Nichols Canyon, Gila Lower Box Canyon

Las Cruces District Office

New Mexico BLM

Free Camping at Gila Lower Box Canyon

Specifically identified by the Bureau of Land Management as designated camping area, Nichols Canyon is located along the east bank of the Gila River, about 10 miles east of Virden, NM. 4WD vehicles with high clearance is required to get here due to soft sand in numerous places.

Authority

District Office

Tel: (575) 525-4300

Official campground webpage

Particulars

GPS: 32.6494, -108.8389

Elevation: 3,934 feet

Reservations: First come, first served

Camping Fee: None

Permit: None

Max stay: 14 days

Amenities: None

Submitted by

Admin Staff

Admin Staff

Boondocker's Bible

Nichols Canyon Camping

This is a primitive camping area with no amenities, no trash cans, no nothing. It’s only feature is a rocky canyon area that leads down to the Gila River. This is a perfect place if you want to camp someplace where no one else comes.

To get here, you start just north of Lordsburg, along US-70, and take State Highway 464 heading north. About 14.2 miles, take Fuller Road (marked A027 on Google Maps) heading west. At 3.5 miles turn right (north) on A024. This road becomes Nichols Canyon Road. At 3.6 miles up Nichols Canyon Road, you will turn right (north). At this point, you will drive up and over a small hill, and then the road parallels a wash, and its at this point that 4WD is required the rest of the way.

Once here, there is plenty of shade under tall Cottonwood Trees. Much of what you can do here is hike, photograph flowers and wildlife, and read lots of books.

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