Searching for a dispersed campsite near Cima? Dispersed camping means that no facilities or amenities are provided, so that you can truly disconnect and get back to nature. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campgrounds for your California camping adventure.
Camping in undeveloped campsites is allowed in previously used or disturbed sites outside of the "day-use-only" areas. In most cases these sites include a rock or metal fire ring; not all sites contain a fire ring. All fires must be in a fire ring or fire pan; new fire rings cannot be constructed. Camping tramples vegetation and disturbs soils. By reusing existing sites, you help protect the desert from further damage. Practice Leave No Trace principles, including burrying human waste at least six inches deep.
Careful planning and knowledge of camping guidelines and regulations will help ensure an enjoyable and safe experience for you, future visitors, and the fragile desert environment.
Roadside and Undeveloped Camping Regulations
Jean Dry Lake provides hundreds of miles of trails to the casual and expert Off-highway vehicle enthusiast alike. At the center of the area is the area's namesake, Jean Dry Lake. Although the name implies that the lakebed is dry, it has the potential of flooding and holding water long after a rainfall. After substantial precipitation events, the lakebed can hold several inches to several feet of water. Travel on the lakebed after a precipitation events is not recommended. Outside of the dry lakebed, motorized vehicle use is limited to existing roads and trails.ADA Access: No accessibility
Camping in undeveloped campsites is allowed in previously used or disturbed sites outside of the "day-use-only" areas. In most cases these sites include a rock or metal fire ring; not all sites contain a fire ring. All fires must be in a fire ring or fire pan; new fire rings cannot be constructed. Camping tramples vegetation and disturbs soils. By reusing existing sites, you help protect the desert from further damage. Practice Leave No Trace principles, including burrying human waste at least six inches deep.
Careful planning and knowledge of camping guidelines and regulations will help ensure an enjoyable and safe experience for you, future visitors, and the fragile desert environment.
Ranger
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.
TravelerGreat 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. Close to overhead power lines. Mad Greek Restaurant awesome for evening meal and Chevron Gas station has great bathrooms and supplies!!
ScoutBit of an awkward spot to camp in my opinion. It’s pretty much an open sandy area in the town of Baker. You can hear the highway and noise from the town. If you prefer more remote areas, choose a different place. It was difficult to find in the dark as well because the coordinates provided aren’t technically in the camping area. I had to zoom in on the map to make sure I was on BLM land.
Legend
Someone 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.
TIPS:
Legend
One of the best things about Nevada and Arizona are the numerous areas which offer dispersed camping. There are a lot of BLM lands in the area as well as Recreational areas so it is really quite easy to find a place if you are willing to look. Since I have several full-time friends who spend the maximum of 2 weeks at each site before moving on, someone suggested I check this space out when I was on a trip to Nelson, NV.
It was along the same stretch of highway and not very far away at all. While it was vast and open, there wasn't a whole lot to really say about it other than just that, it is what you make it when you visit.
So what is the benefit of staying at one of these remote locations you might ask? It is about 45 minutes from Vegas, so that isn't terrible if you want to go into the city itself and explore, but part of what makes these spaces a bit more exciting is that they are removed from everything.
I took a moment when I was there to check the basics like what is there to do closely that does not involved the city itself. I could quickly see why my friends recommended this location because it was not far from Lake Mead Recreational Area in an area which was a non-pay station entrance, it was relatively close to Searchlight and not terribly far from Boulder City so if you did need supplies you could easily get out to get them without issue and I think the most intriguing was the proximity not just to Nelson Ghost Town, which is free, but also the many abandoned and never sealed mines.
Lots of activities in the area to keep you busy. Sure it doesn't have amenities but it was a perfect canvas for making the world around you all yours. The friend which recommended it also happens to meet up with other full timers at locations like this so they have a sense of community so I could see how something like this would be a perfect space for that kind of traveling community to set up and enjoy.
TIPS:
Be able to sustain fully off grid living. There is plenty of sunshine to keep your solar panels full.
Check out the surroundings and bring a motor bike if you have one to explore so you will not have more options for driving around some of the more remote areas.
Be careful of mines, though they are fun to explore, some of these are not as stable, I would check out the one just past Nelson which is more heavily trafficked and also stable.
Guide
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!!
Scout
Verizon had excellent reception, enough room between campers to run a generator without bothering anyone. Lots of litter everywhere. It would be nice if people would haul out more trash than what they bring in. After all it is free camping.
ScoutEasy access, great dispersed camping. Not far from the road, but not too loud either. Very convenient.
GuideI drove in at night and originally passed the campground because I saw people there, and thought it was a solo spot. It’s a beautiful little spot and has a cool history. It is close quarters to other campers compared to most dispersed camping, but you still have more room than your typical campground.
Legend
This is an OHV motorcycle trailhead area. Large open sandy area, but seems dispersed camping is allowed. So signage, no toilets, no dumpsters, cell signal is fair to poor. Right off the hwy but no signage for the turn. If you like hanging with your OHV tribe, this place is perfect! Only two stars because between the OHV crowd and the hwy noise, would be a noisy place. Plus no toilets!!
