US Forest Service
Learn about camping and boondocking in national forests and grasslands.
Lower Hondo Campground, Taos, NM
This is a free, developed campground offered by Carson National Forest. There are four (4) campsites with picnic tables and fire rings, large enough for small to medium-sized RVs, but there are few other previously-used dispersed sites that smaller vehicles can get into.
Cuchillo Del Medio Campground, Taos, NM
This is a free, developed campground offered by Carson National Forest. There are only three (3) campsites, too small for most trailers and motorhomes, but capable of handling tear drop trailers, or trailers up to 16 feet in length. This campground is open seasonally from April to December, depending on weather.
Cuchilla Campground, Taos, NM
This is free, developed campground offered by Carson National Forest. There are only three (3) campsites with picnic tables, fire rings, and a vault toilet. It's located along State Highway 150, about 4.9 miles west of Taos Ski Valley. It's open only during a brief period from May to September each year.
Cebolla Mesa Campground, Questa, NM
This is a free, developed campground offered by Carson National Forest. There are five (5) campsites with picnic tables and fire rings, but there are also dozens of previously-used dispersed campsites all throughout the area. Campsites at the campground itself are small, capable of accommodating trailers up to 24 feet at best. However, many dispersed campsites are much larger.
Cabresto Lake Campground, Questa, NM
This is a free, developed campground offered by Carson National Forest. There are nine (9) campsites with picnic tables and fire rings, along with a vault toilet, all situated along the lakeshore of Cabresta Lake. It's a popular area with OHVs, thus you should expect to hear them all day long.
El Rito Campground, El Rito, NM
This is a free, developed campground offered by Carson National Forest. There are eleven (11) campsites with picnic tables and fire rings, and a vault toilet on site. There is also a group pavilion which must be rented out. But there are also dozens more previously-used campsites all up and down County Rd 280 (State Route 110) starting from a mile south of the campground and a mile north.
Trout Lakes Campground, Tierra Amarilla, NM
This is a designated dispersed camping area offered by Carson National Forest. Trout Lakes is a series of three to six lakes, depending on water levels, There is a road that connects these lakes together, and dispersed camping is allowed around them. There are picnic tables and a vault toilet on site.
Links Tract Campground, Pecos, NM
This is a designated dispersed camping area offered by Santa Fe National Forest. There is a vault toilet on site, and a few picnic tables and fire rings. Otherwise, you are allowed to camp at any previously-used campsite reachable from this area. This campground is popular with OHV riders even though OHVs are not allowed here.
Johnson Mesa Campground, Las Vegas, NM
Johnson Mesa Campground is a designated dispersed camping area offered by Santa Fe National Forest. There are two vault toilets there, a few picnic tables and fire rings. But otherwise, you're allowed to camp anywhere as long as you remain within 150 feet of the forest road (as per the forest's Motor Vehicle Use Map).
Borrego Mesa Campground, Santa Fe, NM
This is a free, developed campground offered by Santa Fe National Forest. There are eight campsites, most of which are large enough for full-sized motorhomes, trailers, and fifth wheels, though the drive up is bumpy. The road up is okay for 2WD vehicles, but high clearance is recommended.
