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A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service group campground

CEDAR CREEK (Sam Tobias)

Forest Service group campground in Lincoln National Forest, Lincoln County, New Mexico. 6,991 feet. 1.2 miles from Ruidoso.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Lincoln National Forest
Elevation
6,991 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
3 3 group standard electric
Longest rig
35 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Lincoln County

Overview

Located on the outskirts of Ruidoso, Cedar Creek provides a wonderful space for groups visiting for the day or staying overnight. With a picnic shelter and three group campsites, the recreation area is ideal for an outing in Lincoln National Forest. A popular pastime is is hiking and mountain biking along the scenic multi-use trails adjacent to the Sam Tobias Memorial Group Campground. There are opporunities to see a number of different wildlife, including Mule deer and Elk in the area.

Recreation

Hiking and biking are among the most popular activities here, with options like the T90 fitness Trail which extends 1.3 miles and includes exercise stations. Bilking trails T120 A-D and T121 A& B are also nearby. Also we have an expert-only downhill mountain bike trail, located near the water tower to the east of the Campgrounds. The trail ends at the picnic area. Dogs must be kept on leash at all times while hiking. Dogs are not allowed on the Fitness trail.

Facilities

The group picnic shelter offers drinking water and accessible vault toilets. Non-sheltered picnic tables are open to the general public.

The group campgrounds range from 60 to 100 person capacities and the group picnic shelter fits up to 40 people. Each site comes with accessible picnic shelters, campfire rings, drinking water vault toilets and grills.

Picnic Pavilion is for day use only. If you would like to camp overnight please book one of the group campgrounds.

Natural Features

Cedar Creek is perched along its namesake, Cedar Creek at a 7,000 foot elevation. Lincoln National Forest, located in south-central New Mexico, is most notable as the birthplace of the original Smokey Bear.

Nearby Attractions

Ruidoso is a delightful town with quaint shops, restaurants and art galleries. If picnickers wish to camp overnight, they can head to Sam Tobias Memorial Group Campground.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • hiking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around CEDAR CREEK (Sam Tobias)

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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