RV accommodations near Cantil, California sit at approximately 2,000 feet elevation in the western Mojave Desert region. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F, while winter nights can drop below freezing. Most camping options cluster along Highway 14 and Highway 395 corridors, providing access points to both desert landscapes and nearby mountain recreation areas.
What to do
Glider watching at Mountain Valley: Visitors staying at Mountain Valley RV Park can observe glider aircraft operations at the adjacent airfield. "This was our second stay. Our first being back in 2007 - 2008. We stayed in the exact spot both times on the end of the back row with a great view of the airport. It all has been covered here except for the great lunch the airport restaurant serves and the ability to book a glider flight," notes one camper.
Visit Mojave Air & Space Port: Located next to Spaceport RV Park, this working airfield features experimental aircraft and spaceflight operations. "The coolest thing about this park (besides its nice price) is the Mojave Air & Space Port located immediately next door. Stop by its little park and cute, friendly restaurant where you can watch airplanes take off while having delicious fries or a milkshake," reports a visitor.
Desert hiking at Red Rock Canyon: Ricardo Campground at Red Rock Canyon State Park offers direct access to desert hiking trails with distinctive geological formations. "The desert was alive in April! I got #8 which had a nice view. Not too crowded at 1 pm on a Saturday where I got to choose from a dozen open sites. So much better than the Alabama Hills area which was completely packed," shares a camper.
What campers like
Budget-friendly options: Spaceport RV Park in Mojave offers economical full hookup sites. "What this place lacks in looks more than makes up for in service. Mojave is in the middle of nowhere. But if you find yourself out this way, Spaceport RV Park makes up for it. Full hookup for $20.00/night and VERY helpful park staff!" comments one reviewer.
Level concrete parking: Bertrand's High Desert Mobile Home & RV Park provides well-maintained sites with level concrete pads. "The overnighter spots are separate from the permanent resident area, the spaces are level and very clean. Staff in the office is super friendly and helpful. The office for the park is located at the RV parts building," notes a camper.
Desert scenery: Ricardo Campground offers distinctive rock formation views. "Gorgeous area with nice shady rock overhangs to stay cool during the day. The desert was alive in April! I got #8 which had a nice view," reports one visitor.
What you should know
Limited bathrooms hours: Some facilities restrict bathroom access overnight. "Bathrooms are ok, the issue was that they lock them up at 10:00pm and don't open until 7:30am. It would be so simple to put a code lock on the doors," reports a Mountain Valley RV Park camper.
Separate overnight areas: Several RV parks differentiate between long-term residents and overnight guests. "For overnighters there is a separate area from the long term residents with level pull through sites and full hook ups (20, 30 and 50amp) for $30/night. One of us felt that being secluded away from the main park gave the overnighters area a spooky lonely vibe at night," mentions a Bertrand's visitor.
Pay station variations: Desert Empire Fair RV Park and other locations offer different payment options. "Booking & Space: Was easy online. $35 for pull through site for capacity up to 42'. Sites are close together but still far enough to have all slide outs out and room to walk between," notes a reviewer.
Tips for camping with families
Ricardo Campground activities: Red Rock Canyon State Park provides geological features for children to explore. "Beautiful location; no amenities. Just stayed at this location last weekend. Stunning sites in pocket canyon with soaring rock formations abutting camping area. Primitive bathrooms and no showers or running water. Quiet and simple," shares a visitor.
Plan for extreme temperatures: The Mojave Desert experiences significant temperature fluctuations requiring preparation. "Enough space for our 29" RV, pavement was really ok for desert, water, toilets in the morning full of insects, but that's desert. You also have Wi-Fi at the Visitors Center which we really loved," notes a Ricardo Campground camper.
Consider fairground camping: Antelope Valley Fairgrounds provides basic camping with clean facilities. "Clean showers and bathrooms. Full RV hook-ups. It's absolutely nothing to write home about and really has no personality, trees, or privacy, but if you're in the area and need an anonymous place to stay in your RV that's quiet with full hook-ups, this one does just fine," mentions a reviewer.
Tips from RVers
Overnight stop strategy: Many RV parks near Cantil, California function well as single-night stops between destinations. "We are full time RVers and stayed here 1 night after boondocking a week and heading to our next boondocking destination. This is a perfect stop to dump, fill water, do laundry and just do an overall reset of our RV," reports a Desert Empire Fair RV Park visitor.
Dump station availability: Several campgrounds offer dump stations for non-guests at reasonable rates. "Handy stop for water & dump! $2 bucks for water & $5 bucks for the dump," notes a Spaceport RV Park user. Another visitor at Bertrand's adds: "There is also a dump station with potable water just outside the overnighter area with a self-pay station for just $10. Fantastic deal."
Avoid parking lot-style RV parks: Some RV parks near Cantil are simply parking lots with hookups. "So I tried to stay here last night around 10 pm but I could not figure out how to reserve my spot. When I went online to the website to reserve a spot, it made me choose where I would park my car. It was dark and I couldn't see any markings for places to park," shares an Antelope Valley Fairgrounds visitor.
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