You will have plenty of room for trailer/RV camping. GPS Coordinates: 32.21013705590772, -106.61473041202322. (505) 438-5300, https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/santafe/recreation/camping-cabins. There are no amenities, but there's plenty of room to spread out. RVs and trailers should stick to the first couple pullouts rather than attempting to drive up to the plateau. Share sensitive information only I work remotely so I camp a lot in my RV. The campground is rustic and underutilized, and it is far less developed than most. Forest Service officials say they have seen a significant increase in the usage of dispersed, or undeveloped, campsites this spring compared to what they would typically see this time of year. Caja del Rio sits at a lower elevation compared to much of the . 19.3 mi. Theres plenty of options to choose from whether you prefer to roughit hunkered down in a four-seasontent and cold-weathersleeping bag while snow piles up outside or keep cozy in your RV at one ofthe states many state park campgrounds that stay open year-round. Dont hesitate to reach out. Do you ever get that feeling Get me out of here! Dont take anything but the smallest trailer here (and it likely needs high-clearance itself). Dispersed camping is abundant throughout the Sandia Ranger District in Cibola National Forest near Albuquerque. To make finding free campsites in New Mexico even easier, Ive rounded up 9 of my personal favorites to share with you below. There are several great dispersed campsites if you continue further into the national forest, but the ones located on Forest Service Road 64 J are easy to access and close to services making them a good option. Developed campgrounds across Northern New Mexico will remain closed during one of the busiest camping weekends of the year, but campers are expected to be out in force anyway. For just $225 for out-of-staters ($180 for residents and $100 for resident seniors), this pass allows you to camp at any of New Mexicos state parks for free for 12 months starting from the month of purchase. Title: Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) Outdoor Recreation Management, Crew LeaderDates: March 27See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn. Fee: $7 per night. New Mexicos national forests and BLM lands are busier than ever before and with that increased use comes a much higher risk of misuse, abuse, and damage. The staff is knowledgeable about the area and will help you arrange activities and tours to the local sites. With just 12 campsites (three with their own horse corrals) spread between two camping loops (upper and lower), youll never have too much company around. During the May 8-10 weekend, McLarty said he and his team found 38 improperly extinguished campfires. Free camping might as well be New Mexicos middle name. Photograph: Alamy. The campsites here are spacious and level, making them perfect for boondocking in RVs and . Dont Miss: Camping Near Mt Princeton Hot Springs. Check out our Dispersed Camping App guide here. Most campsites have partial shade. The drive in from Highway 337 to the west is much rougher than arriving from Highway 217 to the east, although any passenger vehicle can do it if you take your time (and its not wet). Although you may find your next campsite by simply utilizing the sources above, we also highly recommend referencing the excellent information available through public agencies maps and resources. Its not free, but the New Mexico annual camping pass is still a heck of a deal. The threat of a fire is the most pressing concern for Luke McLarty, fire battalion chief of the Jemez Ranger District. In our estimation, the best way to experience these unique landscapes is to spend a night out under the stars and New Mexico offers some incredible free, dispersed camping to make that happen. Obviously, this isnt worth it if youre just passing through. We think of this as the essential information to lay a foundation for your perfect camping trip. As that designation implies, its incredibly dark here at night. Angel Peak Scenic Area is, as the name describes, incredibly scenic. In this article, the best dispersed camping near Santa Fe, New Mexico, is discussed. Check out the pullouts and spur roads along Highway 150 on the way to Taos Ski Valley for starters. Joe Skeen Campground is located in the El Malpais National Conservation Area, so there are a ton of things to see and do here. Camping is prohibited within 900 feet of any developed water source (guzzler, watering trough, etc.) Visitors periodically turn the field into a shooting range, so you might hear gunshots nearby. This guide is designed to help you navigate the various rules and regulations and plan your perfect New Mexico dispersed camping adventure. The Management Unit has one dirt road through it and no developed trails for any specific users. Five national forests (and small sections of two others) plus a heck of lot of BLM land give you plenty of options for setting up camp without spending a single penny. Riverview Rv Park & Campground. Santa Fe BLM In fact, star parties are held regularly throughout the year with telescopes provided for all to use. 5. The following free campsites are among the very best in New Mexico (in my opinion). With diverse terrain , an abundance of wildlife, and unimaginablyclear views of the Milky Way at night, its not crazy to think that New Mexicowas made for camping. Holloman Lake is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. If youre looking for dispersed camping near Santa Fe, then the Caja should be high on your short list. See 12 traveler reviews, 17 photos and blog posts New Mexico Free Camping Cuba Mesa De Cuba Dispersed Camping . Picnic tables, fire pits, and small corrals suited for one or two horses are available at each location. It often gets very windy, making Holloman Lake better for RVs, trailers, vans, and other