camping info
Local Forest Service Camp grounds:
Hwy 244: Pines, Silver, Saddle, and Apache Campgrounds. (RV,friendly)
Hwy 130: Deer Head and Sleepy Grass
Other group campgrounds are available to rent as well.
Link to US Forest Service site with more details
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Dispersed Camping:
You may drive to park your RV no more than 300' from an open road designated for such use. Please check with one of our offices to obtain a free Motor Vehicle Use Map which details exactly what roads you are allowed to disperse camp along. Most roads, outside of US and State Highways are available for this use. Please be mindful that there are many private land inholdings within the Forest and these lands are not available for camping.
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rules of the forest
While all of nature is sensitive to our use, we ask that you take a moment and really get to know our mountain and respect it's beauty.
This mountain is a dry climate. Water is scarce and sacred. Here are a couple things to keep in mind while recreating in our neck of the woods!
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1. Pack Out what you Pack In! Take all of your trash with you, there isn't a trash service in the forest. The animals will become nosy and will spread the trash everywhere, making themselves sick and creating an unnecessary mess. There are dumpsters located all around Cloudcroft to dispose of your trash in.
2. Stay on the trails and only use trails for their intended use. ATVs 50" or less are the only ATVs to be on the trails, this does NOT include most side by sides. There are a lot of old logging roads and fire roads for Jeeps and side by sides to explore, please do NOT ruin trails not intended for your use. Please respect all gates and closures.
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3. Leave water ways un-disturbed. Our water is precious and any time you drive over a stream/river, you impact it and disturb it's natural path. Please do not ruin the limited water that we do have!
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4. Bury it or pack it out. We are talking about your POOP! This is an ongoing issue in our forest. Please dig a hole and bury your feces or have a bucket but DO NOT LEAVE IT or your toilet paper on the ground, that is also littering. (These rules also apply to your pet.)
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5. Be Bear and Cougar aware. We do have Black Bear and Mountain Lions in our forest. They are not seeking to harm you, however, do not disturb them or they might. If you see one on a trail, slowly step back and move away from them.
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6. Do not feed the wildlife. I know they are beautiful and you want MORE...but please keep them WILD. Feeding wild animals human food creates a few problems. Human food is not healthy for wild animals, they have specialized diets, and can become malnourished or die if fed the wrong foods. Along with it not being healthy for the wild animals, they become accustomed to people and often lose their fear of people and can become aggressive. Those that become too aggressive may have to be put down to protect from future incidents. This is not fair to the wildlife that you love to see, so leave them WILD!
7. Check with our local forest service for current fire danger and restrictions. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lincoln/alerts-notices
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8. Drown your fire when you leave. Please, make sure your fire is all the
way out before you leave it for any period of time. Please call 911 to report
a fire.
9. Do NOT chop down trees without a permit. This includes Christmas
Trees, firewood, tepee building, etc. Cutting down trees can displace
wildlife and have other adverse effects. Contact the local ranger station
for permits.
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10. HAVE FUN and remember this forest belongs to all of us! Be
courteous of your neighbor, try not to camp or disturb someone else
enjoying the peaceful mountains.
