Best Tent Camping near Carson, NM
Tent campsites in the Carson National Forest surrounding Carson, New Mexico offer both established campgrounds and dispersed camping options. The Taos Junction Campground provides accessible tent camping year-round with picnic tables and toilet facilities, while Arroyo Seco Dispersed NF Camping offers free primitive tent sites with walk-in access. Several backcountry tent camping areas can be found along Forest Service Road 578, providing secluded experiences away from developed areas.
Primitive tent camping in this region typically features basic amenities with most sites including fire rings but lacking potable water. The dispersed camping areas near Taos allow fires but campers must pack out all trash as no collection services exist. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing some of the more remote backcountry tent sites, particularly along unpaved forest roads. According to one visitor, "There 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."
Tent campers seeking solitude will find the primitive areas around Carson particularly rewarding. Lower Hondo Campground provides tent sites along the Rio Hondo with a 14-day maximum stay limit and basic latrine facilities. The elevation of many tent campgrounds results in significantly cooler temperatures, especially at night, even during summer months. The Carson National Forest dispersed camping areas offer excellent views of the surrounding landscape, with some locations providing vistas of the Taos Gorge. A camper noted, "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."