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Facilities

Established Camping

Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve

Hole in the Wall Campground, near Essex, California, is a unique destination within the Mojave National Preserve that offers a rugged yet inviting camping experience. With its stunning volcanic rock formations and clear desert skies, it’s a fantastic place for stargazing and soaking in the natural beauty.

The campground features clean pit toilets and access to potable water, which campers appreciate during their stay. Many visitors have noted the spacious sites, allowing for a bit of privacy while still feeling connected to fellow campers. One reviewer mentioned, “You feel somewhat close to your neighbors but they are angled where you don't feel on top of each other.”

For those eager to explore, the area is rich with hiking opportunities, including the popular Ring Loop trail right from the campground. The surrounding landscape is dotted with beautiful desert vegetation, making it a picturesque backdrop for outdoor activities. Campers have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, with one family sharing that their kids had a blast hiking and exploring the surroundings.

While the campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis, many have found plenty of available sites, even during peak times. Just keep in mind that the road to get there can be a bit long and bumpy, so plan accordingly. Whether you're looking for a quick overnight stay or a weekend adventure, Hole in the Wall Campground is a memorable spot to unwind and connect with nature.

Description

National Park Service

Mojave National Preserve

At 4,400 feet in elevation, Hole-in-the-Wall Campground is surrounded by sculptured volcanic rock walls and makes a great basecamp for hikers. Thirty-five campsites accommodate RVs and tents; two walk-in sites are also available. Maximum RV or trailer length is 30 Feet.

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Location

Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

From I-40: Exit Essex Road and drive north 10 miles to the junction with Black Canyon Road. Hole-in-the-Wall is 10 miles north on Black Canyon Road. Cell phone service is spotty and unreliable.

Address

2 Black Canyon Road
Essex, CA 92332

Coordinates

35.046024 N
115.393565 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Fair
  • Verizon
    Fair
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Good

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Equestrian

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Phone Service
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

24 Reviews

Reviewed Jul. 9, 2023

Epic spot directly in the Mojave desert

Stayed here for one night in July. We were afraid that it will be extremely hot, but the night was surprisingly cold. Only a free other campgrounds we have been on our trip could beat the stars at night. Even though the site is in the middle of the desert, everything is perfectly clean and you even have water.

Site10
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Honza P., July 9, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Honza P., July 9, 2023
Reviewed May. 4, 2023

Beautiful setting

Campsite with 30 something spots. Potable water and a hose to refill your freshwater (non potable). Graywater disposal available. Dry toilets clean. Amazing views! Visitor centre and walks nearby. Almost empty when we went in early May. Enjoy!!

Site26
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Michael , May 4, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Michael , May 4, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Michael , May 4, 2023
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Apr. 23, 2023

Out in the Middle of Nowhere

Great camping spots. You feel somewhat close to your neighbors but the are angled where you don't feel on top of eachother. We never saw the host so just bring exactly $12 in cash with you to pay at the stand. Bathrooms are pit toilets but didn't smell and were as clean as the could be. Portable water and the rings loop trail was amazing!!

Site30
Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Courtney B., April 23, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Courtney B., April 23, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Courtney B., April 23, 2023
Reviewed Apr. 11, 2023

Family Two days Stay

Great location with opportunities for nice hiking. Wonderful surroundings. Our 3 boys had a blast calming and hiking. I would no stay more than two nights if you are looking for something new every day.

Site9
Month of VisitApril
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Reviewed Mar. 25, 2023

Quiet and convenient

We have camped here twice because it is a convenient location on our way from California to other states. But it is also a pretty area. Even though it is first come, first serve, there were plenty of sites available both times we stayed.  There are relatively clean toilets with toilet paper,a waste basket, and hand sanitizer. We were OK in our trailer, but we had to pull down our awning because the wind was extremely strong overnight. We noticed a few of the tent campers left in the middle of the night. A warning to tent campers to check the weather before camping there.

Site10
Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Amy H., March 25, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Amy H., March 25, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Amy H., March 25, 2023
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2023

Great place

Loved it. Some big pull through sites and back in sites for 30+ ft trailers. Water stations spread out through the campground and a Dump station. Camp sites are spaced out with some good distance between. Awesome views of the local mountains and hiking trails are close.

Site27
Month of VisitJanuary
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Martin A., January 18, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Martin A., January 18, 2023
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Martin A., January 18, 2023
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Oct. 26, 2022

Easy access to Majove Desert

Paved road into campsite (about 20miles). Campground itself is smooth gravel. Well spaced and mostly level sites with beautiful desert vegetation between sites. First come, first serve. Almost empty in late Oct. $12/night. No hookups but access to potable water and a sanidump. Very clean pit toilets. Friendly and informative host. Access to trails right from campground, and information center within sight.

Site27
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Ian S., October 26, 2022
Reviewed Jun. 13, 2022

Really nice campground, LONG dirt road to reach.

Stayed: 6/2/2022

Cost: $12 (exact change)

Site: 16

Vehicle: GMC Terrain

Equipment: Tent

AT&T and T-Mobile: Slow but usable

We made the trek out to Hole-in-the-Wall at Mojave National Preserve for one night. It was a much longer dirt road than I had imagined and you go up in elevation. It took almost a half-hour to get to the campground from Cedar Canyon Road.

This is a First Come, First Served NPS campground. We started the loop a little worried because every site was tagged, but by the time we got back over to the first loop, we had our pick of sites. We chose 16 because of the great view and it being directly next to the pit toilet. (The cleanest pit toilet I’ve ever seen)! The campground also has potable water, plenty of dumpsters and a dump station.

We wanted to stay here because we were finishing off our trip the next morning at the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center. It is directly next door, you can even see the lot from the campground.

This was a great place to stay, but maybe it would have been more worth it to stay at least a couple nights. I definitely didn’t realize the trek it was to get here, from the main part of the park. Everything is super spread out at Mojave.

#DareToEverywhere

Site16
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Dare To Everywhere  ., June 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Dare To Everywhere  ., June 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Dare To Everywhere  ., June 13, 2022
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jan. 22, 2022

Such a cool place to camp

We stayed here for two nights both of which were quite windy so stake down your tent extra tight. The views here are definitely what make this place worth it to camp at. The Ring Loop trail is also a blast. Theres potable water available and we payed a total of $24 for two nights here. I would definitely visit again.

Site21
Month of VisitJanuary
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Edwin M., January 22, 2022
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Edwin M., January 22, 2022
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Edwin M., January 22, 2022
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Dec. 6, 2021

Great boondocking

Fantastic, rustic, sweeping views of the area. Bathrooms & water pumps are readily supplied throughout the park. We were surprised to find out they turn off the water in early December each year.

Site30
Month of VisitDecember
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Paula P., December 6, 2021
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Paula P., December 6, 2021
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Paula P., December 6, 2021
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 16, 2021

Beautiful and Serene

We stayed here in mid-March. It was beautiful. Good hiking nearby, great star gazing and over all very peaceful and relaxing. It was cold in March at night so be prepared. Zero cell service so you are certainly unplugged!! Don’t miss other hikes near this camp spot, Kelso Depot is great along with some Lava tunnels and sand dunes.

Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Michelle M., July 16, 2021
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Michelle M., July 16, 2021
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Michelle M., July 16, 2021
Reviewed Apr. 11, 2021

Nice desert camping

We stayed one night here and enjoyed the beautiful sunset and sunrise. Nice, big campsites and well maintained facility. We made the mistake of taking the dirt road through the preserve from the North- we do not recommend! It was such bad washboard it took 2 hours to go 15 miles. Save yourself and your vehicles the pain and go around. The wind was also very strong the night we were there. So much so that the gusts shook our camper and made it hard to sleep. We enjoyed ourselves but may not be back for just a stop over.

