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
Overview Columbine Campground is located between Questa and Red River, New Mexico. The Red River flows past the campground and a trailhead leads into the Columb…
Overview Elephant Rock Campground has excellent fishing access to the well-stocked Red River, nearby Eagle Rock Lake and hiking into the surrounding high countr…
Overview Fawn Lakes Campground is located in Carson National Forest, one of a few campgrounds located along the scenic canyons of Red River. Visitors enjoy fish…
Primitive dispersed camping, 16 miles north of Pecos on NM 63, then 1 mile on FR 646. Uses: Camping. Facilities: Pit toilet, tables, and few fire pits. No water…
Lower Scorpion Campground is a partially developed campground within walking distance of the West Fork of the Gila River. The campground is located less than on…
Overview Rob Jaggers Camping Area: This site consists of 2 large day use parking areas, 2 vault toilets, and facilities for staging horseback riding. There are …
Overview Santa Barbara Campground is situated nicely on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness area and next to Rio Santa Barbara, a beautiful and healthy trout strea…
Upper Scorpion Campground is a partially developed campground within walking distance of the West Fork of the Gila River. The campground is located less than on…
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)
This is a beautiful remote camping area. Trail #94 begins at the rear of the campground. Located in a remote area of forest approximately 30 miles from the Wild…
Overview Less than two hours from the city of Albuquerque, Clear Creek Campground is nestled away in the Jemez Mountains. This cool oasis offers refuge from the…
El Morro operates a nine-site campground 7 days/week, year-round. First come-first served. Each site has a graveled tent pad, picnic table and ground grill for …
Overview Please note that Field Tract Campground is currently closed until further notice due to necessary repairs on the shelters. We appreciate your understan…
Overview Hopewell Lake Campground sits next to its scenic namesake lake between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla in northern New Mexico. Visitors enjoy horsebac…
Overview Juniper Campground is Quemado Ranger District's most popular campground. It offers electric RV hookups (no water, no sewer), leveled tent sites, and ea…
Overview Pines Campground is located in the Lincoln National Forest in Cloudcroft, New Mexico at an elevation of 8700 feet. This is a heavily forested campgroun…
Overview Pinon Campground is a mix of first come, first served campsites and reservable group sites. The campground is located across from Juniper Campground an…
Overview Less than two hours from the city of Albuquerque, Rio de las Vacas Campground offers a cool oasis from the New Mexico heat. Visitors delight in the hik…
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…
Overview Agua Piedra, located in the Carson National Forest, is nestled near the Rio Pueblo and Agua Piedra Creek. The campground contains many shaded areas to …
Overview On February 2, 1912, Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) wrote to his fiancée, Estella Bergère, in Santa Fe that the Forest Service had appropriated $650 to build…
Overview The Amole Group Shelter is located immediately adjacent to the popular wooded Amole Canyon Day Use Area at 8,400 feet in elevation. The group shelter a…
Overview Apache Campground offers 24 sites that can accommodate tents or RVs up to 30 feet in length. This area is composed of a beautiful mixed conifer/aspen f…
Black Canyon Campground offers a great remote camping experience. Located in a remote area of the forest approximately 30 miles from the Wilderness Ranger Distr…
Overview At 8475 feet in elevation, Black Canyon Campground is in a great location to experience some of the finest mountain scenery the Southwest has to offer.…
Overview With great views of Manzano Mountains, Rio Grande and Estancia Valleys, and unique camping structures, this 8-unit site at 9200 ft is a popular destina…
Overview Located on the outskirts of Ruidoso, Cedar Creek provides a wonderful space for groups visiting for the day or staying overnight. With a picnic shelter…
Overview Cedro Peak Camping Sites is a favorite area in the southern portion of the Sandia Ranger District. It is encompassed by ponderosa pine, pinon and junip…
Overview Cimarron Campground is located in the scenic Valle Vidal within Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico, at an elevation of 9,300 feet. The sites…
Overview Clear Creek Group Campground is less than a two hourdrive from the Albuquerque area, and provides relief from the New Mexico heat with the cool shade a…
Datil Well Recreation Area Campground includes one of 15 water wells along the old Magdalena Livestock Driveway. The old cattle trail was established in the 180…
Overview Deerhead Campground is located in the Lincoln National Forest in Cloudcroft, New Mexico at an elevation of 8700 feet. This is a heavily forested campgr…
This are partially developed, shady campgrounds within hiking distance of the lake. The El Caso Campgounds are partially developed campgrounds located at the ea…
Overview The El Rito Campground Group Shelter is situated along El Rito Creek and is part of a larger campground, El Rito Campground. The group shelter and camp…
This campground features beautiful cliffs along the West Fork of the Gila River. This campground is a great place to stop on the way to the Gila Cliff Dwellings…
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…
Joe Skeen BLM Camping. This is easy to find off of 117. It's set up like a regular campground with a host, and everything. Each site has a little awning over a …
El Malpais National Conservation Area. Right off of 117, just below El Mapais National Monument.
