Joshua Tree South - BLM Dispersed, near Chiriaco Summit, California, is a fantastic location for those looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of the desert without breaking the bank. This area offers free camping with plenty of space to spread out, making it easy to find a secluded spot away from the hustle and bustle.

Visitors rave about the stunning sunsets and starry nights, with many noting the fire rings scattered throughout the sites for cozy evenings. The lack of facilities means you’ll need to come prepared, but the trade-off is a peaceful environment where you can truly connect with nature. As one camper put it, “The sunset was a 10/10,” highlighting the breathtaking views you can expect.

Located just a short drive from the entrance to [Joshua Tree National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/california/near/joshua-tree-national-park), this area is perfect for those wanting to explore the park’s unique landscapes and hiking trails. Reviewers have mentioned good cell service, making it a convenient spot for both relaxation and staying connected. Whether you're camping in an RV or pitching a tent, Joshua Tree South offers a laid-back atmosphere that’s hard to beat.

Joshua Tree South - BLM Dispersed

Mecca is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Mecca, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Mecca. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

Mecca

The Best Camping Near Mecca, California

Honestly, who needs bathrooms and paved roads... You are camping for goodness sake! The BLM land north of I-10 and just south of the Joshua Tree's southern entrance is the perfect place to camp if you A. Want to pay $0.00 and B. Want privacy! We decided to camp here over Memorial Day weekend 2016 because all the campsites inside the park were SOO crowded. We were the only ones out on the BLM and it was quiet and we had great views (even the highway looked cool at night with the cars whizzing by and it's far enough away that it's not like it really even matters). I highly recommend this if you love to camp but you are like me and don't want other people's camp fire smoke in your face or hearing their screaming children throw a temper tantrum! This was my first time camping BLM but it will not be my last! 

BLM Rocks!

Joshua Tree National Park is an amazing place whether you go there during summer or winter but make sure you're prepared... on this trip it was summer which means being prepared for the heat...bringing plenty of water specially when you go hiking

Joshua tree 

Once you go BLM, you never go back(?) Ok that's not how the saying goes but it's true! Seems like every time my friends and I want to go to J-tree for climbing, the campgrounds are allll full. It's such a pain to drive around looking for an empty site, especially if you want to meet friends and there's NO CELL SERVICE in the park. One time a ranger handed us a paper with instructions to get to this place called "BLM land"..the first time we went we were quite unsure, but it ended up being the best thing ever!!  Plenty of space for a large group to get loud, get drunk, have fun without worrying about having families with children nearby. 

Cons:
- have to drive outside of the park. 
- not the prettiest place, especially compared to waking up amongst the rocks inside the actual park
- just land. no bathrooms, water, etc.
- technically no fires allowed, but we have always found a fire pit made of rocks from previous guests, and used that. 

Perfect for climbing trips

We stayed here 2 nights instead of staying inside the park.

While it is free... it is exposed, windy and not that pretty. We ended up sleeping in our car both nights because it was too windy to set up our tent.

No ammenities.

FREEEE

We stayed here a couple nights and also stayed inside the park a couple nights. BLM land and national forrest are my favorite. This place was pretty exposed and rather windy but still alright.

There are no facilities, no amenities, and while i like that it may not be for everyone. Whether you stay here or in the park you going to love Joshua tree. It has some of the more amazing climbing, mountain biking, and hiking in the world. My girlfriend and i had no expectations going in and thats what made it so special.

Cheers

Exceptional sunset. but windy

We went here several years ago on a holiday weekend. Not thinking ahead I completely forgot about the holiday and was just happy to have a few days off to camp. When we reached the state park they warned us that the campgrounds had been filled up, they directed us instead to BLM right outside the park. Was this the best decision ever! 5 whole days there and only ever saw one soul having a blast on his dirt bike. Great seclusion if you love space, my dog loved the freedom of not being surrounded by other camps and dogs and we got a wonderful opportunity to get away. Would definitely do it again.