  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Hailey , April 11, 2021
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Hailey , April 11, 2021
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Hailey , April 11, 2021
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2020

Quiet in the Mojave Preserve

Hole in The Wall has plenty to offer with hikes and views all around. The ring trail is interesting. Basic facility with pit toilets, tables, fire rings and water. But water may be seasonal. No hookups available for RV's. Gets windy at night with down canyon flows after sunset. $12 a night, passes are accepted. Nice area for star gazing.

Site11
Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by M W., January 18, 2020
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by M W., January 18, 2020
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by M W., January 18, 2020
Reviewed Nov. 19, 2019

Desert treasure

First come first serve

Definitely would advise getting here early if camping during a holiday weekend. Great spots, spaced out. Wonderful desert views all around! Rangers host an astronomy night and guiding hike! Running water and vaulted clean toilets

Reviewed Oct. 6, 2019

Good

Very windy when I went but good. Tent spots have sand on ground so be prepared to weigh down tent rather than use stakes

Reviewed Sep. 9, 2019

Desert camping

Loved the quiet. There a couple of hikes available that are worth your time. Just make sure to drink plenty of water. After the sun settles behind the hills quite a bit of wild life comes out, including the giant jackrabbits. Make sure you situate your tent to face the wind as it kicks up for a couple hours after the sunset. The desert breathes freely while cooling down. There were no fees in early September for camping.

  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Douglas F., September 9, 2019
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Douglas F., September 9, 2019
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Douglas F., September 9, 2019
Reviewed Jun. 22, 2019

Unbelievable Experience!

This was a last minute decision while driving from CA to IN. It’s a 35 site campground, no reservations accepted. We had a back up plan in case it was full, but that wasn’t necessary, there was only one other person there. We chose a campsite on the opposite side from where he was. We stayed on the west side, which was beautiful, as we looked directly at the canyon walls. There are pit toilets and trash receptacles at frequent intervals. There is non drinkable water available. No firewood on site, and you can’t collect. You are roughing it here, but if you are okay with that, you can’t beat this experience! We paid $6 for the night with our ATB pass, it’s $12 normally. It was crazy windy through the night, I don’t know if that’s normal or not. So windy we left the pop up trailer hitched to our Jeep because the gusts were incredibly strong and we were worried about the trailer being tossed. All kinds of critters about, including in the restrooms, so be aware.

  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Kelly H., June 22, 2019
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Kelly H., June 22, 2019
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Kelly H., June 22, 2019
  • (4) View All
Reviewed May. 28, 2019

Nice campground

Had plenty of room for multiple tents on one campsite. The campsite was well maintained and was great if you like to do some plain and simple camping. Very close to several good hiking trails and not far from several other desirable locations within the national park.

Reviewed Jul. 23, 2018

Great Place To Camp In The Desert

We wanted to check out ZZYZX but there was no camping there so we had to explore other options. Really wanting to be as close to the dried salt lake area where you can literally yell out and hear your voice echo for miles we discovered Hole-In-The-Wall. It sounded a bit funny considered it was in the middle of the desert and everything is like a hole in the wall as you pass through miles and miles of nothingness, but we gave it a shot and were very pleased.

It is a first come first serve campsite but when we were there that wasn't an issue there were only a few campers. It made for a quiet night in the desert where we were surrounded by low laying vegetation and views of the mountains around. It looked like a pretty large campground overall with lots of sites each with a picnic table and fire ring.

There was no potable water when we were there and only pit toilets. Pretty basic, no hook ups and no showers.

It was pleasant though and I would say it made us happy that we had stumbled upon it. It was $12 fo the night for our site and I did notice that those having the senior card could get a discount, so something to look forward to when I get older!!

It was pretty no frills camping. But since we always come prepared we had firewood ready to go and were able to enjoy setting up then venturing over to ZZYZX to check out the "abandoned" site, which is actually partially used as a research facility and partially a ruin of times passed. Really unique experience from every angle.

TIPS:

  • Pack extra water since there is none available and if you are interested in a shower make sure you have an outdoor shower bag already filled before you arrive.

