Live Simple Live Free: Boondocking in New Mexico and Arizona 4x2 months

Time to explore the great forests of Arizona and New Mexico where you can stay for free where you can stay for free is some of the most scenic places in the southwest. In this series of free camping spots, I selected 4 places you can stay for 14 days each. After each 14 day stay, visit a low cost campground with full services to take that long hot shower and recharge your batteries. After your water tank is full, you can travel along to the next boondocking adventure. Two months and you only have to pay for for those 4 nights camping.

This trip is the bridge between Eastern Arizona and Northern New Mexico.

El Malpais, located in New Mexico outside Albuquerque, offers everything from easy drives, scenic overlooks, and short walks to strenuous trails and rugged caving.  The El Malpais lava beds were produced from eruptions of several volcanoes. You can see them by hiking the only maintained path, the seven mile Zuni-Acoma Trail, an ancient Indian route which crosses the lava between NM 117 and NM 53. Check out La Ventana Natural Arch, the largest in New Mexico, which has formed in a bend in the sandstone cliffs. El Malpais ranges in elevation from 6500 to 8300 ft so come on out and enjoy the grand scenery.

Overlooking El Malpais National Monument, below sandstone rimrock bluffs. About 10 miles south of Grants off I-40. Exit at 89 on I-40. Take Highway 117 south for 11 miles, then turn left to El Malpais National Monument one more mile. The campground is on BLM land and it contains fir rings, picnic tables, a vault toilet and grills.

There are so many hiking trails here that you could pick one a day to explore and still not see them all in two weeks. Each one a great way to see nature and explore a wilderness. If you have a mountain bike, you will also find any biking paths here to explore as far as your legs will take you. The forest is full of wildlife like bears, deer, gray wolves, elk, and mountain lions. So, come to the Apache Forest to fish a little for trout or take a wonderful relaxing stroll through nature.

Go south from Alpine on Highway 191 about 13 miles to Forest Road 26, turn right and stay on this road to the junction of Forest Road 24 where you'll turn right and then stay on this road until it joins with Forest Road 25. At this junction turn left and proceed to Forest Road 68 about 3 miles and follow the signs to the campground. The campground has fire rings and toilets.

Fishing, hiking, bicycling, the Gila National Forest has it all. The trails vary from flat easy ones to the strenuous ones through the canyons. You can backpack from the desert to the alpine tundra. The Gila National Forest elevations range from 4200 to 10,900 with scenery that includes rugged mountains, deep canyons, meadows, and semi-desert country. If a scenic drive is to your liking then try the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway or the Geronimo National Scenic Byway. Fishermen will find miles of rivers and streams to fish here. For those who like a swim, there are numerous hot springs in the Gila Forest. This is certainly an area worth visiting for a couple of weeks.

On NM 12, about 15 miles NE of Reserve, the sign points to a southeast heading dirt road. The campground is on the right after a short distance.

The Cibola National Forest is a great place for rock hounding or even panning for gold. You can even go fossil hunting here. If you are a bird watcher, the water canyon campground provides excellent opportunities to observe Cibola's various species of woodpeckers. There are many places to go hiking here. If you like solitude, pack your water and go explore one of the four federal wildernesses totaling 150,000 acres. Scenic Byway 536 takes you up to Sandia Crest ( 10,678). You can drive it,  ride a bike, or take the Aerial Tram. The panoramic view from the top is wonderful. Don't forget your camera.

Water canyon campground is located 16 SE of Magdalena, US 60 & FR 235. It can't handle anything longer than 22 feet. If you have a longer trailer or motorhome, their are other campgrounds that will accommodate them with high clearance.