Looking for the best campgrounds near Amboy, CA? Amboy is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near Amboy, CA. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
$25 - $80 / night
"I'd like to welcome your host Stephanie to our platform. This is vacant property for short term camping. Try them out and leave them some love."
"Loved staying in twentynine palms to explore Joshua tree and the surrounding areas. Pioneer town was so fun. Headed in to Palm springs. Wow!"
$33 - $39 / night
"I love that this property is so close to the Copper Mesa Mountains. With all the sites being spread out, you'll have plenty of privacy. Pack it in, pack it out!"
$70 / night
"Overlooking the dry lake bed with a neighbor half a mile away sounds like the perfect retreat for those seeking peace and privacy."
$20 / night
"This designated dispersed camping area is at 17 Mile Point, the approximate halfway point on the Mojave Rd between Soda Springs and Marl Springs."
"Showed up past midnight and it was still really easy to find a flat spot to park our camper van. It was very quiet all night & the sky was amazing!"
"I camped down the road from the designated camping grounds. The road is sandy, rocky, and hilly with rivets and ruts. I made it in an AWD Subaru, but be careful."
RangerWe stayed at campsite 50 in October with two young kids (2 and 4). Tent camping.
Pros: the views, the beautiful rocks, clean sites, friendly ranger, rocks that could give you some relief from sun if you’re lucky enough. Great area for bouldering from entry level up. Site 50 had low rocks that were doable for my 2 and 4 yo. The rest were way too advanced.
Cons: no park entrance from here. You have to drive 20/30 minutes out to the main road and back in to get to the main area of the park. The campsite next to us had some nasty anthills. Some of the campsites are set up a bit odd depending on your equipment, could or could not be a big deal. For example we were sharing a parking space with campsite 51 and their site was walking in behind ours. So if they had had an RV I think it would have been impossible. Site 50 was right across from the vault toilet which was great for proximity (and toilet was clean as far as these go) but every once in a while we’d get a whiff of out house which is not pleasant. Wasn’t too frequent so not a big deal but if you want to avoid stay further away from toilets.
Get water at the entrance gate to the cove. That’s the only water hook up near by. Picnic tables and fire ring in each site. Vault toilets. No showers. No Joshua trees here but tons of Mojave yuccas and other desert plants. Beautiful views and sleeping under dessert sky and stars.
RangerWe love the jumbo rocks at Joshua Tree and Indian cove campground is settled within a group of the giant rock formations. Our campsite was a bit small, but fine for the two of us and our tent. We had a picnic table, grill and fire pit. Vault toilets were spaced nicely along the campground road. No water in the actual campground, but is at the ranger station. No showers or running water, cell coverage was spotty.
RangerWe camped at site 2 on 6/12 this year and had a great time. We had 18 people and found that there were a ton of different nooks to setup your tent. We even found on one up a little higher in the rocks that would have been cool.
We placed our tent just inside the rock area from the picnic tables and we are really glad we did. The wind on our first night was a lot and this one site was a bit better for wind protection.
There was a tree/bush at the corner of our group site that ended up being great for shade and a hang out place during the day. In the afternoon we spent more time near the tables and grill. The site comes with a large charcoal grill that we used to cook burgers on one of our nights.
At night we ventured off a bit near the camp site and took some night sky pictures. We also we able to see a bunch of owls up in the top of the rocks on one of the nights. During the full moon it was really easy to walk around with out lights.
There is no water and no showers, but the pit toilets that were there were clean and well maintained. They even had some nice candles to light in them. The dumpster was right next to our group site and was also well maintained.
Our only problem during our stay was that on our last night a bunch of people came in after midnight to the site next to ours (#1) and they played music and were loud until 4 AM... We barely saw rangers there and there is no cell signal so it can be challenging to get help for these types of things (assuming you don't feel comfortable confronting a group of drunk people in the middle of the night).
LegendWe stayed at Jumbo Rocks for 4 nights in a tent in late February 2021. Weather was awesome - highs in the 70s in the day and lows in the 30s/40s at night. This was our second time staying here; first time was in a travel trailer in Oct 2018 (see Dyrt Review). We still love the campground, though again it was the inconsiderate nature of our neighbors that bring it from 5 stars down to 4. Here's a review of the pros and cons.
Pros:
Neutral:
Cons:
Site 31 Description: Part of a cluster, meaning you park with others and the sites fan out from the parking area. 31 is a 100 foot walk from parking; we walked past other sites but no one had to walk past ours. It is up on a small rise - had a beautiful view but was more exposed to the wind and sun. Mostly flat and will fit several tents. Closest neighbor was 30 feet away and separated by scrub. Vault toilet and dumpsters adjacent to parking area. Not next to any big rocks, but they are only a short walk away. A coyote walked by us in the night and squirrels frequently raided our camp (keep your food and trash secure).
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We stopped overnight at Amboy Crater during our vanlife road trip in our Hi 5 Campervan, and it was one of the most surreal camping spots we’ve experienced. It’s boondocking-style, so don't expect any hookups— but the peace, stars, and Mars-like vibes make it worth it.✅ What we loved: Easy access right off Route 66. Ample parking space for our Hi 5 campervan(ours is about 11 ft tall— no issues at all). Uninterrupted views of the crater and desert. Free and quiet overnight stay(just be respectful and leave no trace). Perfect for catching a sunrise or drone shot!⚠️ Good to know: No water or amenities— bring your own supplies. Cell service is very weak, so download offline maps in advance. Gets windy at night, so secure your gear. Trail to the crater rim is doable but not shaded— hike early morning or sunset.🎥 This spot was a dream for content creation. We got epic drone boomerang shots of our van parked solo in the desert. You won't find a vibe like this in Canada!
LegendWe 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.
TravelerI spent two nights at Indian Cove with a friend in March 2016. The campground proved to be a quiet place to camp, especially on the end closest to the day-use area. Sites were of varying size and ours turned out to be directly adjacent to the next site over; we set up as far off the "dividing line" as we could while staying a safe distance from the fire ring but it turned out to be a tight squeeze. Pit toilets were fine and there's a water fountain at the ranger station that you can use to fill water bottles at all hours. No camp store on the park premises but there are several options within a 20-30 minute drive of the campground. Overall it was a pleasant place to camp that afforded wonderful views at sunrise.
TravelerHaving camped here twice this year, it's a favorite of mine. Temps are decent, even in January (mid-30s for lows) and perfect in April. Tree cover is still a bit sparse and hiking options are limited, but it's a great place to set up camp and do absolutely nothing. Normally, water is available, but they are revamping the water system and the result is that there is no water available at the campground until Spring 2019, so be sure you bring plenty with you.
TravelerWe 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.
Tent camping near Amboy, California, offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning desert landscape while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. With several well-reviewed spots nearby, campers can find the perfect setting for their next adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Amboy, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Amboy, CA is Granite Pass in Mojave National Park with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
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TheDyrt.com has all 14 tent camping locations near Amboy, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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