Cowles
Its 9 sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping costs Single Site: $6 per vehicle per night. Cowles is a National Forest campground near San Miguel, New Mexico.
First-come, first-served
- National Forest
- Managed by
- None
- Hookups
Cowles sits inside Santa Fe National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.2 miles outside the boundary of Pecos Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- None, first-come
- Fee
- Single Site: $6 per vehicle per night
Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Sites and hookups
- Total sites
- 9
- Hookups
- None
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Fire rings
- ✕ Potable water
On site: Toilets and fire rings. No potable water.
Source: fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 8,250 ft
35.8123, -105.6633 in San Miguel. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Cowles?
No. Cowles is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.
How much does it cost to camp at Cowles?
Camping at Cowles costs Single Site: $6 per vehicle per night.
How many campsites does Cowles have?
Cowles has 9 campsites.
Does Cowles have RV hookups?
No. Cowles has no hookups.
Is there drinking water at Cowles?
No. Cowles has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.
Who manages Cowles?
Cowles is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Cowles
McClure Reservoir's mapped center point is 13 miles from Cowles in a straight line. Current water level: McClure Reservoir water level on reservoirfinder.com.
Hot springs and waterfalls nearby
Nearest to Cowles, in straight-line miles: Ten Thousand Waves (hot spring, 14 miles), and Nambe Falls (waterfall, 14 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.
Panchuela - Sites
- 6
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $5 per night
- Sites
- 39
- Season
- 05-01 to 10-31
- Fee
- Single Site: $10 per night
Jacks Creek (group Campground) - Sites
- 2
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Overnight Use:
- Sites
- 14
- Season
- 05-01 to 11-30
- Fee
- Single Site: $4 per vehicle per night
More campgrounds: camping near San Miguel and campgrounds in San Miguel.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30
- fs.usda.gov (sites.total, water, hookups, dumpStation, showers), accessed 2026-09-30