Stovepipe Wells Campground, near [Death Valley National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/california/near/death-valley-national-park), is a straightforward spot for those looking to experience the unique beauty of the desert. It’s essentially a large parking lot with designated sites, making it easy to set up your tent or RV and get settled in.

This campground is conveniently located near a general store and gas station, so you won’t have to venture far for supplies. Visitors have mentioned the $5 shower pass available at the hotel across the street, which is a nice perk after a day of exploring. The campground also offers basic amenities like restrooms and potable water, ensuring you have what you need for a comfortable stay.

If you’re into stargazing, you’re in luck! The open layout provides unobstructed views of the night sky, making it a fantastic spot for some celestial sightseeing. As one camper noted, “It was warm enough for a mesh top tent and stargazing.” Just be prepared for the desert winds, which can pick up at times.

For those looking to explore, the nearby Mesquite Dunes and Mosaic Canyon offer stunning landscapes and hiking opportunities. Whether you’re just passing through or planning to stay a while, Stovepipe Wells Campground serves as a practical base for your Death Valley adventures.

Open seasonally starting October 15th at noon. First come, first served campground located at sea level. The Stovepipe Wells campground has views of Death Valley proper and of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. It is adjacent to the Stovepipe Wells general store, ranger station, and a privately operated RV park. Fee is paid at the pay station at the front of the campground.

Stovepipe Wells Campground — Death Valley National Park

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Beatty. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Nevada camping adventure.

Beatty

The Best Camping Near Beatty, Nevada

This campsite is near multiple stores, a bar and a gas station in case you are worried about your resources for the night. That said, it also has an amazing view of the valley, and you can see sunset on the dunes if you are lucky! It does get windy due to the lack of cover so be prepared for that.

Nothing Fancy, yet views of the Dunes

$12 a site. No frills, set up on gravel, sleep, get up and enjoy an amazing sunrise by the Mesquite Dunes. No shade. Brutally hot in the summer, but people tough it out.

Rock Camping

I enjoyed this campsite over Mesquite campground in Death valley, the sites were not as close together here and it is close to some bigger hikes as well as, it is still not far from the visitor center or other things you may need.

Spacious and great location

It’s basically camping in a dirt and asphalt parking lot with. I shade. You are close to the general store, so cold beer (at about $10 a six pack) isn’t far away. But, that’s not why you come to Death Valley. You come for the otherworldly experience and Stovepipe Wells is dead center for exploring.

Bonus tip- Head over to Furnace Creek Inn at sunset and enjoy a margarita or glass of wine on the deck. It’s a bucket list experience.

Hard Pack Camping with a View

You will be a bit off the beaten path at this site, but it will be worth it the second the sun goes down on a clear night. It is one of the darkest spots in the country and the stars will take your breath away. You need to bring your own shade, but every place you want to explore is a short drive away.

Open, hot campsites with tons of places to explore

This was a great campsite at the lowest point in the continental US. Potable water is available on site, the bathrooms are clean. Obviously this campsite is desert like, there is a bit of shade with some trees, but it’s open for the most part. Showers are offsite at a nearby hotel.

Great standard site

I really love Death Valley very much clean camping ground even that time we was very hot for tent we camping there for one night we love it 🥰

Clean & quiet 

Not a pretty campground, just a gravel parking lot, but not crowded in winter when the weather is very pleasant. Can be very windy at night. Only $12/night. Walk to nice shops and restaurants. Bathrooms clean. Nice view of valley. Mostly RV sites. One row of tent camp sites with fire pit grills. If you have a roof top tent you’re considered an RV here so can’t use a tent site. 

Nice in winter

The Stovepipe Wells Campground/RV Park's strength is its location. It's in the middle of Death Valley National Park so you can more easily reach the more remote highlights compared to the Furnace Creek area.  However, if you want to be in the middle of the activity, head to Furnace Creek.  

  

The RV area of Stovepipe Wells is just an open field with hook-ups spaced with just enough room for a rig to fit in between. Thus, you are right on top of your neighbors, which is weird since there's so much wide open space here.  I think if you didn't need hook ups or had a tent you might be able to spread out more than we did.

