Mayhill · New Mexico

6,500 feetabove stress

RV sites, tent camping, glamping and cabins on the Rio Peñasco, about 20 minutes below Cloudcroft. Open all year.

Open all yearTrout in the riverPets on a leash welcome

Camp Rio4.5151 reviews · 151 GoogleOpen all year

Camp Rio is a family campground on eleven acres of mountainside in Mayhill, with the Rio Peñasco flowing right through it. Clay and Julie Speer bought the park, then The Camp at Cloudcroft, in 2020, and a vote in the local paper gave it its new name. It has 38 full hook-up RV sites, 15 tent sites, four glamping stays and four cabins, trout in the river, and in winter more deer and turkey than people.

A family boutique campground

A river through the middle of camp

The Rio Peñasco runs through the park, and the trout are literally in front of you at the riverside sites: an easy cast from your chair. Clay and Julie run Camp Rio as a safe, clean, relaxing place for families, and they are groovy with pets on a leash and group events too. Call or email and they will help make your trip happen.

Ask about dates

Four ways to camp

RV sites

38 full hook-up sites with 30 and 50 amp service, from the river up to The Cove.

Tent camping

15 tent sites: seven on the Rio Peñasco, plus mountain-view and private sites.

Bring the dog

Pets on a leash are welcome. The camp store even sells trucker hats for dogs.

Cabins and glamping

Six places to sleep with a roof over your head, each with its own page.

Cozy Cabin

A queen and a daybed for three, a covered porch and a hot tub out back.

Family Cabin

The old main office, remodeled in 2025: a king, sleeper sofas and a gas range.

Sweet Daisy

A vintage Shasta down by the Rio Peñasco, steps from the trout.

Gypsy Village

A painted wagon and a teardrop: two bedrooms, an outdoor kitchen and a hammock.

Band Camp

Three bedrooms in school buses, a big deck and a fire pit. Parking for three.

CTM: Chillin The Most

A former music hall turned glamping cabin, with a view of the mountainside.

Fall comes early at 6,500 feet

The cottonwoods by the office turn gold while the desert below is still hot.

Camp Rio by the numbers

Besides the gorgeous surroundings and wildlife (deer, turkey, ducks) the hosts and owner were wonderful. Clay was very present and chatted with the campers. All the hosts were so friendly and happy.

Julie P., September 2026, on Google

Glamping

Daisy, Prince and the Blues Brothers

Camp Rio's glamping has a sense of humour. Sweet Daisy is a vintage Shasta down by the river. Gypsy Village pairs a painted wagon with a teardrop trailer and an outdoor kitchen. Band Camp is three bedrooms in school buses: two blue ones, Jake and Elwood Blues, and a purple one that will be Prince, of course.

Meet Sweet Daisy

All year

Duck races, chili and Friendsgiving

The Triple Clown rubber duck races run on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day weekends. There is a chili cook-off and cornhole tournament, a motorcycle camping weekend with a fish fry, and Friendsgiving in November. The pavilion and the outdoor stage host weddings, reunions, church services and concerts.

See the year

What campers say

We love Camp Rio and the owners Clay and Julie. We’ve been camping here for more than 30 years with my Cousin Rick Cearley and his wife Maray. Great camp ground no stress.

Jeff C., May 2026, on Google

Day trips from camp

Drive times from Camp Rio. Photos courtesy of Google.

White Sands National Park

About 45 minutes: up 82 or 130 into Cloudcroft, then down through Alamogordo.

Bluff Springs

About 45 minutes: left on 130, then left again on the forest road to the falls.

Carlsbad Caverns

About two hours: right out of the park, east through Mayhill and south to Carlsbad.

Golf at The Lodge

About 20 minutes up 82 into the Village of Cloudcroft.

Osha Trail

About 25 minutes: up 82 through Cloudcroft, then right as you leave town.

Ruidoso Downs

About an hour via 82 and 244. Deer, elk, turkey and wild mustangs use that road: drive with care.

From Clay and Julie

We are honored to have you and your family and other guests stay with us, and we only hope you enjoy yourself here as much as we love being here and hosting you.

Clay & Julie Speer

Owners, Camp Rio

Camp Rio

Find us on Rio Peñasco Road

2180 Rio Penasco Road in Mayhill, about 20 minutes below the Village of Cloudcroft on Highway 82. Drone videos of the drive in, from Mayhill, Cloudcroft and Highway 130, are on the park map page.

Park map and drive-in videos

Around camp

View post

Events at Camp Rio

Duck races, cook-offs, Friendsgiving, and a pavilion and stage for your own wedding, reunion or retreat.

Pavilion and stage

Host it here

The pavilion is an excellent place for church events, reunions, retreats and workshops, and for weddings, anniversaries and vow renewals: $100 for a half day, $150 for a full day ($25 an hour). The outdoor stage is concert-ready with lighting, for demonstrations, presentations and church services. Contact us and we will help plan your event.

Plan an event

We have done this before

The Triple Clown

Three rubber duck races a year

The Ken Ducky Derby on Memorial Day weekend, the Beakness on Independence Day weekend and the Fowl Mont on Labor Day weekend, each at 4:30 PM on the Rio Peñasco. The riverside tent sites have the front-row seats.

Save the dates for 2027

January. New Year’s Eve and MLK weekend: camp two nights, get one night free. Hunter’s and skier’s specials continue.

February. The Valentine’s Week of Love: book two nights between February 10 and 17 and get one night free. Presidents’ Day weekend is a three-day weekend for camping.

March. Spring break for camping and skiing; hunter’s and skier’s specials continue.

April. The 2nd annual WestSniffer Dog Event, a doggy Easter egg hunt: every dog that joins gets a pup-approved award in its eggs.

May. Bring mom camping for Mother’s Day on May 9. Memorial Day weekend starts the summer and the first leg of the Triple Clown, the 6th annual Ken Ducky Derby, on Sunday, May 30 at 4:30 PM. Busy season runs May through October: book early.

June. The first day of summer, local events, and Father’s Day camping on June 20.

July. The second leg of the Triple Clown, the 6th annual Beakness, on Saturday, July 3 at 4:30 PM.

August. Beat the heat in the mountains.

September. The third leg, the 6th annual Fowl Mont, on Sunday, September 5 at 4:30 PM, and the 6th annual chili cook-off, ultimate tailgate and cornhole tournament, usually Labor Day weekend. Hunter’s and skier’s specials begin.

October. The 2nd annual Motorcycle Camping weekend and fish fry, October 3 to 5, and the local Lumberjack Festival.

November. The 6th annual Friendsgiving on November 13: a lunchtime potluck from 11:30 to 1:00, and the swap meet on the Saturday.

December. Holidays at Camp Rio. Plan a group event with us, or rent out the whole park.