Great seclusion

Nice quiet large spaces with fire rings will fit 40ft+ Rvs right outside the entrance to Joshua Tree national park

Free dry camping 

The dry heat is tolerable as long as you pack enough water, I had 1.5 gallons packed per trail, the views are awesome and there’s an oasis in the middle of desert which is pretty awesome.

Hot but worth it

I stayed here the first week of April 2019\. Plenty of space to feel secluded. The highway noise is rarely noticeable. The site we found was more level than some campgrounds we’ve been in. It’s 100% boondocking, but it’s also 100% free. About 23 miles from Indio/Coachella.

It’s the dessert

We rented two sites right next to each other and had a total of 11 people. We had one tent of 3 people and the rest were in 1-2 people tents. We were able to fit them all in comfortably around the boulders and have plenty of room for games, hanging out, cooking etc. would highly recommend visiting!

Each site has unique layout 

The location of this campground, right by the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park is really convenient. You can see the highway from where you camp, but it’s not too loud to keep you up at night or anything. The camping area goes both east and west from the Joshua Tree entrance road. We camped on the eastern side, accessing via the southern road About .2mi down that road a mini van pulling a pop up trailer was stuck in a sandy patch. We then drove the northern road on the eastern side and it is much firmer and less sandy.

Plenty of space for all sized camping rigs. It was busy in March since the southern end of the park is in full bloom. The space is fairly open with a lot of low vegetation and a few trees. It wasn’t windy when we camped but I’m sure it gets very windy there.

Can get crowded on holidays

This spot is owned by the BLM. That means it’s free for up to 14 days and there aren’t any hook up. There were a few other campers around but I never heard them. The silence is serene and the sunsets are breathtaking. And since it’s just outside of the park entrance, there’s still cell service. 

Boondocking BLM

What makes BLM Joshua Tree South a perfect dispersed camping option?

1. Let’s start with it’s Free. 
2. It’s literally just outside the gate for Joshua Tree National Park. 
3. It was quiet, spacious and I never encountered anyone else. I could see other campers but they were far enough away it didn’t matter.  
4. Tons of campsites any 2WD vehicle can drive to.  
*BONUS* (Why it got the 5th star). It was open!   That’s right in a time when every other BLM camping option was closed, JT north and south were open for camping! 



Perfect Dispersed Camping Spot

This area is managed by BLM, which means it's free to use for up to 14 days at a time. 

There are no hookups or facilities, and it's pack it in, pack it out.  There is a Chevron station just a short drive away (via either the freeway or dirt trails) that has bathrooms and all the basics in case you forgot something at home. There are tons of spots that are already at least partially cleared with fire rings left behind by previous campers (pro tip: if you see a tree with any semblance of shade, there's a fire ring near it).  

I had planned on camping there even before the official park resumed operations after Covid.  There's plenty of room to spread out and keep some privacy.  That being said, the campgrounds in the park had filled up, and many people came here and used it as an overflow campground.  Perhaps these people weren't familiar with open camping like this, because for some reason 4 groups decided to camp within ear &amp; eyeshot of my spot.  Come on people, you have a whole desert to choose from - spread out a little and enjoy the solitude.

Free camping just outside Joshua Tree

A little tricky for my 2wd in some spots. Plenty of room to roam and space out if youd like. Nice little fire pits and flat surfaces near trees. Beautiful weather. Sunsets and sunrises are breathtaking. Little bit of road noise in the distance. Sweet hikes at JT.

Plenty of space

Free dispersed camping just North of Interstate 10. Take the paved road North about a mile and you can turn left or right on the "main road" just before the park entrance (right before the berm) . A few people were camping South of the Interstate. Dirt road has some washboards but it firmly packed and can be driven by any type of vehicle. If you take one of the smaller side roads, you may have more trouble and there are less camp sites cleared on those roads, but are more private.  

  

Lot's of people cluster up near the paved road but the further you go away from the paved from the more space and privacy you have. I went about 3 miles to the West from the paved road and had about a quarter mile in each direction between me and my neighbors.  

  

No noise except maybe once and hour a car drives by but it's not disturbing. Camp fire rings made of rocks in almost all clearings. Very private and a huge bonus to have cell and internet at almost full signal in such a remote place.  

