Looking for the best dispersed camping near San Rafael? Dispersed camping means that no facilities or amenities are provided, so that you can truly disconnect and get back to nature. Search dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots and read camper reviews.
Ranger
We picked this free area for convenience (easy to get to from I40) and how it looked in photos.
What other reviews say about the start of the road being rough is correct. The wash areas are really poorly maintained. Once you get past this the road is pretty good.
We found a nice campsite and were able to get level in the pickup camper. Stayed two night and enjoyed the beauty.
Some complain about noise form I40, but if you come back into the area you can’t hear it.
TravelerI’m actually stuck here as I’m writing this because the rain washed out the road, and everything is so muddy. I was tired and the weather app said only a 50% chance of rain for an hour, but boy was that wrong. A nice spot besides that, close to the highway but far enough away to not have much noise. I would avoid it in the future without something 4x4 though.
Traveler
There were several spots. We did have to drive a couple miles to get away from other campers. Was perfectly fine after a day of cross country driving. Camped in a Jeep.
TravelerThis was a great find along the 40. The road is a bit long but it follows the 40 most of the way and is accessible for most cars. Though lower clearance may need to be careful at certain points. We found that the spots were far apart so we didn't have anyone near us.
I would definitely stay here again.
TravelerWent about 2 miles up the road to find the last good spot. Found a few sites off of the road before this but all occupied. We got a site for 2 RVs that protected us from an impending windstorm. Sites not very level but managed to get the RVs level enough. Thoroughly enjoyed the area. Biked 6 miles up the road. Had cell service (Verizon and T-mobile).
ScoutBeautiful spot hard to find
ScoutStayed for ten days only saw three other campers. Very peaceful, rough in and out but made it with ease. wAtch out if it rains very muddy roads
ScoutGreat Spot! Clean and easy to find. A bit bumpy to access. 2WD will only bring you to the first two sites. We were told from another camper that for all others you will need 4WD . Also it seems the access can become muddy after rain. You will probably need 4WD in that case too.
GuideFound this using this app. Spent three days/ two nights here. Set up by the little canyon and hiked down. Very peaceful.
GuideThe area is beautiful with a winding road that takes you farther if you want to go. I drove in about .25 mile and found a nice spot that others had used as a camp site.
The road getting to Six Mile Canyon is a little rough due to ruts, but we did fine in a Class C. Just went really slowly.
RangerJust off & along the interstate, you’d never know. The valley road cuts through green canyon bluffs and rolling hills with good tree coverage. Lots of fun and scenic driving. Spur trails are good 4x4 drives. The main road is 2wd friendly for a long way, with probably 10-15 camping sites/options along the way. Very beautiful and peaceful.
GuideThis is just down the road from a pilot gas station so that aspect is nice.
Very rough road would suggest 4*4 or clearance for bad weather access. I had an awd car and made it but I didn't go more than a few miles past the actual start of camping areas for fear of being washed out. Not a lot of space from a spot to camp and the road. Also not a lot of spaces that have been " broken in". Has free roaming cows as well.
Again I would almost just stay at the gas station unless your vehicle is able to handle a rough road.
Also I have T-Mobile and had a hell of a time with reception you get it but not consistent or strong at all 1-2 bars.
GuideWe arrived after dark and found it with ease. No amenities but very close to Flying J! The dirt road was dry but you could tell after a rain it would be impassable. We drove about 3 miles past the second gate and found a great little pull off and woke up to a beautiful sunrise. Highly recommend!
GuideFound a little spot right on the road on top of the hill. Great views but road noise. 4 bars lte on Verizon
GuideNot able to access this site of ours trained in the last week. It's a 1 lane road to get to site. Just before the "T" there is an area when all the water goes thru. This is a sandy/dirt crossing and would be fine if no water. There had been some in the area and while it wasn't raining that day, there was 12"+ deep of mud to cross. Can't imagine the challenge of our was dry upon arriving and trained overnight! Take caution and watch the weather reports before attempting. We had to back up about 1/2 mile as there was no place to turn around.
ScoutWe tried to get down to it. Do not attempt after rain. People get stuck!!
ScoutRight off the 40. Gate was open and had a perfectly flat spot we pulled into at night so I didn’t unhitch my travel trailer. Stayed right next to the stable. Most of the area has swamp around it so watch where you’re going and watch the mosquitoes.
