Please note:  Access to this site should be via the unpaved road - the paved road is private access only for residents. See directions for details.

Top of New Mexico - Dispersed Site, near Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a stunning location that offers breathtaking views and a true escape into nature. This area is perfect for those who appreciate wide-open spaces and the beauty of the desert landscape, with plenty of room to set up tents or park RVs.

Visitors rave about the spectacular sunsets and the privacy this spot provides. One camper shared, “It’s a beautiful place to watch the sunset,” while another noted the “awesome” views and the chance to see wild horses roaming nearby. The site is clean and well-maintained, making it a great choice for a peaceful getaway.

The area is known for its windy conditions, which some campers found refreshing, and it’s a great spot for those looking to enjoy a bit of solitude. Whether you’re planning a quick stop or a longer stay, Top of New Mexico offers a unique camping experience that’s hard to beat.

NOTE:

PUBLIC ACCESS: Camino de Las Huertas to Llano del Norte to Llano El Norte

Do not used the paved road (Palomino) to access this site or The Camino de la Questa del Aire. THESE ARE PRIVATE for residents only. Palomino is no public access.

Top of New Mexico - Dispersed Site

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Placitas, NM has a lot to offer. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Placitas. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your New Mexico camping adventure.

Placitas

The Best Camping Near Placitas, New Mexico

Curvy tight roads coming in there’s also wild horses in the area so look out for them. 
I didn’t go to far down the road because of the rocks I’m in a Camry I started dragging the bottom but there’s a couple spots with good views of the mountains and sunset views  there’s lots of hiking and MTBiking trails around too if ya into that 

Beautiful views 

This place is kind of elevated and somewhat exposed but there are enough large bushes to park behind to get out of the wind. Dirt is dry so it’ll blow around but we just put a blanket down to keep most of it from bothering us while we sat outside. Perfect temperature for The tail end of May. Tons of space to choose from. Would definitely recommend. Cell service was great. 

Windy but private

This campground offered amazing views of the Sandia mountains and the surrounding area. We found a fire ring and plenty of level areas to set up camp in addition to large bushes to take shelter behind. Also plenty of wild horses roaming around, though we didn't ever see any at near our campsite.

Epic, accessbile, and open campsite with good views

Keep in mind that you will be cutting through neighborhoods once the pavement ends you will see signs stating "public land". Some of the roads are gravel and rocky, so if you have a low car be cautious. Horses roam freely out here. Open space. You can literally camp anywhere out here. I personally don't like camping off the main road. Several "signs" of camp fires, some trash (please pick up your trash people) not a lot. Not enough to make the place dirty etc. 
 The place is literally 40 mins away from me so this is a great get away place. I spent the day there and plan on camping there. 

Beautiful scenery and peaceful, 

This is a gem of a spot. You drive through a residential area of really nice hi purses and horses. It’s opens up with a spectacular view and some wide open spots to watch the sun go down. 
It is windy though but worth it. 

Great spot  

Pulled in right before sunset and only saw 2 other cars in the area. Watched a rainbow form over the Sandia Mtns and a herd of wild horses ran right through our campsite! Best night of my life!!

Spirit Film Set

Stayed here overnight for a quick stop. Wide open range with amazing views and a herd of wild horses. 

Great getaway close to ABQ

Your on top of a mesa like area so it may be a little windy, it was when we went. Stayed for 1 night. It was very clean and no one else was around other than a few walkers in the morning. 

Great dispersed spot

Really easy to get to, up this lil windy residential road, go slow, that opens up into a huge public land past an open gate. Lots of paths from cars, just follow anyone you'd like and then pull over beside any ol bush. Don't run over any cactus.

Stayed for two nights and the sunsets were awesome. During the day it was very very windy but not too hot. Saw some wild horses the first morning but when I got too close one of them starting running toward me and I said hell no.
Classic dispersed desert camping but with good service and close to Albuquerque. 


huge mesa dispersed camping at top of windy road

Beautiful place to watch the sunset. A little windy, but very beautiful and private. 

Great view and very private 

I had some trouble finding the entrance, you have to get in from the southeast side of the neighborhood, @ Llano el Norte street, but other than that I’ve spoiled myself with finding such a great campsite so early on in my trip. Definitely windy.

Worth it

The road to drive up is through a neighborhood and is 2 miles of windy road it was a little hard to maneuver with my 32’ trailer I just had to go slow nothing crazy. I was the only one around and the view was great, it was a little windy but it didn’t shake the trailer or anything. The only reason I’m giving 4 stars and not 5 is because or the rebar I found sticking out of the ground. At first I thought it was random but then I found 2 other pieces sticking straight out of the ground and they were in there deep 

beautiful 

Didn't camp here but came to enjoy the beautiful sunset. Drove a short distance from Albuquerque through Placitas, saw so many horses! This is an open space that overlooks the tail of Albuquerque, and the vistas beyond. I came for the sunset but would definitely stay if I was car camping. Wouldn't necessarily set up a tent for me, but some are braver than others! 


