Best Dispersed Camping near Gila National Forest
Numerous free dispersed camping areas exist along Route 15 in Gila National Forest, with roadside pullouts offering overnight options for various vehicle sizes. These sites provide solitude with minimal traffic noise at night. Meadow Creek Road offers additional sites, though access requires high clearance vehicles and 4x4 capability for the bumpy, 3+ mile drive. North Star Mesa, accessible via North Star Road north of Mimbres, provides dispersed sites with established fire rings along the main road and forest spurs.
Comfort Well Dispersed Camping features multiple shaded sites under ponderosa pines with space for group camping and is accessible for larger vehicles despite a bumpy cattle guard at the entrance. Bear Mountain area includes 4-5 primitive sites along road 4242d, though the narrow, rocky access with low-hanging branches makes navigation challenging for larger vehicles. All dispersed sites throughout the forest require visitors to be self-sufficient—no water, toilets, or trash service is available. Most areas allow campfires in existing rings (except during fire restrictions), and the high elevation provides cooler temperatures than surrounding lowlands, especially in summer months.
