ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – When you think of camping essentials, you probably think of a tent, a sleeping bag and cooking supplies. But what about a Wi-Fi connection?

For some, the thought of staying online defeats the purpose of being in the great outdoors. But for others, it’s an amenity they’d rather have while camping.

KOB 4 learned it’s a debate our State Parks Division is following closely. 

It’s not hard to escape everyday life in New Mexico. It’s estimated three-quarters of all New Mexicans live within 40 miles of a state park. For example, the Manzano Mountains, where some families spent their Labor Day weekend unplugged.

“We call it dinosaur camping,” said Sterling Williams, who prefers less connectivity while camping. “There’s no Facebook, there’s no social media. It’s really talking and spending time with your family.” 

For other families, camping isn’t so much of an escape.

“We can unplug anytime we want to, but we like to be outside. We like to hike, we like the scenery, but we still want to be able to watch Netflix when we’re tired,” said Jan Branham, who prefers more connectivity while camping. 

New Mexico state leaders want to make sure both families can have the outdoor experience they want.

“Wi-Fi in parks is definitely something that’s a national discussion,” said Toby Velasquez, director of the New Mexico State Parks Division. 

According to the Outdoor Hospitality Industry Trade Group, roughly 82% of U.S. campgrounds already offer Wi-Fi.

Nearly 40% of campers say it affects where they pitch their tents, including in New Mexico.

“We still see, you know, folks who are interested in remaining connected in different ways, and so that’s really going to be the challenge for state parks in New Mexico moving forward,” said Velasquez. 

Velasquez says there are discussions about expanding Wi-Fi capabilities to all 35 state parks.

“It’s going to be a balance of different locations. You know what we’re able to provide, for example, at Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in the heart of Albuquerque versus Pecos Canyon or Sugary Canyon State Park up in Colfax County might be a different menu than what we would see in other areas,” Velasquez said. 

Velasquez says the State Parks Division just wrapped up a five-year contract with Viasat, providing Wi-Fi service in 10 different state parks. His team is still reviewing the data to answer some important questions.

“How much is too much? How much is needed? What is not needed? And how’s that going to be provided? Is it going to be a user pay, user benefit option? Is it going to be something that’s somehow supplied by the government entity in order to maintain that connectivity?” Velasquez said. 

Velasquez says they’ll be relying on input from park users, but it’s clear there’s still a debate out there.

“We do like to have Wi-Fi for her phones and all that stuff,” Branham said.

“To do Wi-Fi for camping. That’s not really camping to me,” said Williams.