Planning a dispersed camping trip near Holloman Air Force Base? Dispersed camping is the perfect way to get off the grid. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your New Mexico camping adventure.
Throughout the Lincoln National Forest you are allowed to do what is called 'dispersed camping'. This is a rustic experience where you are allowed to drive up to 300' off of designated dirt Forest Service roads onto USFS lands to park and camp. Do not drive across creeks and no camping is allowed on private property or within city or village limits. The Motor Vehicle Use Map, available as a download from fs.usda.gov/Lincoln, will show detail on where camping is allowed in each district, as well as a listing of the roads allowing dispersed camping. This map is also available at the District offices, at no charge. No permits are needed for dispersed camping and no cost is associated with this camping experience. Be sure to bring what you need, especially water, and also pack out what you pack in. Leave No Trace principles should be followed for all camping experiences in the National Forest.
Dispersed camping in the National Forest
Scout
Parked in graded gravel parking area at base of a Organ Mountains. Fairly level.
Guide
We had a great night drove through the entire area and off roads to find a nice quiet area we had our son and two big doggos and had plenty of space for them to roam. Lots of trails nearby and the lake of course!
Scout
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ScoutSierra Vista’s Back Side Dispersed camping offers a pristine, serene outdoor experience. Its remote location provides ample space and minimal distractions, ideal for those seeking solitude and natural beauty. Proper preparation is key—bring sufficient supplies and be ready for self-sufficiency to fully enjoy this hidden gem. rv park rio hondo
Scout
I stayed here for a night and it's really windy. It's a wide place and great for offroad vehicles. slope game
Legend
This whole valley is just… something! A disappearing and reappearing lake, ancient human and mastodon footprint fossils, the birthplace of nuclear reactions and aerospace exploration -- all this AND hills of white gypsum sand upon which you can sled year round? Not bad for the middle of New Mexico, between two mountain ranges.
However, camping nearby leaves something to be desired, even in the RV parks – which is never our thing. However, during a couple of visits we’ve spent the night at some BLM areas just a few miles to the east of the main entrance to the National Park. We’ve spent nights on either side of the highway, but the better boondocking area is on the north side of the highway here at Holloman Lake (not for swimming, read other reviews for details). You’re right on the border of the air force base, so expect a lot of activity nearby. In December, there were maybe 6-8 other RV's nearby, but lots of space to spread out. Road in was good (a little rough in spots) but overall pretty easy, even for our 67 year old camper. The sunsets are always spectacular, even better if it's a bit windy as the fine grains of gypsum sand are in the air, creating gorgeous color.
There’s nothing in the way of services at this place, just a good, quiet place to park for a few nights. But, the wide open range has everything you need for solar power and Starlink.
Outdoor activities outside of the park can be found up in the mountain ranges to the east of Alamogordo, or to the west in the mountains closer to Las Cruces.
Alamogordo is just 15- 20 minutes away where you can get anything you might need, food, groceries, gas, laundry etc. Oh, and go to the New Mexico History of Space Museum...super fun for kiddos of all ages!
Guide
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. We should have have just stayed in the first location we found though. We went to the end of the road to find out that there was no way to turn our 29 ft trailer. We had to go in reverse about 1/4 mile to find a place to turn around.
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Guide
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. There were other campers nearby but it was quiet and beautiful.
No cell service except for a few bars down the road toward Alamo Peak.
Elk, hummingbirds, all tucked away in aspen grove. This is a special spot.
GuideSuper convenient (maybe 4 minutes) to White Sands National Park, the "lake" is reclaimed waste water from the nearby Air Force base and the whole area can kinda intermittently smell like stale farts. Fairly decent amount of flat space for RV's, but turning around might be tricky based on congestion.
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
ScoutDO NOT go in the water. There is currently an ongoing lawsuit against the USAF due to the amount of PFAS in the water from firefighting foam. That being said, it’s a great little spot if you’re planning on hitting White Sands NP. Was fairly packed during my visit last month but I still found a spot. Very quiet and peaceful!
GuideGood spot to camp near white sands. Very busy- but most people seem to stick to the large lot near the entrance. If you follow the road around to the west side of the lake there are additional spots that are a bit more secluded.
The Air Force does regular flyovers throughout the day on weekdays. Very loud.
TravelerQuite busy and noisy with people running their generators. No privacy. The redeeming factor is the sunset was spectacular over the lake!
