Top Free Dispersed Camping near Timberon, NM

Searching for the perfect place to dispersed camp near Timberon? The Dyrt provides you with a diverse selection of places to camp, from dispersed backcountry camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. Search nearby dispersed campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Timberon, NM (13)

Showing results 1-10 of 13 campgrounds

Recent Dispersed Reviews In Timberon

96 Reviews of 13 Timberon Campgrounds


  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Jul. 10, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Location + Free + Spectacular Sunsets = Great Option Near White Sands NP!

    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!

  • Violeta A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Forest Rd 568 Dispersed
    Jun. 27, 2024

    Forest Rd 568 Dispersed

    Large Rigs beware

    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.

  • Brian and Janet S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Alamo Peak Rd
    May. 26, 2024

    Alamo Peak Rd

    RV dispersed camping

    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.

  • Mike B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    May. 23, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Convenient to white sands

    Super 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.

  • MC The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    May. 23, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Good spot for boondocking White Sands

    Found 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

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    May. 23, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Decent spot

    DO 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!

  • William C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Apr. 27, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Convenient but Noisy

    Good 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.

  • Crista G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Apr. 19, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Busy but convenient and great sunset

    Quite busy and noisy with people running their generators. No privacy. The redeeming factor is the sunset was spectacular over the lake!

  • Crista G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Dog Canyon
    Apr. 19, 2024

    Dog Canyon

    Beautiful, spacious, and quiet!

    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!

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Picacho Road Dispersed Camping
    Apr. 6, 2024

    Picacho Road Dispersed Camping

    Decent Place to Stop, Nothing Special

    It's a decent pull off from a random dirt road in New Mexico. You have to drop off into a slight ditch to get to the spot, about 3-4 inches I'd say. We were fine in a truck camper but it's something to consider. There was a decent amount of local trees traffic on the road, but we were far enough away from the highway that we couldn't hear much of any road noise. Literally just a patch of somewhat level gravel

  • Rachel S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Apr. 4, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Busy but great location for White Sands

    Pretty 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!

  • Twan M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Dog Canyon
    Apr. 2, 2024

    Dog Canyon

    Desert Solitude

    Easy 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.

  • Twan M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping
    Mar. 29, 2024

    Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    Private Pine Valley

    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.

  • Jess T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Mar. 24, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Not Bad At All

    Super 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.

  • Jani L.
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Mar. 13, 2024

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Perfect Spot, plenty of space

    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 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.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bailey Canyon
    Mar. 12, 2024

    Bailey Canyon

    Great dispersed spot in the mountains

    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.

  • Mark G.
    Camper-submitted photo from Dry Canyon Near Hang Glider Launch
    Jan. 21, 2024

    Dry Canyon Near Hang Glider Launch

    Great camping. Difficult terrain. Gun range at the bottom.

    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.

  • Courtney M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Dog Canyon
    Nov. 13, 2023

    Dog Canyon

    Beautiful New Mexico Mountain Views

    This was my husband and I’s first experience boondocking and we were looking for a location close enough to the White Sands National park that wouldn’t be to far of a drive and this location was perfect. Clean, Quite and Beautiful. We enjoyed seeing all the rock trails that have been created from previous visitors.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Dog Canyon
    Oct. 12, 2023

    Dog Canyon

    Nice place to stay

    Numerous sites with fire rings and clean. The turn off from the paved road is difficult to spot and the unpaved road is rough. High ground clearance recommended.

  • H
    Camper-submitted photo from Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping
    Sep. 4, 2023

    Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    Super pretty, SUPER busy

    We were here Labor Day weekend and it was so busy. Do not expect the have a quiet camp if you go on a holiday weekend. That is my only complaint though. It was beautiful, the stream was so pretty. The waterfall is so fun, and the natural spring was super convenient! It dropped into the 50’s at night but was low 80’s during the day! So bring blankets and jackets for night time!

  • PJ M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Dog Canyon
    Jul. 5, 2023

    Dog Canyon

    Best free camping near Alamogordo

    About 20 minutes south of Alamogordo. 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. Mine had a stone border created by previous guests which was pretty cool.

    Great views in every direction, but many sites will be exposed to wind. Was pretty gusty when I was there.

    Be advised, Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is right next door, but dump station is clearly marked as only for guests. Water and dump station were physically locked at 4pm which is stupid.

