★ Field-verified · Dave's ownUSFS · dispersedFree
Lincoln National Forest
Drive-up · U.S. Forest Service · Otero County, NM · 32.95562, -105.89758
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on U.S. Forest Service land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
A small primitive flat spot along a discreet section of forest road in Lincoln National Forest, a short drive from Alamogordo, New Mexico. High elevation along a ridge. Good cell service and views. Enough room for one or two vehicles. Remnants of an old fire ring. Spur, gated forest road sees very little traffic. Four-wheel drive recommended. Recommended due to proximity to town.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 5,750 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- FFuel3 mi
- GGrocery3 mi
- @Mail3 mi
- MMechanic4 mi
- HHardware4 mi
- LLaundry4 mi
- +Urgent care4 mi
- RxPharmacy5 mi
- DDump10 mi
- AAir-up27 mi
- ShShower50 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: fuel & food sit about 3 mi out.
Not within 60 mi: Water, Propane. Plan those before you head up.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
U.S. Forest Service · dispersed
Elevation
5,750 ft
County
Otero County, NM
Coordinates
32.95562, -105.89758
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Resupply lookup unavailable — try the map links below.
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
Had a signal
Getting there
High clearance / 4×4
Fire ring
Yes
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Vault / pit toiletKarr Canyon Lower · ~6.4 mi SE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletKarr Canyon Upper · ~8.5 mi SE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletSlide · ~8.5 mi E · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletTrestle · ~8.7 mi E · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Otero County~5.3 mi
- Lower Karr Canyon Campground~6.3 mi
- Karr Canyon Lower~6.4 mi
- Karr Canyon Upper~8.5 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Otero County, NM). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Water on public land →What “dispersed” means here →Dumping grey & black →Camping with a dog →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →