Looking for the perfect glamping experience near Darwin? Glamping is not only a fun alternative to traditional tent camping, but also allows you to pack more or less gear as you see fit. You're sure to find glamping for your Darwin camping adventure.
Whitney Portal Campground is in a prime location within the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains - at the base of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States. With hiking trails to Mt. Whitney and the John Muir Wilderness less than a mile away, the campground is a popular home base for hikers, as well as family, RV and tent campers who wish to explore the area's activities and enjoy unparalleled scenery.
Hikers are drawn to the majestic scenery and challenging trails of the Whitney Portal recreation area. Nearby trails lead into the John Muir Wilderness and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. The campground is only 0.5 miles from trailheads to Mt. Whitney, Meysan Lake and other popular destinations. Visitors should be aware that hiking in this area may require a permit. Visitors can also hike, fish and picnic in the area around the campground. There are numerous lakes, streams and a small pond in the area for trout fishing.
The facility is situated in a thick pine forest at an elevation of 8,000 ft. Campers can see striking views of the rugged granite peaks surrounding it. The area is home to abundant wildlife, including black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine martin, pika and many species of fish and birds. This campground is especially prone to bear activity.
Campers can enter the John Muir Wilderness, a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially carved terrain, via nearby trails. Mt. Whitney is within the wilderness area and entry is available by lottery for experienced hikers. John Muir Wilderness
For facility specific information, please call (602) 726-1102.
$34 - $95 / night
First come / first served tent only campground with no additional fee. Located next to CA 190 at 2100' feet in elevation. Emigrant campground overlooks the Cottonwood Mountains which is a part of the Panamint Range. This is a small campground with 10 sites southwest of Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station. A building with flush toilets is 270 feet down a dirt trail just outside of the campground.
Adjacent to The Ranch at Death Valley and the Death Valley Visitor Center is the Fiddlers’ Campground, available for only $24 per night. With your nightly rental, guests enjoy the Ranch’s natural spring-fed swimming pool, shower facility, coin operated laundry and sports courts including a Tennis Court, Shuffleboard, Volleyball, Bocce Ball and Basketball Court. The Campground is located close to the Ranch’s restaurants, as well as the General Store for camping supplies, groceries and mementos to remember your journey. Furnace Creek Golf Course is directly adjacent to the Campground for those who want to golf the lowest elevation course in the world. (These sites do not have water, sewer or electrical hookups and are back-in only)
$24 / night
7800 feet elevation. 73 campsites. 24' maximum RV length. Connects to OHV trails. This campground offers high elevation forest camping. Including; bear boxes, paved parking spurs, and drinking water during season.
Guide
We pulled off on the closest part to the road which was quiet all night really. There were other parts further up.
LegendGreat for a night or two, heading towards or leaving Death Valley between Joshua Tree..
You are literally in the middle of nowhere. No cell phone reception, amenities, nothing, not even shelter, but yet so peaceful and quiet. We saw a couple of RVs but everyone has a TON of space....I would totally camp here again.
I was able to let dog and cat out of camper and they weren't going anywhere....nothing to chase, etc.
Traveler
Free, convenient, and a great view of the rolling mountains; what more can you ask for? We came in late to Death Valley one night in November, crossing our fingers that we would be able to find somewhere to camp without a reservation. Low and behold, right after entering the park we stumbled upon Emigrant! 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. There is a path leading to a bathroom with flush toilets (!!!), a couple of picnic tables, and some dumpsters for trash disposal. If you're coming into the park along highway 190 from the southwest, this is a prime place to set up for the night.
GuideThis is a free campsite for tents only. However, several people brought in their car campers & just set up a tent. You can leave your tent in one of the 10 spots & travel throughout the park during the day but that is not best practice because then others will not have an opportunity to use a site as they come in for their 1st night. This has working toilets that flush & R kept well. There are multiple trash cans that are changed out.
While the ground is hard & filled with stones which make it hard to get a good stake in the ground, this is a good campsite due to location, it is free, & the amenities are quite nice given this. This is a 10 minute drive from Stove Pipe Wells (just SW of Stove Pipe) & you can get gas as well as general store stuff there.
I would advise you come early & get a spot. Many people arrived just before sunset & after dark but were not able to get a spot because this filled up so quickly. Do not be that guy at 10 PM circling the lot & spotlighting everybody.
Finally, while this has good bathrooms & drinking water available, you need to know that those facilities are located a bit off the side. You’ll have to walk, not far, to the structure to use them just so you know.
TravelerThe site is well kept. Trash can we’re changed regularly. The restrooms are close and well kept. There is water as well. The view is great. Sites are small but it’s just Buddy (my dog) and I. It is a convenient spot to even just stop for lunch.
GuideAm finding out that no free campground is con-free, but this one is great for the fact there are flushing toliets just across the street, there is a water source at the 10 spot campsite, garbage bins that are emptied regularly, and the people who fill up these spots daily seemed to all be courteous of their neighbors and keep lights and sounds down to a minimum at early AND late hours. No firepits, not much for privacy, all spots are very close together w/no trees, but there are tables, the road is very close but seldom traveled, the visitors center you pass just up the road states everyone must pay the entrance fee, but we never did! There is NONE-ZERO cell service here or around for at least 50 miles, for Boost network anyways, and gas was 4.37 for unleaded just up the road, so try to fill up in Beatty, which is a whole dollar cheaper per gal.
GuideCampsite is at 2000 feet so cooler than bottom and way less crowded. Good biking up side roads.