  • Mandi W.
    Camper-submitted photo from Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping
    Jun. 29, 2023

    Bluff Springs Dispersed Camping

    Beautiful free spot

    We tent camped here on a Friday night, it was kind of crowded for dispersed camping but a really beautiful place and still easy to find a spot despite arriving at like 8:30pm. We camped right on the creek, kids loved playing in it and seeing the waterfall. We saw deer, tons of elk, a hummingbird came right up to us and chirped and tried to land on us, and we woke up the first morning to a herd of cows mooing and walking past our tents with their calves. Would definitely stay here again. No cell signal (Verizon). Road to get there is not paved and in some places can only fit one vehicle so we did see some minor issues with that with people traveling the road.

  • Sam W.
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Jun. 14, 2023

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Perfect for Dispersed Camping

    Stayed here 04/26/23 for an overnight stop after visiting White Sands National Park. Great views of the lake and plenty of other vans/RVs around but everyone was very quiet and respectful

  • Morgan H.
    Camper-submitted photo from Raptor Lake Dispersed
    Jun. 6, 2023

    Raptor Lake Dispersed

    Easy location, convenient to the park

    Super easy to find. Empty when we arrived around 7 PM. Clean and never had any visitors. Great location from White Sands NP.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Forest Rd 568 Dispersed
    Jun. 5, 2023

    Forest Rd 568 Dispersed

    Cool Weather. Great Views. Coming Back!

    This place was an unexpected blessing in our NM trip. The road through the forrest was enough to take your breath away but little did we know that where we camped would be the peak of our week long trip. You can’t deny the stark temp difference coming from Roswell to LNF. We parked on the side of a hill with the tall trees up the sunset and wind. Never felt so in tune with nature. I’m coming back for more.



Guide to Timberon

Camping near Timberon, New Mexico, offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.

What to do

  • Hiking: Explore the beautiful trails around Oliver Lee Memorial State Park. One visitor mentioned, "Some nice hikes from the park with amazing views," making it a great spot for nature lovers.
  • Stargazing: The clear skies in the area provide excellent opportunities for stargazing. A camper at Raptor Lake Dispersed / Holloman Lake noted, "Wonderful view of the starry night sky as well."
  • Visiting White Sands National Park: Just a short drive away, this park is famous for its stunning white dunes. One reviewer said, "Super convenient (maybe 4 minutes) to White Sands National Park," highlighting its proximity.

What campers like

  • Scenic Views: Campers rave about the breathtaking views at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park. A visitor shared, "Gorgeous 360 views, quiet spot," which many find appealing.
  • Clean Facilities: Many campers appreciate the cleanliness of the campgrounds. One reviewer at Alamogordo / White Sands KOA mentioned, "Facilities were clean," which is a big plus for families.
  • Friendly Hosts: Campers often highlight the welcoming atmosphere. A guest at Boot Hill RV Resort said, "Friendly staff and close to White Sands National Park!" making it a great choice for a friendly camping experience.

What you should know

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Raptor Lake Dispersed / Holloman Lake, lack amenities like drinking water and toilets. A visitor noted, "There’s nothing in the way of services at this place," so be prepared.
  • Weather Considerations: The area can get hot, especially in summer. A camper at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park mentioned, "Zero shade so it is HOT especially if you're tent camping," so plan accordingly.
  • Road Conditions: Some access roads can be rough. A reviewer at Forest Road 568 - Dispersed Camping advised, "I would recommend a 4-wheel drive and maybe something with a little clearance."

Tips for camping with families

  • Bring Water: Since some campgrounds lack water sources, it's wise to bring your own. A camper at Raptor Lake Dispersed / Holloman Lake mentioned, "No drinking water," so be prepared.
  • Plan for Activities: Look for campgrounds with nearby attractions. One family at Alamogordo / White Sands KOA enjoyed the "playground" and "pool," making it a hit with kids.
  • Check for Shade: If camping in summer, find a spot with shade. A visitor at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park noted the lack of shade, which can be tough for little ones.

Tips from RVers

  • Level Sites: Look for campgrounds with level sites for easier setup. A reviewer at Boot Hill RV Resort mentioned, "Level sites, friendly helpful staff," which is great for RVers.
  • Check Hookups: Ensure your campground has the necessary hookups. One camper at Cool Pines RV Park appreciated the "good hookups," making their stay comfortable.
  • Explore Nearby Attractions: RVers can enjoy the local sights. A visitor at The Camp @ Cloudcroft noted, "Perfect launching pad for daytrips to many local attractions," which is ideal for those traveling in RVs.

Camping near Timberon, New Mexico, offers a mix of adventure and relaxation. With beautiful landscapes and friendly campgrounds, it’s a great spot for your next outdoor getaway!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Timberon, NM?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Timberon, 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 Timberon, NM?

    TheDyrt.com has all 13 dispersed camping locations near Timberon, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.