Mojave Cross Dispersed, near Mojave National Preserve, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of the desert. This area offers a unique camping experience among stunning Joshua trees and impressive rock formations, making it a perfect backdrop for a peaceful getaway.

The location is free and allows campfires, which many visitors appreciate for cozy evenings under the stars. While there are no amenities like drinking water or toilets, the simplicity of the site is part of its charm. As one camper noted, “The sunset was unreal. Super quiet and the stars are insane.” Just remember to pack in what you need and pack out your trash to keep this beautiful area pristine.

Accessing the site is straightforward, and many have found it easy to navigate with various vehicles, including smaller trailers. Reviewers have mentioned that while there are limited spots, the privacy and spaciousness of the sites make it worthwhile. One visitor shared, “Great for privacy but not great if you are a late arrival and they are full!”

For those who enjoy hiking and exploring, the surrounding desert offers countless trails and opportunities to witness the unique flora and fauna. Just be cautious of the spiny plants and wildlife, as the desert is home to some interesting critters. Whether you're looking for a quick overnight stay or a longer retreat, Mojave Cross Dispersed provides a serene escape into nature.

Mojave Cross Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

Join the fun near Cima. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Cima is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your California camping adventure.

Cima

The Best Camping Near Cima, California

*   Free primitive campground great for boondocking! First come first serve.
*   Right across from the Teutonia Peak trailhead. Perfect for going on a day hike and explore the landscape surrounded by Joshua Trees
*   Shell gas station about 11 miles up Interstate 15 if you need to pick up water and supplies
*   Dirt roads with gravel with some small rocks when approaching campground.
*   Fires are allowed and some sites have firepits. You can always make your own with the rocks in the area.
*   The land is owned by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and dedicated to the fallen soldiers of all wars
*   The best sites are the two right around the White Cross Memorial boulders. The one near the front of the cross (entrance) is great for group camping. It has two picnic tables and is right next to a large Juniper tree. The one in the rear of the White Cross is very spacious and has large rocks that protect from the wind.
*   Amazing star gazing in the dessert with very little light polution
*   Some spots may be difficult for vehicles without high clearance. Beware of scraping the underbelly your cars or trailers on rocks in the road.
*   Pretty secluded and remote camping. There were about 6 other campers near us -- mostly RVs and a few tent sites
*   No showers, toilets, running water. Practice LNT and pack in pack out.
*   Wifi is okay -- 2 out of 4 bars (AT&amp;T)

Camp under the stars in a Joshua Tree forest

We had the absolute best time here, the campground was easy to find and very secluded. We arrived there late as usual, and found a spot just as the sun was finished setting. The dirt road that leads to it is pretty rough, but we made it in our little Camry (2wheel drive) without too many scratches. We set up camp, and there was a little fire pit where we cooked some stuffing. We heard coyotes howling at night and could hear some other little critters which made our experience even more wonderful. I ended up climbing up some boulders in the morning to take some pictures of the view surrounding us, and I couldn’t see a single soul in sight. We had an absolutely fantastic time and can’t wait to go back. The Joshua trees that surrounded us were also beyond cool to look at, and offered us some relative shade in the morning from the hot heat of the desert. 

Beyond Amazing! 

Pretty remote, which factors heavily for me as a female traveling alone. I was happy to see 2 or 3 other cars there. Beautiful views of joshuas and the surrounding landscape. Burn scar in some areas. 

There are dispersed sites as far as 2 miles in, and maybe more if I had kept going. Lower clearance vehicles probably won’t make it vary far back. 

Another reviewer mentioned 2 bars with Verizon, but I had none - FYI if that is important to you!

Lots of Joshuas!

A perfect dispersed campsite. We stayed here with our 30 ft RV. The road to the camp sites was a bit bumpy but we managed to park just fine even arriving after dark. It’s not too close to the highway and the road next to the campground is pretty quiet. There were about 5 other vehicles when we arrived on Saturday night - just 1 other on Sunday night. Sunset from atop the memorial rock formation was gorgeous. There are Joshua trees as far as the eye can see, and a descent fire scar of scorched brush from the wildfire earlier in the year.

Teutonia Peak Trailhead is right next to the camping sites and was an incredible hike. We didn’t have any service at the campsite (AT&amp;T and Google Fi) but did on the trail and down the road. 
We can wait to go back!

Beautiful dispersed campground with views and hikes!

Wonderful dispersed free camping in Mojave National Preserve. Find the first road adjacent to the white cross memorial. We arrived after sunset and we reluctant to drive too far down the uneven and non-maintained dirt road, but were rewarded with an outstanding campsite for our risky persistence! 

The road has many wash out holes and soft sand, but I was able to navigate successfully (and slowly) in an AWD Honda Element. Higher clearance four-wheel drive vehicles will be able to explore additional camp sites further down the road, but there are a handful of sites near the entrance. 

Tip: Stargazing at this site was outstanding. Rock formations provide comfortable platforms for laying on  your back and watching for shooting stars. Camped here in December with overnight lows around 30 degrees. Bundle up and enjoy!!

Secluded Star Gazing 

Stayed here for a couple nights just before the new year. There were many spots with fire rings to camp at when you turn onto the dirt road and a couple at the beginning with picnic tables, but the spots where you really want to be are all the way down the path if your car can make it there. My Outback didn't have any issues navigating the path although there were some areas that were a bit bumpy with soft dirt. We decided to camp at the end of the road where there was a large rocky area. It was COLD and windy, but so beautiful. We even had some snow fall overnight and into the morning, but not enough to actually accumulate on the ground. It was a great, quiet camp with lots of space for my dog to run around. There were a few other campers here and there - close enough to know they were there if you needed any help, but far enough to where you never actually saw them unless you were on top of the rocks. This camping area around the cross is the only area untouched by the fires earlier this year, but most of the surrounding area has been burnt to a crisp. Definitely would stay here again, but maybe when it's a bit warmer.