self-contained vehicles rather than tents. Cosmic Campground is clean and well-maintained. Even 4WD vehicles should be cautious about camping here if rain is in the forecast. Juan Tomas Road is part of Cibola National Forest. Overall, this is a wonderful part of the state and a great place for dispersed camping. Campground Facilities: 50 Developed Campsites; 7 Electric Sites (30 amp) RV Dump Station; Group Campsites; . However, I dont believe dispersed camping is actually allowed outside of the campground within the scenic area. There are two vault toilets available at Upper Bonito, a nice feature that helps minimize human impacts. Although you must camp in a designated campsite, Mills Canyon used to allow proper dispersed camping and retains much of this primitive charm. Along the road, there are plenty of dispersed camping areas, some along the creek. Its not far off of the highway, but far enough that it still feels private. This article discussed everything about the best dispersed camping near Santa Fe, New Mexico. GPS: 36.0711, -107.0096 Use them as inspiration, or make it easy on yourself and head to one of these great sites for your next camping trip. This is pretty much only for car camping and tent camping. Historic Downtown Golden. . I am Ted Mosby from Cleveland, Ohio. Although still within Santa Fe National Forest boundaries, Iron Gate Campground is suited for Pecos Wilderness hiking. A quick drive into Santa Fe. The Upper Bonito Recreation Area is a great designated dispersed camping area near the White Mountain Wilderness in Lincoln National Forest. The access road gets rough and slick, especially after rains. My favorite are the dispersed campsites just off County Road C001 in the Capitan Gap area on the way to the Capitan Mountain trailhead. Most of the states cities and towns have easy access to the outdoors, whether it be the Pecos Wilderness outside of Santa Fe, Cibola National Forest outside of Albuquerque, or the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces. 3N47 Santa Fe Fire Road is in the 823,000-acre San Bernardino National Forest north of Lytle Creek . on official, secure websites. Luckily, it never seems to get very busy here, so chances are youll find a quiet space all to yourself. Just be mindful that this campground offers little to no shade, so youll have to bring your own with one of the best campervan awnings for boondocking in New Mexico. The map above leads to one of the more popular dispersed sites along Forest Service road 462DC1, but there are many additional sites in the surrounding area. Located about 5 miles north of the town of Capitan, this expansive section of Lincoln National Forest isnt known only for its many recreational opportunities its also famous as the place where the real Smokey the Bear was found in 1950. The Capitan Wilderness is the place to go for peace and quiet. Borrego Mesa Campground City of Rocks state park. This year, looking at usage to this point and where we normally are, its much higher. 2023 This site is owned and operated by CamperAdvise. Nearby Forest Road 462 is rough but has excellent dispersed campsites if you can reach them. Where is the best dispersed camping site near Santa Fe? If you plan on mountain biking or running/hiking, there are some fun single-track routes (Water Canyon and Perimeter Trail) accessible from the campsite. Cebolla Mesa is part of Carson National Forest. Volunteers have helped Forest Service workers in cleanup efforts following weekends that have seen large amounts of trash left behind by campers. Each trip he makes he said he usually takes two to three bags of other peoples garbage with him to throw away when he gets home. Last but not least is the lake itself. The sites are nicely spaced, and there were always available spots throughout the weekend. It is located near a dump, which is intriguing, yet there were no flies or odors in October. Santa Fe National Forest Headquarters 11 Forest Lane Santa Fe, NM 87508 (505 . Theres a lot of room to spread out, so you should have at least a little privacy from your closest neighbor. Get 20% here. For starters, its an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. Its a great place to hunker down or a good jumping-off point if you want to explore some quirky New Mexico towns. 106-887 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001 ========= Just before you enter Santa Fe National Forest near Headquarter Wells is a small slice of BLM land (GPS coordinates: 35.692300, -106.086200). In addition to Sunset Reef Campground and Chosa Campground, the BLM lands near Carlsbad Caverns National Park are littered with dispersed campsites. However, theres a ton of room to spread out, so youre sure to find something quiet and peaceful, especially if youre willing to brave the rough roads. The first stretch of campsites is great for boondocking in RVs and trailers. Another BLM managed area, the Joe Skeen Campground is the creme de la creme if you are looking for a true campground. 2. 18.7 mi. This popular campground is open from May through October in the Santa Fe National Forest. For more information on hiking in Pecos Wilderness visit www.fs.usda.com. [] The past meets the present in this environment where year-round day-use, water focused . Elkhart, Indiana, might be the RV capital of the world, but most travelers would be surprised to Tennis Has Met Its Match: Play Pickleball at These 45 RV Campgrounds, 18 Campgrounds Where You Can Stay Cool This Summer. An official website of the Mills Canyon Campground is another free campground thats well worth an overnight stop. Although there is occasional traffic noise, it becomes calmer as you get farther into the campgrounds. Spotlight. Independent. There are just two or three marked campsites here. Its some of the best desert camping in the state. Rancheros de Santa Fe is famous for its gorgeous, natural setting, attracting visitors worldwide. It