Best Equestrian Camping near Amboy, CA

This campground is a little outside the main Joshua Tree area.  It used to be the only campground you could reserve ahead.  So we usually spend the first night here and then head into the main park in the morning.  It has full facilites and water on sight. It has a small visitor center/ranger station as well.

You drive through a residential area and then you are at the campground.  You are on a knoll or incline so you are looking down over the valley.  There is horse site as well but I do not know the details of that.

We are tent campers. There are  good tent sites as well RV sites.  A great place to watch the star, the sunset and the sunrise.  Trail right fromt= the campground up to a hill/mountain behind the campground.

Be prepared.  We have been snowed on here and wind whipped. Always go in February.

Sites have tables, fire rings and water. Modern bathrooms.

You are surrounded by Joshua Trees and if you catch them in the right time they are blooming.

Just 10 miles down a great, stereotypical, paved desert road off of I-15 you’ll find an unmarked turnoff as the road curves. The turnoff quickly becomes a dirt road that runs straight for miles. On the right side is the Mojave National Wilderness and on the left is the Mojave National Preserve where camping is allowed in designated areas only. These are marked pretty well and can easily accommodate groups (see “camping” below). The road is easy (see “Approach” below) and I’d feel comfortable taking a 2wd sedan to at least the first campsite which is only about 200m from the road. Fires are allowed in fire pits only which both sites I saw have.

Camping There are two designated dispersed campsites that I saw. I didn’t drive much past the second site though the road wasn’t difficult. The sites are well established and well marked. Some places look like they could be campsites but they are marked as “No Camping.” Look for the established areas with a fire pit that have the designated camping signs. They are located next to rock formations that help block the wind and give you a place to get on top of to look around. Watch out for snakes! The first one is maybe 200m down the road on the left. It has a driveway leading to a circular area so it would be good for a pull through camper or two. It’s large enough for a few campers, I’d say, or several vehicles. Pretty ideal if you had a horse trailer (there is not water source) as across the site is a good equestrian/hiking trail. I chose this one because it was actually smaller and I didn’t want to take up the larger second site. The second site is visible from the first but not close enough to interact much. The rock formation is larger, it’s more hidden from the main road, and has more space for vehicles. Better for a group - even a large one. Check the sign on the way into the preserve to make sure fires are allowed that day. Firewood can be purchased at the market in Baker.

The Approach and Ace Test The exit off of I-15 is convenient - stop in Baker immediately on the right for supplies then right across the interstate is Kellbaker Rd - the paved road that goes through the Mojave. After the mile 10 marker, the road turns right and in the middle of the turn is an unmarked paved driveway. Turn onto that driveway and it becomes a sandy dirt road that runs straight. There are some signs that say “No Motor Vehicles” and “No Camping” but these signs are talking about not leavening the road. You’re fine if you stay on the road. There are some pull offs that look like campsites but they will have rocks across the path and have signs saying no camping. Look for the designated camping signs and pull offs with a fire pit. This road does pass the Ace test for me (Ace was my 216 VW Jetta that I took on roads like this often); however, there are a couple spots toward the second campsite and beyond that I, personally, would do with Ace but if you’re less comfortable, the first campsite is maybe 200m in and any car could make that easily.

Activities The trails are well marked and one can explore the Lava Tubes which is just across the dirt road and easy access. It’s hot even in spring so bring a lot of water - more than you think you need. WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES. I had a fire and it was great to sit, relax, and stargaze. There isn’t a lot of light pollution so on a clear night, it’s awesome. Further down the paved road, there are other things like more Lava Tubes, some mines, and a trail you can drive along to check out water tanks. I like this camp area because it’s isolated and out of town but close enough to get supplies while allowing access further into the preserve. You can also go check out the World’s Largest Thermometer in Baker as well as an Alien kitsch shop and a few restaurants.

Weather I was there towards the end of April and it was in the 90’s and sunny during the day, a hot breeze coming from the west. At night, it was clear and starry and a low around 65.

Cell Service and Other Services I had 3 bars of Verizon LTE and was able to text and send videos and do some of my remote work. There are no amenities; however, Baker is just 10 miles away and has a few gas stations and a market that have pretty much everything from laundry detergent to firewood.

While technically in Joshua Tree National Park, this campground sits on the Northwest edge of J.T., requires no park entrance fee, and does not connect with the main road through the park. It's a fine campground for those who can't get a site at one of the other campgrounds, or those who don't want to make the long, slow drive into the park. If you want to actually visit Joshua Tree, I'd find a different campground further into the park.

PROS: Easy access, Lots of sites with nice views overlooking the town, Several hiking trails starting at the edge of campground, separate campground for people with horses.

CONS: No shade, lot of the sites are uneven and hard-packed ground  (You can't get spikes in deep enough at some sites, I wouldn't trust my tent being secure in high winds), Not really "in" the park, long drive to park entrance, you don't get that isolated feeling, campsites feel a bit too close to each other.

Each site has a fire pit and a concrete picnic table. Size of campsites seem to vary greatly. Facilities are clean, with flush toilets/urinals.

After being unable to get a site at our preferred campground in Joshua Tree we grabbed two spots at Black Rock Campground. While not bad, it wasn't that normal Joshua Tree feel, the lights from the nearby town wash out some of the night sky, and the camp just felt packed, even when it was at ~60% capacity.

Originally booked this site because it is a good endpoint for the California Riding & Hiking trail though the national park, so if you’re looking to run or complete the traverse, it is a good spot to campout and/or leave a car. There are also great hiking trails right next to the campground. The campground is also super close to the towns of Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree for picking up supplies, enjoying the local Luna bakery (we went 3 times in 2 days!)

Only downside was sites felt really close together (particularly site 56, although some looked better), so noise levels were a little rough.

We were able to score this site on a Saturday night during the spring break season using Dyrt Alerts!