Darwin, CA is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
$15 - $75 / night
"The sites have picnic tables and fire rings and are close to each other. I’ve always been at the group site which is more spacious."
"There was a water spigot in between our site and the one next to us. There is a gas station across the road from the campground."
"You can see Mount Whitney in the distance. 4 wheel drive isn’t required but definitely recommend. No bathrooms or water around. A lot of old movies were filmed in the hills."
"Alabama Hills California presents a varied landscape. From the picture above you can plainly see the desert floor to MT. Whitney, snow capped in March of 2018."
"We stopped here on our way home from Northern California to Arkansas, it was a bit of a random stop but we were tired of driving and found this place."
"This is a free small campground, close to charcoal kilns and west entrance."
$10 / night
"Near Lone Pine, just off Whitney Portal Road, adjacent to Alabama Hills, so lots of exploring opportunities! Great dark skies for stargazing and photography."
"Right in the middle of many trails and sites to see, not to mention a quick skip away from Lone Pine."
"Overnight stay driving through. Easy access. Level parking areas. I stopped close to 395 & had no noise from road. Slept well with strong night winds."
"We landed here and drove thru the FF campground, which we knew was closed but wanted to check it out, and pulled out onto the dry lake bed area to spend the night. "
$6 / night
"A very cool and Very unique spot in Southern California. Places to walk around places to climb around. If you plan on doing any rock climbing then you’re planning on doing this in the morning."
"Just off the highway and easy to get to. The volcano in the distance is beautiful and fossil falls is so unique…lots of room to explore the lava flows."
$30 - $60 / night
"Location is amazing. There’s a gas station and general store close by to pick up any supplies you’d need."
"There are some trees scattered around the campground, but some sites are far more shaded than others."
"summer. no one else ever showed up either. just a few cars drove by every now and then. we were exhausted so we just opened a couple windows to the car rather than set up our tent. toilets were within walking"
"Just to the left of the main road, this campground is a simple gravel lot with about ten unmarked spots around the perimeter. It was pretty full and we took the last open spot."
GuideFun to roam around the pinnacles near sundown or sun up! it will get very hot and windy there during afternoon and night. There are little signs on the way that give info about pinnacles and the wildlife. Its like 5 mile gravel road from off the main road and some ruts you go over railroad tracks too, overall not bad. No service there and for 10 miles out before getting there too, until you get about to Ridgecrest you’ll get service for AT&T. Good spread out private camping sites with great views and one clean vault toilet no paper though bring your own
GuideAwesome landscape to camp in. All the sites are designated so look for the map at the entrance to find one. We arrived on a Monday afternoon at 5 pm (mid may) and found just one site left. A few cleared out early in the morning so we moved over for a better view. Bring your own water and have a good alternative if you don’t want to use the very dispersed porta johns. Enjoy.
TravelerShort drive from 395 and once the road became dirt it was easily navigable in our Promaster. No one else there. Nice wide open views. It was extremely windy with 50+mph gusts which calmed after the sun went down.
TravelerThe only places you can camp are designated now. Tuttle creek. Everywhere else there are signs for no camping and only day use.
GuideWell, for PCT lovers like myself it’a definitely a place worth staying and have a little time off to meet some hikers and enjoy the peacefullness. There are restrooms but any flowing water available. The space is pretty tight there too, but it’s managable.
GuideYou need a permit to sleep on the roadside in specific areas of the park. I have slept in non-permitted areas (ie - illegal, non camping pullouts) a handful of times with no hassle and felt safe when this was needed for drowsy driving. I did get woken up and nearly ticketed by a ranger one of those times, which was when someone moved into my site at Emigrant while I was out exploring.
Many beautiful and relatively 2wd accessible areas of the park do allow “roadside” camping without a permit so long as you are more than 1 mile in, off the “main” road. For instance, Trail Canyon and others off West Side Rd, Telephone Canyon, and many others throughout the park.
Check online or with the rangers at Furnace Creek or Stovepipe. Grapevine ranger station is closed/not staffed in 2025.
ScoutAll the space you’d want. All the service you need. Super accessible. Make sure your stuff is tied down tight. Upwards for 40mph thought my roof rack was a goner
RangerWe loved this campground so much we stayed 6 days. The area is beautiful. The campground is right next to Death Valley Wash. Beautiful and interesting place to wander and look at the amazing geology of the area. Gorgeous Mountain views. It rained a little, which was really cool. Windy sometimes but not every day.
RangerBeautiful campground. We were in site 28. Clean pit toilets. Stunning views. But we were invaded by deer mice. They got in our campervan. We killed more than 10 of them. One popped its head out of a hole in the pillar and looked at me! Two fell out of the door wells when we opened the driver’s and passenger’s side doors. Our dog caught one. There was a poster on the vault toilets warning about hantavirus in the area. We left after 2 days of a losing battle.
Camping near Darwin, California, offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to unwind or a base for exploring the surrounding natural beauty, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Camping near Darwin, California, has something for everyone, from stunning views to family-friendly spots. Just be prepared for the unique challenges and joys that come with camping in this beautiful area!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Darwin, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 79 campgrounds and RV parks near Darwin, CA and 27 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Darwin, CA is Panamint Springs Resort with a 3.7-star rating from 11 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 27 free dispersed camping spots near Darwin, CA.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 19 parks near Darwin, CA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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