Searching for the best camping near Carson National Forest, NM? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Carson National Forest, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Carson National Forest and user-submitted reviews.
"There are a bunch of different roads you can turn off to camp on if you’re driving from Taos to Durango."
"Many open areas to camp right off the highway. The views of the mountains across the valley are best after the fork in the road. Please pick up extra trash if you use"
$7 / night
"Hiking trails down to the Rip Grande river are close by."
$24 - $125 / night
"My wife and I have stayed at Hopewell Lake twice now. The first time we stayed here, we stumbled upon this little gem of a site while driving from Durango, CO to Taos, NM."
"No luck fishing but several people around us were catching very nice sized trout.
Vault toilets were well stocked and clean."
$30 / night
"This is the first campground I’ve found in New Mexico where I felt like I was camping in Colorado, it was so green and beautiful!"
"The park is HUGE and just so beautiful. 10,000 acres of aspens and ponderosa pines only one hour away from the town of Taos."
$24 - $150 / night
"Beautiful views of Sangre de Cristos and Carson National Forest. Trail to Indian Lake is an easy hike of 2.5 Miles each way and perfect for families or hikers with the need for low-impact trails."
"There is a trail head with 2 trails, one atv accessible and one hiking/horse that goes up to Indian Lake. Beautiful views and about 1200' elevation change."
$22 - $40 / night
"Carson National Forest in Cimarron is absolutely beautiful. We hiked near Shuree Ponds and camped between Ash Mountain and Little Castillo Peak."
"Beautiful location in a place I wasn’t expecting it to be sooo green! Very relaxing and remote as there is zero service. It was perfect & exactly what we were looking for."
$22 - $70 / night
"Stay at Santa Barbara Campground in Northern New Mexico. Was a beautiful spot. Road to Campground was well taken care of Beautiful trails throughout area"
"The trails are absolutely wonderful and well worth taking a few hours to walk part of them. Hard core hikers will use the campground as a starting point for a lengthy hikes."
"Rio Chama RV park in Chama, New Mexico, is at the intersection of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the upper Rio Chama. A nice place to stay May 1 thru mid October."
"It's an easy dirt road drive down the river and you will pass many dispersed site and a couple of defined camping grounds."
"The whole ranch has been turned into a top notch facility with campgrounds and motel rooms, horses for rent, classes, and great hiking. The campground is large with several interconnecting loops."
"Recommend arriving not too late to see if you can get a good spot, we didn’t have shade so had to go find a nice shady bench away from our site for eating lunch / relaxing after our hike."
"About a 15min drive from the highway. Only 5 or 6 sites. Close to the Rio Mario Trail trailhead. Campsite is at elevation over 8,000ft so it can get chilly at night. Worked great for tent camping."
"Campground is a little off the beaten path, about 30m from the High Drive highway. Dirt roads were nothing to worry about, should be fine for any SUV or sedan."
RangerThese coordinates are a rough estimate, but this entire forrest road is filled with amazing campsites you can simply pull off and camp in. currently there’s a fire ban, so it makes it hard to stay warm at night, but the stars are amazing. it’s quiet. it’s lovely. there’s canyon walls for miles. it’s really amazing. some of these pics are from the nearby canyon that’s a bit of a walk up the road, but most are from our campground. loved our first experience camping in New Mexico!
RangerCarson National Forest in Cimarron is absolutely beautiful. We hiked near Shuree Ponds and camped between Ash Mountain and Little Castillo Peak. The weather was all over the place, but the views were stunning. Bear precautions are necessary. Water was plentiful as the streams and creeks were rapid with snow melt. We will absolutely be returning!
GuideThere are a bunch of different roads you can turn off to camp on if you’re driving from Taos to Durango. We mapped Forest Road 578 and it took us to a dirt road with a lot of flat spots you can camp on. We spent the night there and it was very quiet and peaceful. If you keep going to Durango you’ll get to Carson National Forest, which is not too far from the coordinates on The Dyrt. That’s where more people are camping, you can pull off right before the 64H road marker. You’ll keep passing camping spots as you drive to Durango so you can really go almost anywhere!
