Hyde Memorial State Park would be a great destination for your next RV vacation. The park is surrounded by a forest of pines with spectacular, easy, and well-marked hiking trails with excellent views. It is vegetated with thick stands of aspen and evergreens. There are outstanding group facilities and campsites with a stream running through the middle of it all. The park offers diversified outdoor activities like fishing, camping, bird watching, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.
There are more than 150 types of birds in this one-of-a-kind recreation center and a plethora of local natural life. There is a devoted Birding Trail, where you can spot intriguing local feathered friends and other critters as you climb through the glorious desert landscape. With an elevation of up to 9,400 feet, you are guaranteed stunning mountain views with some beautiful changing trees and crisp weather.
Hyde Memorial State Park is an ideal RV vacation regardless of what season you visit, with radiant summer days and warm winters. During the winter months, the park offers cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and other fun outdoor activities, and with its three indoor fireplaces and one outdoor fireplace, Hyde Memorial State Park is guaranteed to give you a sense of calmness and peace during the colder season. You are advised to dress in layers, though, because it can get downright chilly.
Hyde Memorial State Park is just off NM-475, which you can reach from US-84/285, I-25, or NM-590. The park is a short 15-minute drive from Santa Fe, whether by RV or by car. As the capital city of New Mexico, Santa Fe is one of the most popular cities in the world with visual and performing arts, recreational activities, and close to 300 galleries to enjoy.
You will travel through many forests to get to Hyde; however, the park itself is located inside the Santa Fe National Forest, which has a ton of recreational activities, including camping, fishing, and hiking. In addition to the forests, you can also visit the Pecos National Historical Park in Pecos, which has Indian pueblos and other historical buildings and places to explore.
Local roads will take you anywhere you want to go within the park, from the campground to the trailheads, and you should be able to do so with ease in your RV. Just be sure to grab a map when you visit, so you can be sure of where you’re headed. There are no strict driving limitations for RVs or trailers inside the park, so you'll have the capacity to get around effectively, regardless of whether you're in your RV or another vehicle. Visitors are not allowed to park in a manner that blocks access or restricts traffic, so you should find the roads free and open for travel.
Just to the southwest of the campground, the park has three yurts. If you have never camped in a yurt before, maybe now is a good time to park the RV and experience this unique way of camping. The yurts each have six wooden sleeping platforms with mattresses, a propane stove to keep you warm on the cooler nights, several windows, a skylight, and even a locking door to provide security. Outside of your yurt, you will find a bear-proof storage locker for food and other scented items. Each site also has a lantern holder, parking for two vehicles, a campfire ring with a grill for cooking, and a large picnic table for everyone to eat together as a family. Bears have been seen frequently in the area, so be bear aware at all times. Pets are not allowed in any of the yurts. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance.
Hyde Memorial State Park features 50 developed campsites, and seven of these offer electric hookups. There are restrooms and a playground at the center of the campground loop. Central to the park is an RV dump station. The campsites allow for excursions into the neighboring Santa Fe Forest. Facilities in these sites include electrical hookups, vault toilets, water, and a fire pit. There is also a bear-proof storage box at each site for food and other scented items.
You can enjoy a comfortable, relaxing picnic at your site since most picnic tables are sheltered, protecting you from the elements while you eat. The area is flat, allowing you to set up your RV with ease. Food and catering services are permitted. Pets are welcome, so bring your dogs with you. Reservations are needed, which you can make up to six months in advance.
The multiple award-winning Santa Fe KOA is encircled by beautiful mountains. The campground is in close proximity to the Santa Fe Opera, El Rancho de las Golondrinas, Santa Fe Plaza, Rio Grande Gorge, the San Miguel Mission, Museum Hill, the Palace of the Governors, shopping, and snacking on Canyon Road and Loretto Chapel. Campground amenities include Wi-Fi and cable, 24-hour laundry facilities, a cell phone hotspot, a game room, a patio and grill area, a store, a dog run, and Kamp K-9.
