Valdez is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that New Mexico camping has to offer. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Valdez. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
"No amenities except some great river side places.
Dispersed camping along the road (though it’s not a busy one, especially not at night so not noisy) right on the river."
"I car-camped here just before Labor Day weekend and while it wasn’t the most private camping area, I was able to snag a spot along the river and had a nice time."
"Rio Grande del Norte National Monument is BLM land so it is all dispersed camping. You will need to make sure you aren't on someone's property or nearby any roads. There are plenty of turn offs. "
"This is the most remote BLM site I’ve ever been too. Right at the edge of the Gorge, it is primitive—only saw one bathroom about 2 miles back."
"Dirt road but we did it with no problem with our 24ft trailer."
"A good dispersed campground with a few spots. Don’t drive to the John dun bridge from Taos use the longer route instead. The switch back road is blocked off now."
"No facilities. Crick 3x bigger now. Early May. So beautiful."
"I think it being early-May and the snow melt that's happening makes the camping experience quite unique: the sounds of rushing water, the birds and frogs chirping, and the elk walking through--it's really"
"Just a handful of sites on this short road--one side of the road is fairly open but has the creek/river flowing nearby; the other side of the road is more in the forest and offers some shade and privacy"
"Highway 64 between Taos and Angel Fire > Turn onto Forest Rd 5 and go to end
Solid road, no issue with 25ft travel trailer."
"There are a bunch of different roads you can turn off to camp on if you’re driving from Taos to Durango."
"I tent-camped off of Carson NF Forest Service Road 578 in mid April 2022. FS 578 is south of Tres Piedras about 5 miles on the west side of Hwy 285."
"Even with a couple and a new born up the hill I never heard them from our campervan! Serene surroundings and even and beautiful place to camp during a thunderstorm!"
"A little stream is near by-- a little shallow and a little mucky on the bottom, but really refreshing. The stars are incredible, also some beautiful views of the mountains from the lower section."
LegendRio Grande del Norte National Monument is BLM land so it is all dispersed camping. You will need to make sure you aren't on someone's property or nearby any roads. There are plenty of turn offs.
This isn't a "get away" more like a stopover spot. I stopped here on my way back North to Colorado to see the bridge over the Rio Grande and so I wasn't so high up in elevation that I would freeze.
But if you can find a quiet place it is a beautiful dispersed spot where there is civilization nearby and toilets at local businesses and picnic areas that you can use. See map on review.
Be careful roaming at night. The drop into the river is quite deep so offroading isn't just ill advised for keeping the flora and fauna safe…but you as well.
There are picnic ares around the monument too, just not established camping spots.
GuideThere are a bunch of different roads you can turn off to camp on if you’re driving from Taos to Durango. We mapped Forest Road 578 and it took us to a dirt road with a lot of flat spots you can camp on. We spent the night there and it was very quiet and peaceful. If you keep going to Durango you’ll get to Carson National Forest, which is not too far from the coordinates on The Dyrt. That’s where more people are camping, you can pull off right before the 64H road marker. You’ll keep passing camping spots as you drive to Durango so you can really go almost anywhere!
RangerI tent-camped off of Carson NF Forest Service Road 578 in mid April 2022. FS 578 is south of Tres Piedras about 5 miles on the west side of Hwy 285. There are several dirt road turn offs but FS 578 is clearly marked with a brown NFS sign (see photo) and has no gate but there is a cattle guard/grate. Here is a NFS road use map that shows dispersed camping along FS 578 and many other NFS roads: https://www.fs.fed.us/r3/gis/mvum/Carson/CarsonTresPiedrasCanjilonElRito.pdf (see also screenshot). My Tacoma had no problem on the dirt road, which has ruts and might be tough for an RV. There were few clearings suitable for dispersed camping but I found a nice spot with a small fire circle in a small clearing on the south side of the road just past a fork in the road. I carried two black boulders over to serve as a table and chair. I didn’t see anyone else camping or driving by. The forest is a nice mix of sage, juniper, and pine trees. I saw two elk across a swath of sage. I could see the snow capped peaks of the Sangre de Cristo range on the eastern horizon when I walked farther up the road. It got cold at night, like 27 F. It was a nice waypoint on my trip between Gunnison CO and El Paso TX but it didn’t look like many people camped there. I had intended to drive to Taos the next day on Hwy 64, but didn’t.
TravelerI pull a small trailer and the road in was rough. I was concerned about being able to turn around. When I got to the spot where there are six or eight camping spots, finding one suitable for a trailer was difficult, but I did it. This is more suitable to car camping.
There is an open area that would be good for group camping. There are three or more RVs that appear to be permanent features. That was strange. Looked like fishing camps. I didn't want to drive the steep road down to this area.
Personally, I wish I had stopped a the forest service campsites up hill from this location, but if you are in a car and want to tent camp here, I don't see a problem,
GuideWide open dispersed desert camping. FS-558 runs for several miles south of HWY-285. We stayed closer to the highway which is safer without 4WD. Higher clearance is helpful due to ruts in the road. There's a fair amount of trash, but plenty of spots without. Bummer that locals use public land as their private dumping area. The nights were quiet, other than occasionally coyote calls, which add to the ambiance. We had a few thousand acres all to ourselves for four nights while climbing on nearby El Rito walls.
ScoutThe location on Dyrt maps is wrong, forest service is NW of 285 & 64. Beautiful dispersed camping spots plentiful. Park ranger Melissa was the top notch. Couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly. Definitely stay there again.
GuideNo hookups. Not many people. You can spend 14 days there. Make sure you practice LNT and take some time to enjoy nature.
LegendReally, really loved this spot--such a beautiful area. Just a handful of sites on this short road--one side of the road is fairly open but has the creek/river flowing nearby; the other side of the road is more in the forest and offers some shade and privacy. The melting snow has the ponds and river overflowing, so many of the sites are flooded and inaccessible at the moment. We had camped towards the end of the road near the turn around spot due to most sites being flooded. The animals are really coming out though--lots of birds and frogs chirping, ducks were swimming in the ponds, and we even had some elk pass through our camp! Cell service is sporadic in this area. Of course, no amenities here so pack out what you bring in.
ScoutOne thing is that you MUST approach from the west, you can’t get here coming from the east over John dun bridge. Dirt road but we did it with no problem with our 24ft trailer. Make sure you go all the way to the coordinates as there are a ton of great spots off to the left of the road, plenty of room to spread out and some solidly flat spots. Made a quick walk down to the springs in the evening and watched the stars come out. Awesome!!
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Valdez, New Mexico, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities, this area is perfect for those seeking adventure and tranquility.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Valdez, NM is Arroyo Seco Dispersed NF Camping with a 3.9-star rating from 7 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 28 dispersed camping locations near Valdez, NM, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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