Planning a dispersed camping trip near Abiquiu Lake? Dispersed camping gets you off the grid so you can disconnect from the hecticness of everyday life. Search dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots and read camper reviews.
Primitive camping is allowed almost anywhere on the Santa Fe National Forest unless otherwise posted. These areas generally do not offer any amenities although occasionally you will find a toilet building or a picnic table and grill. Please keep your campsite at least 100 feet from streams and lakes, including riverbanks or areas next to bodies of water. This will help preserve the health of the riparian area and protect sensitive animals and plants found here.
The Orilla Verde Recreation Area is located within the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument and along the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River. Nestled along the banks of the Rio Grande and within the steep-walled Rio Grande Gorge, the campgrounds in this area offer nearby access to the river. The elevation along the river is 6,100 feet and the steep canyon rises 800 feet from the river to the Gorge rim.
Because of the dramatic changes in elevation and the diversity of plant life, Orilla Verde draws many species of animals, including raptors (such as eagles and hawks), songbirds, waterfowl, beaver, cougar, ringtail, mule deer, and more. The Rio Grande also has attracted humans since prehistoric times. Evidence of ancient peoples is found throughout the Recreation Area in the form of petroglyphs on the rocks and many other types of archaeological sites.
The climate at Orilla Verde is semi-arid, with summer thunderstorms common in July and August, and snow possible from October through March. Summer temperatures range from 45 to 90 degrees, and winter temperatures range from -15 to 45 degrees
$5 - $15 / night
A good amount of dispersed sites off of FSR558. I just pulled off to one of the closer sites but looked like tons of other sites were further in on the road. Really quiet even with the highway close by. Great stars at night, decently clean (the sites that I saw). You could probably make it in a 2WD vehicle for the first few sites but it gets a bit more rugged as you continue in.
We spent a few nights in the dispersed area near Hopewell . We rolled in at 5 and had plenty of sites to choose from. We chose one of the lower areas, with one large open space surrounded by smaller sites. There were many more up the road, and there was constant traffic headed uphill until about 9PM. Once the traffic stopped it was very quiet, only the cattle calling through the trees. It rained for several hours and our spot stayed solid. Some offshoot roads were rutted out. The main road had minimal rocks and holes, didn't get very muddy. TMobile\Google mobile service worked well enough. Verizon did not work.
Jemez is a popular camping destination. There are boon docking and campgrounds available. I do not recommend trying to bring a rig of any size through the Gilman tunnels. Best access for large rigs is taking 126 and accessing FS 376 from that route.
The Jemez are by far our favorite mountains to camp in within a 3 hr radius of my home.
Plenty of spots and easy to get to. The only catch is you will need to find a spot away from the multiple large piles of trash.
The surrounding area was pretty and sunset was great!
I pull a small trailer and the road in was rough. I was concerned about being able to turn around. When I got to the spot where there are six or eight camping spots, finding one suitable for a trailer was difficult, but I did it. This is more suitable to car camping.
There is an open area that would be good for group camping. There are three or more RVs that appear to be permanent features. That was strange. Looked like fishing camps. I didn't want to drive the steep road down to this area.
Personally, I wish I had stopped a the forest service campsites up hill from this location, but if you are in a car and want to tent camp here, I don't see a problem,
This dispersed area is close to Hopewell Lake and Campground where there is fishing and vaulted toilets. The Continental Divide Trail goes right through this location.
This campsite is beautiful and right next to the lake. Perfect for some chill camping. There are multiple clearing along this road. Each one is big enough for several cars and even a couple groups. The clearings are far enough apart that you can make some noise without bothering the other campers. You need a bit of clearance to be able to drive the road but not much as my Crosstrek did it great. Even on July 4th this site wasn’t busy. We only saw one other camper since most people choose to pay for a campground right on the lake
I drove in and was immediately stopped by park rangers. They told me they were letting people know they will be shutting this location down do to people not being decent. If it is still open, you’ll see a lot of trash. Certain sites looked better than others. Flat land with not a lot to do.
I live in Albuquerque, and this road is one of my constant summer repeats. You got water, shade, privacy and an adventure. It's about 1.5 hours from Abq and it takes you through the Gilman Tunnels which is always a fun stop and view. The road is a little bumpy and rocky, but there's probably 100 dispersed camping spots. There's ones right on the river, in forrest spots or meadows, you choose! There are no bathrooms, water, or cell service. Everyone has got their spot in Jemez, but this road offers endless possibilities, for all types of campers!
Quiet, secluded spaces especially if you drive out the road far. We didn’t see any other people or campers but heard guns being shot in the morning and there were old shells at our campsite.
Great site with shade and sun, water from creek, could possibly hold 3 med. Sized rv's. About 10 miles south of taos nm. And about 1 mile off pavement
We found this place randomly. Seen all the road exits of the Carson National Forest on our way to Taos we said “let’s give it a try!” And we found apparently a fairly popular place. It may be due to available internet connection (which we greatly enjoyed it after weeks!) or just a lower altitude spot that may help with physical activity and weather temps. At any rate, easy and short access to the camp sites via gravel sandy road, some with fire rings and camp tables, leveled grounds for trailers and lots of pine trees for privacy. There are signs for trailheads and pretty rock formations that will need to be explored next time. We stayed a night and enjoyed it to the fullest. Highly recommended, especially as nights get nice and chill (vs. hot day temps) for good sleep.
