Cabresto Lake
Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping is free. Cabresto Lake is a National Forest campground near Cabresto Lake is approximately 7 miles northeast of the town of Questa, New Mexico.
First-come, first-served
- National Forest
- Managed by
Cabresto Lake sits inside Carson National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.1 miles outside the boundary of Latir Peak Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- None, first-come
- Fee
- Free
Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
What's there
- ✓ Toilets
On site: Toilets.
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 9,175 ft
36.7470, -105.4990 in Taos. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Cabresto Lake?
No. Cabresto Lake is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.
How much does it cost to camp at Cabresto Lake?
Camping at Cabresto Lake is free.
Who manages Cabresto Lake?
Cabresto Lake is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Cabresto Lake
Costilla Reservoir's mapped center point is 15 miles from Cabresto Lake in a straight line. Current water level: Costilla Reservoir water level on reservoirfinder.com.
Public land within 15 miles: Columbine-Hondo Wilderness (8.2 miles to its center) , and Wheeler Peak Wilderness (13 miles to its center) ; publiclandsdb.com has each unit's camping rules and boundary.
Hot springs nearby
The nearest hot spring to Cabresto Lake, in a straight line: Stagecoach Hot Springs (hot spring, 26 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $20.00 per night (includes parking for one vehicle)
Elephant Rock - Sites
- 21
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $30 per night (includes parking for one vehicle)
Fawn Lakes - Sites
- 18
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $30.00 per night (includes parking for one vehicle)
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $30.00 per night (includes parking for one vehicle)
More campgrounds: camping near Cabresto Lake is approximately 7 miles northeast of the town of Questa and campgrounds in Taos.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30
- epqs.nationalmap.gov (elevationFt), accessed 2026-10-01