Best Dispersed Camping near Anza, CA

Recent Dispersed Reviews near Anza, California

149 Reviews of 35 Anza Campgrounds

• 

  Chad M.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 1, 2021

  Mecca Hills Wilderness

  A GREAT ESCAPE!

  I researched this spot a ton and was hesitant to go - mostly because my 1987 VW Westfalia isn’t 4WD, and everything I read said you must have an off road vehicle, but the area looked beautiful and we didn’t have lots of campground options based on COVID park closures so we went.

  I’m glad we did.

  Box Canyon Road - the main road that goes right through Mecca Hills is paved and that drive alone was worth it. Beautiful.

  The reviews were right that my car couldn’t make it to Painted Canyon or Mecca Wilderness Campground (a bit past Painted Canyon), but because it’s BLM land there’s dispersed camping anywhere off Box Canyon Road, which was amazing.

  We saw old campfire pits all over and we pulled off on a dirt road that didn’t need 4WD, found a man made rock pit and setup shop. It was around a mountain so we felt totally isolated.

  I had to be careful where to drive as there’s lots of sand but it was great. Glad we went. There were two other cars within site of us doing the same thing.

  We had a great fire that night and enjoyed the stars and solitude.

• 

  Salem L.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 22, 2020

  Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping

  Top Favorite Trip in the Desert

  We love BLM camping, but frankly living near LA free dispersed or BLM land is far between and hard to come by. Thankfully Joshua Tree has the perfect BLM spot just northeast of the park right south of the Pinto Mountain Wilderness. We usually come out here on holiday weekends because while the parks are full beyond capacity you can go days on BLM without seeing anyone. We’ve stayed two weeks before seeing one person in the “off season”. There’s a reason why us dirt bikers love this kind of area. Free camping, all the dirt trails you could ever want, full fire options, wonderful place to get space and seclusion; everything you could want as a disperser, minus access to water and shade (unless you bring it with you). And you should, the town is not close and the likelihood of encountering someone to help you out of a tough spot, or supplement missing something is near nil on the off-season. Remember people, this is the desert, if you don’t bring it with you, you won’t find it here. Inexperienced dispersed campers are not recommended. Many grossly underestimate the water/shade they will need/use and if you’ve never had to be 100% self sufficient, this is not the place to start. Cell service is spotty at best, and with the main road several miles away, and town several miles from there, not recommended unless you know you can be completely self reliant. Also in the summer temps soar easily in the 100s and drop hard after the sun goes down to the mid 50s. Even more unpredictable in the “off season”. That being said we love it here and get our desert fix in and plenty of dirt biking done. A great spot to go if you know what you’re doing, place your ego aside, if you know what you’re doing you’ll have a blast. Don’t? And you could end up in trouble quick. Can’t wait to go again in November!

• 

  Grace

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 16, 2021

  Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping

  BLM, Fine Spot

  Typical BLM land, not far at all from Joshua Tree Park. Open and spacious, was able to dig my daily fox hole butt naked in broad daylight without being spotted. Very dispersed, road wasn’t too bad either. I’ll stop by again if I can’t get a reservation in Joshua Tree Park next year. Thanks BLM!

• D

  Dustin Z.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 11, 2023

  Joshua Tree North BLM

  Solid option in a pinch

  Randomly ended up in J Tree, only to find every camp site was booked out. This patch of BLM land has the flat playa vibe with plenty of space to spread out.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 13, 2022

  Joshua Tree North BLM

  I hate it here

  We drove up to a spot in the dry lake bed area, sat there for a few minutes, and decided to leave. The place was fine, for a different kind of camper or maybe we would have liked it on a different day. But when we were there on a Saturday in mid November, there were so many people and so many ATVs, we just felt like we'd have ATVers zipping around us all night. And there was so much trash! :(

  The environment was fine, easy access for our 26ft class c, wide open, flat land, good cell reception, close to town. We just didn't like the vibe. There's zero shrubbery or any kind of division to make you feel like you have your own space. It's just a wide open dry lake bed.

  Be sure to keep an eye on the map as you're driving in to make sure you camp on BLM land. There is a lot of non BLM land surrounding this area, some but not all marked with "no trespassing" signs, and some sad encampments set up on the non BLM land. So just because you see an RV or a tent set up, doesn't mean it's BLM land.

• 

  Terry B.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 13, 2021

  Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping

  Dry Lake bed

  This is just a dry lake bed not far from Josh Tree National Park. It’s just a dry lake bed on BLM land.

• M

  Martina D.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 2, 2023

  North Joshua Tree

  Never ending desert

  The road leading there was a little bit bumpy, however the ground of the BLM lands was pretty sturdy and compact. As stated there is nothing but land, however, that is the beauty of this place!

• 

  The School for Y.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 2, 2019

  Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping

  BLM Lake Bed Boondocking

  Not sure if this is the same place the rangers in Joshua Tree told us about, but if you drive North on Sunfair off of Route 62 and take a right on Sunflower, you can drive on to BLM land and find anywhere to camp on a dry lake bed. It was pretty open and incredible in late November.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 22, 2023

  Peg Leg Dispersed

  Boondocking at Anza Borrego State Park

  Anza Borrego Desert SP allows dispersed camping in certain areas of the park, and this is one of them.  I tried to find it on the website, but found no mention of allowed camping in the park.  However, it's listed in the visitor guide you can get from the visitor center.