Wonderful Gem

Great place for desert boondocking! Very quiet and amazing stars! Joshua Trees all around.  Coyotes howling at night. Watch out for cacti which are enormous! A huge fire left a large area of this part of the preserve damaged but there are still some spots where the Joshua Trees are un damaged. It’s a dirt road with some large-ish rocks to get to the dispersed spots. We made it just fine in our pick-up towing a teardrop. 2WD cars shouldn’t have a problem expect. High clearance definitely makes your life easier for sure. Most sites have a rock fire pit and not much else. We opted for a spot against some jumbo rocks for wind protection. It’s a decently trafficked area but wasn’t at all crowded or trashed. We’d 100% stay here again.

Hidden Gem

I arrived at night and was quiet with only 2 other campers. There is about 7 spots with fire rings. RV's wont be able to make it in deep. Smaller RV's can get creative around the cross mount. Overall, great spot. I will stop by again. Next time I will get in during the day. It can feel a bit like a 90's scary movie scene in the desert-- that's just me, though : ) I need a lay of the land to know I can close my eyes at night. 

Desert Quiet

Incredible spot. The coordinates from this page took me right to what I think was the best campsite, although there were several more further up the road. A couple sites have big jumbo rocks, which were great wind protection and perfect to climb up on to watch the sunset. Lots of beautiful joshua trees as well, although as others have mentioned, there is a pretty massive burn scar through the area. The site had a primitive fire ring, otherwise zero amenities. There were only a couple other people camping and I couldn't see them unless I walked a ways up the road.

Diamond in the Desert

I stayed 1 night (5/7/21) in a roof top tent on my Jeep. I didn’t see anyone else at any of the other sites that I checked out &amp; only had one vehicle drive by in the morning as I was packing up. Very quiet &amp; peaceful, though it was quite windy throughout the night. Lots of burnt Joshua trees making the scenery nothing exciting to look at. I felt safe staying here as a solo female traveler (with my dogs). I stayed at the second large rock site and had enough service to make calls &amp; text. 

Desert solitude 

I love this place so much. It’s far enough from town to have an amazing but close to a gas station if needed. 

Not a ton of traffic at night. Sadly this place was victim of the recent fire and a lot of the awesome Joshua trees are black and look dead. I still love it. 

One of my favs

Pleasantly surprised by the well maintained spots, cleanliness and very quiet. We just stopped for a night while passing through. Easy to find and get to.  My son loved all the rocks for his RC crawler.


Quiet desert spot

The best camping experience I’ve ever had. Sites are nothing more than fire rings and small clearings among the various desert flora that stretch for miles. Perfect for those who want a truly primitive experience. Rock formations litter the hundreds of miles of flat desert providing countless opportunities to hike and view magical sunsets. Nighttime offers a unique opportunity, devoid of light pollution, to view stars and celestial sites that are usually hidden. Coyotes roam free and it isn’t rare for a pack to venture very near campsites at night. Enjoy, but remain aware. Spiny plants abound, so be vigilant and dress accordingly. 

An experience that will never be forgotten

Easy to find. A pleasant spot with 360 views of burnt Joshua forest. Low clearance vehicle ok. 

Quiet and private disbursed sites

I drove in at night and originally passed the campground because I saw people there, and thought it was a solo spot. It’s a beautiful little spot and has a cool history. It is close quarters to other campers compared to most dispersed camping, but you still have more room than your typical campground.

Awesome spot

Easy to access free campground in the midst of hundreds of thousands of joshua trees. We were there on a Tuesday and as far as we could tell there werent any people around for miles. The sunset was sublime and the stars were even better. Clear skies but overnight some of the strongest gusts ive ever felt that continued into the morning.

Such a sick campground 

Such an amazing spot! The road was super easy to find and in pretty good condition. I pull a teardrop trailer and it got in and out super easy! The sunset was unreal. Super quiet and the stars are insane. Even saw a tarantula! Will definitely be coming back! 

Gorgeous!

Superb dispersed camping. This area can either be reached by turning down a dirt track at the Mojave Cross or by going down Kessler Peak road. There are a handful of previously established sites on Kessler Peak road plus a few small pull offs that doesn’t appear to be actual established sites. There are also a few sites on the road from the Mojave Cross. This dirt road connects to the Kessler Peak road after not to far but there are 3-4 great spots on the way. Two port-a-potties near the Mojave Cross as well. Sites are big and have lots of space, only down side is that there are only a few of them. Great for privacy but not great if you are a late arrival and they are full! 
Pack in, pack out. Stay on designated roads and please don’t create new sites! Such a fragile atmosphere. Lots of previously burned Joshua trees in the area but lots of live ones too! Gorgeous sunset over Teutonia Peak!!

Awesome spot amongst the Joshua trees

Easy to find. Lots of spots, camped by beautiful rocks and Joshua Trees. My Impreza did fine on the dirt roads. 


Easy Find 

Nice for a night or two. Okay AT&amp;T service, bad T-Mobile service but should be enough for you to keep in touch. Not many spots to be able to turn around with a trailer or larger rig.

Nice but limited spots for trailers/rv’s

Great isolated spot, probably great for stargazing when the moon isn’t in your face. 

Quiet

This area is one of my Go-To spots when visiting the Mojave National Preserve. We stayed at a couple sites over the course of a few days. Our sites were clean, the location was quiet, we felt safe, and the cell reception was spotty. 

Photos of Mojave Cross Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

Real photos from real campers