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Best Dispersed Camping near Capitan, NM

57 Reviews

The Lincoln National Forest and surrounding public lands near Capitan, New Mexico feature predominantly dispersed camping options with minimal amenities. West Mesa Trailhead BLM Dispersed and Guebara Tank Camp provide free primitive camping within 30 minutes of town, while Upper Bonito Dispersed Recreation Area offers more developed facilities with vault toilets. Most sites accommodate both tent and small RV camping, with Forest Service roads providing access to numerous pull-off spots. The transition between desert lowlands and forested mountains creates diverse camping environments, from open mesas with expansive views to sheltered forest clearings.

Road conditions vary significantly by season, with many access routes requiring high-clearance vehicles after rain or snow. As one camper noted, "The road up was a little muddy but overall smoother and easy." Winter brings cold temperatures and occasional snow at higher elevations, while summer thunderstorms can create flash flooding concerns. Cell service is inconsistent throughout the region, with West Mesa Trailhead offering 1-2 bars of service while more remote areas have none. Fire restrictions are common during dry periods, and campers should check with the Lincoln National Forest office in Capitan for current conditions and regulations.

Wildlife sightings enhance the camping experience, with numerous visitors reporting elk encounters. "We saw more elk than we could count! Just glowing eyes everywhere," reported one camper at Forest Road 568. Creekside camping is available at several locations, though water levels fluctuate seasonally. Weekend crowding can be an issue at popular spots like Bluff Springs, where one visitor noted it was "difficult to find a spot along the road with dispersed camping sites." Most areas lack amenities like drinking water or trash service, requiring proper preparation and adherence to Leave No Trace principles. The best camping experiences are found by those willing to explore forest roads and arrive mid-week when competition for prime spots is minimal.

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West Mesa Trailhead BLM Dispersed

West Mesa Trailhead BLM Dispersed

6 min away

Grindstone lake

Grindstone lake

23 min away

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Capitan, New Mexico (16)

    1. West Mesa Trailhead BLM Dispersed

    2 Reviews
    Capitan, NM
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 244-4605

    "Easy to find and not a rough drive. I saw several dirt pull offs surrounded by trees before parking. This was a very private remote area in the forest."

    "But I rode my bike all over the place and there's dispersed camping everywhere. Good cell phone service. I plan on staying for a full week and working from here."

    2. Guebara Tank Camp

    1 Review
    Nogal, NM
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 257-4095

    "Not to many trees that are tall so u get cover but not complete seclusion but enof to where it’s enjoyable and u see the sky at nights so path ways are very down sloap if ur in a car know how to drive"

    3. Upper Bonito Dispersed Recreation Area

    4 Reviews
    Nogal, NM
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 257-4095

    "A lot of dispersed camping areas don't have toilets, but this one does.

    Lots of first come first served campsites along the little creek. Not much privacy when it's busier (warmer months)."

    "We had a great night drove through the entire area and off roads to find a nice quiet area we had our son and two big doggos and had plenty of space for them to roam."

    4. West Mesa Conservation Area

    Be the first to review!
    Capitan, NM
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 244-4605

    5. End of Cedar Creek Road

    1 Review
    Ruidoso, NM
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 434-7200

    6. Middle Fork at Cedar Creek

    Be the first to review!
    Ruidoso, NM
    14 miles

    7. Forest Road 568 - Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    Cloudcroft, NM
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 682-2551

    "You can get as far away from main roads as you need. There are infinite spots on this road. It’s quite long and the road conditions aren’t all that bad, so anyone can access it."

    "04/15/22 service road 568, Lincoln National Forest, NM

    Friday night/Good Friday

    I found this camp on a suggestion from a local waitress at Big Daddy’s."

    8. Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    Sunspot, NM
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 682-7570

    "Dispersed camping along the bluff spring stream. A ton of campsites, and easy access to bluff spring and a trail complex. High clearance vehicle recommended, pretty packed in the summer months."

    "This is a quiet area tucked away in Lincoln National Forest. It's not too far from Cloudcroft, NM so it's easy to resupply on water, snack, etc."

    9. Forest Rd 568 Dispersed

    8 Reviews
    Cloudcroft, NM
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (575) 682-2551

    "You can get as far away from main roads as you need. There are infinite spots on this road. It’s quite long and the road conditions aren’t all that bad, so anyone can access it."

    "This was a beautiful location, near the town of Cloudcroft. We enjoyed the cooler weather up in the mountains. It was peaceful and quite. There were not very many spaces available."

    10. Bailey Canyon

    1 Review
    Cloudcroft, NM
    40 miles

    "Very much so dispersed camping with no amenities. The road up was a little muddy but over all smoother and easy. We picked a spot at the highest point along Bailey Canyon Rd."

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Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Capitan, NM

35 Photos of 16 Capitan Campgrounds

Dispersed Camping Reviews near Capitan, NM

57 Reviews of 16 Capitan Campgrounds

  • Niels W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 16, 2025

    Gallinas Site

    Boondocking

    National forest, public land, dispersed camping. Pit toilet, bear proof trash cans. Easy pull off hwy 54 onto good gravel road.

  • Mitchell M.
    Dec. 11, 2021

    Forest Road 568 - Dispersed Camping

    Great Stay

    Needed a last resort spot to sleep and decided on finding a spot here. Visited in last day in November, so it was a bit cold at night. Since it was so late in the year I ran across 0 other people, and at night it was absolutely silent. You can get as far away from main roads as you need. There are infinite spots on this road. It’s quite long and the road conditions aren’t all that bad, so anyone can access it. You can tell where other people have been due to campfires. But if you visit anytime in the year I’m sure you’re able to find a spot, as they can extend up to 200ft back into the woods and have lots of area. About 5 min drive to main road and 8 minutes to cloudcroft. There was no trash, and also no amenities. I highly recommend this spot if you need somewhere free to stay extended or even one night if you’re visiting Lincoln. Coordinates are accurate

  • Mitchell M.
    Dec. 11, 2021

    Forest Rd 568 Dispersed

    Excellent Stay

    Needed a last resort spot to sleep and decided on finding a spot here. Visited in last day in November, so it was a bit cold at night. Since it was so late in the year I ran across 0 other people, and at night it was absolutely silent. You can get as far away from main roads as you need. There are infinite spots on this road. It’s quite long and the road conditions aren’t all that bad, so anyone can access it. You can tell where other people have been due to campfires. But if you visit anytime in the year I’m sure you’re able to find a spot, as they can extend up to 200ft back into the woods and have lots of area. About 5 min drive to main road and 8 minutes to cloudcroft. There was no trash, and also no amenities. I highly recommend this spot if you need somewhere free to stay extended or even one night if you’re visiting Lincoln. Coordinates are accurate

  • Abraham The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 1, 2021

    Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    Lots of options

    Dispersed camping along the bluff spring stream. A ton of campsites, and easy access to bluff spring and a trail complex. High clearance vehicle recommended, pretty packed in the summer months.

  • Mark G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 21, 2024

    Dry Canyon Near Hang Glider Launch

    Great camping. Difficult terrain. Gun range at the bottom.

    The camping is great and the views are amazing. However, the trail up to the camping spots is steep, washed out, and tight. Can be navigated with a stock 4x4 pick up. Also, there is a gun range at the bottom, so you'll hear gun shots til sundown. Also, a little highway noise is present in the distance.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 12, 2019

    Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    Lovely little spot in the Lincoln NF

    This is a little pull-off area in a very populated National Forest. It can get pretty crowded so hiking in is important. The car-camping and RV camping is right on the road.

  • Jacob W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 3, 2020

    Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    Potentially good

    Bluff Springs is nestled in a pretty forested valley with a creek and falls in Lincoln National Forest about 10 miles south of Cloudcroft off Sunspot highway on Upper Peñasco Road. There’s a gravel parking lot with bathrooms but no campground. We tent camped Sat, Aug. 1, 2020, arriving about 2pm. There were many people camping and it was difficult to find a spot along the road with dispersed camping sites. We had to camp in thicker grass among cow dung because the mowed sites were taken. Still, life outside is better, right? It stormed much of the day and night but Sunday morning dawned clear and we took a short 1-mile hike from the Bluff Springs trailhead to the Willie White trailhead. There are longer hikes too. There were some camping trailers but no big RVs. Upper Peñasco Road is narrow in parts. A decent place.