Overview Gallo Campground is located within Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Tucked among the fallen boulders and cliffs of Gallo Wash, the campground of…
The campground is located on the Guadalupe Peak trail, 3.1 miles from the Pine Springs trailhead, and 1 mile below the Peak. The campground is on a small knoll …
Overview Holy Ghost Campground is tucked away in the Santa Fe National Forest, on the cusp of the breathtaking Pecos Wilderness in Holy Ghost Canyon. This group…
Iron Creek Campground is easily accessible for campers and provides good facilities Located in the Black Range Mountains off NM State Highway 152, starting at S…
Overview Jack's Creek Group Area is a picturesque, high-elevation campground situated just 50 miles from Santa Fe. Set at an altitude of approximately 8,000 fee…
Johnson's Mesa is a dispersed camping area located east of Las Vegas on NM 65 and FR 153. Facilities: vaulted toilets, tables and grills.
Recently refurbished roadside campground sits near historic Red River mining area and downhill ski resort. Can be very crowded during summer weekends. As an alt…
Overview Juniper Family Campground is the ideal place to camp on the Pajarito Plateau. Located just inside the main park entrance, the campground is a short dri…
Small campground located along the north side of New Mexico Highway 152, near mile marker 40, near Middle Percha Creek, on the eastern edge of the small town of…
Overflow Campground.
Popular Taos Canyon site near Capulin Campground and Shady Brook. No Drinking Water. No Garbage Service. Adjacent to Rio Fernando for Fishing.
Set in a beautiful canyon quite close to Taos, there is good access to Rio Fernando de Taos for fishing.
These 55 sites in Valle Vidal elk/bear country are a great hunting, hiking, fishing destination. From the town of Cimarron, drive 5 miles northeast on Highway 6…
Overview Paliza Campground sits beneath sandstone cliffs on the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest. The area is replete with culture, offerin…
Overview Paliza Group Campground is found north of the small community of Ponderosa, surrounded by ponderosa pines and views of the stunning cliff faces of maje…
Overview Panchuela Campground is nestled at the edge of the Pecos Wilderness, with Panchuela Creek flowing gracefully along its eastern side. Situated at over 8…
Overview ***Ponderosa Group Campground will tentatively be closed starting October 8, 2025 while the park works to complete a major water line replacement/impro…
Overview This campground in the Manzano Mountains offers a variety of amenity and site types to fit your needs. Tucked into the pines at 7,600 feet of elevation…
Overview Saddle Campground offers 16 single units for tents or RVs up to 30 feet. This area is composed of a beautiful mixed conifer/aspen forest and sits at an…
Overview San Antonio Campground is adjacent to the San Antonio River, tucked into a forest of ponderosa pine at 7,600 feet above sea level. This popular campgro…
Overview Silver Campground has 29 single sites spaced closely together that can accommodate tents or RVs up to 30 feet. Music, presentations and more are put on…
Overview Sleepy Grass offers a total of 20 sites. Located just south of the Village of Cloudcroft, this campground offers many sites for RVs up to 30 feet, tent…
A backcountry use permit is required for all use of these campsites. The extra distance to the Tejas Wilderness Campground is worth the time for those who wish …
The extra distance to the Tejas Wilderness Campground is worth the time for those who wish to stay in a more densely forested surrounding. The tall trees provid…
Overview Valley of Fires recreation area is located immediately adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow. Approximately 5,000 years ago, Little Black Peak erupted and …