Searching for the best camping near Arenas Valley, NM? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Find the best campgrounds near Arenas Valley, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"It's just a place to camp in the National Forest. No amenities."
"4-5 dispersed spots on road 4242d before reaching the summit on bear mountain road (where the coordinates take you to). A narrow, rocky road with some low-hanging trees."
"Curvy, narrow roads… just be careful and go slow.
Plenty of campgrounds along the way, as well as these dispersed areas."
"Meadow Creek Rd starts out as a well maintained dirt road with a handful of sites marked by fire rings."
"Staying at the first site on the right. 14 days. Love it, plenty of shade and also sun for solar recharge. No utilities and sites not marked but they are abvious. Peace and quiet."
"Easy to find, no rough roads, clean and quiet campsite. There were about 10 other campers when I was here. Would definitely stay here again"
"No facilities, but a beautiful spot. Lots of shade. Dirt road in decent shape. No road signs off of highway 15. Just need to use the GPS coordinates. A few level spots with fire rings. "
"A handful of sites located on the other side of Skates Canyon from Sapillo Campground. Close to great hiking around the CDT and fishing in Lake Roberts."
"This is a Gila National Forest Access Road just west of the Continental Divide on highway 90. It has multiple fairly level and easily accessible boondocking sites."
"Off Chisholm trail , previous coordinates are for CDT NO VEHICLE TRAFFIC. Great sites, I think I had the best one. First on right just before Cattlemans road."
"This is open BLM land. When you turn off Highway 61, you go through a gate. There are multiple pull-outs along the road. Great views, desert terrain."
GuideA handful of sites located on the other side of Skates Canyon from Sapillo Campground. Close to great hiking around the CDT and fishing in Lake Roberts. Most of the sites sit on the shades of ponderosa and there's plenty of space for group camping.
This is as bare as it gets. No services, no cell signal, no trash disposal, not even a pit toilet. Some sites have rock rings for campfires but that's about it. Please recreate responsibly and leave no trace. Pack out whatever you pack in.
Quiet during the winter, but gets busy during the summer as evidenced by how well worn the dirt paths around the area are.
GuideI eventually found the campsites thanks to another reviewer mentioning it was not at the coordinates listed. It is just before you reach the summit on road 424D or something like that. Not listed on maps - just a little brown sign on the left as you are driving along. Very tight squeeze of a path. Did not feel like taking my truck through there.
Not the prettiest area... and a pretty rough road. You won't need 4x4 or high clearance necessarily, but just not fun to drive on at all. The benefit is that you will not see hardly anyone else because of that lol. The other side of Pinos Altos is MUCH nicer roads, landscape and environment. Try Meadow Creek area. That whole road. Happy camping!
GuideThis is a Gila National Forest Access Road just west of the Continental Divide on highway 90. It has multiple fairly level and easily accessible boondocking sites. It's far enough from the highway to be quiet. The only real drawback is the Cattle droppings here and there. We spent the night, so can't comment on other activities in the area, but there are roads and trails leading out of the location and into the Forest.
GuideThis trail requires 4x4 and high clearance. It is a bumpy road for all 3+ miles into the mountainside. But it is far worth the drive for the seclusion. There are plenty of spaces to camp before the creek. But we kept going for about 3 miles, hit a road gate, and started traveling into the valley. It will eventually open up and you will see meadow creek. Spots to the left and right of the fork, we settled at the bottom. No service in the valley. Extremely magical, and serene. Leave it better than you left it please! If you want a camp spot off the beaten path, this is it. Perfect for tent camping/car camping.
TravelerStopped here to spend the night in July because it was cooler (~7500 ft elevation), free, quiet and beautiful. It's just a place to camp in the National Forest. No amenities.
GuideStaying at the first site on the right. 14 days. Love it, plenty of shade and also sun for solar recharge. No utilities and sites not marked but they are abvious. Peace and quiet. I'm getting 3 bars on AT&T which is pretty good I think. Streamed a movie last night with no issues. Previous campers left trash, so my two dogs and I cleaned it up. Cut up a 4x6 platform they left. Will burn the wood and haul off the frame to a dumpster in Silver City where I'll restock at walmart. Met Pat this morning- she has the grazing rights through here. She apologized for mess from previous camper's. Told her and showed her it's taken care of and Thanked her for stopping by to say Hi. Will definitely stay here again!
TravelerEasy to find, no rough roads, clean and quiet campsite. There were about 10 other campers when I was here. Would definitely stay here again
GuideThis site is just a relatively short turn-off road with a loop for turning around and a small, non-dedicated area for pitching a tent as far as I could tell. If you have a camper/RV/van, then it should work fine, but it’s not the best for tent camping. I made it work, but wasn’t super excited about it. Also, there was a bit of trash left behind when I was there, but it wasn’t necessarily a dump.
Getting to this spot was convenient since it is right off a paved road. There was a bit of car noise here and there, but it wasn’t bad. I heard coyotes singing nearby (from multiple directions) in the evening, but didn’t actually see any wildlife.
In all, it was alright. Not horrible, not great, just sufficient.
Scout4-5 dispersed spots on road 4242d before reaching the summit on bear mountain road (where the coordinates take you to). A narrow, rocky road with some low-hanging trees. Our sprinter made it but it was tight. The best spot was where the road dead-ends. Lots of shelter but not a ton of sunlight.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Arenas Valley, New Mexico, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With a variety of options available, you can find the perfect spot to unwind and explore the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Arenas Valley, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Arenas Valley, NM is Bear Mountain with a 4.3-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Arenas Valley, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 18 dispersed camping locations near Arenas Valley, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
