Dispersed Camping, a Waterfall, a Hot Spring, and a Cave — All Within 8 Miles in the Jemez Mountains, NM
We asked our own data a simple question: where in the country can you find free dispersed camping within a few miles of a waterfall, a hot spring, and a swimming hole, all at once? The Jemez Mountains of New Mexico came back as the single best answer in the entire dataset — and it turns out to be a real, well-known, heavily-visited corridor, not a fluke in the numbers. That’s a good sign the method works. It’s also a good reminder that data alone doesn’t know what’s legal, what’s seasonal, or what’s actually still called the right name — more on that below.
The Anchor: FR376 Dispersed Camping
FR376 Dispersed Camping — Forest Road 376 runs about 23 miles through the Santa Fe National Forest, branching off NM Highway 4 and running south through the historic Gilman Tunnels — roughly 90 minutes northwest of Albuquerque. There are close to 100 dispersed sites strung along the road, ranging from river-bottom spots on the Guadalupe River to open meadows and shaded canyon pullouts. No bathrooms, no potable water, no cell service. High clearance is recommended, and some sites need 4WD after rain. The road typically opens mid-April, after the winter gate closure lifts. Free, with a 14-day stay limit.
One important correction to the data: dispersed camping is not allowed everywhere this corridor touches. Camping and campfires are specifically prohibited along the trail to Spence Hot Springs and at the spring itself — a rule that exists because this is one of the most popular hot springs in the state and the Forest Service is actively managing overcrowding and impact. Camp along FR376 proper; don’t try to camp at the hot springs.
Jemez Falls
Jemez Falls — a short, easy hike from Jemez Falls Campground leads to a 70-foot plunge through a narrow gap in granite bedrock — one of New Mexico’s better-known waterfalls, and an easy add if you’re already staged along NM-4. Overnight camping at the developed campground here runs about $10/night if you want a bathroom and a picnic table instead of a dispersed pullout.
Soda Dam
Soda Dam — a mile north of Jemez Springs on Highway 4, it’s centuries of mineral travertine deposits that have built up into a genuinely strange-looking natural dam across the Jemez River — the river runs straight through a hole in solid mineral rock. Free, roadside, five minutes to see.
Spence Hot Springs
Spence Hot Springs — seven miles north of Jemez Springs, a 0.7-mile trail climbs from a small paved lot (it holds seven cars — arrive early or plan to wait) to three tiered soaking pools running 95–109°F above the Jemez River.
A few things worth knowing before you go, because they get repeated wrong online constantly: swimsuits are legally required at Spence. Despite what you may have read, nudity here is illegal under New Mexico law and Forest Service rangers do issue citations. No glass containers, no camping, no campfires. And one real safety note — avoid getting the water up your nose. Warm springs like this one can carry Naegleria fowleri, a rare but potentially fatal amoeba, and nasal exposure is the actual risk pathway.
The upper pool at Spence has a small cave-like alcove built into the rock — worth knowing, because our own data separately lists a “Hot Springs Cave” about two miles away. We haven’t independently confirmed whether that’s describing this same alcove or a genuinely distinct formation nearby. Worth treating as a nice bonus detail rather than a guaranteed fifth stop until that’s sorted out.
Battleship Rock — and a Second Hot Spring Most People Miss
Battleship Rock trailhead, at the confluence of the East Fork of the Jemez and San Antonio Creek, is the anchor point our data flagged for the hiking connection — but it’s also the access point for McCauley Hot Springs, a larger, less crowded, clothing-optional alternative to Spence. If Spence’s seven-car lot is full, or you’d rather have more room, this is the move.
Planning the Trip
Everything here sits inside roughly an 8-mile stretch of NM-4 and FR376:
| Stop | Distance from FR376 camping |
|---|---|
| Soda Dam | ~2 miles |
| Hot Springs Cave (unconfirmed vs. Spence’s alcove) | ~1.9 miles |
| Spence Hot Springs | ~3 miles |
| Battleship Rock / McCauley Hot Springs access | ~4.7 miles |
| Jemez Falls | ~6.4 miles |
Camp free along FR376, day-trip everything else. No permits needed for any of it. The whole area gets significantly more crowded on weekends — Spence’s seven-car lot in particular fills fast, so a weekday visit or an early start matters more here than almost anywhere else on this list.
Explore this cluster and hundreds of others like it on the Trek4Free map — dispersed camping, hot springs, waterfalls, and swimming holes, all in one place.
