Looking for dispersed camping near Ribera? Dispersed camping gets you off the grid so you can disconnect from the hecticness of everyday life. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your New Mexico excursion.
The Caja del Rio area is a lower elevation and drier section of the Santa Fe National Forest. This is mainly a Piñon-Juniper dominated vegetation zone with areas of sage and mixed grasses. It is often open for recreational opportunities when the rest of the Forest is snowed over. Watch for seasonal road closures due to wet and very muddy roads. It is another good area for solitude and lesser travelled trails.
Guide
This place sufficed due to the need to have somewhere for the night, if we had the chance we’d have gone somewhere else. Massive piles of trash everywhere, sites strewn with people’s leftover garbage from camping there.
Due to its close proximity to the landfill, it was extremely loud during the morning from around 7am onwards.
There was a partial closure banning camping in a section of the landfill, which was incredibly difficult to figure out where we could camp, as the map is not clear at all,
Coyotes at night were really cool.
Overall disappointing but glad we managed somewhere to sleep for the night
ScoutWe loved it. Very spacious. Fire pits here and there.
GuidePlenty of spots and easy to get to. The only catch is you will need to find a spot away from the multiple large piles of trash.
The surrounding area was pretty and sunset was great!
Guide
I drove in and was immediately stopped by park rangers. They told me they were letting people know they will be shutting this location down do to people not being decent. If it is still open, you’ll see a lot of trash. Certain sites looked better than others. Flat land with not a lot to do.
ScoutIt's a pretty nice and mostly flat area of land with dirt roads. Most vehicles can access the roads we went on. Pretty quiet and while we did have neighbors we were by no means packed in there like sardines.
GuideOverall I really liked this spot. However no one seems to keep their dogs on a leash despite the law being 6 foot leash at all times. They let their dogs roam thru everyone's campsites.
ScoutI haven't camped yet.This is my 1st day here.And I just got the app so I'll have to come back and give her a few after i've finished my trip
ScoutThere was a slight amount of trash at most sites. Sad!
Guide
Let me start by saying I'd stay here again. But there was such a pitted road to the right. It's too hard to get off the high banks with our Transit. On the left fork near the pit toilets, better roads but more campers. 5 rvs all in sight of one another. There was rain and snow week before that made roads worse I assume. Not much trash around. Near horse corral that gets use. 17 degrees with wind this morning but clear skies. Shooting nearby as well as the trash dump nearby. But the location can't be beat.
GuideI stayed 4 nights bc it was so close to hiking and town. Very dusty and packed some trash out that was left behind. Pretty quiet with beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
TravelerStayed 4 nights. Very quiet. About 15 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. Many sites available. Very dusty due to no recent rain. We have a 26 ft travel trailer. We saw larger Rvs, vans, cars. Tents.
GuideWe camped here for two nights while visiting Santa Fe and it is definitely the best free spot you’ll find so close to the city. There were quiet a few people out in RV’s and trailers, but there’s so much space that you can really park almost anywhere and still have a little bit of privacy with the trees/bushes. Apple/google maps will take you right to the road, and we hardly noticed the landfill until we heard trash trucks one morning. There are some fire pits already set up and plenty of wood around to have a little fire.
Guide
There are a few tent spots and car camping spots, and it’s right along a creek where you can fly fish. It was a longer drive out there than expected, but there’s a sign that lets you know your in the National forest and out of peoples private property. You probably want 4WD because the road was rough, but definitely worth it with the fall colors! We loved this spot!
GuidePerfect dispersed camp spots close to town but very quiet. Except a few evening fun shots. Lots of spots scattered with plenty of privacy.
GuideNot a lot going on. Good place to stop to sleep for free. Other than that idk what you would do. If your in a tent, boring.
GuideA lot of camping hundreds and hundreds of acres. Some of the roads are good and some of them or technical.
RangerThe area is right next to a landfill which worried us at first but turned out not to be a problem, I imagine it gets worse in the warmer months. You can drive around and find some cool and private spots but there is trash seriously everywhere. We even found shot gun shells a little further out all over the ground. When you pull up to the area you can either turn right into the blm land or go straight past the signage into the National park area. I think it said El Camino Real. This is where the toilets and shelter is. The toilets were actually well kept. There were some nice people but I can imagine if you drive further out away from people it feels a little sketchier. It wasn’t the best, but it was definitely free.
Guide20 mins from Sata Fe, lots of open roads and land for dispersed camping. Can get a bit crowded and hard to find a spot away from people, but plenty of room.
