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melissa D.
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GuideOjo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa
Camping spots are close and tight. But nice to be on the grounds of Ojo Caliente Resort
Tent Camping near Carson National Forest, NM
1 campground with availability next weekend
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Dispersed tent camping in Carson National Forest, New Mexico offers several free, primitive options with minimal amenities and natural settings. Carson NF - Forest Service Road 578 provides secluded tent sites with multiple pulloffs for unmarked campsites, while the Arroyo Seco area offers riverside tent camping along the Rio Hondo. Lower Hondo Campground and Cuchilla Campground provide established but primitive tent camping options on the road to Taos Ski Resort.
Most dispersed tent sites in Carson National Forest require campers to be self-sufficient with all supplies. Sites typically lack drinking water, developed facilities, and trash service. Forest Service Road 578 features rutted, rocky terrain requiring AWD or 4WD vehicles, with tent pads on natural ground cover. Cell service becomes unreliable beyond the highway. The Wild Rivers Recreation Area offers more developed tent campgrounds with vault toilets and concrete pads, though these fill quickly during peak seasons. Campers should be prepared for significant temperature drops at night, with temperatures recorded as low as 27°F even in spring months.
Tent campers at dispersed sites often enjoy significant privacy and scenic views. The Forest Service Road 578 area provides mountain vistas across the valley, particularly after the fork in the road, while riverside campsites along Arroyo Seco offer peaceful water sounds for sleeping. Sites near Taos give access to hiking trails and scenic overlooks of the Rio Grande gorge. Some tent campsites near the Wild Rivers area connect to steep canyon trails leading to river access. According to one visitor, "The sites are fairly primitive but the location is one of the greatest around. The trail down to the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grand is steep and gravel."
Best Tent Campgrounds near Carson National Forest (41)
1. Dispersed Camping Near Taos
"This is primitive, so bring all your amenities."
"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."
2. Carson NF - Forest Service Road 578 - Dispersed Camping
"There are a bunch of different roads you can turn off to camp on if you’re driving from Taos to Durango."
"I tent-camped off of Carson NF Forest Service Road 578 in mid April 2022. FS 578 is south of Tres Piedras about 5 miles on the west side of Hwy 285."
3. Arroyo Seco Dispersed NF Camping
"Right off the road, literally. it hidden behind some trees so the barrier between the site and road makes for a little privacy. Great spot for a day or two right next to a creek so you fall asleep to"
"First coms first served with mostly tenting spaces."
4. La Junta - Wild Rivers Rec Area
"Each campsite had a concrete pad and awning."
"The sites are fairly primitive but the location is one of the greatest around. It’s a decent drive up here from Taos but you won’t be disappointed once you get here."
5. Cuchilla Campground
"Sites are right on a creek & have picnic tables."
"Picnic tables were marked up, but the sound of the River was so worth all of it."
6. Cebolla Mesa
"There was not a lot spots here, but these spots are tucked right beside a big gorge with a trail down to the river. The trail leads down to the Rio Grande and is challenging. Peaceful and good views."
"Beware drive in can be muddy if raining 4wd recommended and AWD is fine too. Front or Rwd is doable but at your own risk. Bathroom Firepit Table There are only 4 available spots."
7. La Junta Campground
"Located by the river. No luck fishing though Quite a few ATVs around. Only 2 miles to Sipaupu with a nice little store with firewood and necessities."
8. Lower Hondo Campground
"Tent camped in July and could not get into the water; but did freeze my ankles off. Have nice latrine commode and that is all. There are no specific sites. Just find a place and set up."
"The Hondo River runs right next to the campground so you have easy access to water."
9. Cabresto Lake Campground
"A vehicle with off-road capabilities is recommended if you want to reach this campground. While not impossible with a regular sedan, it does take navigating up some unpaved switchbacks."
"There are about 5 by the lake and then 3 on the trail up. It's a busy road, constant stream of people. The trail itself is maybe a 2/10 for difficulty."
10. Goat Hill Campground
Drive Time
- 1 hr 42 min from Santa Fe, NM
- 2 hrs 31 min from Albuquerque, NM
- 3 hrs 5 min from Pueblo, CO
- 3 hrs 22 min from Farmington, NM
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Carson National Forest
23 Photos of 41 Carson National Forest Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Carson National Forest
676 Reviews of 41 Carson National Forest Campgrounds
Dave B.GuideEagle Nest Lake State Park Campground
Nice
Great views of lake and surrounding mountains. Washrooms are very clean with great showers
- Mike M.
