Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Canjilon? Find the best information on tent camping near Canjilon, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Canjilon, New Mexico's most popular destinations.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. It means no services; such as trash removal, and little or no facilities; such as tables, fire pits and toilets are provided.
There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. It is your responsibility to know these before you try this new experience. Camping rules and regulations apply to make your experience safe, and to keep the natural resources scenic and unspoiled for other campers.
With two outstanding Wild and Scenic Rivers and three developed recreation areas, the BLM’s Taos Field Office is a great place to experience a whitewater rafting challenge; enjoy a breathtaking view of a river gorge; hike miles of developed trails; camp under the stars; view wildlife; or visit important prehistoric, historic, or active cultural sites. Come and explore over 594,000 acres of your public lands. The Field Office also administers over 4 million acres of Federal mineral estate.
Guide
Campground is nestled in a bug group of dense pines and only a 15-20 minute drive from Los Alamos. Quite a few hiking trails in the areas to explore the high desert mesas and escape the heat of Albuquerque.
Guide
We parked a little further off 285 than most people so the road noise was minimal. A car drove past us on the dirt road in the morning which was surprising but nothing more. There was a rotting animal smell once in a while but we didn’t smell once inside the van. No toilet. Someone left a small fire ring. The road was rutted, don’t go if it’s wet. Fine for overnight lodging but I wouldn’t hang out there.
Guide
Picnic table, running water in spigots, fire ring and a view. We drove our van right to the spot. Clean pit toilets. $7/night
Traveler
Unwisely, we decided to go here in a large RV. DON’T!
Ranger
Stayed in spot R1 which is pretty small/crowded in, but near river and trees. Lovely duck and geese ponds and river walk, also dog park. Clean restrooms and showers but no changing stalls in either mens/womens shower. Very quiet and affordable. Near to grocery. Grounds are well-kept and healthy & green (lots of trees, shrubs, beautiful walk by river). Sorry pics are a bit washed out, doesn't do it justice.
Scout
It's a lovely location, and the camp is hosted by the Army Corps. They do a good job, the facilities and grounds are very well maintained. Drinking and marijuana consumption is strictly prohibited, with the hosts making regular rounds. The sites are so close together it may as well be one big group camp; I could hear everything going on in the sites around me at all hours of the night. Even when folks were in their tents and campers. Forget trying to enjoy a quiet evening stargazing. Was surrounded by large family groups who were having a great time, which I'm glad about, but it is not my cup of tea for camping.
Guide
We enjoyed our 2 nights here and would stay again next time we are in Taos. Easy access to all the activities in the area. Grounds and bathrooms were very clean. The staff was friendly and helpful. In late Sep it was still busy and full, but it was quiet within the RV park. We had a full hookup site and all services worked as expected. Wifi was available, with repeaters around the park. Mobile service was solid. The showers worked well and were clean. The only negative was the noise from the adjacent streets with what sounded like street racing, finally quieting down around 1AM.
Traveler
20 gravel sites in the desert about 6 miles NW of Taos. Only issue is there was only 1 men's room and 1 woman's room. But since we were smallest rig in our Sprinter van it wasn't an issue as I think others in Class A and C rigs had their own showers.
Guide
There are so many campsites to choose from, all along the Hondo Rio. It's peaceful and quiet. We brought our four dogs and 13 year old. There's so much to do to keep them busy. The dogs love the river and to run through it. No one really bothers anyone. There are toilets at some of the sites. Very clean. We had storms while camping. At least six rock/mud slides on the road. I don't know who, but someone managed to clean it all up in record time. We've had a great time, even with the rain and hail. We will definitely come back.
Scout
Mostly RV sites, some tent sites. Some with no hookups, partial hookand full hookups. Awesome staff. Full bathroom & laundry facilities.
TravelerA 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.
GuideThe weather is perfect in the summer! The Cumbres & Toltec steam train goes by the campground twice a day at the trestle. The Rio Chama flows along the edge of the campground. The staff was friendly and helpful. The town of Chama is within walking distance. Definitely worth staying.
Guide
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.
Guide
This is a wonderful little campground on the way to Taos Ski Valley. Sites are right on a creek & have picnic tables. From what we could tell, there are 2 different locations that we saw on the road, highway 150, one with sites 4-6 & further North where we stayed sites 1-3. We were able to find a level place to park the van & I took a dip in the creek in the morning. Refreshing! Camping is FREE at this campground for up to two weeks! There is no garbage here, so pack it in & pack it out.
GuideAbsolutely magical! My tent got rained out but I just haven’t had the opportunity to waterproof the tent. When it’s not wet season I’m sure this would be just even more magical. The bathroom was easily accessible, fire pits are great. Picnic tables were marked up, but the sound of the River was so worth all of it.
Traveler
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,
ScoutThis 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.