Traveler
Stayed for 3 days and only saw a few cars pass by that whole time. Felt very private and had plenty of space. Lots of beautiful birds and some bats flying around at dusk! Tmobile service was pretty good, mostly had 5G but did lose 5g service a couple of times. Starting to get hot in April!
RangerPretty crowded on a Wednesday night in April. Had a little trouble finding a level spot far enough away from others but otherwise no complaints for this free camp spot, great sunset views!
Guide
This was our first campsite on our cross country road trip. We arrived around 10pm and saw one other camper on the way in. It was pitch black outside so we were very pleased to wake up and see the giant mountain behind us the next morning. There were cows roaming about as it’s free range here. The road to the campsite was bumpy but not too bad. We were in a 2wd and had no issues. I’m hoping we can return to this campsite at some point but will be difficult as we live in Georgia 🥲
RangerEasy to access, plenty of spots along the main road and other spurs going off from it. Drove the whole way until it dead ends into State Park land (fenced) then turned around and went down a spur on the left to a great spot. Verizon service, starry skies.
Ranger
Sunspot Hwy to Rio Peñasco Rd., past the pavement onto dirt road for about 2 miles before coming to the trailhead/bathrooms on your right. No overnight camping at the trailhead but overnight camping is allowed beyond that point, along the creek. Very quiet and private, a bit of snow was still down at the end of March, no other campers. Very windy, so campfires are allowed but need to be well controlled. Great spot all-around. There is NO Verizon service there or on the way in, pretty much since you pass Haynes Canyon on Sunspot.
TravelerSuper close to white sands, sunset and sunrise were great. It was relatively busy but the sites are far enough away from each other that it still felt private. At night you can hear the sounds from the highway and see the lights from the base/city. Also as an FYI, not sure I saw this ahead of time, the lake is actually a wastewater treatment pond so steer clear from the actual water.
ScoutI stopped here just for the night on a longer road trip, but this was a very nice camp. Very quiet with lots of privacy. I made it to a campsite in a prius even though the road is rocky (if you have 4wd you’ll have a smoother ride, but 2wd makes it just fine). There was no wind the night I stayed.
Traveler1990 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 don't block the worn in dirt roads obviously). Had about 30 other RVs, campervans, 5th wheels, tents and cars parked all around. Any type of camper is welcome and their space respected. Quiet, everyone was respectful of one another. Mostly families with young children and retirees. Woke up to a beautiful lake. A bit windy though, for anyone thinking of tent camping or has a tall vehicle.
Guide
This was a good patch of dirt and trees up in the mountain with a good clearing to park the truck. 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. There were several other dispersed spot further down the road. Nobody in sight, no animal sightings either.
TravelerThe road is pretty rocky, take it slow and you’ll be good though. 4wd not needed, I managed fine in a 2wd Escape, wouldn’t attempt going too far in with low clearance as some rocks are pretty big. There were quite a few Campers and 5th-wheels further down the way, but I found a good spot with venturing too deep. Person not too far from me pitched a tent, I car camp so can’t say how tent conditions would be, but saw him with a tent pitched & staked! I was up at 7am and they were gone, imagine they must’ve been pretty cold, temps drop quite dramatically and the winds whip up there. Heard coyote’s howling pretty nearby around 1:30am, and in the area again at 3am-ish. There was also lots of scat around, pretty large piles, thinking it’s cow as there’s several cattle ranches very close by and they seem to get loose often-be cautious when driving around, they pop out of nowhere on the main road to Baylor. Sunset is breathtaking!! I don’t recommend arriving here after dark whatsoever. Stars are surprisingly visible too- there’s a lot of light pollution from Las Cruces down below, but it didn’t seem to have much effect on star gazing while I was there. Will definitely return!
ScoutI got up the top trail fine in my f-150, it is kinda sketchy though so be careful , but the views up top are great , spaced out a lot better
Guide
The camping is great and the views are amazing. However, the trail up to the camping spots is steep, washed out, and tight. Can be navigated with a stock 4x4 pick up. Also, there is a gun range at the bottom, so you'll hear gun shots til sundown. Also, a little highway noise is present in the distance.
GuideThis was easy to find, the road in is a bit rocky, but I saw All types of vehicles make it, just watch for a few rocks. Beautiful views and easy to get to hiking.
Camping near Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to unwind or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, provides a mix of adventure and relaxation. With various campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot for your next outdoor getaway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Holloman Air Force Base, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Holloman Air Force Base, NM is Red Sands Off-Highway Vehicle Area with a 3.6-star rating from 5 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Holloman Air Force Base, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 dispersed camping locations near Holloman Air Force Base, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
