EXPLORE · FREE CAMPING
Free Camping in New Mexico
New Mexico's national forests are concentrated in the mountain ranges that rise above the desert basins — Sky Islands in the south, the Sangre de Cristo in the north, and the Jemez Mountains west of Santa Fe. The Carson National Forest around Taos has the highest dispersed camping use: the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument corridor and the Enchanted Circle route both have accessible sites. The Gila National Forest in the southwest is the most remote — the Gila Wilderness was the first designated wilderness in the US (1924) and has dispersed camping throughout its 558,000 acres. The Lincoln National Forest in the Sacramento Mountains near Cloudcroft has cool high-elevation camping above the Chihuahuan Desert. New Mexico has no campfire permit requirement on most national forest land.
No reservations needed for dispersed camping. Check fire restrictions at fs.usda.gov before your trip — restrictions change frequently in summer. Stay limit is typically 14 days at any one location. Find free camping on the Trek4Free map →
Before You Go
Gear up for dispersed camping — no hookups, no camp store, no running water
Free Camping Sites in New Mexico
The Aspen Basin Campground is located adjacent to the very large parking area at Santa Fe Ski Basin. There are 10 units, Picnic tables, and fire rings. There is…
Big Tesuqueis a walk in campground not conducive to trailer or RV campoing. There are10 units, Picnic tables and grills, and Vaulted toilets in the parking lot.…
BLUFF SPRINGS (Trailhead)
BOSQUE (Campground)
CHERRY CREEK (Campground)
One of three small sites on paved road to Taos Ski Valley provides access to Rio Hondo fishing and hiking in Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study Area and Wheeler P…
GALLINAS GROUP SITE (Camping Area)
GWYNN TANK (Campground)
IRON CREEK (Campground)
JAMES CANYON (Campground)
KARR CANYON LOWER (Campground)
KARR CANYON UPPER (Campground)
KINGSTON CAMPGROUND (Campground)
MCMILLEN (Campground)
NEW CANYON (Campground)
QUEMADO LAKE - EL CASO CG #1 (Campground)
QUEMADO LAKE - EL CASO CG (Campground)
QUEMADO LAKE - EL CASO CG #3 (Campground)
QUEMADO LAKE - EL CASO CG #4 (Campground)
QUEMADO LAKE - EL CASO CG #5 (Campground)
RAILROAD CANYON (Campground)
RED CLOUD -NEW (Campground)
The Rio Chama is a developed no-fee campground where reservations are not required. Located along the Rio Chama Wild and Scenic River, the developed campground …
SAPILLO (Group Campground)
SKYLINE FC (Campground)
SOUTH FORK (Campground)
TAJIQUE (Campground)
UPPER GALLINAS (Campground)
Free BLM dispersed camping at the foot of the Organ Mountains, 9 miles east of Las Cruces. Pull-offs along Dripping Springs Road with fire rings and expansive v…
BONITO CREEK (Campground)
The Borrego Mesa Campground is located close to several trailheads leading into the north half of the Pecos Wilderness. Amenitites include picnic tables, firepi…
DALTON DISPERSED (Camping Area)
Located on the Rio Chama Wild and Scenic River.Ten individual campsites each include a picnic tableanda campfire ring. RV 's up to 20 feetcan be accommodated in…
Trout Lakes contains 12primitive campsites and access roads within the campground. Sites are best suited for tent camping and small campers/camp trailers. Three…
Santa Fe National Forest dispersed camping along Forest Road 376, running 23 miles from HWY 126 south through the historic Gilman Tunnels to HWY 4 — about 90 mi…
Carson National Forest, Taos, NM, FS 437.
Cibola National Forest, off of SR (CO 400), not far from Gallup, NM and Fort Wingate Military Reservation.
Great roadside spot-- It is on a little rise and has a nice view of the Sonoran Desert. Unpaved, it is just a roadside pullout with a nice view. There is easy …
Radium Springs, NM BLM access. If heading North on 185, it's the green gate on your right just past Broad Canyon. Outside of Las Cruces, NM. Open the green g…
Free Gila NF Campground near Gila Cliff Dwellings and Gila Hot Springs, NM. free camping above and on river, with pit toilets. Some areas have very rough rd, …
Gila National Forest FS150 road. Graded gravel road, but still rough in spots. Tight turns means no RVs and trailers. Tons of areas to camp along this road. …
Outside Las Cruces, NM, Baylor Canyon area appears to be BLM land with plenty of spots for overnight camping.
Near Carlsbad, NM and Carlsbad Caverns National Park, BLM, two camping spots near the Park Ranch Cave Complex, two designated free campsites with fire rings. T…
Truth or Consequences, NM. Right across from town on Rio Grande river, verified free w/police officer Callaway (always ask the locals!), but trashed. If memor…
Location is approx. US180 mile marker 5 access to BLM land. Carlsbad NM is about 45 min North. Open gate to access, Guadelupe Mountains National Park rangers…
Water Canyon, inbetween Magdalena, NM and Socorro, NM on US 60. Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope is an hour away or so. There is a free campground with …
Grapevine CG in Gila National Forest. Best choice for visiting the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Monument campgrounds are terrible but free also. This…
El Malpais National Conservation Area. Right off of 117, just below El Mapais National Monument.
Cibola National Forest dispersed camping accessed via Juan Tomas Road (FS 542) south of Tijeras, NM — about 30 minutes east of Albuquerque. Designated dispersed…
Free BLM campground on the edge of El Malpais National Conservation Area, about 75 miles west of Albuquerque near Grants, NM. Ten primitive sites with picnic ta…
Cibola National Forest dispersed camping in the Manzanita Mountains, accessed south of Tijeras via NM-337. No formal sites — find your flat spot among pinyon-ju…