Lake 13 Dispersed Camping

We were a tad skeptic as we are considered a ‘Big Rig’ with 65 feet but this was a very good location and the access was very easy to do. Yes 2 1/2 miles of dirt road but it was in good shape with just a bit of washboard. When we arrived there were two other campers but still plenty of room for us. Within two hours 3 more arrived. It is beautiful and peaceful out here and we are glad we stopped for two nights on our travels heading north.

The wind in New Mexico was awful and I was desperate to find a place to stop and camp when I stumbled across this. This place is a gem. Came here in late October and it’s cold but the peace is worth it. There’s about 5 other rigs here right now but everyone is quiet and respectful. Plus there’s enough service for me to hotspot and work. Great walking for the pups. Plus vault toilets but no dump or water. Bring plenty of water! I came unprepared and am having to leave early.

The road in is gravel for the last 2.5 miles, but was in good shape as of this posting. A bit soft on the side after a rain, but easily navigable even when encountering oncoming traffic. There were seven campers there the night we stayed, and room for all of us.

The two pit privies were relatively clean and stocked with TP. There were multiple trash bins dispersed around the camping area and even a can recycle bin by the privies. The ground was stable despite a hard rain the previous day.

We were welcomed by songs of the various birds enjoying the little bit of lake that remained. I would not recommend coming here thinking you were going to enjoy paddling the waters, although it could be done, but it’s a great spot for peace and quiet, walking, or birdwatching. If you have pets, you may want to avoid the little loop under the two trees. There were a lot of goathead burrs in that area. Walked through once and picked five from our poor boys paws. Other than that, it was a fantastic spot and we plan to be back.

Stayed: 5/20/2022
Cost: FREE
Site: N/A
Vehicle: Buick Verano
Equipment: Tent
AT&T and T-Mobile: Good service

We had an extremely windy night that almost had us take the tent down and car it. If it wasn’t for that, this place was great. It’s a wide open area with trash cans and pit toilets. Nice little spot to setup for a night!

#DareToEverywhere

This might be one of my favorite all-time spots for the seclusion aspects of it. I spent five or six nights here alone. There are only probably enough for six or seven sites max and that would be full. I am a photographer so this wildlife refuge was perfect for photography. I got so many different species while I was here it was incredible. I only had one issue; I was the only camper out there and somebody decided to bring their 32 foot 5th wheel and park literally 10 feet from me in an L shape so that when I came out my front door I looked at the entire side of their rig and their pop out. It was my last day there and I am so glad that I did not have it ruined by them. Note to others not in the know; there is no need to park right next to somebody when there is no one else literally within 5 miles of you. It seems like common sense but…

This place is quite beautiful but it is not close to anything. The closest small town gas station/store is a 20 minute drive and the nearest town of Raton, New Mexico is about 30 minutes away. So it’s going to be a one hour trip to the grocery store, gas or any other supplies you might need.

This was a great place to stay, there were many places to pull through and to set up. We only stayed the night, but if need be, you can stay up to three nights. The area was very peaceful and since it is a wildlife refuge, there is several different birds flying in and out, so that was very neat to see, especially when they started landing on the lake.