Giant Rock Dispersed

Yes, camping is permitted at Giant Rock. This is a dispersed camping area with plenty of space for both individual and group camping. The site offers a primitive desert camping experience with no facilities or designated sites. It tends to be quieter during weekdays, while weekends can get busy with visitors. Many campers set up along the ridge about 300 yards past the rock for a bit more privacy. The area is popular for stargazing, including meteor showers, due to its open desert location.

George Van Tassel was a significant figure in Giant Rock's unusual history. In the 1950s, he claimed to have UFO encounters at the site and established it as a center for UFO enthusiasts. Van Tassel is best known for building the nearby Integratron, a structure he claimed was designed with the help of extraterrestrial guidance for rejuvenation and time travel. Before Van Tassel's arrival, Giant Rock had already been home to a desert prospector who had hollowed out a living space beneath the massive boulder. Today, the Integratron remains a popular related attraction that many Giant Rock visitors also explore.

Giant Rock is located in the Mojave Desert near Landers, California, not far from Joshua Tree National Park. This massive boulder sits in an area of open desert managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The location is accessible via dirt roads and sits in a remote desert setting that offers expansive views of the surrounding landscape. Visitors often use it as a landmark when exploring this region of Southern California.