  

It is BLM dispersed camping so it's free, first come first served, and has zero amenities. Be sure to fully stock up on water, gas, propane etc before arriving in the area.  

  

Gas station next exit down the highway about 4 miles. Has a free water spout for customers but it's kind of slow so don't plan on filling a 90 gallon tank this way. No firewood sold there, you have to go 30 minutes into Indio.  

  

Verizon Cell/Network Service: 5/5 - Full bars in the BLM land  

AT&amp;T Internet Service - 4/5 - Half bars, great for how remote it is  

Rig Details: 2008 Toyota Tundra 4WD w/ 27ft Travel Trailer

Great Free BLM Camping 

This campground (and I use the term loosely) is everything that I love about BLM land - dispersed, quiet, and FREE! No amenities and not a ton of privacy for outdoor bathroom usage, but not crowded enough for it to matter. Tons of spaces along several different dirt roads. Rock fire pits at most every campsite, the majority of which are flat and not too sandy. 

When coming from I10, head towards Joshua Tree NP and just before the NP sign (can’t be more than a couple hundred feet), you’ll see dirt roads going both left and right - we went right and had no issue on the road with our Subaru Crosstrek and small tow-behind popup camper, although it could’ve been more difficult for 2WD vehicles. 

Be aware that although this camping is super close to the park, the majority of park attractions and hikes are in the north end, so be prepared to drive through. However, it is super close (about 10 mins) to the Cottonwood Visitor Center, which has 24/7 bathrooms (I think?), and the Lost Palms Oasis Trail. Nearest gas station is in Chiriaco Summit, about 13 minutes away, and nearest city is Indio, which is about 35 minutes. 

Perfect Free BLM camping

This FREE (not sure why it shows up as $25 on this app) dispersed camp area is perfect for convenience to JTNP, although at the south entrance. Easy to find spots, even in the dark. I stayed here the night of January 3rd. Flat and sandy areas with lots of rock fire rings (check fire status though! It was a no burn time when I was there). 

See other reviews for good descriptions of directions from I-10. Very simple. 

To get to the north part of JTNP it takes about 1 hour through the park (BEAUTIFUL drive), to Black Rock Canyon for trail heads about 1.5 hours. You can drive through the park before park hours if needed. The cottonwood springs visitors center opens at 8:30, but you can get a pass in another place. 

One downside, you can hear (faintly) and see I-10 but no big deal!

Would stay here again!

Perfect spot for JTNP

This is one of the only options along the I10 southern entrance to Joshua Tree NP. Not sure why this app list it as $25. This is a place to park off the road near the south entrance. I would be cautious leaving valuables unattended if breaking away from camp to explore, can be lots of riff raff, our stay was nice and is a great free overnight option. 

Free BLM camping at the south entrance along I10. 

We had a lovely stay for two nights, the wind was quite strong so make sure you have good pegs and sandbags. Plenty of spots to choose from without driving too far from the road. It wasn't too busy on the MLK long weekend with enough space and privacy between campers. Wide open spaces with some fire places made from rocks. A few spots had some shade trees but not many.

  

We had a few different campers within 50 yards and saw 3 of them get bogged in 3 different spots - two were proper 4WD's and one took two tow trucks to get it out so beware and scope out your drive off the main trail first.

Good free spot near Joshua Tree - don't get bogged!

Since there are already 21 reviews of this area I will try to keep this review short because everything has already been said. 

  

This BLM land is managed by the Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office and is not in JTNP itself. 

  

There are many, many spots here, so you are almost sure to find a spot to camp even if it’s crowded like it was for us when we stayed here in early Feb.

  

 Very windy here! 

  

You can see I-10 traffic but the noise wasn’t too bad. 

  

This isn’t a camp area I would come to for a long period of time, but it’s a great place if you just need a place to stay for a night or two. 

  

Great cell signal here, but keep in mind that within Joshua Tree NP there is poor, almost non-existent cell signal.