  

While we were there in December 2019, the wifi was non-existent and the power was very intermittent.  In fact, we went two days with no power at all, which was really unfortunate since we paid for the hook up.  Also, restrooms are quite a walk away from the hook up area, so if you are counting on using the bathrooms, be prepared to walk a bit to either the gas station or across the street to the hotel lobby area.  

  

We were promised a refund for the days we didn't receive the services we paid for but they never followed through and the employees seemed powerless to do anything to help.  Kind of a let down. When we return to Death Valley, we'll probably stay closer to Furnace Creek.

It's All About Location

Really nice site and handy to the dunes and nearby canyons. 

Nice site

Usually use this as a stopping over site but you will more that likely be camping in a parking lot.  If you are a tent camper (as I am) there are few sites in the back of the lot which are actually camp sites.  But you have to be lucky to get them.  Otherwise you are on the asphalt so plan accordingly.  

  

Theses are all open - un protected sites - so I can not imagine being there in teh summer.  I have always been there in the fall or winter when the sun is not the issue - but the wind can be.  Again plan accordingly to get weight in your tent as stakes are hard to use here.  I have always used teh car as a wind shield and tie down.  

  

On the positive side there is a store, gas and you can use the day showers at the hotel across teh orad.  It is located near some great hiking areas and the dunes so it is all about access here not the camping.

  

You need to make sure your gas up before you head out!

Central Location- But Not Much By Way of Tent Sites

The park is conveniently located within the park and is easy to get to. The RV section of the park basically consists of a large parking lot. The tent sites are on one edge of the parking lot. There really isn't any indication where one tent site starts and another ends. But there are fire rings and picnic table scattered about so everyone sort of claims the one closest to them. It can get busy at times so getting a site is definitely not guaranteed. The sunset is Death Valley is absolutely breathtaking. Also, since its so dry, consider leaving the rain cover off your tent to truly sleep under the stars!

Great Location and Awesome Sunset 

This is a very large open lot. I used this campsite as a hub while I toured around Death Valley.  The nice thing about being here November 3, 2020, is that i really had my choice of almost any spot. A few campers were here but very nice to be far away from each other. The sunset and sunrise here was beautiful. Generator only between 7 a.m and 9 p.m. 

Great access

This is a large open gravel lot w parking spaces.  Fine for easy overnight near sand dunes.  No privacy or shade trees.  Best tent sites along back row. 

Open Lot, but easy

This is the same basic campgrounds you get through this entire Death valley National park... 

The thing this park is missing is  SHADE for starters... please be aware of how hot it is here and that the sun has no mercy so please pack a pop-up, hat, etc.... 

anything to keep you shaded from the elements.  

  

Besides that, they do have nice picnic tables at each spot and you can fit two smaller tents at each spot if needed so you are sharing the cost with some buddies... which is always good.

trash cans available and recycle areas for your propane tanks... 

which this entire park has and I love seeing that.

Mother nature needs all the help she can get.

  

Not much privacy for campers or RVers... Its a parking spot with lines showing your area.. NOT MUCH ELSE

  

Nice handwashing stations.. BRING YOUR OWN SOAP

  

Bathrooms could be a little cleaner but you have flushing toilets and water to wash your hands. Bring your own soap they do not provide.

  

They have potable water

  

Stunning views

  

But like I said basic and shadeless...

Perfect for a bunch of friends driving out for sure it does have pros and your right by all the action.

  

cheers.

No protection from the elements

CA was on lockdown (01/2021), but remote camping was allowed far enough off paved roads. We set up a tent about two miles from Stovepipe Wells on the Mosaic Canyon Road just before the trailhead. Could see some lights from State Route 190 but not much else. Nice view of the Mesquite Dunes upon daybreak. The ground we stayed on was rocky, but no problem once we set up the air mattress and tent. Gorgeous views upon waking up.

Stayed nearby during quarantine .

Its a literal parking lot. Lots of RVs and pop ups when I was there. There was a campground host and flushing toilets, dumpsters, recycling, a bin for Coleman fuel can recycling, potable water, walking distance to a village with supplies and a gas station. The lot is gravely, but pretty level and tents are comfy. 

Bonus is the parkinglot format was an unobstructed line of site to anywhere and I didn't have to worry when my small child wanted to be independent and make 18 million bathroom trips all by herself.

I went in Feb and it was warm enough for a mesh top tent and stargazing (no privacy, but an amazing view).

