Searching for the best camping near California City, CA? California City is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Discover great camping spots near California City, reviewed by campers like you.
"This is BLM land camping in an OHV area that we used for an overnight. For this purpose it was great. A paved road leads to endless dispersed camping options in a beautifully rugged canyon."
"It can get really warm so we set up under a shaded tree which helped a lot. We had a fire pit for the evenings too, so that was nice.
Lots of trails to ride - for beginners to advanced."
"I wasn’t sure when driving out here at night in a minivan, but the dirt road didn’t give me any trouble and I still had some service with Verizon."
"Away from highway enough. Very windy. Great sunset and sunrise."
"Is quiet up the hill about a half mile from where GPS said to stop. It’s on the right just past the rocks"
"Great place to dry camp(boondock). Love camping out here. Most of all it's free."
"It’s literally a big open desert flat and you park wherever so there’s plenty of room for privacy. As far as facilities, there are 2 privies and that’s it, so you’ll be dry camping."
"I never knew this was here and grew up camping in California. Filming for the remake of Planet of the Apes happened here."
"Free BLM dispersed camping here, so bring everything you need and take everything with you when you leave.
The landscape is like no other."
"Good location. I would definitely do this again. I'm planning to stay for the full 14 days.
Tip - Evening winds come from a westerly direction."
"We love lake Isabella and just discovered this free camp spot right on the beach…"
"You can park RVs right next to the water but it gets very busy, there are more secluded spots accessible to even Class A rigs further down."
"We pulled in at night time around 10:30PM. I was scared it would be sketchy, but turned out to be a smooth dirt road. We encountered multiple other campers as well before we found a suitable turnout."
GuideQuiet place, we only saw one other set of campers. The warm sun the next morning was beautiful but there is next to no vegetation. Additionally, this campsite has nothing so take what you need and leave no trace! It worked for a night. The road in is kind of weird as it runs parallel to another road similar, we drove along one and would alternate to try and avoid bad potholes. Some are inevitable and I would imagine high clearance is needed to access.
GuideGreat hideaway with plenty of dispersed sites. I spent two days here and only seen a handful of vehicles drive through, mostly US Forest Service trucks. Pack in, pack out. No toilets, showers, or water so bring in everything you need. 14 days of free camping every 30 days. A great find to get away from it all.
TravelerVery remote absolutely nothing out there. Definitely somewhere you need to be aware of your surroundings. You can get far enough away from the highway that you don’t need to worry about people driving by. There is nothing out here. The road to it is unmarked and very unmaintained Would definitely recommend high clearance vehicle if you want to be further away then 100 feet from the highway. Lots of wash outs. Beautiful sunrise. We were the only people there.
GuideI wasn’t sure when driving out here at night in a minivan, but the dirt road didn’t give me any trouble and I still had some service with Verizon. It’s a great little secluded spot about 4 miles off the highway in the desert. I missed the sunset but caught a beautiful sunrise.
TravelerThis is BLM land camping in an OHV area that we used for an overnight. For this purpose it was great. A paved road leads to endless dispersed camping options in a beautifully rugged canyon. There were a few OHVs but we arrived late on a weekday and OHV traffic stopped altogether in the evening. Wind was a problem and made sleeping hard. We camped in a 24’ travel trailer with a high clearance truck. While not necessary, the larger truck was nice to have on the dirt portions. There are sites that would be accessible by car as well just be more discerning. Verizon was at 1 bar the whole time.
GuideA very out of the way place to plant yourself if you are looking for space. I never knew this was here and grew up camping in California. Filming for the remake of Planet of the Apes happened here. There is so much room and a huge choice when camping here, there isn’t however, potable water or shade unless you bring your own. Amazing views and stunning sunsets. Pretty decent star gazing as well, tho there are lights from Trona it’s self and a glow of light on the horizon to the south. We spent a few days camping with family here. It’s easy to social distance when you need binoculars to see most of the fellow campers in the area. There is one pit toilet at the main parking area and some people to camp there as well. Close to Spangler Hills Off Rd area as well.
TravelerI drove past a couple of camp grounds directly at the lake and was very disappointed what I found. Yes, you can camp right at the lake but only if you appreciate the charme of a Walmart parking lot. There is basically next to no trees or any nature for that matter.
So I looked a little further and was very happy to have found this site. Beautifully located right at a river, surrounded by trees, big boulders and the stunning mountain scenerey.
However, be aware that this is not serviced at all. There is no electricity, water, dump stations or anything else than the actual spot. And BEWARE: there is quite a steep and narrow entry road into the site. I drove in with a 30 feet class A camper and I am little worried if I will get out tomorrow. Also I smacked some leaves off of a tree on my way in with my 13“ clearance.
GuideReally enjoyed staying at the Pinnacles over the weekend. Free BLM dispersed camping here, so bring everything you need and take everything with you when you leave.
The landscape is like no other. Felt like Skywalker or Spock was going to walk around a formation at any minute. Very cool vibes out there.
A bit breezy when we stayed in mid-April but nothing outrageous. Temps were warmer and we had our own shade.
Somebody commented it's the type of dust that sticks to everything and they were right.
If you have the option, air down your tires at the trailhead of the Trona dirt road. It makes the last 5 miles much more comfortable.
ScoutGreat place to dry camp(boondock). Love camping out here. Most of all it's free.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near California City, California, where you can enjoy the vast landscapes and serene environments. This area offers a variety of spots for those looking to escape into nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near California City, CA is Jawbone Canyon OHV Area — Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area with a 3.8-star rating from 8 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 20 dispersed camping locations near California City, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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