyrt.

“Part of what makes camping such a wonderful and soul-satisfying experience is the way it enables and encourages people to appreciate nature,” said Sarah Smith, founder of The Dyrt, in the news release. “There are rewarding camping experiences in every state. But when you look at the 2022 Best Places To Camp: Top 10 in the US, that’s just nature on another level — truly awe-inspiring.”

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Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, [email protected] or @rromero_leah on Twitter.