  

\* Note - check on Joshua Tree campgrounds as they may have changed their reservation policy. Ryan Campground used to be first come first served but as of Sept 2020 it is reservation only. At time of this review only the 3 smallest JTNP campgrounds are first come first served, all others require reservations and are almost always fully booked over the weekend.

Good dispersed camping near JTNP

No amenities, low highway drone, power lines above your head, trashed. 

But the perfect spot if you just want to spend a lot of time in j tree and not break the bank! So close to the south entrance, tons of spots. 

Saw a beautiful sunset here too.

Great pitstop if you want to go to Joshua tree

One of the best solo camping trips I’ve had in a long time. Drive there is alil bumping but no big deal if you take it slow. Not too many people around. A few RVs but you have plenty of space. Motorbikes come out here and there and you’ll hear shot guns off in the distance. Guess some folks have target practice off in the distance. No water or restrooms so you’ll have to be primitive while there. All and all I had a great time. Only saw one snake up the mountain and heard a few baby coyotes one nite. Also check for wind speed when you go. Definitely want to have a bandana to cover for sand blowing. Great free location not too far from JT National Park. Drive in location I used was Cascade Rd Joshua Tree, CA  92252. Once you pass solar panels the pavement road ends and your there, anywhere you want to set camp. Have fun. 


Open space, quiet place, pretty nite stars

This is a great area if you want BLM land super close to Joshua Tree National Park. It is literally right next to the south entrance of the back door of the park. Great night sky viewing as well. Super close to the 10 freeway thought. 

Great BLM close to Joshua Tree

Nice area, open enough you don't need to worry vout interacting with or bothering your neighbors if you don't want to. Just be careful of the sandy areas, got dug in with my sprinter and needed someone to pull me out.

Great spot

This is a great free site right at the edge of Joshua Tree National park. Spots are far apart and you don’t have to worry about other people. Area is flat and easy to set up and park on. Gas station and small restaurant are only one exit away in the 10. Not very noisy even with close proximity to the 10.

Great and open

I was surprised how many good camping spots were available here, even coming in late on a Friday. 

Really easy access to the south entrance of Joshua Tree NP. 

A great option 

Just off I -10 and outside the national forest, sits this gem. On either side of Cottonwood drive are numerous camping sites, most with man made fire pits. It’s a great location that fills quickly as Phoenix and S Cal people come out for weekend free camping. We found a great site and had 2 neighbors that were far enough away to feel like we were on our own. It was quiet and dark, great for star gazing. It got crazy windy in the middle of the night, but no big deal. Would definitely go back again!

Well dispersed and fun boondocking area

This campsite is on a dry lake bed and is pretty exposed to the elements. It was semi in town but far enough away to be a 15 minute drive. We’ve been there twice and felt pretty exposed and the second nice was more packed than the first night. 

Good campsite

This BLM area is easy to access. It’s your typical desert with dry, open and spacious areas. Fortunately we arrived late night and was still able to find a spot but got one under an electrical line that was buzzing all night. If you’re not looking for anything fancy the site has a fire pit but no other amenities. It’s also pretty loud. We were able to see and hear the highway and other campers partying. But like the title, it’ll do. 

It’ll do

Loved this place! Beautiful views. The highway is visible from a distance but not very loud. Mountains visible from every direction! My 2wd car had no problem getting in and out. No toilets but I did have cell service. Calm, quiet, peaceful, and very close to park entrance. And best of all it's free!

Beautiful and close to park!

We arrived at night, and the road they say to turn down doesn’t actually exist. There are just a ton of dirt pull off roads to pick from, we were fine with them in our van, except on one steep hill. We got stuck in deep sand on that hill, but with a little work we got it out. The spots are right outside of the southern entrance to the park! Probably best to arrive during the day time to set up!

Easy to miss but great spot

Great land. Warm, but beautiful scenery. 

Great scenery 

I would recommend this place to anyone really nice place and lots of space just a lot of trash please take your trash with you!!

Nice place 

Pros: free, existing fire rings.
Cons: too close to the freeway (feels like people were pulling in here to do shady stuff), sky is polluted with light from Indio/Palm Springs. 

