Are you in need of a campground near Calipatria, CA? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Calipatria and user-submitted reviews.
Look for sign that reads "Welcome to Chiriaco Summit Dry Camp Area” directing you to camping area behind the General Patton Museum.
Selective Safe Friendly Camping in Slab City, CA Open 24 hours Mojo's Slab Camp is located in Slab City, CA. We selectively welcome seasonal and short-term RVers, van dwellers and tenters into a safe, friendly, drama & drug free zone. 420 Friendly!
$25 / night
$30 - $213 / night
Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park trail maps and more! Cottonwood Group Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing. The group campground is part of the main Cottonwood Campground and has three sites that are by reservation only. It is one of three group campgrounds in the park and the only campground that lies in the southern section. To get the most out of your visit Plan Like a Park Ranger Travelers who enjoy warm, dry winters flock to Joshua Tree from October through May, when temperatures reach between 70 to 90-degrees during the day and drop to 40 to 60-degrees at night. Summer is the park's off-season due to the uncomfortably high desert heat. Cottonwood Group Campground is at an elevation of 3,000 ft. and has little shade from vegetation; however, there are picnic shelters that provide shade at each site.
Stargazing and wildflower viewing are among the most popular activities at this facility. Several hiking trails leave from the campground and several more trailheads are within a 1-2 hour drive.
The landscape around Cottonwood is that of the Colorado Desert, which encompasses the southern edge of the park and a large portion of Southern California. Rather than being surrounded by large rock formations and uniquely-shaped Joshua trees, like campgrounds in the northern section, this facility overlooks flat, open-desert shrubland. It is also further from towns or cities that would contribute light pollution. As a result, it offers wide, dark and uninterrupted views of the night sky that draw astronomers and amateur sky watchers alike. Cottonwood is at a lower elevation than other campgrounds within the park, so desert wildflowers begin to bloom earlier in the spring than in other locations. Flowering occurs anytime between the beginning of February to the end of March; timing varies depending on the amount of winter precipitation and the arrival of warm temperatures.
The General Patton Memorial Museum, a U.S. military history museum, is just over 12 miles away in the town of Chiriaco.
Reservation Cancellations & Changes Cancelling a Reservation: Customers may cancel their reservation prior to arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. Depending on when you cancel in relation to your arrival day, it may be considered a late cancellation (see below). Changing an Existing Reservation: When changes are made prior to the cut-off window: If a customer wants to switch dates that are entirely outside of the original reservation dates, there is a $10 change fee. There is no change fee if a customer extends or shortens a reservation, as long as the change includes dates from the original reservation. If they choose to depart early, they may forfeit the recreation fee for the day of departure. There is no change fee if the customer wants to switch sites that are the same price with the same reservation dates in the same facility. If a reservation is made that includes dates beyond the maximum booking window, that reservation cannot be changed until 18 days have passed from the original booking date. Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window Group Facility : Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee. No-Shows Overnight Facilities: A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out (noon) time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time (noon) on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first nights recreation fee for a campsite. *Note: the entire reservation will be cancelled for no-shows.
$55 / night
$20 / night
Scout
Far from off-grid, but very nice camping! Level, painstakingly maintained campsites in a golf course resort. Well-maintained amenities, community activities, and gorgeous natural beauty surrounding a full-service RV park. Reserve a year in advance if you want a site during the nicest months of the year (winter). Our only issue was that a neighbor kept a giant light “display” on until well past the Dark Sky hours.
Guide
Good little camping spot. Nothing too fancy but there are fire pits and great access to the National Park.
Guide
Amazing area! So many places to camp. Road in is unpaved but not too bumpy. Once you get to the canyon area it’s deeper sand, so 4WD is advised. The road says mandatory but we saw many 2WD cars there.
Traveler
Turn off Hwy 10 onto 168 (it is paved) and head north. There will be several roads you can either turn left, or right onto. They go for miles, so don't worry if there are people camped at the turn offs. We stayed 3 nights and 4 days. The roads and sites (at least where we drove and camped) are not power sand. Nope, more like small gravel. There were a lot of 5-wheels in there and we didn't sink in at all. Good spot, we would stay there again. There are fire pits. Quick drive up to Joshua Tree canyon from some exploring.
