Caballo Lake State Park in New Mexico, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-11-01. Check linked official notices before travel.

Caballo Lake State Park in southern New Mexico offers two different bases: lakeside camping at Appaloosa and a river setting at Riverside. Choose the arrival point before driving. For a day visit, combine a picnic with lake views and a short walk.

Choose the lake or the riverside

The reservoir lies on the Rio Grande in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. Open water and the surrounding dry landscape give the lake a different feel from Riverside’s river setting. Camping, birding and boating are among the park’s activities.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Wear a life jacket and check the ramp

New Mexico requires people using human-powered watercraft, including kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket. Check the official boating conditions before towing a boat or planning a launch.

Keep the campsite quiet

Quiet hours run 10 p.m.–7 a.m. Avoid loud generators and radios during that period. Off-highway vehicles are prohibited, and the corrals are for horses.

Reserve the correct camping area

Use the authorized campground booking page. Campsites can be reserved up to six months ahead. Keep proof of the reservation with you, and confirm which facilities serve the chosen site during the winter closure.

Follow directions for your chosen area

The park address is 10 Palomino Road, Caballo, NM 87931. For Appaloosa, take I-25 Exit 59, head north on NM 187 and follow the Lakeside Recreation sign onto Palomino Road. Riverside uses Caballo Down Road and the dam frontage road. The park warns that some navigation routes lead toward Smith Ranch; use its visitor-center destination and official campground directions.

Two other Rio Grande stops

Percha Dam State Park is at 80 Percha Dam Canal Road in Caballo, with a river and cottonwood setting. Elephant Butte Lake State Park uses 101 Highway 195, Elephant Butte; the agency directs arrivals from I-25 Exit 83 onto NM 195 South.

Build the day around one activity

Choose a picnic and birdwatching for a relaxed shore visit. A boating outing needs its own preparation and a currently usable ramp. The park also lists walking and horseback riding; keep the day’s route within your group’s ability and available daylight.

Camping services vary by area

The park lists 170 developed campsites across four campgrounds, with water, electric or full-hookup options. Showers, toilets, picnic shelters and a playground are among its facilities. Palomino has a dump station. The Upper Riverside comfort-station closure makes choosing the correct camping area especially useful this winter.

About Caballo Lake

A reservoir landscape

The reservoir was built in the 1930s, and the state park was established in 1964.

Look across water and desert

Birding is one of the park’s listed activities. Bring binoculars and watch from a comfortable shore location rather than approaching animals.

Contact

Call 575-743-3942. The official park page provides visitor details; consult current fees and permits when budgeting.