  The reviews on The Dyrt for the camping area directly across the street to the north of this section mentioned that there will be a campground built and fees charged in the near future, but I don’t think that’s the case for this side of the street. There was no signage or any signs of development here on this corner. Just lots of boondockers tucked in among all the shrubs, plenty of room for everyone. 

  I could see this area getting annoying with ATVers on the weekends, but there were none when we were there mid week in April. A couple of obvious sketchy long termers there, with heaps of junk and posted signage to stay away, which wasn’t a problem as there was plenty of space to stay far away from them. 

  Good cell service and beautiful sunrise. 

  Watch for nails and broken glass.:(

• 

  cal K.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 16, 2023

  Joshua Tree North BLM

  Great stop once I scouted a good fit.

  As another reviewer noted - this spot is huge so make sure you are staying on BLM land. There is a lot of trash in some areas and there was some dirt bikes but they didn’t bother me. Car camping I found the area I liked best was as follows: off 62 take Sunfair rd, right on cypress rd (dirt road which my GPS thought was Reagan Rd but is marked with a street sign Cypress) - go past ITH coyote ranch (no sign but may show up on map) Then right on cascade - an unmarked dirt rd. Then there is a large flat BLM area where rvs and vans were quite spread out, and a motorcycle with a tent was my neighbor (quite far away). No trash here when I was there. Zero facilities obviously so pack it out. Hot tip - water and restrooms 10 min away at the Indian Cove ranger station near Indian Cove Campground in JT park. I stayed here two nights car camping.

• 

  Heather L.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 18, 2022

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Great Free Camping!

  For being a dispersed camping spot I am always impressed when there’s a bathroom! Definitely loved this spot. Stars for days! Coyotes came right by the van in the night though so watch your pets if you’re camping with them! Follow the road all the way back for two great hiking trails. One has petroglyphs and the other is an old homestead. I also make it a point to visit the slot canyon on the way in our out of this area!

• 

  Dickie Simmons S.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 16, 2024

  Mill Creek Dispersed Camping

  Convenient free camping just outside of town

  Great free camping when campgrounds are booked. Easy to navigate with GPS. Many large and small sites along the road. Some spots more secluded than others.  Smaller rigs, medium clearance and lite off-road capabilities recommended. Good cellular reception in my particular location.

• 

  Gillian C.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 20, 2021

  Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping

  No frills free camping

  Free camping just outside Joshua Tree. No amenities or designated campsites. Large open area where you can camp wherever you'd like. Previous campers have built fire pits from the rocks laying around. Beautiful views, off road vehicle recommend.

• 

  Ryan L.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 12, 2025

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Free Desert Camping

  Grateful for free camping sites. Just outside of Julian which is a charming little town.

  Decent for some seclusion/isloation as the road through is winding.

  When in early January. 65-70 during the day. ~45 at night.

  The quiet was my favorite part.

• 

  Jonathan G.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 25, 2020

  Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping

  BLM. What else can you ask for?

  It's free camping so be respectful and clean up after yourself. That said, there are no facilities so pack it in and pack it out. The road going in isn't too rough, and you'll likely find makeshift fire pits. Work with what is already there instead of making making a mess. Bring your own shade too.

• 

  Eileen S.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 11, 2021

  Mill Creek Dispersed Camping

  Dispersed Camping Near Big Bear

  First come first served dispersed camping just outside Big Bear. Near bike trails. Was not crowded mid week, but spots were filling up closer to the weekend. There are a lot of flat spots to choose from.

• 

  Esther Y.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 1, 2020

  Mecca Hills Wilderness

  Dispersed camping in the desert

  Came  here to hike Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon. Before the trailhead there are lots of areas for dispersed camping. It's an unpaved road that can be challenging to drive in at times, so would recommend 4x4 high clearance vehicle. Overall a nice remote place to camp out in the desert!

• 

  Casey G.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 13, 2023

  Joshua Tree North BLM

  Prime boondocking

  Basic dry lake bed boondocking site. Not too crowded. Quiet. East in and out.

• 

  Kenny W.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 10, 2022

  Box Canyon Dispersed

  We Love Box Canyon

  Shear cliffs that are heavily eroded. Very distinct layers of floods. Nice hikes up thin canyons. Cons; very easy to get stuck Very loose sand. Great boondocking spot at the bottom of the canyon at the turn off to the painted cliffs.

• 

  Jeremy A.

