Dispersed Camping Northern New Mexico

[theBROFESSOR]

The wife and I are headed from Arkansas to Ouray, Colorado in a few weeks for FJ Summit. We hopefully will be leaving on Friday and traveling into New Mexico during the day on Saturday driving all night. Hoping to find a great spot around Valle Vidal enroute to Ouray to spend the night Saturday night and maybe sunday night. I've read some good reviews on Cimarron Campground but do not know anything about it. Hoping to find some good mountain views and nice cool air. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Prerunner1982]

Looks like a nice place to camp.
What route are you taking to get there?

 

[theBROFESSOR]

Looks like a nice place to camp.
What route are you taking to get there?

Not sure yet. Still in the planning stages. We are right on I-40 so we will take I-40 to either OK City or Amarillo and then get off the interstate to head northwest. I have a trailer now and really want to take it slow. Since my wife is going with me now I have a couple extra days to travel so I thought we would get off the main roads and see some places we have never been before. Kinda my style.

 

[Prerunner1982]

I would probably wait until I got into NM to venture off I-40 say around San Jon or Tucumcari. Not a lot to see in the TX panhandle, not that there is a whole lot to see in Eastern NM either but you will be off the beaten path headed towards the mountains. San Jon up to Logan, NM-39 up to Hwy 412, then a couple highways over to Cimarron and then NM-204 to Cimarron campground.
Or if you continue to head NE from Cimarron campground to NM-196 there is Rio Castillo Park and Campground that looks nice and is only $2 more per night than Cimarron.
You can do the touristy thing and stop at the Cadillac Ranch on the west side of Amarillo.
Wave at me as you go through OKC.

 

[theBROFESSOR]

Thanks bro. I appreciate it. Heck you can just jump

I would probably wait until I got into NM to venture off I-40 say around San Jon or Tucumcari. Not a lot to see in the TX panhandle, not that there is a whole lot to see in Eastern NM either but you will be off the beaten path headed towards the mountains. San Jon up to Logan, NM-39 up to Hwy 412, then a couple highways over to Cimarron and then NM-204 to Cimarron campground.
Or if you continue to head NE from Cimarron campground to NM-196 there is Rio Castillo Park and Campground that looks nice and is only $2 more per night than Cimarron.
You can do the touristy thing and stop at the Cadillac Ranch on the west side of Amarillo.
Wave at me as you go through OKC.

heck yeah bro. Thanks so much. Just jump in and come along! Haha

 

[Utilityman]

My first thought is to get off of i40 at highway 84 then drive 518 north through the national forest. Check with the forest service to see if fr442 gates are open to camp. Then from there head to Pagossa springs area then into Durango via 160.

If you find yourself on highway 550 through Cuba NM let me know and I’ll share a few good spots up in the mountains.

Safe travels.

 

[thatmaceguy]

Late to the party on this one, came across it while checking out your trails in AR (heading up this weekend).

We were leaving Ouray as you would've been arriving. On our way back towards Dallas we stopped over in Red River, NM. Took our 4R and Timberleaf trailer up the Greenie Peak trail and camped near Midnight Meadow. Highly recommend you check it out next time you come through the area!

NM Red River Greenie Peak Midnight Meadow KMZ

 

[TN_Cactus]

Late to the party on this one, came across it while checking out your trails in AR (heading up this weekend).

We were leaving Ouray as you would've been arriving. On our way back towards Dallas we stopped over in Red River, NM. Took our 4R and Timberleaf trailer up the Greenie Peak trail and camped near Midnight Meadow. Highly recommend you check it out next time you come through the area!

NM Red River Greenie Peak Midnight Meadow KMZ

Would you have the coords to Midnight Meadow? I am heading up there in 2 weeks.

 

[Downs]

Would you have the coords to Midnight Meadow? I am heading up there in 2 weeks.

I downloaded his KMZ file and put it into GAIA. Looks like these might be the coordinates of the Midnight Meadow as it's very close to "Midnight Mine".

36.76567, -105.35445