Ranger
This is a good spot if you are willing to g to drive the 5 miles on the dirt road. Very sandy. Recommend 4 wheel drive but doable without if you are careful. Lots of spots to pullout while heading into the canyon. Several people in the area the night I was there but plenty is space and solitude. Did the ladder canyon hike the next day. Decent cell service unless you go far the up the canyon then none.
Scout
Pretty interesting RV park there are people with sail kites and they have two stroke engines strapped to their back or like go karts some of them,and they’re flying with a propeller on the engine. I don’t know what they call it but it’s pretty cool to watch. A little noisy in the daytime but other than that, it’s great
Traveler
First car camp in Anza Borrego. Wasn't disappionted.
Guide
There is plenty of space for rigs of any size, and a very smooth gravel road into the camping area. Some train noise from tracks about 1/2 mile away. Great for Solar and Starlink(did not test cellular specific but had decent service on my Verizon phone). Did a video review of the area as well as the resources available. You can find that in the videos with this link https://youtu.be/XZRaOBQY7c4
Traveler
The camping spots were close to each other but no one else was there so it didn't matter. The stars and sunrise were amazing! Will definitely go again!
Guide
We were pleasantly surprised by the spacious camp spots with fire rings and picnic tables. The CG had toilets and cold showers. I would have given it 5 out of 5 but there was a train that went by near the site. We've heard about the bad smell at Salton Sea but it was odorless when we were there in January.
Traveler
It’s technically the Republic of Slowjamistan.
Lots of open space, just drive out and park. Might need an air down/up system depending on how far in you want to travel. No issues for the first 0.25-0.5 mile off the highway.
ATV rentals available. There are some picnic tables and compost hole restrooms.
Ranger
Hippie Hole is a fantastic boondocking spot with easy access to the Colorado River and plenty of nearby walking trails. The campground is right next to the Cibola Wildlife Preserve, making it perfect for anyone who loves nature and wildlife.
Getting There: If you’re using Google Maps, I recommend skipping the first suggested right turn into the campground and instead pulling in the other entrance across from Baseline Road. This route is much wider and less steep, making it a safer option—especially for larger rigs.
Planning Ahead: The closest town is Blythe, about 30 minutes north, so stock up before arriving. That said, there’s a little store just down Baseline Road with last-minute essentials. The staff there are incredibly kind; they even gave us some free, fresh lemons during our visit!
The Campground: Technically, there’s a 14-day stay limit, but it’s clear that many campers spend most of the winter here. Vault toilets are available, though they come with their fair share of spider friends. There’s supposed to be weekly trash pickup, but it’s inconsistent, so we packed out as much as we could. If you plan to stay a while, be prepared to manage your own trash.
The Vibe: The relaxed, friendly atmosphere makes this spot stand out. You’ll find a mix of travelers and snowbirds enjoying the simple life here. The easy river access and proximity to wildlife make it ideal for kayaking, fishing, and birdwatching.
Overall, Hippie Hole is a laid-back spot for those seeking a peaceful retreat surrounded by nature. Just plan ahead and pack out your trash to keep this gem clean and enjoyable for everyone!
Guide
I have been coming here for 25 years. Sadly the lake is disappearing, but it have beautiful sunsets and is isolated and peaceful ( except for the occasional train). Avoid in the summer, but winter is amazing.
Guide
i loved camping here! the campsites are pretty close together but only a few others were there when we visited so we were spaced out. the first campsite we chose had a few pretty big ant hills so we moved to another which had none. wood fires are allowed. the stars were absolutely beautiful at night! you are near the highway so you will get headlights shining towards you occasionally but it was overall still pretty dark and quiet. no amenities but you’re within a half mile of a cute family restaurant and gift shop, the general patton museum, and a gas station. when you first drive into the campground, you will pass some old tanks. keep going until you see the campground sign. i had an amazing time camping here with my dog and my friend. i hope to come back here with my family sometime!!
Legend
We love this BLM dispersed boondock area. It’s one of our go-tos. There’s always room, even though there are always lots of other campers here. Once you leave the main road and drive on the dirt road for a bit in either direction, people start to thin out and you have your own huge patch of camping.
The road is washboard in parts, but manageable. Heads up that the BLM land is a checkerboard type situation, but nobody seemed to care. People were camped anywhere, and we’ve never seen anyone from BLM come by.
Cell service is great out here. Getting your spot level is tricky each time, and we usually have to dig a hole on one side and use levels on the other just to get our rig level. Of course we fill the holes back in when we leave.
