Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Cloudcroft, NM has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Cloudcroft, reviewed by campers like you.
"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."
"There was lots of really nice people staying at the sites at the entrance, but if you go further you can find some privacy. Less than a 5 minute drive from Cloudcroft."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"There are no amenities here, and surprisingly there was no trash at all. There is a gravel road off the highway that leads into the campground."
"1990 Winnebago Chieftain towing a '95 Wrangler from LA > FL
Got here late last night driving from Albuquerque and since it's essentially just all dirt/shrub, you're able to park wherever you can (just"
"Main dirt road is fine, even for larger rigs. Side road that runs north/south may give you issues.
Plenty of obvious campsites, many of which are level."
"The turn off from the paved road is difficult to spot and the unpaved road is rough. High ground clearance recommended."
"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."
"We have a 30 foot motor home and were so glad to find a dispersed spot in the mountains we could fit!
Rim Trails and Alamo Peak Trails in walking distance."
"Follow sunspot highway to mile marker numbe 5, the forest road is right there. Once you enter take a left down the slope."
"We tent camped in mid September 2022 in the Lincoln National Forest south of Cloudcroft, NM off Forest Service Road 64. Over 9,400’ and it got cold at night. Saw one elk and heard more bugling."
"Beautiful area off Davis drive, so many areas to camp. Some are restricted to motor vehicles but just keep driving down the gravel road and you will find something."
RangerWe tent camped in mid September 2022 in the Lincoln National Forest south of Cloudcroft, NM off Forest Service Road 64. Over 9,400’ and it got cold at night. Saw one elk and heard more bugling. Plenty of wood to make a fire. Nice forest. We stayed at a spot on a meadow about 4-5 dispersed sites south of Sunspot Highway. Good times.
GuideThis 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.
GuideA very nice spot to stop on a road trip. There are no amenities here, and surprisingly there was no trash at all. There is a gravel road off the highway that leads into the campground. There is a lot of open space for you to pick and just set up camp. Here I used a tent. Theres no need for a permit or checking in. A state trooper drove in in the morning for something but didn’t stop to interact with anyone. There was just me and two other van campers. The gate seems to be open all year round. Can be found as Lake Holloman on Google. In the morning I woke up to fighter jets flying from the Air Force base that is near by. A beautiful sight to wake up to. Would stop here again
GuideNeeded 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
GuideNeeded 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
LegendThis 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.
ScoutFound the location on Google. During my time there the lake had a bit of a funk but not too bad. Some reviews said there wasn’t anything while they were there but alas I was not so lucky
No amenities, just an empty lot, but decent enough for a night while exploring white sands. Gravel access road is pretty good and my low clearance sedan had no trouble with it
GuideDispersed 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.
RangerBluff 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.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Cloudcroft, New Mexico, where nature lovers can enjoy serene landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Cloudcroft, NM is Forest Road 568 - Dispersed Camping with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 24 dispersed camping locations near Cloudcroft, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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