LegendPretty good location with nice views. For us we were visiting family and they were close by. Not far at all from downtown Taos. CE, the owner was probably one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She took the time at check in to give all of the information to enjoy our stay. She also, gave us local info and maps of points of interest, restaurants and activities. The grounds keeper was very friendly as well, asking us if we needed anything during our stay. The gravel sites are long and pretty wide offering some privacy. The hook ups were well placed and worked well during our stay. When in Taos, we will return here.
ScoutPulled in on Sunday afternoon and there was no staff. Parked and paid $20 Monday morning. They have power and water. Dump station. I did not ask about WiFi.
Traveler
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
Traveler
Our truck broke down 1 mile from the ranch and we weren’t sure what to do so I hopped on my mountain bike and rode to the welcome center. I met a wonderful lady who offered a gentleman who worked there to help me. He grabbed his truck and towed me and my trailer to the campsite. We ended up staying there for about five or six days while the truck was being fixed in Albuquerque. Couldn’t have broken down in a better place. The scenery is beautiful and the people are nice. It’s true they had meal plans, but we were prepared to camp off grid so we didn’t need anything. Instead, we enjoyed the views and the museum and the, swimming pool and horseback riding. Completely unplanned. It’s probably important to know this is not a remote campsite because there’s lots of amenities and if you’re the kind of person looking for a flat asphalt pad to park is your camper on them, you might wanna move on. We definitely love this place and would recommend it to anyone looking for secret little area to chill out. The vibe was perfect. looking forward to coming back.
GuideWe have stayed on the Pedernal loop multiple times and it has always been great. The sites are well laid out, with plenty of room between neighbors. Access to the campground is restricted (closed 10pm-6am), so it is always quiet, with just those camping driving around. Rangers and sheriff patrolled a few times. Camp hosts were very friendly and helpful. All the grounds are clean and well maintained, trash cans at every site. The electrical pillar for our site was new and worked perfectly. Water also worked with no issues. Shower house is clean and well maintained. Access to a few trails, but water access requires a bit of a drive. Amazing views.
Scout
Some sites sit high above, and view Santa Cruz Lake, others don't have the lake view. No water or electricity, one little vault toilet. Some sites have more privacy than others. Over all a nice little campground about a 15 or 20 minute drive to the lake, where no wake boating and fishing happen. No swimming due to potentially dangerous currents.
I think there is some cell service due to the camp's high and unobstructed location.
Guide
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!
LegendJuniper CG @ Bandelier NM: May 2024
Juniper CG @ Bandelier NM: May 2024 Visited El Chamayo, Los Alamos, and the beautiful Valles Caldera National Preserve
(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 3.5
Price 2024: $ 10 w interagency pass
Security: No
Usage during visit: Heavy
Site Privacy: Some sites are good in this respect
Site Spacing: Okay, better for some sites
Pad surface: Bkacktop
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Quiet
Outside Road Noise: None
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: No
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes.
Potable Water Available: Yes
Generators: Allowed
Bathroom: Yes.
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: Some pull overs
Cell Service (AT&T): Not good
Solar: Abert’s loop will have better solar, though our site and many others in Coyote Loop was adequate during our stay.
Insects: Not this time of year.
Host: Yes
Sites: Sites that looked good in Abert’s Squirrel Loop(drive through): 1,4,5,6,7,8,
15,16.
Coyote Loop among best: 40,41,43,46
Guide
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.
Legend
This is another great spot in the New Mexican high country, especially if you’re a fan of hot springs AND vintage campers. In addition to full-hook up camping/ RV spots, the resort offers vintage campers for rent. It is a great and quiet place to rest, recuperate,
and just enjoy yourself.
We stayed in the camping loop, and even with electricity and wifi available, had plenty of sunshine for solar power as well as good access for our Starlink. Cell service was pretty skimpy though.
The bathhouse at the camping area was well heated with wonderfully hot showers, flush toilets, and plenty of space. Water and a dump station was available in the camping area for an extra fee.
Access to the hot springs spa was NOT included in the price for camping, and not inexpensive, but the variety of pools and the beauty of the place was worth it. They offer steam rooms, a multitude of pools of varying temperature and mineral content, in addition to a mud bath, lap swimming pool and full locker/ changing room. They also offer full spa services, massages, etc. It was very busy on the weekend with day-use customers, but going early or mid week was a far less crowded time.
The onsite restaurant/pub is a class act and delicious. Nearby there are a few hiking trails right from the property, and with the national forest nearby there’s lots of outdoor adventures available.
The nearest grocery/ convenience store is just down the road, but the selection is pretty limited. The closest town with full services is in Espanola about 30 minutes away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Canjilon, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Canjilon, NM is Carson NF - Forest Service Road 578 - Dispersed Camping with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Canjilon, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 27 tent camping locations near Canjilon, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
