Reservations are available at $25 per night, but arriving prepared matters more than booking in advance. Joshua Tree Ranch Los Angeles sits outside Lake Hughes with no formal site markers, no facilities, and no signage to speak of, so first-time visitors should expect to navigate by feel down unmarked dirt roads until they spot a makeshift fire pit left by a previous camper. Getting there from Los Angeles takes roughly 70 to 90 minutes, and the drive itself is manageable, though the final stretch along rutted tracks can be rough.
Joshua trees dominate the landscape here, and the open sightlines toward the snow-capped Tehachapi and San Gabriel mountains make winter visits particularly worthwhile. Cell coverage exists but is limited, enough to send a message in an emergency but not enough to support streaming. Campers who check the forecast before heading out will be better off: Santa Ana wind events can push gusts above 30 mph overnight, which makes tent camping genuinely difficult. Dogs are welcome, and alcohol is permitted on site.
"Easy to get to, but still secluded," notes Levi P., which captures the trade-off well. The owner has a reputation for being responsive and helpful with trip planning beyond the ranch itself. One reviewer flagged that portions of the property show signs of dumping, so site selection takes some scouting. Campers who want a more developed setup nearby can look at Terra Vivus, located just southeast of the ranch.
Description
Joshua trees 50 miles closer to LA than the Joshua Tree National Park! This is 2.5 acres of protected Joshua Tree lands in the Antelope Valley north of LA, between the snowy Tehachapi Mountains, and the rolling green foothills of the also-snowy San Gabriel Mountains. My first time out there I saw BOTH ENDS of a rainbow in front of the snowy Tehachapis!! Super dark skies, and a million stars at night. It feels like the wild west out here. Think long dirt roads, tumbleweeds, bones, and maybe some old bullet shells (there's no shooting allowed on the property anymore). The property itself is along a dirt "road" called Avenue C, but I'd be shocked if you encountered anyone driving along there. Except possibly another group of campers. This land used to be the domain of the Ketanemuk tribe, which I think means People From The East. In the summer they would go up and hunt and get pine nuts in the Tehachapi Mountains, and acorns from the oak trees in the San Gabriels. It's about a 20 minute drive from the town of Neenach (pronounced Nee-nack), where there's a general store and a cafe. They make a great breakfast burrito. A few minutes from the State Poppy Reserve, which blooms in the spring with miles of California poppies. If you have a larger group or event in mind, get in touch! We can figure out how to accommodate you.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsJoshua Tree Ranch Los Angeles is located in California near Lake Hughes
Coordinates
34.79016574 N
118.39930028 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 7/20/26
VerizonLTESome Coverage- AT&T5GExcellent Coverage
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 7/20/26
- VerizonLTESome Coverage
- AT&T5GExcellent Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
Features
For Campers
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
Contact
General Info
Reservations
Drive Time
- 58 min from Bakersfield, CA
- 1 hr 14 min from Los Angeles, CA
- 1 hr 31 min from Oxnard, CA
- 2 hrs 25 min from Santa Maria, CA
