Free camping near Santa Fe, NM
Within 25 straight-line miles of Santa Fe, NM there are 24 camps: 8 free, 8 fee, 8 unpriced. The closest is Black Canyon Campground, 9.3 miles north-east of town. The closest one our audit calls free is BLM public land, 11 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at. Today's season read covers 2 of them: 2 open, 0 closed, 0 worth a call.
Who manages them: 17 on the Forest Service; 4 on the BLM; 2 on the Park Service; 1 spread across 1 other manager.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Canyon Campground | 9.3 | Unpriced | Little Tesuque Creek (stream) | 5.9 mi to Tesuque | — |
| BLM public landDave slept here | 11 | Free | — | 1.6 mi to La Cienega | — |
| Big Tesuque Campground | 12 | Unpriced | Tesuque Creek North Fork (stream) | 6.5 mi to Holy Ghost | — |
| Diablo Canyon Recreation Area Camping and Parking | 13 | Unpriced | Cañada Ancha (stream) | 2.2 mi to Buckman | — |
| Aspen Basin Campground | 13 | Unpriced | Rio En Medio (stream) | 5.9 mi to Rio en Medio` | — |
| Field Tract Campground | 16 | Fee | Pecos River (river) | 0.8 mi to El Macho | — |
| Dalton Dispersed | 16 | Free | Dalton Canyon Creek (stream) | 0.8 mi to Upper La Posada | — |
| Holy Ghost Campground | 17 | Fee | Holy Ghost Creek (stream) | 0.8 mi to Holy Ghost | — |
| Holy Ghost (Group Campground) | 18 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Hyde Park | — |
| Davis Willow Dispersed Camping Area | 18 | Free | Pecos River (river) | 0.6 mi to Tererro | — |
| Davis Willow | 19 | Free | Pecos River (river) | 1.3 mi to Tererro | — |
| Juniper Family Campground | 19 | Fee | — | 4.1 mi to White Rock | Open |
| Links Tract Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Pecos River (river) | 1.3 mi to Tererro | — |
| Cowles Campground | 21 | Unpriced | Cowles Ponds (water) | 0.3 mi to Cowles | — |
| BLM dispersed camp — Santa Fe County, NM | 21 | Free | Santa Cruz Lake (water) | 1.2 mi to Cundiyo | — |
| Panchuela | 21 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Rio en Medio | — |
| Jacks Creek Horse Camp | 22 | Free | Jack's Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Jacks Creek Campground | 22 | Unpriced | Jack's Creek (stream) | 1.3 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Jacks Creek (Group Cg) | 22 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Rio en Medio | — |
| Santa Cruz Lake Recreation Area | 22 | Fee | Santa Cruz Lake (water) | 1.2 mi to Potrero | — |
| Iron Gate Campground | 24 | Unpriced | Albright Creek (stream) | 1.8 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Ponderosa Group Campground | 24 | Fee | — | 5.6 mi to Los Alamos | Open |
| Borrego Mesa | 25 | Free | — | 4.7 mi to Truchas | — |
| Borrego Mesa Campground | 25 | Free | Chupaderos Creek (stream) | 5.0 mi to Truchas | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Santa Fe, 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.