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National forest · New Mexico

Carson National Forest

Carson National Forest is a national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. Its address puts it 14 mi north of Ojo Caliente. For mild weather, aim for May and September (74–78°F highs).

Photo: David Herrera from Albuquerque, NM, Bernalillo, CC BY 2.0
Where
14 mi north of Ojo Caliente
2 places to stay in Ojo Caliente
Wikipedia readers
9.1K
a year · #2,368 of 7,799
In brief

A national forest, 14 mi north of Ojo Caliente

Plan where you’ll sleep

The nearest town with many places to stay is Arroyo Seco, 27 miles east. Where to stay ↓

Winters are cold

January nights drop to 16°, with about 24" of snow a year. When to go ↓

Best months: May and Sep

May and September are the mild months, with highs of 74–78°. When to go ↓

Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.

When to go

A month-by-month look

This is the year’s weather near Carson National Forest.

Jan43° / 16°
Feb48° / 20°
Mar57° / 26°
Apr65° / 32°
May74° / 41°
Jun84° / 49°
Jul87° / 55°
Aug84° / 54°
Sep78° / 46°
Oct68° / 34°
Nov54° / 24°
Dec43° / 17°
Typical highs and lows in Ojo Caliente. Green months are the mild ones. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Ojo Caliente. Ojo Caliente’s full climate →
About

Carson National Forest

Carson National Forest is a national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers (1.5 million acres) 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.

Type
National forest
Area
2,344 square miles
Wikipedia readers
9.1K a year
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.
Where to stay

Places to stay near Carson National Forest

Nearest for a night are Taos (39) and Ranchos de Taos (8).

Carson National ForestTaos39Ojo Caliente2Ranchos de Taos8Arroyo Seco6Abiquiu3Questa3Canjilon1Taos Pueblo210 mi
Carson National Forest12Places to stay in town
45 min drive

Taos

39 places to stay · 20 hotels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park

The closest town with somewhere to stay.

6,526 people

29 mi east of Carson National Forest

20 min drive

Ojo Caliente

2 places to stay · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B

14 mi south of Carson National Forest

40 min drive

Ranchos de Taos

8 places to stay · 1 hotel · 1 motel · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park

2,536 people

28 mi east of Carson National Forest

40 min drive

Arroyo Seco

6 places to stay · 2 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 3 lodges & cabins

2,112 people

27 mi east of Carson National Forest

Compare 8 towns
TownFrom Carson National ForestDrivePlaces to stayPeopleTypical homeSafety
Taos29 mi east45 min39 20 hotels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park6,526$446KD−
Ojo Caliente14 mi south20 min2 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B———
Ranchos de Taos28 mi east40 min8 1 hotel · 1 motel · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park2,536$350K—
Arroyo Seco27 mi east40 min6 2 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 3 lodges & cabins2,112$604K—
Abiquiu 52% vacation homes26 mi southwest40 min3 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground40——
Questa29 mi northeast45 min3 1 hotel · 2 RV parks1,809$234K—
Canjilon20 mi west30 min1 1 campground185$396K—
Taos Pueblo28 mi east40 min2 2 hotels1,129$372K—

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service

TSMTaos Regional22 mi
SAFSanta Fe Municipal62 mi
ALSSan Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field64 mi
ABQAlbuquerque International Sunport · major hub106 mi
Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Carson National Forest’s main visitor area; drive times are estimates.
Make a day of it

Also within reach

These lie within 58 miles as the crow flies.

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Wheeler Peak: Davishan99, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad: Drew Jacksich from San Jose, California, CC BY 2.0 · Valles Caldera National Preserve: Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, Public domain · Bandelier National Monument: Andrew Dunn (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 2.0 · Georgia O'Keeffe Museum: John Phelan, CC BY 3.0 · Ski Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Q38555: Ybratcher, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Santa Fe Plaza: See above, CC BY 2.0

Common questions

Good to know about Carson National Forest

What town is Carson National Forest near?

Ojo Caliente, NM, about 14 miles south.

When is the best time to visit Carson National Forest?

May and September, with highs of 74–78°.

What is the closest airport to Carson National Forest?

Taos Regional (TSM), about 22 miles away. The nearest big hub is Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), about 106 miles.

Where should I stay near Carson National Forest?

Taos (29 mi, 39 places to stay), Ranchos de Taos (28 mi, 8 places to stay) and Arroyo Seco (27 mi, 6 places to stay).

From locals

Ask people in Ojo Caliente

Start the conversation in Ojo Caliente’s Town Square.

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.