Chiriaco Summit Dry Camp Area

i loved camping here! the campsites are pretty close together but only a few others were there when we visited so we were spaced out. the first campsite we chose had a few pretty big ant hills so we moved to another which had none. wood fires are allowed. the stars were absolutely beautiful at night! you are near the highway so you will get headlights shining towards you occasionally but it was overall still pretty dark and quiet. no amenities but you’re within a half mile of a cute family restaurant and gift shop, the general patton museum, and a gas station. when you first drive into the campground, you will pass some old tanks. keep going until you see the campground sign. i had an amazing time camping here with my dog and my friend. i hope to come back here with my family sometime!!

I have camped here off my motorcycle on three different trips May, and October. It can be hot and there are not amenities at the campground itself but restaurants, gas, and a convenience store are close by. See the museum while you're there. It's a fascinating piece of history.

This 1700ft pass has a breeze and stays cooler than the valleys. Not crowded. Room for big rigs. No ten year rule. Easy walk to a Foster Freeze or the George Patton museum.

Very interesting campground with ambiance. Sites are a bit skewed towards the interstate highway but our leveling system was able to handle it easily. Highway noise is not a problem.

Tons of space for any size camper, there was barley anyone else here when we camped.

Perfect spot if you need a place to sleep overnight and be able to be on the road the next day. You can check in with the camp host if you plan on staying longer than a week. Busy on the weekends but didn’t see if fill up while I was there. I’m sure that changes closer to spring/summer.

Close to I-10, but a private property with designated spots right next to a local diner and truck stop. Wi-Fi at the diner, restrooms and trash at the truck stop, reliable cell service everywhere. No dump station that I saw personally, and no site manager came to check in on me like in other reviews. It really is perfect as a boondocker's gift. A f!ck ton of WW2 tanks will greet you on your way in though. Best of luck navigating those! 🤞

This spot was clean, felt safe and well maintained by the site Manager. Dry camping with great views and minimal Interstate noise for being so close to the Hwy. There is a gas station and mini mart within walking distance in case you need something. Would definitely recommend.

Why does this beautiful free campground exist? I don't know, but it is awesome. There are no "amenities," but there is a campground manager who greeted me and told me where I could park. This starry little camping spot smells like creosote bush and is up the hill from a happening corner on I-10. Between the camping zone and the happening zone is a small community - I walked down the one street/alley to find out where the live music was coming from (a party) and noticed that I was unexpectedly being observed by a goat. A good place.

First of all, this is a dry camp only. There are no hook ups and it’s free. With that said, it’s nearly empty and incredibly serene. The camp manager “Paul” came right over and introduced himself. Tomorrow we will tour, The General Patton Memorial Museum before we head towards Arizona. The tanks look amazing and my kids are so excited. My only negative: dang dog poop! Y’all need to pick up your dogs poop.

Sites: 1 designated spot for 40 ft and over, several tent only sites and many back in spots that are plenty big enough for large fifth wheels or RVs. We could have backed into a spot with our 36 ft Fifth wheel and kept our truck hooked up easily.

There are no bathrooms or water here, but you have cell service and a convenience store very close by. This is a great spot to find a free camping site and still be somewhat in your own seclusion. The sky is really nice here at night. You can see the freeway a bit of a distance out from this location and it takes about 45mins or so get back into Joshua tree National park from here. The fire pits are in the ground so you might have to rebuild the walls above ground if they’ve been knocked down. Overall a very cool spot to check out that’s right outside of Joshua tree National park with beautiful sunset views. This is BLM land

Directly behind the Tank Museum, this small plot of spaces to park is perfect close in, FREE, dry camping location. Great AT&T cell coverage, 4G - four bars. Food and fuel a stones throw away. Make sure to see the camp host if you intend to be here more than 1 night.

FREE dispersed camping sites behind the general Patton museum. One of the most peaceful places in the desert that I have camped. Good for a few nights, especially after driving through traffic in San Bernadino....😳

Very nicely laid out dry camping area. Difficult to find at first because it is located right off the Interstate and looks like a normal rest area with Fuel and Eating places. There is a small dirt road that leads back behind the General Patton Museum. After that the signs clearly show the campground.

This campsite is located behind the Gen. Patton Museum. There will be a sign telling you to turn down a dirt road towards the campsite. It’s about a 1/10 mile. There are approximately 20 campsites. If you are staying longer than one night you are required to check in with camp host.

Cell Coverage: Excellent

This worked out well for me as a quick overnight spot on a long road trip. I rolled in at 8 pm and there were maybe 10 campers there and several open spots. Other than the highway noise it was quiet and peaceful. Nobody had lights on. I woke early and was back on the road by 4 am. I could tell that the desert view to the north would have been decent, but I never saw it in the daylight. I noticed that there was a camp host. I’d use it again in a similar situation.

Nice camping area behind the gas station follow the signs! Close to Indio for shopping and you can stay here a week!

We camped here in April, 2017 on our way to Mecca Hills. It is located right by Interstate 10, right behind General Patton Museum. It is meant for transit camping so just a good break for a long trip. First come first serve so you may not get a spot. It was interesting to explore the museum and its tanks right next to the campground. There is no amenities, but there is a nice Chiriaco Summit Restaurant/Coffee Shop close by so it is a perfect stop to enjoy a nice meal, use their restroom and go back to camp. There is a gas station nearby to fill up before heading out the next morning. Nice desert views from the campground. There is a slight highway noise since it is so close, but it is not unbearable.