Best Dispersed Camping near Baker, CA

Dispersed camping opportunities surround Baker, California primarily on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, with several established dispersed sites in the Mojave National Preserve. Popular free camping areas include Silurian Dry Lake Bed, North Lava Tube Camp, and Indian Springs near the lava field. These areas typically offer primitive camping with no designated sites or boundaries. Most locations are within 10-25 miles of Baker, providing relatively easy access for those seeking free camping options with desert views and minimal restrictions.

Access roads to dispersed camping areas vary considerably in quality and difficulty. Many sites like Razor Road Dispersed Camping can be reached with standard vehicles, while others such as Tank Six Camp and Indian Springs may require high-clearance or 4WD vehicles due to sandy or rutted conditions. Most areas have no amenities—no water, toilets, or trash service—requiring campers to be fully self-sufficient. According to reviews, "It's a nice private spot" at North Lava Tube Camp, though "Watch out for snakes!" Fire restrictions apply throughout the region, with fires only permitted in existing fire rings when no seasonal bans are in place. A free fire permit is required for campfires on BLM land.

The Mojave landscape offers expansive desert vistas and excellent stargazing opportunities due to minimal light pollution. One visitor described Silurian Dry Lake Bed as "absolutely amazing free dispersed camping" noting they were the only campers present in December. Many sites provide varying levels of solitude, from spots very close to Interstate 15 with some highway noise to more remote locations deeper in the preserve. Campers report "gorgeous vistas" at Tank Six Camp and "beautiful sunset at this place with black lava rocks" at Indian Springs. Cell service is surprisingly good at many locations, with visitors reporting strong Verizon signals at North Lava Tube Camp and Indian Springs, making these sites suitable for remote workers needing connectivity while enjoying primitive desert camping.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Baker, California (27)

    1. Silurian Dry Lake Bed

    6 Reviews
    Baker, CA
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 252-6000

    "Absolutely amazing free dispersed camping at Silurian dry lake bed.

    Visited in late December, and there were zero other campers out on the lake bed."

    "Great location for exit out of Death Valley and close to Interstate 15. Mojave Preserve closed so stayed in Baker, CA on BLM land. Simple gravel pad, quite, opposite School."

    2. Indian Springs near lava field — Mojave National Preserve

    6 Reviews
    Baker, CA
    15 miles

    "We got a 25ft RV in hear albiet with some pin stripping. about 5 options along the trail nestled into the lava fields that provide some shelter from the wind. Beautiful spot."

    "Quiet nobody else around, a lil tricky to find if you don't plug in coordinates."

    3. Razor Road Dispersed Camping

    5 Reviews
    Baker, CA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 833-7100

    "After all it is free camping."

    "You can continue on this dirt road to get farther from the freeway to get a quieter sleep."

    4. North Lava Tube Camp

    2 Reviews
    Baker, CA
    10 miles

    "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."

    "This is a great spot for an overnight stay about 11 miles down Kelbaker Road from Highway 15."

    5. Cowhole Mountain Basecamp

    1 Review
    Baker, CA
    2 miles

    "There's nothing striking about this dispersed area, but it's a nice place to stay for a night or two. Longer, if you want to day-trip around the Preserve."

    6. Mojave Preserve

    1 Review
    Baker, CA
    5 miles
    Website

    "Nice spot off the main road about 100 ft down the dirt road on the left. It's a turn around that's not used anymore. Mountains in every direction. Easy in and out with bumper pull trailers."

    7. Mojave Cross Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

    22 Reviews
    Cima, CA
    30 miles
    Website

    "Wonderful dispersed free camping in Mojave National Preserve. Find the first road adjacent to the white cross memorial."

    "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!"

    8. Tank Six Camp

    1 Review
    Cima, CA
    18 miles

    10. Kelso Dunes Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

    14 Reviews
    Mojave National Preserve, CA
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 252-6100

    "Gorgeous views but ended up leaving because there were no another campers anywhere around. Can’t wait to come back to Mojave with a camping buddy and high clearance vehicle."

    "Pretty rough road coming in but easy to find a place to camp. Trail to dunes are close by. The trail to the dunes is deceptively far. Bring lots of water. Even on a cool day like we went."

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Baker, CA

105 Reviews of 27 Baker Campgrounds


  • Jake
    Dec. 22, 2020

    Mojave Cross Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

    Secluded Star Gazing

    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!!

  • D
    Apr. 2, 2024

    Wild Horse Road Dispersed

    Beautiful Spot

    Great spot just before Hole in the Wal About 1/4 mile down a road marked “4x4 high clearance only.” But if you’re just hitting the campsite you can make It in a lot less. There’s a turn around there for people towing trailers. No facilities, just a fire ring, red rock peaks and quiet. Absolutely stunning.

