Free camping near Vadito, NM
Within 25 straight-line miles of Vadito, NM there are 30 camps: 13 free, 7 fee, 10 unpriced. The closest is Amole Group Shelter, 3.8 miles east of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Hodges Dispersed Recreation Area, 5.7 miles out.
Who manages them: 21 on the Forest Service; 9 on the BLM.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amole Group Shelter | 3.8 | Fee | — | 3.8 mi to Vadito | — |
| Llanito Frio Campground | 4.9 | Unpriced | Rio del Pueblo (river) | 1.5 mi to Las Mochas | — |
| Comales Campground | 5.3 | Unpriced | Rio del Pueblo (river) | 1.1 mi to Las Mochas | — |
| Comales | 5.5 | Fee | — | 5.5 mi to Vadito | — |
| Hodges Dispersed Recreation Area | 5.7 | Free | Rio Santa Barbara (river) | 2.1 mi to Llano Largo | — |
| Santa Barbara | 8.1 | Free | Rio Santa Barbara (river) | 4.5 mi to Llano Largo | — |
| Agua Piedra Campground | 9.1 | Unpriced | Indian Lake (water) | 0.8 mi to Tres Ritos | — |
| Agua Piedra Group Area | 9.2 | Fee | — | 9.2 mi to Vadito | — |
| Agua Piedra Cg | 9.3 | Fee | — | 9.3 mi to Vadito | — |
| Old Spanish Trail National Historic Trail | 9.6 | Unpriced | — | 3.0 mi to Dixon | — |
| Orilla Verde Recreation Area | 10 | Fee | — | 7.5 mi to Ranchos de Taos | — |
| La Junta Canyon | 11 | Free | Knob Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Tres Ritos | — |
| Duran Canyon | 12 | Free | — | 1.2 mi to Policarpo Canyon | — |
| Upper La Junta Campground | 13 | Unpriced | — | 0.5 mi to Policarpo Canyon | — |
| Las Petacas Campground | 16 | Unpriced | Rio Fernando de Taos (stream) | 2.4 mi to Cañon | — |
| Borrego Mesa Campground | 16 | Free | Chupaderos Creek (stream) | 5.0 mi to Truchas | — |
| Borrego Mesa | 16 | Free | — | 4.7 mi to Truchas | — |
| La Sombra Campground | 16 | Unpriced | Rio Fernando de Taos (stream) | 0.7 mi to Shady Brook | — |
| Capulin Campground | 17 | Unpriced | Rio Fernando de Taos (stream) | 0.3 mi to Shady Brook | — |
| Santa Cruz Lake Recreation Area | 20 | Fee | Santa Cruz Lake (water) | 1.2 mi to Potrero | — |
| BLM dispersed camp — Santa Fe County, NM | 21 | Free | Santa Cruz Lake (water) | 1.2 mi to Cundiyo | — |
| John Dunn Bridge Dispersed Campground | 24 | Free | Rio Grande (river) | 1.3 mi to Antoine Leroux Grant | — |
| John Dunn Bridge Dispersed Campground | 24 | Free | Rio Grande (river) | 1.4 mi to Antoine Leroux Grant | — |
| Jacks Creek (Group Cg) | 24 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Rio en Medio | — |
| BLM dispersed camp — Taos County, NM | 24 | Free | Rio Grande (river) | 1.7 mi to Antoine Leroux Grant | — |
| John Dunn Bridge Dispersed Campground | 24 | Free | Rio Grande (river) | 1.7 mi to Antoine Leroux Grant | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #2 — Taos County, NM | 24 | Free | Rio Grande (river) | 1.8 mi to Antoine Leroux Grant | — |
| Jacks Creek Campground | 24 | Unpriced | Jack's Creek (stream) | 1.3 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Iron Gate Campground | 25 | Unpriced | Albright Creek (stream) | 1.8 mi to Geronimo | — |
| Jacks Creek Horse Camp | 25 | Free | Jack's Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Geronimo | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Vadito, 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.