McKinley County opens reservations for Red Rock Campground

McKinley County’s new reservation platform for Red Rock Campground is open, giving travelers a way to book before they drive out to the park. Visit Gallup says reservations are required at Red Rock Park Campgrounds, where the Main and West campgrounds sit at 825 Outlaw Road in Church Rock, New Mexico 87311.

That matters for families, weekend visitors and Route 66 travelers who want a guaranteed spot near Gallup instead of risking a full lot. The county and Visit Gallup list contact options for questions at (505) 722-3839, (505) 863-1368 and rrpadmin@gallupnm.gov.

The campground is built for longer stays and RV travel. Visit Gallup says the two campgrounds have electric and water hookups, picnic areas, bathrooms and showers, and the Main Campground also has a post office. A visitor listing adds a dump station, another practical detail for people arriving in motor homes or towing trailers.

Red Rock Park gives campers more than a place to sleep. Visit Gallup says the park covers 640 acres and has over three miles of hiking trails from two trailheads. The Church Rock-Pyramid Rock trail system starts at Red Rock Park, just off Interstate 40, and the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources says the trails begin at more than 6,500 feet in elevation. The geologic tour also says the trail system is authorized by an agreement between the New Mexico State Land Office and the City of Gallup, under R-33252.

The park’s setting is part of the draw. Visit Gallup says Red Rock Park’s red sandstone cliffs formed 280 million years ago, and the park page describes the site as a venue for annual festivals and family-friendly camping. That combination makes reservations especially important when events fill the area and overnight demand rises.

Campers who want a cultural stop can pair a stay with the Red Rock Park Museum. The county says the museum is next to the convention center and doubles as the park office, with displays of Native American art, jewelry, rugs and pottery. Visit Gallup says the museum interprets the lives and culture of the Ancestral Puebloans as well as present-day Zuni, Hopi and Navajo.

The county’s catalog terms also set clear limits on behavior and cost. If a user exceeds occupancy limits for an event, the county charges an excess occupancy fee of $500, due within 10 days of notification. On Nov. 8, 2024, the New Mexico Tourism Department listed McKinley County’s Red Rock Park RV campground as a Destination Forward Grant Program partner in FY24, a sign that the site has also been part of state tourism investment.