  • Alisa B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 29, 2021

    Silurian Dry Lake Bed

    Life on Mars

    Absolutely amazing free dispersed camping at Silurian dry lake bed.

    Visited in late December, and there were zero other campers out on the lake bed. Lots of entrances to the site from the highway, just be sure to follow an already made path. The farthest you can camp is about a mile off of the road. Very level, great place for boondocking.

    This is BLM managed land, make sure to go online for a free fire permit if you plan to have a campfire.

  • Sara S.
    Feb. 16, 2021

    Mojave Cross Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

    Hidden 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.

  • Chanel C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 2, 2019

    Mojave Cross Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

    Camp under the stars in a Joshua Tree forest

    • 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&T)
  • Stephanie Z.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2021

    Kelbaker Road Dispersed Camping — Mojave National Preserve

    A place to sleep in the middle of nowhere (no 4wd required)

    We tried to stay at a few of the other Mojave Preserve sites listed on the Dyrt (17 mile and Kelso dune)  when traveling between Joshua Tree and Death Valley), but a blown tire on our campervan rental meant that we couldn’t reach any of them as they were all down long dirt roads. With the sun setting and a limping van we had to find a new dispersed location.  [Disclaimer: we wouldn't have camped here unless we had other options. Leaving this review in case someone is in a similar situation— I was scouring Dyrt Pro offline for anywhere to go as we were searching that night and everything needed 4WD or a long drive down a dirt road]

    The turn off was Aiken Mine Road and we went down it a bit to get off the main road and find a flat wider spot to safely camp.

    Along Hwy 127 between I-40 and I-15 there are a number of  pull offs where you can spend the night in a campervan or RV (I wouldn’t recommend a tent unless you can get further off the road). This space we found was very wide and far enough off the road to be quiet, but not too far that we wouldn't be in trouble with the tire. Only one car passed between sunset and sunrise. There aren't a whole lot of options between Death Valley and Joshua Tree if you're traveling in the shorter days of winter and plan to see one of the parks during the day.

    I'd only recommend this option if you just need a place to sleep during the dark hours.

    There is actually some decent cell service in the Mojave preserve (along Hwy 127) . There are also call boxes about every 2 miles further along the 127.

    Cost=$0 also means no amenities. But there were lots of Joshua Trees to be seen and a very, very beautiful night skies because there is NOTHING out here.

  • S
    Feb. 13, 2025

    Shoshone - Tecopa - Dispersed

    Quiet, Peaceful & Private

    A great quiet and peaceful place - a smooth dirt/gravel road that was easy to navigate with a little car.

    There were pull off spots, basically individual camp sites for each person. There were others camping, too, including RVs and camper vans. They were nearby but not visible. We drove back in until we came to an empty spot.

    Quiet and peaceful all night. Great flat area for setting up the tent. Low cell signal, but consistently available.

  • cal K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 17, 2023

    Kelso Dunes Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve

    Loved this site - too remote for solo camping

    Gorgeous views but ended up leaving because there were no another campers anywhere around. Can’t wait to come back to Mojave with a camping buddy and high clearance vehicle. To reach: 3 mi on bumpy dirt road to main entrance for Kelso Dunes - keep going and first site is on left - level pull through with stone fire ring. Also got a bad vibe from 2 men that slowly drove by flying a drone above their highly rugged/ militaristic-inspired vehicle. Anyway - beautiful site but in the end it was too isolated for me.

  • Doc P.
    Apr. 21, 2024

    North Lava Tube Camp

    Perfect desert camping for beginners and families.

    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.


Guide to Baker

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Baker, California, where the Mojave Desert offers stunning landscapes and a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With a variety of options, campers can find the perfect spot to unwind under the stars.

Dispersed campers should check out Indian Springs near lava field

  • This location is known for its breathtaking views and seclusion, making it ideal for those seeking peace and quiet in nature.
  • Campers have reported beautiful sunsets over the black lava rocks, creating a picturesque backdrop for evening gatherings.
  • The area is accessible for both drive-in and walk-in camping, allowing for flexibility in how you choose to set up your stay.

Tips for free and dispersed camping near Baker, California

  • When visiting Silurian Dry Lake Bed, be prepared for a more open environment, as it’s close to the highway and may have some noise from passing vehicles.
  • Always check for nearby amenities; for instance, Razor Road Dispersed Camping is conveniently located near a gas station, making it easy to stock up on supplies.
  • Respect the land by following Leave No Trace principles, especially in areas like North Lava Tube Camp, where litter can detract from the natural beauty.

Activities to try while free camping near Baker

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Baker, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Baker, CA is Silurian Dry Lake Bed with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Baker, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 27 dispersed camping locations near Baker, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.