Army Corps of Engineers · New Mexico
Cochiti Campground
Army Corps of Engineers · New Mexico, United States
- Sites
- 80
- Hookups
- 48 electric, 34 with water, 32 no hookups
- Season
- March 1 to November 30
- Max RV length
- 50 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,479 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T weak · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Cochiti Lake
- Nearest town
- PENA BLANCA
- Address
- 82 DAM CREST RD, PENA BLANCA, NM, 87041
- Phone
- 505-465-2557
- Activities
- Biking, Camping, Day Use Area, Fishing, Hiking, Paddling, Swimming Site, Wildlife Viewing
80 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Cochiti Recreation Area is located in Sandoval County, New Mexico, within the boundaries of the Pueblo de Cochiti Indian Reservation.
The lake offers two public recreation areas: Cochiti on the west side of the lake and Tetilla Peak on the east side. Both sides offer spectacular scenic views of the water and surrounding mountains.
The Cochiti Dam is one of the ten largest earth-fill dams in the United States, and also one of the largest in the world. The lake derives its name from the Indian Pueblo on the Cochiti Reservation.
Recreation
Our quiet lake is an ideal location for all paddle, wind surfing, and sailing craft. The lake is also a popular fishing spot for species such as bass, crappie, walleye, pike, catfish, sunfish and trout.
Cochiti Recreation Area has a popular, family friendly, swim beach Day Use area for public enjoyment. It is a fee area, $5 per vehicle, but the cost is covered by the campsite fee for visitors staying in the campground. Additionally, the Cochiti picnic area has 21 covered picnic sites with a large group site that can be reserved by calling the main office.
Cochiti Day Use Areas are open from April 15th to October 15th.
Facilities
The campground consists of four loops. Juniper Loop campsites have electric hookups and some have water. Elk Run and Ringtail Loops are non-electric and have community water spigots. All sites in Buffalo Grove Loop have water and electric hookups.
The Cochiti boat ramp is open year-round and is accessible by a paved road. The ramp has four concrete lanes for loading and unloading.
Natural Features
Cochiti Lake sits at 5,343ft in elevation and is nestled in the foothills of the Jemez Mountains. Our high desert environment is dominated by juniper, pinon trees, and mixed grasslands.
There are many opportunities for wildlife viewing. Four osprey nesting platforms have been erected around the lake to provide nesting sites, as well as viewing opportunities. On the east side of the lake, deer, coyote, river otters, rabbits, beavers, and the occasional bear are often sighted.
Nearby Attractions
Cochiti Lake is five miles from Tent Rocks National Monument, which has fascinating geological formations.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 24° | 0° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 51° | 27° | 1° | 68° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 59° | 33° | 21° | 83° | 9 of 11 |
| April | 71° | 40° | 22° | 84° | 5 of 11 |
| May | 79° | 50° | 38° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 91° | 60° | 48° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 93° | 65° | 53° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 89° | 64° | 56° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 84° | 58° | 41° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 69° | 43° | 31° | 83° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 58° | 32° | 12° | 71° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 47° | 26° | 16° | 61° | 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
- Tetilla Peak · Army Corps of Engineers · 1 mi · 45 sites
- Juniper Campground (NM) · National Park Service · 11 mi · 56 sites
- Ponderosa Group Campground (NM) · National Park Service · 13 mi · 2 sites
- White Rock Visitor Center RV Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 14 mi · 16 sites
- Main Gate Park RV Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 17 mi · 10 sites
All public campgrounds in New Mexico · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.