4 Free Campsites in Mexico (or Nearly Free)
Looking for the best free campsites in Mexico? Here are four to get you started!
Overlanding Mexico is amazing. From the food to the people and to the culture, it truly is a great destination to travel with your own vehicle. What makes it even better? Finding amazing free (or next to free) campsites along the way. Here are a few of our favorite spots for camping while overlanding Mexico.
Arroyo Seco in Jalisco
Arroyo Seco is one of Mexico’s best-kept secrets. With no hotels or hostels to speak of and only a few homes dotting the beach, it is the perfect place to get away for a weekend. Pull through the broken fence at the first palapa and set up camp. A few locals come to surf the wave in the early mornings, but other than that the beach is mostly yours. If you are lucky, a local from the nearby town will come by offering freshly plucked coconuts from one of the many palms dotting the beach. Hands down one of the best free campsites in Mexico!
Address: Playa Grande Arroyo Seco
For more on our experience at Arroyo Seco check out our article Arroyo Seco.
Just North of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca
Puerto Escondido is bustling with locals and tourists alike, but just north of Puerto Escondido relaxation is waiting. Down a long dusty road lined with swaying palm trees await miles and miles of unspoiled beach. With a palapa at the end of the road, it is the perfect campsite to unwind for a few days. Locals come by to visit the beach and fish, but on the whole, the beach is mostly yours. A turtle hatchery is located just as you arrive at the beach where you can volunteer between 9 pm and 2 am to help release the baby turtles when open.
Keep this place great and pick up after yourself while you are there!
For coordinates to this long stretch of white sandy beach, click here.
Looking for more must-visit destinations in Oaxaca?
Parque La Huasteca in Monterrey
Just outside of Monterrey is Parque La Huasteca. Parque La Huasteca, known for its rock formations, is a great weekend getaway from all the hustle and bustle of Monterrey. It is also one of the best free campsites in Mexico.
To find this epic campsite, head down the road to an old gate. A local, Trinidad, will open the gate and for a small donation, you can camp among the impressive rock formations. Camp anywhere you like once inside the gate. There are few people who make the trek out this way and most are on bicycles enjoying the views in the early morning.
For exact coordinates click here.
For more on what to see and do in Monterrey check out our article Walk it Out: 6 Things to Do and See in Monterrey.
Bernal in Queretaro
It is not every day you can sleep beside the world’s third-largest monolith. But in Bernal, you can do just that. With stunning views all day and night long, this free campsite is a must-visit. While there is limited space for outdoor seating, there is enough room for a small table and two chairs. ATVs and vans come around during the day to admire the views, but that is the norm in Mexico.
For exact coordinates on where to stay, click here.
Check out our article Discover the Charm of Bernal for more on what to see and do in Bernal.
Let us know how you enjoy these free campsites in Mexico (or close to free). And, remember to keep them clean for the next van lifer!