There was a duststorm that blew in on the second day from Mesquite Dunes and it took out all the literal tents while I was there. I was grateful for MREs so I could cook inside my car. 

Gonna be real - moving all my gear to the front seat led to disaster in the form of a drained battery the next day, but it was easy to get a jump start. 

Possibly the best possible experience for a first time camper with a 5 year old.

A Parking Lot With a View

Always room to camp. Gas is 4 + fill up outside the park.

Flat gravel wind 

We were in search for dispersed camping in the area, and drove about 12 miles up the Cottonwood Canyon trail. This was the unpaved road toward the mountain behind the Stovepipe Wells camping and gas station. There was a sign about a mile in on the trail that stated no camping for 8 miles past the sign, so we drove a few miles past till we had our space from other campers in the area. 
Definitely recommend a car equipped to take off the road for driving along this trail.
The views at night and in the morning from in the canyon were breathtaking, and kept us cool for most of the morning because the mountain was blocking the sun for a few hours.
Unfortunately, our car was dead when we were about to take off in the morning and we didn’t have a jump box. We tried hiking back the way we traveled in to get help, but reluctantly got saved by other campers halfway through our 12 mile journey back to the gas station. Even in mid April and in late morning the heat is a scorcher and pretty deadly.
All in all - go out there fully prepared, and enjoy the beauty and privacy!

Cottonwood Canyon Trail

The place is nice and near the musquito dunes. There is a shop at waking distance and a gas station.  This is inside death valley National Park.  
Most of the campground is rvs. It's first come first served.  The ticket can be bought at entrance.  There is plenty of room here at New Years  eve.


Nice tables and fire ring for tent only campers

[Internet. There was full 3G signal for Verizon but no service for T-Mobile. Speedtest wouldn’t run. Verizon was usable in that you could download and upload but it took a long time. From my iPhone, I could send photos via iMessage but not SMS.]

[Rig. Mercedes Sprinter. 22 feet]

Dump station? - Yes
Water fill? - Yes
Clean site? - Yes
Clean bathroom? - Yes
Flush toilet? - Yes
Showers? - No
Laundry? - Haha no
Dish washing sink? - Yes

We stayed in the massive parking lot side. There is a few full hookup sites that are reservable. The parking lot is first-come-first-served. It serves its purpose as a place to stay near the dunes. Nothing more. The Stovepipe Village is right next to the campground. There’s a general store, a motel and a saloon. The store has some killer Blue Bunny ice cream sandwiches and some comfy rocking chairs outside for when you eat your ice cream. 

It’s basic and served it’s purpose well. No red flags. 4-stars

It’s a parking lot

If you like the heat and this is a place for you it’s in death Valley and it is hot there is a store a restaurant and lodging but we stayed in the campground just for overnight and continued our journey to Nevada

Way too hot

Easy Campground, generator hours 7 - 7, but also 14 places with electricity. 

But perfect location if you want to do some stargazing in the Death Valley. 

Easy National Park Campground

This is a huge parking lot near the stovepipe wells general store and gas.  The sites are very close together, some along the edge of the lot up against the desert.  Perks are $5 shower pass across street at the hotel and tasty breakfast sandwich at the general store.  It was fine for a night to get my bearings in the park.  Water, restroom and dumpster.  Byo soap to wash your hands.  Easy access right off 190.  30 min to Furnace Creek visitor center.  Ranger station right next door for backcountry permits.  

Basic camp with conveniences nearby.

We were gonna camp wild Rose (free campsite) but was feeling a lil cold in the mnts so came down to sea level for the warmth. Two nights tent camping at $14 a nite. Very windy but so is the rest of the desert. Spots in the front were quieter first nite, spots in the back seemed more popping off but still chill. Sadly the overpriced market / gas station seem to be the cheapest in the main stretch of the park so def gas up or buy stuff there and not at the oasis / furnace creek side of things . 

Cheapest not free camping in the park

There wasn’t much to this camp site…it was basically a gravel parking lot. Tent only spaces along the rear of the campground. The best part about it is that it’s cheap…only $9 with an Access Pass and in early December it was almost empty. Stayed one night and walked to the gift shop store for snacks and stickers.

Photos of Stovepipe Wells Campground — Death Valley National Park

Real photos from real campers