  Ranger

  

  Mar. 11, 2021

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Night Sky, Boondocking at its best in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Here on the Great Southern Overland Stage Route well off the beaten path is a dispersed camping area that allows you to enjoy the solitude and explore a bit. Ochre petroglyphs, fantastic night sky views, a variety of flora and fauna, hiking, and some challenging 4x4 lines await you here. Access is not always assured, check the local park conditions as well as the weather report. Washboard, softer sandy sections, and flash flooding may make the area difficult or ill advised to travel to. There are some public restrooms at the entrance, and some cell service, but not much else in the way of infrastructure at first glance. Yet the land was inhabited for thousands of years by the Kumeyaay “Those who face the water from a cliff”, Ipai, Kamia, and Tipai people. In the surrounding rock formations you may find morteros and metates used to process piñon, chia, and acorns that served in making dietary staples like shawii, known elsewhere as wiiwish. In addition to hunting and gathering, complex agricultural projects to cultivate maize, teparies, and beans.

• T

  Tram T.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 3, 2022

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Spacious and beautiful

  This is one of my favorite free campsites! I’ve camped here twice, once on a full moon and again on a new moon. The full moon night was so bright you could see everything with no lights! It was the first time I truly experienced the brightness of moonlight and it was magical. The second time was on a moonless night and the STARS were just ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! This site is located in anza borrego, the only dark sky community in California, so you will see more stars here than anywhere else in California (unless there’s a full moon then there won’t be stars). The site is big enough that you would have plenty of privacy from other campers. Both times I went, there was hardly anyone around. There are vault toilets. No showers/tables/grills. Just a wide open space. Definitely not for glampers (unless you have an RV), but it is one of the best for stargazers!

• 

  Joe L.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 21, 2020

  Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping

  Decent but not isolated

  Depending on where you camp the roads go from semi rough to very rough. Tough if it rains. Lots of established camps at the beginning with a wide spread of space. Great for RV or none tent campers all around. I'm tent camping so drove to the outskirts and decided that the softer sand at the beginning was more suitable than the cracked surface of the once was lake. Lots of space between camps but not many high trees so isolated but in sight. That and the rougher roads plus high traffic led to the 3 rating. Free is free and no one within 100 ft so 3 is what it is for me. Not bad. Not good.

• 

  Francisco F.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 8, 2024

  Mill Creek Dispersed Camping

  Beautiful Spot For 4x4, But NOT For RVs

  My husband and I were looking for good boondocking spots yesterday and we decided to check out this spot, after finding it on The Dyrt and a few other sites. It's definitely a beautiful place, and most of the road to the site is paved, but the road up to the actual spot is gravel, with lots of potholes and washboard areas, which would make it difficult for an RV. But the biggest issue for RVs is an area of the road that is very steep and immediately turns into a hairpin turn that we didn't even want to try in our 4x4, since the road is very thin and our SUV (a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder) is kind of thick. I'm sure it's probably nothing for people who are used to using their 4x4 for more than regular driving in the snow, etc., but it was too dodgy for us. There is no way that even a Class C rig would be able to take that steep incline and immediately do that sharp turn. And since there's nowhere to turn around in that spot, you'd have to back your rig down the incline and then quite a ways down the pitted, gravel road to get out of it. 

  It's full of trees and seems fairly remote, but we had 5 cars pass us as we were backing away from the incline, so it's obviously a busy spot - you wouldn't be there alone, and this was on a Thursday.

• 

  Jacob G.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 27, 2022

  Joshua Tree North BLM

  Beautiful sand pit

  My Ford Escape got stuck twice coming to the camp spot (I had to get out and push while my wife steered the car out), but once we were here, it was great! Plenty of space, fire pits and a pretty spot for star gazing. Would come back, especially if we get 4 wheel drive.

• 

  Chris O.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 14, 2019

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Beauty in the desert

  Blair Valley is at the base of Julian... no not Ramona the other direction. I needed to take a break from reality over Fourth of July weekend and was afraid of the busy paid camping spots up the mountain in Laguna.

  I decided to roll the dice and head somewhere different since it was only myself. Coastal north county to Blair valley it was not a bad drive. Once I arrived in Blair valley it was around 9am. It was hot and from the look of the dried up creek bed it was going to be difficult to find some shade. I took some time driving around the grounds trying to find the right spot. Finally I came up to a 8-9 ft tree with plenty of branches and leaves to cover me most of the day. Will go again!

  All and all, hope for clouds during summer or take the time and drive around to find a perfect spot. Not many people out there.

  The pictographs were awesome to see and the hikes up the mountain to watch sunrise/sunset were perfect for those desert views.

  Drink plenty of water!

• 

  Karin P.

  Guide

  

  May. 7, 2023

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Beautiful and spacious

  Favorite free campsite so far. Free for 30 days, pack in pack out, there are pit toilets near the entrance, no liter removal or water. Horses and dogs allowed. Beautiful views and trails. There are quite a few bees though, other than that, loved it.

• 

  Alana H.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 25, 2018

  Strawberry Junction — Mount San Jacinto State Park

  Beautiful secluded campground

  This campsite is located at the junctionof the Deer Springs Trail and the PCT, and is breathtaking. Only 3 or 4 sites available so make reservations in advance or stop by the office in Idyllwild if you’re feeling lucky . I stayed there in October and snagged the last site. The sites are dispersed and marked with small signs. There is an outhouse towards the top of the site. You must hike in but it is absolutely worth it.