Bring your canoe or pack some rafts or innertubes in the RV before heading to Hyde Memorial State Park so you can enjoy a nice float down the Little Tesuque Creek. In some areas, it may be too shallow, and you may even have to get out and walk a bit, but you can always get back in the water further down. Have someone drop you off upstream and float down or just float for a while downstream and hike back to the park.
Visit Hyde Memorial State Park and get a thrilling outdoor experience. It has three group picnic shelters, and the shelters include a fireplace as well as picnic tables and BBQ pits, making them good spots for your picnic lunch or dinner. They even have sand volleyball courts nearby and a playground for the kiddos. You can pack some snacks in your RV and carry a few friends or family members along so that you can enjoy the amazing scenes of the mountains together. You get to enjoy the high mountain feel with a backdrop of beautiful natural surroundings. Be sure to reserve the shelter in advance.
Hyde Memorial State Park serves as a natural habitat for wildlife. The park provides you with a lifetime opportunity to view raccoon, deer, fox, and porcupine, among other kinds of animals. You will also be able to witness a plethora of types of birds like hawks, sparrows, and cranes, alongside some beautiful butterflies and other winged creatures. Make sure you do not forget to carry your binoculars in the rig. Bring your camera or phone along with you, as well, so that you can share your experience with others.
Hyde Memorial State Park offers first-come, first-served campsites in the main campground. However, note that these sites cannot be placed on hold. You are assigned a particular lot since there are no specified sites. You will stay in your RV at that particular lot. Facilities provided include potable water spigots, restrooms, and an RV dump site. You can cook on the provided campfire grill or use your own BBQ. There is a picnic table at each campsite, so you don’t have to try to eat with your plate balanced on your lap. Outside grills are allowed and can be set on the grass. Be sure to keep your food and other scented items in the provided bear-proof box because bears are often seen in the area. Dogs are allowed as well, but you must keep your pooch restrained adequately during your stay.
You will need to carry your best hiking shoes because the park has some fabulous and well-elevated trails with an expansive view. The trails are very well-maintained and marked to give a brief history of the elegant scenery. Carry a lot of water because the altitude may cause dehydration. One of the best routes is the Waterfall Trail down the rock face. The West Circle Trail is regarded as difficult with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet in one hour. The Girl Scout Trail is easy, and highlights include commonly seen plants in the park.
Find a nice spot on the Little Tesuque Creek where the water is frozen enough to skate on, and you can enjoy a day of ice skating if the weather is right. Since most of the creek is shallow, there are a lot of frozen areas, but you will need to watch out for rocks and other debris that may be sticking up from the ice. Do some research and talk to the rangers or other park employees before heading out to skate so you can find the best and safest spots.
Hyde Memorial State Park offers you one of the best winter adventures. The park has fantastic snowy trails waiting to be explored. You will need to pack your best snowshoes or crampons. Snowshoeing is one of the delightful diversions you can enjoy in the snow-carpeted mountains of the park. Many trails range in difficulty from the easy to the more strenuous. When you go, you’ll get to see the stream, the meadows, and the mountain as you enjoy a little breeze cruising through the snow-covered forest.
When is the last time you went sledding? You can take your kids up to Hyde Memorial State Park for an amazing sledding adventure. Once you park your RV, head down the sled run. You can even try snow kayaking or shovel racing. The sledding area is open daily but is subject to weather conditions. Of course, you need to have some snow on the ground first. Make sure to bring your own sled and tubes and check the weather forecast before you head out. Heavy snowfall during the winter months may sometimes make the park inaccessible and often requires plowing.
Carry your skis along in your RV so that you can enjoy maneuvering through the iconic aspens of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at Hyde Memorial State Park. Both novice and advanced skiers will surely have a good time with a variety of multi-use trails in the park. As you enjoy the snow-covered trees, you will be energized by the sound of scraping snow crystals as you ski along. Cross-country skiing is an excellent workout experience.
