Join the fun near Cima. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Cima is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your California camping adventure.
"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!"
"The road getting up here is steep, uneven, rocky and only wide enough for one vehicle for the first 2 miles. My 2 wheel drive ford transit barely made it. I wouldn't return without a 4wd truck."
"This location was secluded and quit when I was there in January. There are at least six nice flat spots with fire rings. There were two burros in the area which were fun to witness."
"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."
"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."
"Nice views of the nearby mountain and gorgeous sunsets. 4 stars as there is no protection from wind. Temp at night 36F in February."
"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."
"I arrived around midnight and tried to find a spot while it was dark north of 40 where the map here takes you. It looks like a nice area but the trails are very narrow."
"I would recommend this campground to anyone with light off road capability and roughly 8 feet side by side clearance. This was an amazing experience and will definitely be coming back here."
"No facillities, but beautiful quiet place to spend the night. No one else there, rings provided for fires."
"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."
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We stopped overnight at Amboy Crater during our vanlife road trip in our Hi 5 Campervan, and it was one of the most surreal camping spots we’ve experienced. It’s boondocking-style, so don't expect any hookups— but the peace, stars, and Mars-like vibes make it worth it.✅ What we loved: Easy access right off Route 66. Ample parking space for our Hi 5 campervan(ours is about 11 ft tall— no issues at all). Uninterrupted views of the crater and desert. Free and quiet overnight stay(just be respectful and leave no trace). Perfect for catching a sunrise or drone shot!⚠️ Good to know: No water or amenities— bring your own supplies. Cell service is very weak, so download offline maps in advance. Gets windy at night, so secure your gear. Trail to the crater rim is doable but not shaded— hike early morning or sunset.🎥 This spot was a dream for content creation. We got epic drone boomerang shots of our van parked solo in the desert. You won't find a vibe like this in Canada!
GuideWonderful 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!!
GuideGreat 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.
RangerAbsolutely 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.
TravelerGreat 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.
Legend
LegendWe 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.
RangerGorgeous 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.
LegendSomeone had told me we could do a little dispersed camping at Sloan Canyon, just outside of Vegas. In addition to many hiking trails this place has a pretty extensive area you can hike around to find some great views and camping.
We started out by stopping in the visitor center, which is little more than a mobile station at the beginning of the Petroglyph Trailhead with portable toilets. There wasn't a lot of information online about staying here only that it was in fact BLM land and it was accessible for those who are wanting to stay. To hike in we figured we needed a permit, but when we got there we just kind of got a puzzled look.
Finally a ranger helped us and told us that people do in fact hike in to camp dispersed but there was no permit. We hiked down the trail with our gear and about 2 miles in found a great spot just beyond the petroglyph gallery. It had a view of the mountainside and a great view of the sunset.
We settled in and enjoyed a quiet evening amidst the tall walls of the lower canyon. We had views of the larger mountain ahead but opted to not stay up higher because the winds get pretty strong I this area.
I will say that we were told you cannot set up in the petroglyph area because it is preserved, but it did make me realize that a lot of people probably don't follow this by the fact that there were numerous smaller trails leading through this area where people clearly are not remaining on the main trail. I think the most important thing about camping in a place like this is respecting the leave no trace rules. I you are visiting a place with such history and want to allow others to continue doing the same then you should respect the area you are in.
While this was a clean area for the most part you could see where some people hadn't respected the land the same way.
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Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Cima, California, where the Mojave Desert offers stunning landscapes and a chance to connect with nature. This area is perfect for those seeking solitude and adventure away from crowded campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Cima, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Cima, CA is Mojave Cross Dispersed — Mojave National Preserve with a 4.8-star rating from 22 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Cima, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 40 dispersed camping locations near Cima, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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