Sunset Reef Campground

About Sunset Reef Campground

Sunset Reef Campground is a reclaimed well pad with 11 developed campsites; five RV spaces and six tent sites. Each site has a shaded picnic table, fire pit and grill for your camping convenience with a vault toilet on site. Visitors can dry camp at this campground for a maximum of five nights for free.If on the hunt for a great place to camp while exploring the two national parks in the area, this is the place to stay! Carlsbad Caverns is a 25-minute drive (14 miles) to the north and Guadalupe Mountains National Park is a 35-minute drive (30 miles) to the southwest.

How to Get There

From Carlsbad, New Mexico head south on highway 62/180, after approximately 25 miles turn right at the large red Washington Ranch sign (between mile marker 10 and 11) onto Washington Ranch Road, be prepared to take the first right soon after accessing Washington Ranch Road, cross a cattle guard and continue on a dirt road for 0.7 miles.

Plan Your Visit to Sunset Reef Campground

Heading to Sunset Reef Campground? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)