Can you reserve a site at Six Mile Dam?

No. Six Mile Dam is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Six Mile Dam

Facility ·

Managed by the Bureau of Land Management

3,062 ft
Elevation

Now a renowned birding and fishing area, Six Mile Dam serves as an example of the power of cooperation and persistence. Once known as a party spot and a place to dump trash, these lands are now used for hiking, kayaking, fishing, picnicking, and birding after years of effort by the BLM Carlsbad Field Office, the City of Carlsbad, non-profits, industry partners, and public volunteers to provide improvements to the area. Six Mile Dam is considered one of the best marsh areas remaining in the Pecos Valley and more than 300 species of birds have been spotted in the area.

Getting there

From Carlsbad, New Mexico head south on S Canal St/US Hwy 285 S for 1.5 miles. Turn left onto NM-216E and drive for 4.3 miles before turning left on Forni Rd. Follow Forni Road for 1.4 miles before reaching Six Mile Dam.

32.38349, -104.14581 · 32°23'0.6"N 104°8'44.9"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 97°F in Jun, down to 59°F in Dec.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	59	64	72	80	88	97	97	95	88	80	68	59
Low °F	30	34	41	48	58	67	71	69	62	50	38	31
Precip in	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	1.0	1.1	2.0	1.6	2.5	1.0	0.7	0.7

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 5.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Fees and stay limits

No fees.

From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.

Member photos

Add a photo

Common questions about Six Mile Dam

Can you reserve a site at Six Mile Dam?: No. Six Mile Dam is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Camping near Six Mile Dam

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Tours 22.6 mi · Tickets · we watch it
Dog Canyon Campground 48.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Lost Cave 4.9 mi · Facility
Visitor Center 22.6 mi · Facility
Parks Ranch Cave 24.2 mi · Facility
Sunset Reef Campground 24.8 mi · Facility
Chosa Campground 26.4 mi · Facility
Red Bluff Reservoir 28 mi · Facility
Dark Canyon Lookout Observation Site 40.5 mi · Facility
Guadalupe RD 43.3 mi · Facility
5 Points Vista 43.9 mi · Facility
Dog Canyon Ranger Station 48.3 mi · Facility

Comments

Contact

Info Recreation.gov

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-05-29.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.