TravelerOjo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa
Awesome campground at one of the nicest hot springs you’ll ever visit. Great farm to table restaurant and wine bar. New Mexico at its best.
- JJohn L.Guide
Questa Lodge & RV Resort
Good spot for campingn
Limited review due to rains. Nice area for quiet camping or for access to wilderness areas, hiking. Taos and Red River are 1/2 hour away for touristy stuff. During heavy rains river did not leave its banks. Sites are tight, best ones are by the river. Nice walking path by river but noticed many dog walkers not picking up after their dogs. Clean bathroom and laundry facilities. Some septic drains too high to drain properly, should be fixed. Had to move in order to dump tanks.
- RRoy R.Guide
Free Dispersed Camping
Free Dispersed Camping
This easy to miss spot is a free camping area near the ranger station. The road to get to the sites is probably only a couple hundred meters from the ranger station so slow down if you are going West on 64 and turn around if you reach the station going East on 64.
The actual camping spots are towards the very end of the road where they form a sort of triangle. There are three picnic tables with what look like fire rings. But there is a lot of open space around those three tables if they happen to be taken by any chance. I did notice that most boondockers would just park their vehicles on the side of the road along the way. So basically the entire area seems to be available for boondocking. There are no trash cans, water, more vault toilets. It's packed everything out. There are a couple of vault toilets at the ranger station and you can actually walk from the campsite area because there are trails that lead to the ranger station.
Very pretty area. Very quiet. Few vehicles on the nearby road.
Ben F.TravelerBig Arsenic Springs Campground
Amazing views, no water
All the campgrounds in the wild rivers area are very well maintained, the sites have sturdy pavilions, picnic tables and grills. Sites are nicely spaced and some have amazing canyon views. Vault-style toilets that are kept clean and stocked. Bring your own water, their "well is broken" as of Oct. 2026, so if you run out you're looking at a 20 mile drive round trip to buy a couple gallons at the local grocery store.
- NNathaniel S.Traveler
Ghost Ranch
Beautiful area; challenging camping
The campground is situated in a beautiful setting and area right at Ghost Ranch. Campground has sites that are gravel and not very level, as others have noted, making it a bit of a challenge (site 16 in particular). Also note that some electric hookups are 20A only, not 30A. Full hookups at front of campground; tent only at rear. Showers were great and heated; laundry and bathrooms clean. Host and staff friendly. Lots of great hiking trails within walking distance of the campground. 2 small museums worth visiting. We paid $50 for electric hookup. Meal plan is now $50.
Jeff V.GuideBlack Canyon Campground
Good but not as good as free camping just a few miles further
Hyde Memorial State Park, like many NM state parks, is more campground than park. There are additional campsites, some with 3 walled shelters at the park, so you're not limited to this particular campground, whose only real advantage is an illegal trailhead to the city reservoir, left by firefighters a couple of decades ago (look for a trail near the top off the campground loop hike).
It's illegal to go to the reservoir, but enough folks do it to keep the use trail well trodden. It's doubtful you'd be cited, but possible.
Personally I'm allergic to paying for camping if I can and still sore about paying $70 a night in Big Sur a decade ago when everything but a private campground was fully booked. So here's my cheap advice:
Drive another 6 miles to Big Tesuque, a free Forest Service campground with picnic tables, vault toilets, fire rings and a stream for water and enjoy the freedom from fees. If Big Tesuque is packed, drive up to the Ski Basin at the top and camp there, it never fills up for some reason, and also has picnic tables, vault toilets and fire rings.
There's also a dirt USFS road off the north side of Artist Road just above Hyde Park and a trailhead at the eastern edge of the stat epark that leads to the stream: this means shelpping your stuff a couple of miles though, downhill on the way in.
Point is, you can pay for camping here, but you need not if your prefer holding onto your cash, by driving just a few miles further.
Bill R.
RangerLittle Arsenic Springs Campground
Remote, wild, beautiful and small.
