Best Tent Camping near Carson National Forest
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."