Sketchy

It was clean, there are fire rings, you are spaced out from neighbors, but I don’t know something just felt off in my gut. 

Not a huge fan

This was a good place to stay when Joshua Tree campgrounds were full. Plenty room to space between other campers. At least 30+ other RVs when we stayed. Everyone was quiet by 8pm. Easy access outside park.

One night

Loved it. Lots of good spots. Got a little
Windy in day two… 
Highly recommend 

BLM! Dry Camp

We used this area for a single night getting back to AZ.  Worked fine for that.  Would also work to access Joshua Tree but would rather stay in the NP.  It is quite a distance to get to good hikes in Joshua Tree.  

Good for a night

Great place to stay free while exploring Joshua Tree. Southwest facing so you can spend a little more time in the park during winter months since it is a decent haul back down to the Cottonwoods.

Nothing special, but good lot.

This site had the Best sunset view! Enough privacy in general but not a lot of privacy when it comes to peeing. So I’d bring a pop up privacy tent or something like that! Haha. Our site had a fire ring and was large enough to set up a couple tents! 

Beautiful! 

Pulled in at dust to find dirt roads out into the desert shrubs. Road at times rough, but manageable. Had a beautiful sunset, evening star gazing, and sunrise undisturbed. Awakened with about 2 dozen other campers spread out over the mile I could see. Just couldn't pass up the price.

Convenient

Just outside Joshua Tree NP, and just a mile or so from I-10. I-10 is close enough so you can see the traffic, but far enough that you can hardly hear it.
Lots of space. Lots of established camp sites with fire rings. The west side has more sites, closer together, better roads. The sites on the east side are more spread out, but some of the roads have softer sand in areas. 
The land is mostly flat, but not level.  It slopes about 3° towards I-10. 

Great dispersed camping.

Absolutely love staying just outside the park. Easy access to some beautiful trails and you can easily fill up with water, dump out, and use the garbage from your vehicle. We met some other really friendly travelers and had a couple nights of campfires together. Sunsets and sunrises were incredible and even though you’re just off the highway you don’t hear any noise. Only 40 min away from Indio to pickup groceries - I recommend WinCo. 

One of my FAVES

This site has plenty of parking but come early and be careful because it’s easy to get stuck out here. It’s pretty quiet but does have a lot of traffic and is a popular place to camp! We loved it.

Beautiful place close to I-10

We use this on our way to Quartzite. Easy off and on. Traffic noise is fairly bad.
Quite a lot of space.
Box Canyon across the highway is better 

Great boondocking 

Unlike the Joshua Tree north BLM, this BLM area is calm and relaxing. Maybe it's because rather than a wide open lake bed it's individual huge pulloffs where you can sort of feel like you have your own space.  There were so many people here when we were here in mid November, including a bunch of atv people, and yet everyone was respectful and quiet (everyone around us anyway).

Be aware of the patchwork of BLM land here, and watch for signs marking borders prohibiting camping. 

We stayed here almost two weeks, and most days were pretty windy. Guess that's the norm here. 

Good cell reception. 

Finding a flat spot is pretty impossible, as the whole area is on a slope from the park down to hwy 10. 

Great place, tons of spots. Keep going and people will thin out. 


I love it here

I was surprised how fabulous this place is because it’s not even 5 mins from the I-10 and 2 mins from the Joshua Tree South Park Gate. I extended my stay here as a Nomader coz it was safe and comfortable. 

Pros:
Clean, quiet, fire pits, sites are spread out. Unreal sunrise and sunsets. Dog can roam free safely. No through traffic or passerby’s. 

Cons: (these aren’t my cons, but it may be for some people so I thought I’d point them out)
Slight noise of the I-10. Honestly tho, I slept without earplugs and couldn’t even hear traffic. There’s a slight traffic white noise during the day, but I’d rather hear that than some busy BLM peoplely spaces or dirt bikes etc.. 
It’s also under and close to hydro towers. But I chose a spot a few hundred feet away and it doesn’t bother me. 

Clean. Quiet. Nice scenery! 

