Iron Creek

Iron Creek campground, 34 miles, US180E to SH152, improved site (toilets, trash, tables, fire rings)

Google Maps view

Six days before the state locked down due to the pandemic, I'd left Elephant Butte Lake SP and headed west into the Black Range, crossing Emory Pass, and into the Gila. My first visit to the Gila, my first night at Iron Creek.

After you turn off SH152, the entrance splits left and right. A single campsite is maybe a hundred yards to the left, nicely secluded but a fair walk to the toilet. Turning right, you pass through a large parking area with several tables, a toilet, and trash cans; the drive continues a quarter-mile or so to another parking area, tables, and toilet. There are several more campsites past this, and access to the creek.

#10, close to toilet

With only twelve campsites, Iron Creek runs parallel with SH152 for about a half-mile, with only the last three being close enough together to feel crowded. These, of course, are the best sites, gloriously so when the while place is vacant. Even better when the creek has water...

Iron Creek

A note about these three sites: if a large group, say, of churchgoers, shows up, this is where they'll head to. I had a group like that show up one evening and filled the entire area in less than fifteen minutes.

All mine, all mine

Edit: Wright's Cabin is a walk-up site, with stone steps leading up to get campground. I found this to be unsuitable for car-camping, and not included.