We recently returned from a camping trip to the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico. Dispersed camping is allowed in the Lincoln National Forest and there are many nice sites to choose from. The sites that we camped in were located just south of Cloudcroft, off of 6653 (Sunspot Hwy) – on Peacock Lane, one of the many forest roads that lead off from the paved road. We marked this site in iOverlander – a handy app that we use to find free dispersed camping sites – and noted it as “Roomy Lincoln Forest Wild Camping Site” – if you would like to check it out.
The Lincoln National Forest offers 33 established campgrounds, some of which have RV spots with electricity and water. These typically book up fast during peak months, which is why we prefer dispersed camping just off of the forest roads.
Where To Get Water and Dispose of Trash
You can fill water containers at several of the campgrounds, including Silver Overflow campground, where there is also a shower house. Trash can be disposed of for $2.50 a bag, and firewood is also available – however when we visited no fires were allowed.
What We Liked About Dispersed Camping In The Lincoln National Forest
Compared to the White Sands National Monument and the desert far down below, summer temperatures in the Lincoln National Forest around Cloudcroft are typically 20 degrees cooler. There were lots of trails to explore by mountain bike or just walking from our campsite. Despite being the peak of tourist season, it never felt crowded and there were places to camp with some privacy. Our nearest “neighbors” were some RV campers about a mile down the forest road. In the morning we were serenaded by elk bugling down in a nearby meadow, which was a great way to start the day.
We loved driving around to all of the lookouts, where you can see the vast White Sands National Monument way off in the distance. There is a complete list of all of these lookouts on the forest service website. See the link below for more information.
During the day we visited the National Solar Observatory, just down the road in aptly named Sunspot, NM. Here scientists use special telescopes to study the surface of the sun for a number of reasons, including forecasting the occurrence of solar flares, which pose problems for radio communication and the electric grid. There is a visitors center open to the public, with an admission fee of only $5. Above is a photo of one of the solar telescopes that we visited.
Downsides Of Dispersed Camping In The Lincoln National Forest
The forest roads of the national forest are very popular with off road vehicle enthusiasts. Most are respectful of cyclists and pedestrians – others, not so much. We camped up on a bluff above the road, and since our vehicle could be seen from the forest road, we had a few visitors in OHV’s coming up to our campsite as they were looking for trails to explore. Also, much of the forest is open range, leased to cattle ranchers. Our campsite had quite a few fresh cow pies, and we had some curious bovines come into camp to hang out, which didn’t bother us other than getting our dogs a bit too excited.
The three places we camped had had been used quite heavily in the past, and there was some toilet paper and trash left behind by careless campers. Another downside is that you may hear the sound of gunfire – hopefully way off in the distance – as target shooting and hunting are allowed in the forest.
There’s also a fair amount of beetle killed trees, so be careful when camping next to dead trees – which could fall during high winds. The ongoing drought is causing more trees to die, and many of the trees in the Lincoln National forest are not that healthy looking. Fire is an ever present danger here, so make sure you follow forest service rules and thoroughly extinguish all campfires – when they are allowed.
- Ketcham, Amaris Feland (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 192 Pages - 02/09/2021 (Publication Date) - Menasha Ridge Press (Publisher)
Still A Great Place for Free Camping in New Mexico
We’ve been visiting the Lincoln National Forest in the Cloudcroft area for several years now and it remains one of our favorite places in New Mexico to visit. We love visiting nearby White Sands National Monument, the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, and the shops and restaurants around Cloudcroft. From where we live in Austin, Texas, it’s a 10 hour drive – a long one, but still not as far as driving to the mountains of Colorado.
For more info on camping in the Lincoln National Forest you can visit the Forest Service’s website.
Below is a video that we took at our campsite, where we were doing a test of a new cell phone booster that we’d just purchased.
See our post about camping in the Cibola National Forest as well.