GuideGreat location close to flying J on the 40. Stopped for the night. 3 stars because the gate is closed and the wind. I would prefer to drive off into the yonder more. Photo of sign on other side of gate FYI. Other photo shows 40 in the distance. Two to three bars on Verizon.
TravelerWe arrived after dark and didn’t have much trouble finding the site. The gate to the road was closed as others have said, but we just parked in front of the gate in the lot. The was one other van parked and we had no trouble in our 2WD minivan. It did look like you could follow the road up the hill to the left, but we didn’t. Noise from the highway was not a problem.
LegendI only stayed one night while passing through but it was very quiet. Some highway noise if you stay near the entrance but once you head back, it gets quiet. No services or amenities so pack in and pack out. There’s a gas station about 7 minutes away. Beautiful sunsets and plenty of coyotes howling in the early morning. Felt safe and would stay again!
ScoutWhile driving cross country, my friend and I were just looking for a place to camp for the night, relatively hassle free. We put “Six Mile rd” into our GPS and it took us to one of those dirt roads that runs right along the highway. We made the mistake of going in the dark, and we got lost and wound up in a residential neighborhood because we were convinced there was no way the campsites were out the highway rd. The road also said rd work, no access ahead, so we thought we couldn’t even get to it. When we made it, it was hard to tell if there were any campsites, as we didn’t see anyone else camping. We went up a steep hill and there was a huge washout and our car almost fell down nearly 10 feet. In the end, we just pulled off the road and parked for the night. The highway was visible and super loud all night long. My tip, DONT TRY TO FIND IT IN THE DARK!
GuideBe careful taking the road past the parking lot! There is a deep mud pit on the right that looks just like normal dirt. When going in stay to the left, and when leaving stay right
GPS led me to the wrong location as I'm sure it did many - route yourself to Six Mile Canyon RD instead, it should take you to these coordinates:
Lat: 35.439524 Lon: -108.545567
You'll see the lot at first. I couldn't tell if there were campsites there or not (looked like they were at least walk ins, but it's so quiet I'm sure you could do whatever here).
I took the road back. I was skeptic because it looked real beat up and I'm driving a Kia Forte, but it took me back to a campsite when I took a right at the fork. It only took about 3 min to get there, no idea how far back you need to go if you take the left at the fork.
Overall they're quite sites tucked away. My site has a very primitive fire pit, not sure if it's like that at every site. It's also super buggy out here so make sure to bring spray!
Saw a lot of people saying it's right off the highway, it's maybe about 5/10 minutes back once you get the right exit, so not bad at all if you need a night to just crash.
ScoutNice sites for an overnight stop over away from the noise and traffic of the interstate.
A little difficult to find but once we did we had a very peaceful night under a star filled sky.
Keep free camping alive by keeping campsites litter free.
A little clean up goes along way.
TravelerRight off I-40, this little gem is tucked just to the side of the interstate. Gravel roads to get to the sites but we made it to a site with a little Honda Accord without issues. Open areas with a huge beautiful sky overhead.
GuideWe are doing a trip across the country, looking for cheap to free campsite and this one wast perfect. Right off the Interstate, the sign can be easily missed so keep an eye out. We drove 3 miles down a dirt road before picking our spot. You could easily park anywhere but they have some spots with fire-pits, there are no hook ups or water so be prepared.
TravelerWe just needed a place to spend the night and arrived late in the evening, so unfortunately we weren’t able to explore the area. We only drove about 1.5 miles passed the gates, but we saw several camp spots with fire rings. The road is grated and well maintained. We really weren’t sure what to expect, but this was such a beautiful spot we’re planing a trip back with friends so we can explore more.
TravelerQuick drive to this surprisingly secluded place to spend the night on our way through. Road situation is a little confusing—pin drops up to the left, but as we left in the morning we saw some folks who had taken the right side of the initial fork, so seems like both ways are an option. For the left side, the road to the dispersed sites is quite lopsided so I’d avoid it with a top heavy vehicle like our heavy ass van, Reggie. But otherwise great night spent here. The stars were bomb dot com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near San Rafael, NM?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near San Rafael, NM is Six Mile Canyon - Dispersed Camping with a 3.8-star rating from 28 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near San Rafael, NM?
TheDyrt.com has all 3 dispersed camping locations near San Rafael, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