GuideA gorgeous and vast dispersed campground just a short drive from Santa Fe. There was enough space and trees/shrubs to offer privacy, and as a solo traveler I felt completely safe sleeping in my crossover. I parked just off the main dirt road between a couple of junipers and still felt like I had the privacy I preferred. You can drive further to get a more secluded space. The only downside: it was very windy and the entire interior of my vehicle was covered in reddish dust. But this place was so beautiful and spaced out that being covered in dust seemed like a small price to pay for a great experience.
The Campground: The main dirt road wasn't in great condition, so the short journey after you turn off of Country Road 62 was very bumpy, but it didn't appear that anyone was having issues navigating it (that might change if there's heavy rainfall). There's a vault toilet and picnic pavilion near the front; this area is also a trailhead. The whole place feels very open and has a nice view of the mountains.
The area: Very close to Santa Fe.
Booking: No booking or fee. This is dispersed camping and there are no official "sites" here. When looking for a place to set up, make sure you chose a place that's well-traveled. Seemed like there were enough areas to camp that I don't imagine this place ever gets too full.
Cell Service: I have Verizon, and my service was good.
LegendThis is a large area with many campsites. Pretty much anywhere you can get your vehicle, you can camp. No services except for a vault toilet near the entrance. The roads are dirt. Main roads are good, side roads have a bit more ruts and divots.
When you come into the dispersed area, there are a lot more people camped near the front, but if you continue down the road you can easily find a secluded spot. The spot was quiet for the most part, just a few dogs barking at night.
Guideit’s loud day and night due to being by airport and landfill. road is trash after getting to the second cattle guard. lots of shooting ranges, nearly unlimited campsites, dogs barking and trash scattered but still it’s very relaxing being in the forest
Travelerin the nighttime it’s really good- quiet besides the coyotes and excellent for stargazing. however both times i’ve been here there’s been some guy just absolutely screaming and cursing at no one in particular. both times he’s left in the evening tho. the sites are a lil close together but having access to the vault toilets is a treat!
RangerNext to a landfill, which is loud near the trailhead. Pit toilets are disgusting. Would rather dig a hole for that… long term campers mainly at the trailhead - RV, tent, and van. Plus loads of trash and abandoned RV’s.
However, I stayed here the 14 day limit and found some great spots that are secluded from the residents and flies. Other than the serenading coyotes, it’s very peaceful at night. Great views of the surrounding mountains and awesome sunsets. Conveniently located to Santa Fe. I don’t think I’ll stop here again unless it’s overnight.
RangerFirst off, I’m so disappointed with the state of the land. The trailhead was crowded and covered in trash. Complete filth no matter which direction you go, including abandoned RV’s. It’s right next to a landfill so the flies rule this land. ATV and gun activity all weekend.
We stayed at a site a mile from the trailhead, minimal trash and lots of room to spread out.
Advantages: 15 minutes to town, beautiful sunrise/sunset, relatively quiet during the week. Great views of the surrounding area.
ScoutVery relaxing. Thanks for a great spot.
ScoutLost signal while driving down the road to the spot but found a spot with service. Picked a secluded spot surrounded by trees with a fire pit. While the sun was up I heard gunshots and people would drive by but it quieted down after sundown. Saw a cop drive around as well. There were a few cars when I drove in but didn’t see any people from where I parked. Very nice and quiet.
TravelerGreat boondocking spot @15 mins from downtown Santa Fe.
Zero amenities but clean, huge open areas, and safe.
Your are behind a huge solid waste transfer station but you’d never know besides the huge hill. No smell or garbage anywhere.
Pros-
-HUGE open area -WIFI is great (pull in and go to the left down by the cattle coral) -Clean areas -Safe -Bathrooms (Didn’t Use) -Tons of hiking -15mins tops to downtown Santa Fe -Free
Cons-
-Windy -Dusty -No water -No Dump Station
We got water at the dog park up the road with our water bladder bag. Try to go during dusk as it is way less busy with fewer spectators watching and wondering what you’re doing, we had zero issues! 😊
It’s a great Free spot for a night or two weeks also surrounded by BLM land so you can’t really go wrong.
This area is well big enough for any size rig, just stay to the right on the gravel road pass the cattle guard where the road is gravel and smoother for sure!
Enjoy! 😊
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Ribera, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Ribera, NM is Sante Fe National Forest BLM-Road 62 Dispersed with a 4.2-star rating from 38 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Ribera, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 dispersed camping locations near Ribera, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
