Caballo Lake State Park Camping: Sites, Water Level, Fishing

Caballo Lake State Park camping works best for anglers and families who want hookup sites below the Caballo Mountains, about 16 miles south of Truth or Consequences. The park runs four developed campgrounds with 170 sites, plus lakeshore primitive camping, and you book through the New Mexico State Parks reservation site up to six months out. We can deliver and set up a travel trailer at Caballo Lake State Park, so you can skip the towing and spend the trip on the water.

Caballo is the quieter neighbor to Elephant Butte, roughly a 15-minute drive south of our pickup area, and it sits on the same Rio Grande system. That means the lake rises and falls with irrigation releases, so a little planning around site choice, ramp access and current alerts goes a long way.

Which campgrounds can you book at Caballo Lake State Park?

You can book sites in the Appaloosa, Palomino, Riverside and Stallion campgrounds, plus primitive camping at Upper Flats and Percha Flats. Here is how State Parks and its booking site describe them:

Max length, hookups and pull-through status vary by individual site, so check the details of the exact site you book. Percha Dam State Park, a separate shaded riverside park with its own 29 developed sites, is nearby in the Arrey area if Caballo is full.

How do reservations and camping fees work?

Reservations open six months ahead on the New Mexico State Parks booking site, and the park is open year-round. State Parks camping fees are charged per vehicle per night:

Checkout is 2:00 p.m. unless posted otherwise. Stay limits change with the season: in the cooler months (October 1 to April 30) you can camp 14 of any 20 days, and from May 1 to September 30 that drops to 7 of any 20 days. If you will arrive late, call the park: the booking site warns that a no-show site goes to first-come campers on day two, late afternoon, and the fee is not refunded.

What should you know about the water level before you go?

Caballo's level changes through the season, so check it the week you travel rather than relying on old photos. On its boating conditions page, last updated September 28, 2026, State Parks rated Caballo "Fair" with an elevation of 4,139 feet, listed the West Ramp open and showed the East Ramp closed (that closure has been posted since 2020). For the current picture, check the State Parks Boating Conditions, Closures and Restrictions pages, or call the park at 575-743-3942.

What can you catch at Caballo Lake, and what are the rules?

Caballo holds walleye, largemouth bass, crappie and white bass, and the state has stocked hybrid striped bass (wipers) here. The New Mexico Department of Wildlife (formerly Game and Fish) released more than 43,000 wipers as a pilot project, noting that they feed on the lake's gizzard shad and are most active at dawn and dusk. Wipers count toward the white bass daily limit.

Anyone 12 or older needs a license. Current prices run $25 for a resident annual, $56 for a non-resident annual, $12 for one day and $24 for five days, plus a $4 Habitat Management and Access Validation once per license year for adults. A trailer parked in Riverside or Palomino lets you fish the early and late bite without packing up camp. If you want a guide, State Parks keeps a list of approved fishing outfitters for the park.

How does trailer delivery to Caballo work?

You book the campsite, and we bring the trailer. Our team delivers and sets up travel trailers at Caballo Lake State Park and walks you through the setup, and the delivery cost varies by site. State Parks rules do not mention rental delivery, but two rules matter: campers may not save sites for other people, and a camping unit left empty longer than a day needs prior approval from the park superintendent. Reserve the site in your own name and plan to stay with the trailer. Tell our team your site number and arrival time so we can line up the drop-off; if you would rather tow, you can pick up near the Elephant Butte Marina instead.

Which of our trailers fit a Caballo trip?

All four of our rentals are travel trailers, which suits Caballo's water and electric sites well.

Your trip total will run higher than the nightly trailer price, so get a full quote from our team. Every rental includes dishes and linens. Full pricing for all four units is on our RV rental prices page, and more on the area is on our Caballo RV rentals page.

Frequently asked questions

Can you have a rental trailer delivered to Caballo Lake State Park?

Yes. Elephant Butte RV Rentals delivers and sets up travel trailers at Caballo Lake State Park; you reserve the campsite through New Mexico State Parks and the delivery cost depends on the site.

How far is Caballo Lake from Elephant Butte and Truth or Consequences?

Caballo Lake State Park is about 16 miles south of Truth or Consequences, and Caballo is roughly a 15-minute drive south of Elephant Butte.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Caballo Lake?

Yes, if you are 12 or older. A one-day New Mexico license costs $12 and a five-day license costs $24, and adults also need the $4 Habitat Management and Access Validation once per license year.

Are there wipers in Caballo Lake?

Yes. The New Mexico Department of Wildlife stocked more than 43,000 hybrid striped bass in Caballo as a pilot project, and they count toward the 25-fish white bass daily limit.

How long can you camp at Caballo Lake State Park?

State Parks rules allow 14 nights out of any 20 days between October and April, and 7 out of any 20 days between May and September.

Are campfires allowed at Caballo Lake?

It depends on current fire restrictions. In 2026 the park posted Stage II restrictions that banned campfires in camp but allowed on/off propane devices and fires on cleared shoreline, so check the State Parks Restrictions page before you pack firewood.

Ready to camp at Caballo without towing?

Reserve your Caballo site first. Then contact our Manager and the Elephant Butte RV Rentals Team to share the site number and your dates, and we will confirm delivery. To compare trailers first, View available RVs.

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