  • While you can have a generator they do have a quiet hours policy for other guest. The campground is so quiet at night and everything echoes in the canyon.

  • Do not camp in washes because even though it seems dry when rain comes it quickly moves across the desert and will flood these areas and create very scary conditions.

Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Crystal C., July 23, 2018
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Crystal C., July 23, 2018
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Crystal C., July 23, 2018
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jul. 17, 2018

Excelant and Peaceful Campground

This campground is an excelent place if you like basic and secluded campgrounds. Each campsite is just the perfect size for 1 tent/RV. With the site you will get a picnic table and a fire pit. The fire pit also has a gril bar so you can use it for cooking/bbq if neded. Campground is super peacful and relaxing. Situated at the botom of a clif with desert views on other three sides. It can be pretty windy, so do look at the weather channel before comming and plan accordingly. You can still stay there even in the windy nights, just be ready for a lot of noise as the wind bangs on your tent pretty loudly. We were here at the end of May, just before the temperature started climbing too much and even though it was Memorial Day weekend there was enough empty sites. The campgroud is First Come First Serve, but it seems like it's never fully packed, and it's been pretty easy to find a spot everytime.

Kelso Depot, Mojave Cross and the largest Joshua Tree Forest, as well as Kelso Dunes are all within an hour ride from the campground.

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Marta T., July 17, 2018
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Marta T., July 17, 2018
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Marta T., July 17, 2018
  • (20) View All
Reviewed Jun. 24, 2018

Amazing views

Very limited shade, but sites are very close to some really neat hiking spots like one where you have to climb down a small canyon by holding metal rings that were attached to the rocks. Since there's no city lights to pollute the sky, there's amazing views of the night sky.

Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Steven C., June 24, 2018
Reviewed May. 29, 2018

Clean and Beautiful

This is a great little campground. Especially since it's so close to a really awesome hike the Rings Trail and others in the area. Each campsite was clean and flat, the bathrooms were basic pit toilets but they were very clean also and there were water spigots through out the area.

Month of VisitDecember
  • A birds eye view of the campgrounds and area.
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Reviewed Apr. 20, 2018

Gorgeous scenery and quiet, SUPER windy

Pros: very quiet campground, with sites that are some distance apart. Absolutely breathtaking scenery - this campground is in the valley between hills and the undeveloped land around the campsites is covered in an amazing variety of cacti. The cost is also reasonable at $12/night. The tent sites are nicely designed with a large tent pad, a picnic table, and fire ring. The visitors' center is very close up the road, and they have flush toilets and water, as well as a very small gift shop, but not really anything else.

Cons: The only way to get to the campground is driving for about a 1-2 hours on unpaved roads, which are rough in some spots. Once you get there, there are only pit toilets and no sinks or showers. There is usually potable water in the campground, but that was also unavailable during my visit because of drought conditions (however that info was easily found on the website and I was prepared for that). But by far the worst thing about this campground was the wind. It was breezy all day, which was fine, but at about 9 or 10 pm at night the winds picked up to about 30-40 mph sustained through the whole night, with gusts of ~50 mph. It definitely caught myself off guard, and by the looks of the remaining tents the next morning it caught a lot of other campers off guard also.

If the conditions are like that most of the time (possible since it's in a valley?), I wouldn't tent camp there again because it wasn't relaxing at all. But if that was a fluke or I had an RV, I would consider another stay there. There were a lot of ORVs in the area, and I think anyone who enjoys doing that would love this campground.

Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Ashlee L., April 20, 2018
Reviewed Nov. 22, 2017

Sunrise Suprise

Was driving out late and need a place to crash found this campground and came in the dark didn't know what to expect. Woke up to a excellent sunrise and a great camp. Options for RVs all the way to pop up tents has water that's clean, clean toilets, and both garbage and recycling bins

Site22
Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Tristyn B., November 22, 2017
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Tristyn B., November 22, 2017
  • Review photo of Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve by Tristyn B., November 22, 2017
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Hole in the Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is fair, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is good.