USFS · National forest · New Mexico

Carson National Forest

Carson National Forest is a national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers and is administered by the United States Forest Service. The Forest Service's "mixed use" policy allows for its use for recreation, grazing, and resource extraction.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Forest1.6 million acresUSFSNM28 campgrounds within 10 mi50 Forest Service sites
Official page at U.S. Forest Service ↗
3fires
active
Mogote Ridge · 16 mi from the center · 152 acres
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Forest
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateNew Mexico
Size1.6 million acres (Forest Service administrative boundary (gis_acres))
Forest Service code0302, region 03
Center point36.5263, -106.0188
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17)

Boundary map

4 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

14 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 14 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · Inside
Agua Piedra Campground
Reservable46 sites
FS · Inside
Aldo Leopold House
Reservable1 site
FS · Inside
Amole Canyon Group Shelter
Reservable1 site
FS · Inside
Canjilon Lakes Campground
First-comeNM
FS · Inside
Cimarron Campground
Reservable36 sites
FS · Inside
Columbine Campground
Reservable27 sites
FS · Inside
Echo Amphitheater
Reservable13 sites
FS · Inside
El Rito Campground--Group Shelter
Reservable1 site
Show 4 more

16 more within ten miles are not listed here.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 50

The Forest Service lists 50 recreation sites in this forest, among them 21 dispersed campings, 13 fishings, 9 campgrounds, 3 picnic areas. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Show all 50

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Wildfire
    Mogote Ridge

    16 mi from the center point · 152 acres · 90% contained

  • Wildfire
    Frijoles

    44 mi from the center point · 15,956 acres · 74% contained

  • Prescribed
    Comanche Powderhouse Rx

    47 mi from the center point

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Preserve · 23 mi
Valles Caldera National Preserve
National Historical Park · 23 mi
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
National Monument · 25 mi
Fort Union National Monument
National Monument · 30 mi
Bandelier National Monument
National Register listings within 15 miles · 80 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Carson National Forest?

1.6 million acres.

Source: Forest Service boundary data

Who manages Carson National Forest?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: U.S. Forest Service

What state is Carson National Forest in?

New Mexico.

Source: How states are assigned

Can I camp at Carson National Forest?

14 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Agua Piedra Campground, Aldo Leopold House and Amole Canyon Group Shelter. 28 in all are within ten miles. Dispersed camping is allowed on most national forest land outside developed sites; check the forest page for closures.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Carson National Forest?

The Forest Service lists 50 recreation sites here, including 21 dispersed campgrounds, 13 river and stream fishings and 9 campground campgrounds. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Carson National Forest?

A point inside the boundary is at 36.526, -106.019. Valles Caldera National Preserve is 23 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Is there a fire near Carson National Forest right now?

3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Mogote Ridge at 16 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Carson National Forest?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 17 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Carson National Forest?

Valles Caldera National Preserve (23 mi), Manhattan Project National Historical Park (23 mi) and Fort Union National Monument (25 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Carson National Forest?

80 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Las Trampas Historic District and Carson, Kit, House.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage and code: the Forest Service Enterprise Data Warehouse.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Description: Carson National Forest on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, matched by forest code.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.