Free camping near Chamisal, NM
Within 25 straight-line miles of Chamisal, NM there are 26 camps: 8 free, 8 fee, 10 unpriced. The closest is Old Spanish Trail National Historic Trail, 6.0 miles west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Hodges Dispersed Recreation Area, 7.2 miles out.
Who manages them: 22 on the Forest Service; 4 on the BLM.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Spanish Trail National Historic Trail | 6.0 | Unpriced | — | 3.0 mi to Dixon | — |
| Hodges Dispersed Recreation Area | 7.2 | Free | Rio Santa Barbara (river) | 2.1 mi to Llano Largo | — |
| Amole Group Shelter | 7.8 | Fee | — | 3.8 mi to Vadito | — |
| Llanito Frio Campground | 8.4 | Unpriced | Rio del Pueblo (river) | 1.5 mi to Las Mochas | — |
| Comales Campground | 8.8 | Unpriced | Rio del Pueblo (river) | 1.1 mi to Las Mochas | — |
| Comales | 9.1 | Fee | — | 5.5 mi to Vadito | — |
| Santa Barbara | 9.6 | Free | Rio Santa Barbara (river) | 4.5 mi to Llano Largo | — |
| Orilla Verde Recreation Area | 11 | Fee | — | 7.5 mi to Ranchos de Taos | — |
| Agua Piedra Campground | 12 | Unpriced | Indian Lake (water) | 0.8 mi to Tres Ritos | — |
| Agua Piedra Group Area | 12 | Fee | — | 9.2 mi to Vadito | — |
| Agua Piedra Cg | 12 | Fee | — | 9.3 mi to Vadito | — |
| Borrego Mesa Campground | 13 | Free | Chupaderos Creek (stream) | 5.0 mi to Truchas | — |
| Borrego Mesa | 14 | Free | — | 4.7 mi to Truchas | — |
| La Junta Canyon | 15 | Free | Knob Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Tres Ritos | — |
| Duran Canyon | 15 | Free | — | 1.2 mi to Policarpo Canyon | — |
| Santa Cruz Lake Recreation Area | 16 | Fee | Santa Cruz Lake (water) | 1.2 mi to Potrero | — |
| Upper La Junta Campground | 16 | Unpriced | — | 0.5 mi to Policarpo Canyon | — |
| BLM dispersed camp — Santa Fe County, NM | 17 | Free | Santa Cruz Lake (water) | 1.2 mi to Cundiyo | — |
| Las Petacas Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Rio Fernando de Taos (stream) | 2.4 mi to Cañon | — |
| La Sombra Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Rio Fernando de Taos (stream) | 0.7 mi to Shady Brook | — |
| Capulin Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Rio Fernando de Taos (stream) | 0.3 mi to Shady Brook | — |
| Jacks Creek (Group Cg) | 23 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Rio en Medio | — |
| Jacks Creek Campground | 24 | Unpriced | Jack's Creek (stream) | 1.3 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Jacks Creek Horse Camp | 24 | Free | Jack's Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Iron Gate Campground | 24 | Unpriced | Albright Creek (stream) | 1.8 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Panchuela | 24 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Rio en Medio | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Chamisal, 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.