Dog Canyon Dispersed Camping In New Mexico

We stumbled across Dog Canyon Dispersed Camping while looking for a free boondocking spot near White Sands National Park and weren’t disappointed.

This spot in New Mexico is run by the Bureau of Land Management and has a 14 day stay limit. Campsites are on a first come, first served basis and it’s open year round.

There are a dozen or more spots here with several spots able to accommodate any size rig. Smaller spots located throughout the area offer a bit more privacy than the larger spots.

The camping area is located off Dog Canyon Road about five minutes off Highway 54.

The first entrance to the area is your best entry point. It has a few ruts, but drive slow and you’ll be just fine. The second entrance road is in way worse shape and I wouldn’t recommend taking your rig down it. After you pass the closed landfill you will see the first entrance road on your right.

This is a true boondocking spot so no water or hook-ups can be found here. There are also no toilets or trashcans so whatever you pack in make sure you pack out.

There were homemade firepits at many of the sites for cooking s’mores and staying warm. It can get quite windy here though so never go to bed or leave camp before making sure every spark is out.

There is no shade here so be sure to plan accordingly. I couldn’t imagine how hot it would be here in the middle of the summer. If you’re powering up your rig with solar though you shouldn’t have any issues.

Now let’s talk about cell phone service. We had great Verizon during our week long stay and AT&T worked nice as well.

Pets are allowed, but please be sure to pick up after them. The last visitor at our spot obviously had a pooch and I spent twenty minutes picking up after that dog as well.

Please, don’t be that person!

There is also a lot of very prickly cacti here that really, really hurts when you get it stuck in your foot. It happened to me twice. The dog and cat managed to avoid it, but just be careful where you and your furry friends walk.

The Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is located just minutes from the Dog Canyon Dispersed Camping area. For a small day-use fee, I think it’s five bucks, you can visit the park and hike their trails. They also have a dump station and water at the entrance to the park.

I’ve read some people were able to use this for free, but most have reported a fee is charged to use these particular services.

The town of Alamogordo is only twenty minutes away and has everything you need. Gas stations, a ton of fast food joints and restaurants, and even a Walmart can be found in the town.

The Alameda Park Zoo is a great place to visit and they have a Zonkey! Yes, it’s absolutely as cool as it sounds.

Be sure to check out the World’s Largest Pistachio at McGinn’s PistachioLand off Highway 54. Head inside for some sweet and salty treats and a selection of wine they make themselves.

The Alamogordo Airborne Monument and Founders Park should also not be missed.

White Sands National Park is about a thirty minute drive from the camping area. It was our first visit to the park and it exceeded all expectations. It’s so unreal driving through the desert then all of a sudden you drive up on miles and miles of gorgeous white sand.

This is one of the few national parks that is completely pet friendly and our dog and cat had an absolute blast here. The Dune Life Nature Trail, Interdune Boardwalk Trail, and the Playa Trail are all short and easy hikes that are also educational making them perfect for the whole family.

To really experience the park though I suggest hiking the Backcountry Camping Trail. This trail really gets you out on the dunes and in the middle of everything. Hike out far enough and you will be completely surrounded by sand that goes on for miles in every direction.

The camp is located right up against the mountains providing incredible views. When we arrived the mountains had a layer of snow on them making them even more gorgeous. Sunsets are impressive here and we spent multiple nights just staring at the millions of stars in the sky.

We spent a week here and would stay here again in the future. It was a quiet spot and we felt completely safe. It’s a great location located close to town and other incredible activities.