Hidden Gem 

From the moment we arrived, we were struck by the sheer beauty of the surroundings. The panoramic views of the mountains and valleys are simply stunning, making every moment a perfect photo opportunity. The site is well-maintained, with plenty of flat areas for tents and parking. And at this place i also wish to try [Chicken Strips](https://chickfil-a-menu.com/chick-fil-a-chicken-strips/)

Superb

Everything about this place is gorgeous. The 360 views from the top are incredible. I didn’t go down into the valley to see what was available but a man came through and mentioned there were options there too. 

On the top of the ridge you’re a little limited for spots but it wasn’t busy enough to cause me an issue. My closest neighbor was a few hundred yards away just like I like it. 

I car camp in a small SUV and the road is definitely not as well worn in as others. You’re also pretty close to the sides of the mountain on a winding rock path so larger or trailered vehicles are probably not ideal. 

The wild horses are active. I saw them in the neighborhood coming through and they came through camp a few times in the evening/night. Dog didn’t love it but they gave us about 30ft of space and didn’t bother much. 

Love this spot but definitely keep size and safety in mind. 

Stunning Space for Small Vehicles

Used Google Maps and had no problem finding the place. Lots of open area to choose from for parking. The road up to the location is paved but once you enter it is gravel. I have a pro master van and had absolutely no problems. Just drive slow and you should be fine. Might be worse if it was raining heavy or something but overall not a bad path. Saw wild horses which was awesome. The vegetation has a lot of thorns and spikes so for a casual hiker it’s best to stay on the gravel roads. The cell signal was pretty good but not perfect. Enough to have phone calls easy but internet connection was a bit slow. 

Quiet Little Get Away

There are no neighbors, and other vehicles are parked here, but they had to be a quarter of a mile away. Wild horses visit in the morning. We enjoyed the sunrise to sunset. There are easy hikes, and you can do some mountain biking.

place to relax

Top of New Mexico" near Albuquerque is a fantastic camping spot if you love open spaces and beautiful desert views. The sunsets here are breathtaking, and you might even spot wild horses roaming around. There's plenty of space for tents or RVs, and it's quiet and well-maintained, making it a perfect place to relax and enjoy nature. It can get a little windy, but that just adds to the experience. The road to get there winds through some houses, but once you arrive, you're surrounded by pure nature. also the food is so good, there are many food brands like [subway menu](https://subwaymenupedia.com/) who offers quality fast food services.

My True Review about Top of the New Mexico

We spent one night here in our class c while on our trip to Miami and yeah the road is to be taken slow but it was worth it! There is a tiny art gallery on the side of the road!! Check it out!

Beautiful quiet view!

This is my second time camping here and it is a perfect hidden gem for campervanning. Road gets a little sketchy at the end but you don’t have to go all the way to the coordinates. Beautiful sunrise and sunset. Wild horses in the area. And, you can clearly see the Milky Way. No light pollution except the beautiful view of the city far away. 

Dark Sky Sanctuary 

Mostly residential area until you get to the open space.  I didn't make it to the actual coordinates as I took a wrong turn near the end, but there is a ton of open space out here.   Easy to get to in 25' RV.   Recommend.

Lovely

Don’t arrive when it’s dark. Not much going on, no fire rings, no wild horses to wake up to. Maybe it was too cold for the horses. No fire rings I saw nonetheless. 

When you first arrive to the end of the road and the beginning of the public land - you have the option to go left, straight, or right. The left turn has one semi level campsite with a homemade fire ring but not as much on that left side. The straight route has the most options I found. I drove around for 15 minutes looking for the best spot but didn't see too many  pre-cleared "camping spots" from previous travelers. Plenty of places to pull over to camp with a great view.

  

Incredible scenery, overlooking the valley and mountains in the West, with great sunsets. My first morning I was surrounded by a group of 5 cows grazing. They ended up laying 30 feet from the trailer all morning. Saw one other camper about a mile away. 

  

The gravel roads are really tight for my 27" trailer, manageable but did rub on a couple of trees and shrubs on the drive in. Don't necessarily need a 4WD unless there is bad weather, but a few spots where ground clearance of a regular truck or SUV is important. Pretty isolated from supplies, which is the charm, but come prepared. 

  

Great Starlink location and pretty good cell service (3/4 bars)

Great views, very isolated and quiet, wild animals 

Great hidden gem! Please don’t turn at Palomino Street to access this location it is a PRIVATE road. 

Beautiful views

Great little find for a quick place to car camp while driving through Albuquerque without going too far out of the way. The directions in the app were helpful to know to avoid the private roads, as they were not marked private. We took Llano del Norte the whole way around and found the public lands easily.

Great Public Lands find!

Took a minute to find.  Not a soul out here on a Wednesday.  Very windy, forget using a tent.   Not far from town yet remote and quiet.   

Amazing views

Follow the directions in the app to avoid the private roads. It’s pretty easy to find. The road in is a little rocky but there is plenty of space and is a nice area. 

Open with lots of shrubs 

Pretty rough getting here as neighbors are sabotaging the road making it narrow using loose gravel &amp; boulders on turns. There is now a locked gate on Palomino to keep non-locals out! 😏 once there we so enjoyed the views, sunsets, city lights &amp; stars! 9 wild horses came to visit too! 

Photos of Top of New Mexico - Dispersed Site

Real photos from real campers