Cibola National Forest
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 5,024 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 30
- Longest rig
- 20 ft
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 30 campgrounds shown
- Bear Trap CampgroundSeason not published
- Black Kettle CampgroundYear round
- Bosque CampgroundYear round
- Capilla Peak Campground12 sitesApril – November · Reservations accepted
- Cedro Peak Camping Sites - Robin and Jayto 20 ft · 2 sitesMay 15 – October 31 · Reservations accepted
- Cienega Equestrian TrailheadWeather permitting
- Coal Mine Campground & Picnic AreaMay 15 – October 15
- East Bluff #1 Campground - Lake McClellanYear round
- Hughes Mill CampgroundSeason not published
- Lake Marvin CampgroundYear round
- Lake McClellan CampgroundYear round
- Lake McClellan UTV/ATV Area TrailheadYear round
- Lobo Canyon Picnic groundMay 15 – September 15 · Reservations accepted
- Luna Park CampgroundSeason not published
- McDowell CampgroundYear round
- McGaffey CampgroundMay 15 – October 15 · Reservations accepted
- Mills Canyon CampgroundYear round
- Mills Canyon Rim CampgroundSeason not published
- New Canyon CampgroundApril – November
- Ojo Redondo CampgroundMay 15 – October 15
- Quaking Aspen CampgroundMay 15 – October 15
- Red Canyon CampgroundYear round · Reservations accepted
- Red Cloud CampgroundYear round · Reservations accepted
- Skipout CampgroundYear round
- Spring Creek CampgroundYear round
- Spring Creek Dispersed SitesSeason not published
- Springtime CampgroundSeason not published
- Tajique CampgroundYear round · Reservations accepted
- Water Canyon CampgroundSeason not published
- Water Canyon Group CampgroundSeason not published
Cibola National Forest
The Cibola National Forest is a 1,633,783 acre United States National Forest in New Mexico, US. The name Cibola is thought to be the original Zuni Indian name for their pueblos or tribal lands. The name was later interpreted by the Spanish to mean "buffalo". The forest is disjointed with lands spread across central and northern New Mexico, west Texas and Oklahoma. The Cibola National Forest is divided into four Ranger Districts: the Sandia, Mountainair, Mt. Taylor, and Magdalena. The Forest includes the San Mateo, Magdalena, Datil, Bear, Gallina, Manzano, Sandia, Mt. Taylor, and Zuni Mountains of west-central New Mexico. The Forest also manages four National Grasslands that stretch from northeastern New Mexico eastward into the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma. The Cibola National Forest and Grassland is administered by Region 3 of the United States Forest Service from offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Elevation ranges from 5,000 ft to 11,301 ft. The descending order of Cibola National Forest acres by county are: Socorro, Cibola, McKinley, Catron, Torrance, Bernalillo, Sandoval County, New Mexico, Lincoln, Sierra, and Valencia counties in New Mexico. The Cibola National Forest currently has 137,701 acres designated as Wilderness. In addition to these acres, it has 246,000 acres classified as Inventoried Roadless Areas pursuant to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
Extract from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Agency description not published.
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Apache Kid Wilderness44,678 acres
- Sandia Mountain Wilderness37,690 acres
- Manzano Mountain Wilderness37,083 acres
- Withington Wilderness18,827 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
Drive to Cibola the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.