Free camping near Chama, NM
Within 25 straight-line miles of Chama, NM there are 20 camps: 9 free, 7 fee, 4 unpriced. The closest is Dispersed Camping, 10 miles north of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Dispersed Camping, 10 miles out. The circle crosses a state line: CO and NM.
Who manages them: 16 on the Forest Service; 4 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dispersed Camping | 10 | Free | Rio Chama (stream) | 5.8 mi to Lobato | — |
| Dispersed camping | 12 | Free | Apache Creek (stream) | 3.1 mi to Cumbres | — |
| Dispersed camping | 12 | Free | Apache Creek (stream) | 2.8 mi to Cumbres | — |
| Trujillo Meadows | 13 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Chama | — |
| Lagunitas | 15 | Free | Escondido Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to town | — |
| Cruces Basin Th | 17 | Free | — | 17 mi to Chama | — |
| Cruces Basin Campground | 18 | Unpriced | North Largo Tank (water) | 5.1 mi to Toltec | — |
| Old Elk Creek | 19 | Free | La Manga Creek (stream) | 7.6 mi to Osier | — |
| Buckles Dispersed Campground | 20 | Free | Sappington Reservoir (water) | 3.5 mi to Chromo | — |
| Elk Creek Overflow Campground | 20 | Fee | Elk Creek (stream) | 7.9 mi to Osier | — |
| Elk Creek Campground | 20 | Fee | Elk Creek (stream) | 7.9 mi to Osier | — |
| Spectacle Lake Campground | 21 | Unpriced | Conejos River (river) | 10 mi to Cumbres | — |
| Conejos Campground | 21 | Unpriced | Conejos River (river) | 10 mi to Cumbres | — |
| Aspen Glade Campground | 21 | Fee | Conejos River (river) | 4.0 mi to Fox Creek | — |
| Trout Lakes Campground | 22 | Unpriced | Trout Lakes (water) | 7.5 mi to Cebolla | — |
| Mogote Campground | 23 | Fee | Conejos River (river) | 1.8 mi to Fox Creek | — |
| Rio De Los Pinos Cg | 23 | Free | Rio de los Pinos (stream) | 1.0 mi to San Miguel | — |
| Los Pinos | 23 | Free | Rio de los Pinos (stream) | 0.9 mi to San Miguel | — |
| Hopewell Cg | 23 | Fee | — | 17 mi to Ensenada | — |
| Blanco River Campground | 24 | Fee | Benson Creek (river) | 7.8 mi to Chromo | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Chama, NM, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.