TravelerGreat spot for group camping of 20-40 campers. Nice shaded/wooded area for primitive tent camping with plenty of space to spread out. Gorgeous open meadow at base of camp area perfect for group games, sports. 1930s cabin with tables for meals and cooking under shelter. Campfire ring and outdoor table. Vault toilet. Beautiful views of Sangre de Cristos and Carson National Forest. Trail to Indian Lake is an easy hike of 2.5 Miles each way and perfect for families or hikers with the need for low-impact trails. There is an awesome swimming hole just a few miles west on Hwy 518 past Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort—worth the short drive!
Only a few cons—water onsite is listed as potable but smells and tastes so strongly of sulphur that it cannot be tolerated for drinking or cooking. Make sure to haul in water. Also tent camping area in woods is not level so there will be some incline. Important for those with circulatory issues.
GuideStay at Santa Barbara Campground in Northern New Mexico. Was a beautiful spot. Road to Campground was well taken care of Beautiful trails throughout area
GuideMy wife and I have stayed at Hopewell Lake twice now. The first time we stayed here, we stumbled upon this little gem of a site while driving from Durango, CO to Taos, NM. It was enchanting enough that we made sure to make it back for an opportunity to take in the scenery and relax during a long weekend. The only issue we ran into was an abundance of mosquitos, but this should be expected during the late Spring/early Summer in northern New Mexico and can be easily addressed with a citronella candle and a bit of bug spray. Our most recent stay was on one of those rare nights where you can pull off the rain fly and not worry about a midnight downpour, which left us with a wonderful view of the stars, and the sites are private enough that, as long as you don't set up next to the table, it's comfortable with an open tent and away from prying eyes.
The campground is nice, very well maintained, and the site host is friendly and helpful. The grounds are a
GuideRio Chama RV park in Chama, New Mexico, is at the intersection of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the upper Rio Chama. A nice place to stay May 1 thru mid October. The train passing by twice a day is an exciting event and it's a short walk to the train yard.
Pull through sites have great shade and full hookups with 30 or 50 amp electrical service. Spacious tent sites with full service restrooms nearby. Pet friendly with dog park and free wifi. A great place for fishing, train watching and relaxing.
RangerThe website listed for this campground is correct Ponderosa campground Antonito, CO.
Phone 719.376.5857
This is a very relaxing place to stay and it seems like most of the people there have been there many times before. The drive in is easy on Route 17 and does not require a vehicle with high ground clearance. They do allow campfires, they have clean bathrooms and a shower house. I stayed in a backpacking tent after driving all day arriving on a Friday at about 4:00 PM. The campground is set-up for small campers and has some cabins for rent too. The bathrooms with showers are clean and comfortable. The sites have fire rings with grates and picnic tables. The owner manager is great, providing quality fishing advice, conversation and even a free cup of coffee in the morning. Hiking on the CDT is near the campground and fishing is right in the campground. The steam train is right up the pass and I happened to be there the night before opening day catching a photo when I drove over the pass to Chama New Mexico. The Cumbres and Toltec Train traveling between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. This is a very nice drive and Chama is a cool place to visit, it is a trail town on the CDT.
I will visit this campground again for sure.
RangerI've stayed here twice now since being in New Mexico. This site is right on the water, overlooks the canyon, and is close to a hike to the right side of the canyon through a dried up riverbed. I *love* staying here. It's so peaceful, quiet, enough trees to keep you shaded from the harsh sun here. The road is runner friendly, so you can go on a jog if you like. Its definitely a campsite for people looking to strictly hang out.
views and sunsets are EPIC. Stay here instead of the packed Rio Chama campground if you're a casual camper who doesn't need amenities. And pick up your toilet paper so this place stays nice!
Horse camping near Carson National Forest in New Mexico offers a unique blend of scenic trails and tranquil settings, perfect for equestrian enthusiasts looking to explore the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Carson National Forest is Carson NF - Forest Service Road 578 - Dispersed Camping with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Carson National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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