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
Great place for dispersed camping and the main dirt road goes As far as the eye can see you so there’s plenty of places to pull over park camp and enjoy your time when you first pull in there’s decent spots for big rigs but I wouldn’t drive any further back if you don’t feel comfortable with the road so just know what your rig can handle Before you push the limits and searchlight there is a corner store beef jerky and a gas station as well as a McDonald’s In case you need anything that’s the nearest town and it’s about a 2025 minute drive but regardless if you need something it’s there besides that just you and your rig
LegendSuperb dispersed camping. This area can either be reached by turning down a dirt track at the Mojave Cross or by going down Kessler Peak road. There are a handful of previously established sites on Kessler Peak road plus a few small pull offs that doesn’t appear to be actual established sites. There are also a few sites on the road from the Mojave Cross. This dirt road connects to the Kessler Peak road after not to far but there are 3-4 great spots on the way. Two port-a-potties near the Mojave Cross as well. Sites are big and have lots of space, only down side is that there are only a few of them. Great for privacy but not great if you are a late arrival and they are full! Pack in, pack out. Stay on designated roads and please don’t create new sites! Such a fragile atmosphere. Lots of previously burned Joshua trees in the area but lots of live ones too! Gorgeous sunset over Teutonia Peak!!
Legend
Traveler
Traveling across country, Jeep camping. Spot was perfect and beautiful. Could have been off the road a bit more considering the amount of traffic for such a remote spot. Make sure to wear shoes as there are thorns. Also be ready to wake up to critters (mice? Chipmunks?) running across your exhaust, chewing on their dinner.
Guide
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. This was a great stopping point to split up our drive from the Bay Area to the Grand Canyon. Thanks to the Dyrt we would not have found this hidden treasure; there were lots of people camped right off the highway and we got this beautiful camping spot all to ourselves. Watch out for the jumping cacti I got one in my leg!
GuideGreat isolated spot, probably great for stargazing when the moon isn’t in your face.
GuideI don't think this area is knob hill but we found a great spot out Wee Thump Rd about 1.5 miles of the highway near where the pin is on the map. Road was decent for our 2 wheel drive 31" motorhome. It was nice to have some shade from the Joshua trees. We took the third dispersed site. All 3 that we saw were quite large. Great for any size vehicle. Verizon service was great. Nice secluded area.
Guide
This was a beautiful and desolate campground looking out in the valley below and Shoshone about 35 miles in the other direction. I saw two sites, both with fire ring and picnic tables with a vault toilet nearby. If there are other organized campsites I am not aware as did not go down the dirt road. Not a “camper friendly” site but 4x4 and motorcycles are easy. There was no cell signal and given this site is in CA, a campfire permit is required. The permit can be obtained at a BLM or online after watching a two minute video and taking an eight question quiz.
RangerA perfect dispersed campsite. We stayed here with our 30 ft RV. The road to the camp sites was a bit bumpy but we managed to park just fine even arriving after dark. It’s not too close to the highway and the road next to the campground is pretty quiet. There were about 5 other vehicles when we arrived on Saturday night - just 1 other on Sunday night. Sunset from atop the memorial rock formation was gorgeous. There are Joshua trees as far as the eye can see, and a descent fire scar of scorched brush from the wildfire earlier in the year.
Teutonia Peak Trailhead is right next to the camping sites and was an incredible hike. We didn’t have any service at the campsite (AT&T and Google Fi) but did on the trail and down the road. We can wait to go back!
TravelerNice remote area back from the main road, very quiet and beautiful views. There are at least room for two or three groups. Road in was very easy, we were in an Outback pulling a teardrop trailer and there were no problems getting back there. Easy turnaround spots at the junction of the roads near the camp spots. If the spots at the end of the road are full there are a couple of options in washes closer to the paved road but they are not as scenic.
ScoutWent at the start of December on a Saturday and was the only one there. The road is manageable with a 2wd sedan as I got through fine with my Corolla, but I had my underbody scrapped the whole way there by the plants growing in between the tire tracks. The road is probably only 7 feet wide with only one small pull out a mile in. There's a couple of different camp spots at the end so even if there are other people there you can still get some privacy.
Scout
The site is about a mile off I-40 and I had no problem pulling my 58ft rig into camp. My only major complaint is that a town of any legitimate size is about 80 miles away.
Pros: -good cell service -incredible view of the stars at night -beautiful landscape
Cons: -SO MUCH trash everywhere -very isolated
Guide
Halfway up the somewhat technical 4X4 road passing over the Piute Mountains, there are a handful of dispersed campsites nestled in and around the wash area. Including this stunner of a site we scored with a fire pit. Incredible views and only a few passing vehicles overnight. We explored the wash and while there were a few amazing spots in there, in the spring it was FILLED with bees. So explore cautiously and feel out the area a bit before unpacking and setting up camp. Just above the wash on the downhill was the best site we found but WOW does the wind come ripping through at night.
Ranger
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.
Guide
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.
GuideNarrow entrance through bushes, you may get pinstripes. Several spots to camp among granite boulders. BLM placed fire rings, bring your own wood and water. Pack out all trash and waste. No amenities. Great star watching. A great escape.
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 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Cima, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 37 dispersed camping locations near Cima, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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