Stayed: May 26, 2024 Cost: FREE Site: 35.84243° N, 106.37266° W Cell Service: Solid LTE AT&T and T-Mobile Equipment: Forester / Tent
Different apps give this different names. It is Forest Road 181 within Santa Fe National Forest, directly off of Highway 4.
This is some great National Forest camping. Seemed like plenty of room when you first turn in and the you can go left or right. We went left and continued to the end of the road. There were a few sites along the drive back, but we pulled up the satellite map and wanted to keep going. It gets pretty rocky and you’ll need a bit of clearance in some spots.
To get to the end of the road site, when you pull off Highway 4, take a left and then eventually a right at the fork in the road further beyond (~1.5 miles from Highway 4). There were a couple more sites along this road, not very level, so we continued on and are so glad we did! About 30 min from Hwy 4 to end of this road. Elevation is just over 8,000 feet at this point.
Tons of Boondocking spots.
Not ideal for long wheel base as it’s an out and back without turn around spots.
Best pull outs are to the left as the road forks after the cattle guard.
It's a pretty nice and mostly flat area of land with dirt roads. Most vehicles can access the roads we went on. Pretty quiet and while we did have neighbors we were by no means packed in there like sardines.
Overall I really liked this spot. However no one seems to keep their dogs on a leash despite the law being 6 foot leash at all times. They let their dogs roam thru everyone's campsites.
I haven't camped yet.This is my 1st day here.And I just got the app so I'll have to come back and give her a few after i've finished my trip
This camp spot is one of the best free camp sites in New Mexico. Would definitely go again. Highly recommend to anyone who loves to camp and drive four wheelers
I work seasonal(may-oct) jobs and found out about this site from freecampsites.net, i stayed here with a frequency (abiding to the rules but frequently). There are 4 places to park on the lower section and 3 on the upper section, most spots can fit multiple cars. A little stream is near by-- a little shallow and a little mucky on the bottom, but really refreshing. The stars are incredible, also some beautiful views of the mountains from the lower section. The road in is a bit sketchy at times, but as long as you are mindful of potholes you should be good-- my minivan made it with ease.
There are some family reunions which took place while i visited and they dont really follow the rules which sucks. One family had their stuff on the land for over a month i noticed, they had fires when not permitted, trash scattered, and they had atvs which would tear up the place a bit... other than that though this place is amazing and close enough to town if youre a seasonal worker and need a good home base. AT&T service was crap, i think one time i got 1 bar of service for a second but i bumped my phone and lost it.
Last thing i will say is be cognizant of fires and flooding, both can happen here! Happy camping folks :)
There was a slight amount of trash at most sites. Sad!
This spot is so peaceful and beautiful. Great canyon view but need a 4x4 vehicle to access it.
Let me start by saying I'd stay here again. But there was such a pitted road to the right. It's too hard to get off the high banks with our Transit. On the left fork near the pit toilets, better roads but more campers. 5 rvs all in sight of one another. There was rain and snow week before that made roads worse I assume. Not much trash around. Near horse corral that gets use. 17 degrees with wind this morning but clear skies. Shooting nearby as well as the trash dump nearby. But the location can't be beat.
One thing is that you MUST approach from the west, you can’t get here coming from the east over John dun bridge. Dirt road but we did it with no problem with our 24ft trailer. Make sure you go all the way to the coordinates as there are a ton of great spots off to the left of the road, plenty of room to spread out and some solidly flat spots. Made a quick walk down to the springs in the evening and watched the stars come out. Awesome!!
I stayed 4 nights bc it was so close to hiking and town. Very dusty and packed some trash out that was left behind. Pretty quiet with beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
This is a nice spot next to the river, there are a couple of hiking trails. I was there during the week and it was pretty quiet
Stayed 4 nights. Very quiet. About 15 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. Many sites available. Very dusty due to no recent rain. We have a 26 ft travel trailer. We saw larger Rvs, vans, cars. Tents.
We camped here for two nights while visiting Santa Fe and it is definitely the best free spot you’ll find so close to the city. There were quiet a few people out in RV’s and trailers, but there’s so much space that you can really park almost anywhere and still have a little bit of privacy with the trees/bushes. Apple/google maps will take you right to the road, and we hardly noticed the landfill until we heard trash trucks one morning. There are some fire pits already set up and plenty of wood around to have a little fire.
Camping near Abiquiu Lake, New Mexico, offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to hike, fish, or just relax by the water, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Abiquiu Lake, New Mexico, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors, with plenty of options for families and RVers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Abiquiu Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Abiquiu Lake is Sante Fe National Forest BLM-Road 62 Dispersed with a 4.2-star rating from 38 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Abiquiu Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 48 dispersed camping locations near Abiquiu Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.
