Culp Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

I was impressed with how clean this campground was. Great views on the trail nearby. Starry night and gorgeous sunrise. Campground was quiet and good location at a higher elevation from Borrego Springs.

I was pleasantly surprised by this wonderful little campground. I had read some reviews, but I always take them with a grain of salt. I arrived on Sunday evening and found three other campers dispersed throughout the campground. It was extremely quiet; if I hadn't seen the other campers, I would have thought I had the place to myself. The night sky was gorgeous with a full moon and a beautiful sunset. The night I spent there was very calm, and I have no doubt it could get windy at times. Like one reviewer, I am baffled by what some people do in nature, such as littering. So, I did a little tidying up, but it wasn't too bad. Please keep this campground a secret between us!

Very close to the park. Very clean. Restroom available. Beautiful views. Fire pits provided.

I go to this campground often. It is beautiful, and because of its altitude it is consistently several degrees cooler than the others in Anza. There are metal fire pits and pit toilets, no water. Beautiful trails with lots of flora and fauna and gorgeous viewpoints.

Lux primitive camping since the drop toilets were great and the spots are roomy with fire rings. Access to great hikes from the campground. Fills up but great if you can get there early!

Just a few hundred feet off a twisty mountain highway this campsite doesn't have but maybe two level spots not even for tents. Don't go in with any big rigs very tight. I found a tight spot for my minivan but I wasn't on the level so sleeping was a little bit tricky.

Went before Thanksgiving weekend for a few nights. SUPER busy over the weekend and emptied out by Sunday night. Basically camping anarchy - people setting up all over the place - but you can only start fires in the provided fire ring. Some sites are exposed others super secluded. Sound definitely carries over the little valley, but people kept it low key by 10pmish.

Arrive early to get a nice site.

Great hikes that start right from the campground.

One of the best sites in Anza, so beautiful!! The stars out here are unreal.

The campsite itself is very well maintained. Metal fire pits are available and bathrooms. The last place I camped was $30 and had neither.

The scenery is beautiful but very desert. Cholla cacti are everywhere so watch your pets paws (my poor dog kept getting them in between her paw pads). Also didn’t get very cool in the evening, but had a beautiful night sky.

There are trails; no dogs allowed.

Did see a tarantula.

The site was very private and out of the way. The sky at night was absolutely gorgeous. There is currently a fire ban but there are fire pits around for the times that fires are okay. Very nice experience

Good primitive site that you can drive into and have a bathroom. Somewhat hard to navigate with a can but its doable. Spots to park can be tricky to find at sunset when you're losing daylight. Overall, nice quiet campground with a great view. Hard to find if you dont know what you're looking for.

This primitive site is off the charts cool. There’s one bathroom that is fairly clean. The stars are amazing so don’t be afraid to sleep outside! It gets a little windy but nothing too crazy. The best part is that it’s FREE! There’s some awesome boulders and even slot canyons near by. The turn-off comes up quick so keep an eye out.

This campground sits high atop the heat sweltering in the valley below, where the rest of Anza Borrego State Park. Plenty of climbing around here, as well as hiking trails galore. No fire pits or tables here,  so be sure to bring your own metal sturdy fire pit. Having a fire in the sand with rocks is illegal, and I have met a couple of rangers doing patrols around camp. One time we did not have one, so we drove down a couple of miles to the town in Anza, and picked one up at the local hardware store. Less than $15 for a metal tin to set on the ground and worked like a charm. There is one pit toilet bathroom. 

Just a 20 minute drive away are slot canyons, check out the local trails!

We had a big group of 15, if you go all the way to the T take a right and go to the little turn around there is plenty of room for multiple tents and large groups. We were all by ourselves but walked to meet other campers, everyone was very nice. There were rocks to climb on, trails to hike. The bathrooms were very clean, there is no running water. It is very hot during the day and very windy at night. Bring your own water, fire pit and table. We will definitely be back!!!

This really is a primitive campground. You pack it in and you pack it out. There is one restroom facility and that is all. If you are looking to camp in quite the this is it. Nice place and I will be returning here to camp. Great little hiking trails that give you a nice view of Borrego Springs below.

Free camping! Located off the S22, border of Anza Borrego,just 3.5 miles past the town of Ranchita. If you keep going down the hill you'll hit Borrego Springs. Keep an eye out for the Culp Valley Camp sign because otherwise there isn't much indication. Barely any service so make sure you prepare well for an extended stay. It does extremely windy here, especially in early fall with the Santa Ana winds. Hot during day, frigid at night. It's primitively camping so No water, picnics tables, fire rings, and charcoal grills, but vault toilets and ground to put a tent on are available. In Culp Valley there is TONS of boulders to climb; varying from beginner v0's to advanced bouldering. Check out mountain project to check out some routes or just go spot out some of your own! This is place is definetly worth a weekend trip, but Shhh try to keep it a secret. ;) 

Campground coordinates: 33.220541, -116.458858 (33° 13′ 13.94″N 116° 27′ 31.88″W)

Pro's: Close to Joshua Tree, Close to Sultan Sea, Plenty of geographical fun. Hiking is lovely. FREE sites, first come first serve.

Con's: Hot most times of year, minimal animates so bring what you need, Fills up fast so be sure you get there early in the day with back up planes.