Guideabsolutely incredible views, in my opinion better than the park itself! easy road and so many open spots + so many cool people
GuideWe stayed here for 2 nights and worked from here with our starlink. Great internet - we had 2 people doing video calls.
Each site is pretty large and can fit at least 3 vans but they’re only about 100 ft off the dirt road.
Traveler
We have stayed here a few times now. The best times are during the fall and winter months as the park welcomes back its community of Snow Birds coming from Canada and the northern US. During those times the atmosphere in the evening is always festive, often with live music and an outdoor bar. The staff are pleasant and accommodating. It is also a pretty good overnight spot if you are passing through in the summer, but the temperatures in this area soar during the summer and are frequently above 110 degrees. During summer time the pool becomes too warm to be refreshing, and the restaurant and bar are closed. The rates are much lower in the summer. This is also one of the few parks that accepts Passport America all days of the week. Note that Passport America discounts cannot be used with pull-through sites. The sites are fairly spacious and generally separated by hedges so you are not looking directly at your neighbor's rig. Scenery around the park is beautiful any time of year, and for those who enjoy the RV Resort lifestyle the only reason to go out of the park during the snow bird season is for groceries.
GuideGreat location in proximity just outside of Joshua Tree National Park. There are plenty of spots for tents, pop-ups, campers, or RVs. Fire rings are already established.
Guide
Traveling down Black Mountain road for about 2miles of wash boards before turning down the camping road.
All the sites were empty as it was almost 100degrees outside and nothing for shade of a creature larger than a bird could find. But here we found quiet solitude and a cooler evening, perhaps the winds helped.
If you have furry friends keep a watch for their paws, there’s small cacti/pokeys scattered about.
Lovely sunrise and sunset 360 views.
Good Verizon service!
TravelerAbsolutely quiet and an amazing starry sky
Ideal for tents
Scout
I don't think this map pin is correct for Yaqui Wells Primitive Camp, the location according to Google Maps is a little further south just off Yaqui Pass Road off Highway 78. There are two different camps similarly named, Yaqui Wells and Yaqui Pass, fairly close to each other. Anyway, we stayed here at Yaqui Wells for one night after attempting to camp at Blair Valley but getting swarmed by bees. Only saw 2 other vehicles, and while the sites are pretty small and close to the dirt road, they are nice enough. BE AWARE THOUGH: pull your vehicle well into the sites, we had 6 lifted off road trucks come flying through around midnight at a ridiculously high speed without slowing down at all and it could have been catastrophic if we were closer to the road or if we had been walking our dog at that time.
Traveler
I stopped here for lunch. You're in the desert, so hot during the day. There are some trees for shade, especially for the campsites along Yaqui Pass Road. All sites have lattice-work shelters for shade over the picnic tables. Water is listed as non-potable at all faucets. Besides campsites, there are one-room cabins for rent. $35/night for the campsites is a lot, but that is state park practice in CA. National Forest campgrounds are cheaper.
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Scout
Pretty sandy - would recommend 4wd but i suspect you could get in without. got my jeep deep into the canyon between coachella weekends and was the only person there.
Guide
Drove in..., drove out. As another review noted, it's a big parking lot. Fine if you just need a place to pull over, nothing of value there..., maybe proximity to a hiking trail.
GuideUsing the marker on the map in the app, I was brought to a small dirt parking lot off the main road. Further exploration showed that a dirt road continued into the vegetation. I followed it, but it turned and went parallel with a road. I am nowhere near see the marker on the map. However, I am a 100 feet off the trail overlooking the town of Borrego Springs and the mountains behind it. I am here in this section by myself.
I did explore the Yaqui Pass and the Yaqui Wash spots, which are both further west over the mountain. The Pass was great and within a valley. The pass was a carpark as someone else noted. I wanted my back to the sunset (and the wind) so chose this location. Next time I hope to get to the spot the other reviews seem to be at.
Camping near Calipatria, California, offers a unique blend of desert landscapes and outdoor adventures. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy nature.
Camping near Calipatria, California, offers a mix of adventure and relaxation, making it a great destination for families and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Calipatria, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Calipatria, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 115 campgrounds and RV parks near Calipatria, CA and 41 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Calipatria, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Calipatria, CA is Joshua Tree South - BLM Dispersed with a 4.3-star rating from 58 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Calipatria, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 41 free dispersed camping spots near Calipatria, CA.
What parks are near Calipatria, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Calipatria, CA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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