  • D
    Sep. 16, 2020

    Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    Awesome Dispersed Camping Spot

    This is a quiet area tucked away in Lincoln National Forest. It's not too far from Cloudcroft, NM so it's easy to resupply on water, snack, etc. You can camp right next to a creek and the valley makes for some great views. This area is basically everything you can ask for when dispersed camping. It's quiet and other than the occasional hiker, nobody else is around. There's plenty of hiking and just good times to be had. A quintessential camping experience.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 21, 2020

    Forest Road 568 - Dispersed Camping

    Generators and Chainsaws

    This is right off of highway 244. From CloudCroft take highway 82 east to highway 244 about half mile past designated campgrounds is a dirt road to the left. There is a large grass/dirt area right off the road on the left and a couple of spots further down. To the right there are a couple of more"secluded" spots though the generator noise and the chainsaws are still loud. One generator ran all night long. The chainsaw eventually stopped after the guy had maybe enough for a log cabin. 

    You can continue up the road which is a nice hike and there are a few more pull out site along the road. The road Ys and to the left are more sites that are private but the road is a bit rough. This place is FREE which we usually look for but this is probably one of the loudest we've been to. Both roads at the Y offer a nice hike with minimal traffic, there was only a single vehicle we came upon. Very nice.

    Good cell reception AT&T and Verizon. No water, garbage or bathrooms. PACK IN AND OUT! Multiple rock fire rings in random places as this is a dispersed camping area and watch out for the multitude of animal limbs and carcasses laying around from hunters.

Guide to Capitan

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Capitan, New Mexico, where nature lovers can find serene spots away from the crowds. With a variety of locations offering unique experiences, this area is perfect for those seeking adventure and tranquility.

Top Activities While Free Camping Near Capitan

  • Enjoy hiking on nearby trails like the Big Bonito Trail and Argentina Trail, which are easily accessible from Upper Bonito Dispersed Recreation Area.
  • Experience the thrill of horseback riding during the summer months, with camps set up to provide guided trail rides in the vicinity of Guebara Tank Camp.
  • Take advantage of the peaceful surroundings for stargazing at night, especially at spots like Forest Road 568 - Dispersed Camping, where the clear skies offer stunning views.

Dispersed Campers Should Check Out West Mesa Trailhead

  • This area is known for its remote forest setting, providing a perfect backdrop for those looking to escape into nature at West Mesa Trailhead BLM Dispersed.
  • Campers can enjoy the freedom of fires allowed in this location, making it ideal for cozy evenings under the stars.
  • With good cell service available, you can stay connected while enjoying the great outdoors, making it a convenient choice for those who want to work remotely.

Tips for Free and Dispersed Camping Near Capitan, New Mexico

  • Be prepared for limited amenities, as many spots like Bailey Canyon do not offer facilities such as toilets or trash disposal.
  • Choose your campsite wisely; some areas can get busy during weekends, so arriving early can help you secure a more private spot, especially at Forest Rd 568 Dispersed.
  • Always check road conditions before heading out, as some routes may be rough or muddy, particularly in the spring, which can affect access to places like End of Cedar Creek Road.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the best dispersed camping spots near Capitan, NM?

The Lincoln National Forest offers excellent dispersed camping options near Capitan. Forest Road 568 - Dispersed Camping is highly recommended with numerous secluded spots where you can get away from main roads. The area offers complete silence, especially during off-peak seasons. Another great option is Gallinas Site, which features easy access from Highway 54 via a well-maintained gravel road and provides basic amenities like pit toilets and bear-proof trash cans. Both areas are free to use and offer the peaceful forest experience typical of the region.

Is 4WD required for accessing dispersed camping areas around Capitan?

Vehicle requirements vary by location. Dry Canyon Near Hang Glider Launch requires 4WD due to steep, washed-out trails, though it can be navigated with a stock 4x4 pickup. For contrast, many spots along West Mesa Trailhead BLM Dispersed are accessible with standard vehicles during dry conditions. At Bluff Springs, high-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing the more remote sites, while the main parking area can accommodate standard vehicles. Road conditions worsen after rain or snow, so checking recent conditions before heading out is advisable, especially during winter and monsoon seasons.

What are the rules and regulations for dispersed camping in Capitan, New Mexico?

Dispersed camping in the Capitan area follows standard Lincoln National Forest regulations: camping is limited to 14 days within a 30-day period, and campers should set up at least 150 feet from water sources, roads, and trails. Pack out all trash and use established fire rings when available. At Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping, you'll need to practice proper waste management as the area can get crowded, especially during summer months. Bailey Canyon represents typical dispersed sites with no amenities, requiring strict adherence to Leave No Trace principles. Always check for fire restrictions before your trip, as they vary seasonally.

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