Pros: 
Super convenient for going to the park. Roads to get out here were very passable. Washboard in places but doable with any vehicle. There’s tons of space. We were here in early December and there were ample sites. It’s also FREE! That’s always a Pro right?
Cons:
There’s a bit of road noise as you’re pretty close to Interstate 10. And well….you’re pretty close to Interstate 10 so it’s not the most visually appealing place to camp. There’s also big power lines that go thru the area. They aren’t terribly bothersome either but again, not the most picturesque 

Dispersed camping near Joshua Tree south

This site was ideal for my needs.  The southern end of the park seems a lot quieter- away from some of the more tourist-visited spots.  The location is just prior to the the Joshua Tree Park Entrance sign - you get off 10 at cottonwood springs rd.  I got there in the dark so it took me a minute to find it.  There are sand road loops to the left and right of main road.  Bumpy but fine in my station wagon with low clearance and no awd.  Scout sites - some have soft sand or rocks.  Heavy rains started as we were leaving after two days and I can imagine that would make navigating parts of this camp into a 4wd affair.  The first site I pulled into was really covered with dog poop so kept going and found a cleaner site.  There is a ton of space so easy to find your own area that feels close enough to feel not completely isolated but private.  No shrubbery.  It’s not as picturesque as some areas but for my needs - free, plenty of soft sand road to walk the dog and close to the park - it was great.  Another dog note - no dogs on trails in Joshua Tree but they are fine on all dirt roads!  

Free camping, easy dog friendly walks.

Can get pretty windy at times but other than that, can’t complain. Plenty of spots around for everyone. RV’s, travel trailers and some tent campers here while I stayed. Great AT&amp;T. T-Mobile was just good enough to get me by for work. Close to Joshua Tree NP entrance, and a gas station and diner not too far away if you don’t want to drive into Coachella/Indio. 

Great for boondocking

Stayed here end of February / March. TONS of open spots. Was able to camp as much distance from anyone else as you’d like. Had one day of rain and wind but the rest were perfect! Also only about 30-35 minute drive from civilization. Great stay I would definitely recommend.

Beautiful Sunsets & Starry Nights

Lots of spaces and possible to find one that is secluded if you go far enough off of the main road. Some freeway noise but good views and great sunsets.  Near access to wildflowers in the spring. One of my favorite spots in this area

Great BLM Spot

I arrived at 5pm and already almost all spots were taken. I campt on the second site from the road leading to and from the National Park and there was a lot of traffic on it in the evening and well into the night. 

No facilities but good cell service.

No shade at daytime, it got hot quickly and at 7am almost everyone was gone already.

busy campground

Stayed 1 night in this easy to access free area near entrance to the National Park. No fee required to camp here. Was not busy at all end of March. Fire Rings randomly throughout. Verizon 5G works great here. 

Joshua Tree Free

Really convenient if you’re in Joshua Tree. The sunset was a 10/10. Very quiet, but we went in July so it was miserably hot. There are fire circles scattered throughout each site. Cell service for xfinity was great. Very nice quiet night 

Great night! 

absolutely incredible views, in my opinion better than the park itself! easy road and so many open spots + so many cool people

my all time favorite blm

We love this BLM dispersed boondock area. It’s one of our go-tos. There’s always room, even though there are always lots of other campers here. Once you leave the main road and drive on the dirt road for a bit in either direction, people start to thin out and you have your own huge patch of camping. 

  

The road is washboard in parts, but manageable. Heads up that the BLM land is a checkerboard type situation, but nobody seemed to care. People were camped anywhere, and we’ve never seen anyone from BLM come by. 

  

Cell service is great out here. Getting your spot level is tricky each time, and we usually have to dig a hole on one side and use levels on the other just to get our rig level. Of course we fill the holes back in when we leave.

One of our favorites

If you’re driving towards the park from the freeway, we parked on the left side of the road. There were plenty of other people and it felt like a very safe site just outside the park! The ground was pretty soft and it didn’t get too cold overnight. Easy to access and lots of space. 

Photos of Joshua Tree South - BLM Dispersed

Real photos from real campers