describes nearly 2,400 . Santa Fe Skies RV Park offers full-service Santa Fe campsites. In terms of location, this site is about 35 minutes south of the Sierra Vista free campsite. Be warned, after rain or a lot of melting snow the dirt here turns to a think sludge than can stick even the burliest of tires! Finally, one of the best resources, specifically for national forest dispersed camping, is to utilize Motor Vehicle Use Maps or MVUMs for short. In addition, the New Mexico BLM lists these helpful rules for dispersed camping: Dispersed camping is permitted on public lands in New Mexico for no more than 14 days within any 28-day period. Unless otherwise noted below, the Santa Fe National Forests campgrounds and picnic areas are open. Gaia GPS - Download offline maps for easy navigation! The dirt access roads can get extremely rough and rutted after it rains. Pet Friendly . I believe there are plans to install shade shelters in the near future. Unfortunately, theres quite a bit of trash here (an all too common sight at dispersed campsites nowadays). The Santa Fe Trail, Old Spanish Trail and El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro cross portions of the forest, giving you direct access to historic routes. D. McCullough 6. The Land of Enchantment has a huge range of campingopportunities from primitive tent camping to amenities-filled RV camping tofree remote camping and so much more. Please know that you will be required to bring your own water. When searching for a good campsite ourselves, we prefer to use acombination of several online apps/websitesalong with publically available USFS/BLM maps. This area is one of the most biologically and recreationally diverse regions for boondocking in New Mexico. I am a Freelance Architect. Still have questions about dispersed camping in New Mexico? We hope weve provided all of the information you need to plan a great dispersed camping trip in New Mexico. Salary: $690 - $800 weekly, Depending on experience . Located just north of Truth or Consequences, dont forget to take advantage of the Hot Springs around the area. There arent any facilities here so be sure to stock up on supplies before setting up camp. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Here are some of the best National Forest Campgrounds in New Mexico as experienced by Fred and Suzi Dow, authors and publishers of the U.S. National Forest Campground Guide website and eBooks. In January, Los Alamos hiker Coco Rae published Hiking Trails in Valles Caldera National Preserve, the first comprehensive guide to the 20-year-old preserve's trail system. These campsites are exposed to the elements. It has 8 total first-come, first-served campsites (all completely free!) The best campsites are within about a half mile in either direction from Juan Tomas Trailhead (GPS coordinates: 35.034879, -106.320276). LaVerne M. Johnson Park. These National Forests are home to some excellent dispersed camping opportunities, and offer some of the most remote wilderness youll find anywhere in the world! Rancheros de Santa Fe is a magnificent destination for your visit, located on Historic Route 66 and near the Santa Fe Trail. Each of the nine campsites has a picnic table and fire rings. The campsites themselves are quite spacious but theres not a whole lot of privacy in between them. Youll take the road towards Oliver Lee Memorial State Park and the Oliver Lee developed campground to get here, and the camping area is located on the south side of the road before reaching the state park. The stars were really bright outside and the air was fresh and it was just like, I think we could feel ourselves relax.. Dont forget to check out nearby Cat Walk Recreation Area for a short yet scenic daytime hike. Weve included a few good options for dispersed campsites in these national forest in the sections below, and have also linked to the dispersed camping regulations page for each forest below: To better visualize where each of these National Forests are located in New Mexico, take a look at the USFS map below: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the other governmental agency that permits dispersed camping in New Mexico. Official websites use .gov A .gov Erik, Google review, Read Also: Camping World Near San Antonio, Home Articles Camping Near Santa Fe | The Santa Fe National Forest. Las but certainly not least on our list of the best places for dispersed camping in New Mexico is Cebolla Mesa. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. The Santa Fe National Forest has a variety of lovely camping places that range from high to low altitude, from high desert to forested, and from basic to develop. This is true dispersed camping so you wont find any amenities here. A pool is available, but you must arrive early to get a spot. Additional information on each site is available on the SFNF websites Recreation page. Currently, the Vaulted toilet is not in use. The SFNF offers a multitude of recreational opportunities to its visitors. Just 30 minutes away from White Sands National Park, Dog Canyon dispersed camping is another great area for any size rig. There are a lot of campgrounds there, and if you have a high-clearance vehicle, youll have even more possibilities. The campground is small and each campsite is spaced quite far apart. Call the Sadia Ranger District for more information: (505) 281-3304. In addition, the New Mexico Dispersed camping map below shows all of the campsite locations, with detailed descriptions following. The states social-distancing order limiting groups to five or fewer people is another rule to fall by the wayside. The Cottonwood Campground can be found in the San Juan River area below the dam, which is world-renowned for excellent trout fishing and boasts seven day-use areas and several hiking trails. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.

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