We stayed here for two nights in early May, 2026. Camped back from the rim ,wanting shelter from the wind/rain/snow rather than the view. Really enjoyed the area, walked some of the rim trail, stopped by the visitor center(limited hours) and hiked to the river at the bottom of the gorge. The hike was spectacular and the weather was as wild as the gorge. Rain, wind and snow battered us as we climbed back out.
No water(they're working on restoring it) and a long way from anything like gas, supplies, etc.
Would definitely like to return in the future.
Guide to Carson National Forest
Dispersed tent camping in Carson National Forest provides remote backcountry options across varied terrain ranging from 8,000-13,000 feet elevation. Summer temperatures typically range from 45°F at night to 75°F during the day, with mountain thunderstorms common in July and August. Vehicle accessibility varies significantly between sites, with several campgrounds requiring high-clearance or 4WD vehicles.
What to do
Fishing access points: Cabresto Lake Campground offers clear water fishing with visible lake bottom in most areas. "The marsh on the east end provided plenty of bugs and worms for bait. The lake provided enough trout for a dinner," notes one visitor who camped with teenagers.
Hot springs hikes: Dispersed sites near Taos connect to natural hot springs via walking trails. A camper at Dispersed Camping Near Taos reports, "Made a quick walk down to the springs in the evening and watched the stars come out. Awesome!!"
Steep canyon trails: Multiple campgrounds connect to challenging riverside hikes. According to a visitor at Little Arsenic Springs Campground, "Hiking trails down to the Rip Grande river are close by," with campsites I2 and I3 offering "amazing cliffside" views.
What campers like
River sounds for sleeping: The riverside sites at Arroyo Seco Dispersed NF Camping provide natural white noise. One camper mentions, "Great spot for a day or two right next to a creek so you fall asleep to the sound of it, not wasn't a gentle creek, but lovely all the same."
Accessible wildlife viewing: Forest areas provide opportunities to spot local fauna. A tent camper at Carson NF Forest Service Road 578 reported, "The forest is a nice mix of sage, juniper, and pine trees. I saw two elk across a swath of sage."
Privacy between sites: Many dispersed areas offer sufficient space between campsites. A camper at Carson NF - Forest Service Road 578 found "a nice secluded little forest road. RVs will not make it, so it's nice and quiet... Stayed one night and saw no one else."
What you should know
Snow season limitations: Winter access becomes extremely difficult at higher elevations. A visitor to Lower Hondo Campground warns, "Camp in warm weather or you need to have a snow plow since drifts 3-5 ft deep."
Road conditions: Many forest access roads require appropriate vehicles. One camper at Cabresto Lake notes, "The road up to the lake is pretty rocky so we had to air down our tires so that we don't get back aches after our day 4x4 goose lake trail getaway."
Location confusion: Some campground coordinates can lead to wrong locations. A visitor to Dispersed Camping Near Taos advises, "One thing is that you MUST approach from the west, you can't get here coming from the east over John dun bridge."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly water access: Several sites offer shallow water play areas for children. At Cuchilla Campground, one family reports, "We pulled our 19' RV with solar right up to the river and our dog was in and out of the river all day."
Space for multiple tents: Some areas accommodate larger family groups. A visitor to Cabresto Lake Campground brought "four teenage girls for a weekend of camping and fishing... the challenge was finding enough flat land for three tents."
Road noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience traffic noise that might disturb light sleepers. A camper at Goat Hill Campground notes, "Yes it's close to the road and was loud, but we were happy to get a spot and be buy the BEAUTIFUL rushing river."
Tips from RVers
Length restrictions: Most dispersed sites accommodate only smaller RVs or trailers. At Arroyo Seco Dispersed Camping, visitors found "there aren't many sites and you're pretty close to your neighbors" with limited maneuvering space.
Solar power viability: Open areas provide good solar charging opportunities. At Cuchilla Campground, one RVer describes "about 15 or so dispersed spots along HWY 150, on the river, in the trees" where they "pulled our 19' RV with solar right up to the river."
Leveling challenges: Uneven terrain requires preparation. A camper at La Junta Campground found "plenty of campsites" but noted the need to find level spots among the riverside terrain, mentioning that "quite a few ATVs around" share the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Carson National Forest?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Carson National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Carson National Forest is Dispersed Camping Near Taos with a 4.3-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find
tent camping near
Carson National Forest?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Carson National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 41 tent camping locations near Carson National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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