USDA Forest Service · New Mexico
Black Bear Group Area
USDA Forest Service · New Mexico, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- May 14 to September 5
- Cost
- Group Standard Area Non-Electric: 1 to 30 people $123/night 31 to 70 people $154/night
- Max RV length
- 35 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 8,760 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · Verizon weak · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Lincoln National Forest
- Nearest town
- CLOUDCROFT
- Address
- PO BOX 836, CLOUDCROFT, NM, 88317
- Phone
- 575-682-7570
- Activities
- Camping
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Black Bear is perched atop the scenic Sacramento Mountains of south-central New Mexico, near Alamogordo and Cloudcroft. The site is surrounded by the aromatic pine trees and aspen groves of Lincoln National Forest. The group area is conveniently connected to a network of hiking and biking trails. Bring your camera and binoculars for the chance to spot elk, deers, birds, and even black bear.
The black bears are arguably the most celebrated wildlife in the area due to the fact that the original Smokey Bear was found here. While battling a fire in 1950, firefighters rescued a burned bear cub clinging to a scorched tree in Lincoln National Forest. The bear was adopted by the US Forest Service and became the real-life mascot for forest fire prevention.
Recreation
Evening skies are often clear of clouds - bring a telescope for stargazing. The campground is surrounded by a series of hiking trails. A popular hike is the Osha Trail, which is a 2.5-mile loop.
Facilities
Whether for a family reunion or a large social event, Black Bear is a convenient location for groups up to 70. No water is provided at this site, but it is available at Sleepy Grass Campground from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Natural Features
Set 9,000 feet above sea level in the Sacramento Mountains, Black Bear is in a pine forest area overlooking the desert valley of the Tularosa Basin. The basin stretches 6,500 square miles between the Sacramentos and the San Andres Mountains.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (575) 682-1518.
Nearby Attractions
The campground is a mile from Cloudcroft, a quaint tourist village with New Mexico's only standing railroad trestle. It's also a quarter mile from the Rim Trail, which is popular for mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. Other nearby trails are open to ATV enthusiasts.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 26° | 10° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 47° | 27° | 2° | 61° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 52° | 32° | 14° | 70° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 60° | 39° | 27° | 72° | 7 of 11 |
| May | 68° | 47° | 32° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 77° | 54° | 40° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 77° | 55° | 50° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 74° | 55° | 46° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 51° | 41° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 63° | 43° | 30° | 72° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 55° | 34° | 15° | 64° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 47° | 28° | 19° | 60° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Slide Group Area · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Sleepy Grass · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 25 sites
- Deerhead Campground · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 19 sites
- Upper Fir Group Area · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 1 sites
- Pines Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 24 sites
All public campgrounds in New Mexico · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.