Travelerlimited sites, each with a picnic table, access to water and flush toilet. very nice spot and the higher elevation provides cooler temperature.
Guideno one else was there when we arrived later in the evening though we only camped for one night at the end of 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 distance/next to the parking lot but closed due to bees. port-a-potties were available instead. at night, the stars were absolutely beautiful. it was pretty hot but by opening the car windows and using some battery powered fans, we managed!
RangerWe planned on staying here in our little Toyota Motorhome but when we arrived, we saw a “Tent Only” sign. The camp looked very clean and there were restrooms available.
Guide
Diaz Lake Campground is right off HWY 395, has a small lake, picnic table, bathroom, and parking. Pros: easy to access, more like and in and out area. Accept pets. Flat surface. Lake can be a nice spot to hang out and watch the surroundings. Cons: too exposed to the highway an cars. Can be crowded and noisy. Relatively more expensive compare to other campgrounds in the area but not too much. In summary, this is a great place to go and sleep and then continue with your trip.
RangerAt this point, we had finished the John Muir Trail and just needed a cheap place to stay. Diaz lake fit the ticket - had outdoor showers and everything. Was really loud at night, lots of drunk folks. People seemed to use this place for power boating and partying, which isn't really my cup of tea. Otherwise, the amenities were nice, and there were plenty of nice camp sites to choose from. Layout was a little confusing, so grab a map ;)
GuideWanting to camp here in late July I took a drive to check out the campground prior to the trip. I did find that most of the campground is on dirt driveway. The sites that aren't on the shoreline don't have grass like those on the shore. They are mostly weeds and dirt. The campground itself seems to have almost everything except showers to make it comfortable. Pit toilets are on site. There are a couple areas with a hydrant for fresh water. The sites closest to the beach swimming area seem to be the absolute best overall. Bring a camp shower for a better experience.
When i made the visit in mid June it was very very hot. I think the temperature was around 108F. I checked the farmers almanac for late July and the temperature averages from 96 to 110. Not my cup of tea. Although the lake was very nice and I'm sure the water will feel great in the summer, sleeping during those high temps wouldn't be as great.
TravelerOnly a few people here on Tuesday. Pretty stop on the 395. Already 90 degrees in May but some trees so nice in the shade.
Guide$14 a night, right by a lake! super pretty. mountain view’s as well. the only bad part is i think this is a local hot spot, and there was loud trucks coming in and out in the late hours blasting music. also 4 wheelers going crazy!! did not sleep good at all.
GuideRoad through here on a road trip one hot afternoon when I needed to get off the road. I saw that there was a lake so I thought it would be a great place to camp. I travel in a Toyota Yaris and sleep in my car. This is a very big Campground with a lot of campsites; car camping, tent sites, RV sites and boat sites also. They all come with a fire ring and a picnic bench. The trees are very sparse. My mistake was parking under trees thinking that I could utilize the shade to sleep. I got eaten alive I have so many bites all over me that it seems like I have a rash. The ants are both black and red in the sand outside and they bite. There are also sand flies that bite and spiders that bite and the birds are relentless. This lake is amazing the water is clear and the perfect temperature too bad the campground sucks! There are no flush toilets and no running water. The price is cheap but I probably won't be back maybe for a dip on my way out of town. But this place is way too buggy for me
GuideStayed day after Labor Day. First come first serve and not many people there. Was able to find spot next to lake in tent only section. Looks like place was full for Labor Day with reservations but was still pretty clean. It was above 100 degrees so pulled in at 5 and left by 9:30 next morning but great spot with beautiful views for only $14. A goofy ranger stopped by to say “hello” in morning around 9 and checked our pass.
TravelerI stayed 2 nights due to high winds in the area that were bouncing my little RV all over the hwy. Campground was a great place to use as a base to check out the area. I drove up and checked out the Mt Whitney trailhead and the view was incredible. Small little lake but quite a few campsites and they all looked to be relatively level. Also a designated tent area. Camped here in mid- May and it was pretty deserted. Had the place mostly to myself. 👍
ScoutThis is a great driving reprieve from traveling along the 395! A lovely little lake surrounded by giant oak trees that offer lots of nice shade to spend time resting. Haven’t used this as a camping destination personally, but there are so many friendly people that vacation here whether it’s for group camp parties or family adventures. Amenities are slim, but I don’t mind the rugged camping. At only $14 a night, it’s perfect for those that just need to sleep a couple hours in peace and move on, or stay and walk around to take in the scenic surroundings. For what it is, it’s a great spot!
GuideIt was ok, but lots of bugs!
ScoutWe only stayed here for a night, enjoyed the water access and incredible sunrise views, did not enjoy the close quarters with other campers who were blasting music until the early hours of the morning. The site itself was clean and very easily accessible. Us and our dog enjoyed our time for the most part, though I would not stay here again and would recommend against staying here long. Unless you’re spending all of your time on the water, there’s little else to do. Even then, people were continually fishing in the designated swimming area, so you might get very little time to splash around and cool off depending on the courtesy of your fellow campers.
ScoutIf you’re looking for a place to take your jet skis, dirt bikes, and screaming children all while running your generator 14 hours a day, this is the place for you!
Diaz lake is literally perfect for that sort of activity. If you’re looking to kick your feet up and read a book while enjoying nature you might want to look elsewhere.
ScoutThis place was great and well organized, the restrooms were clean and the location was tranquil with the sounds of Bullfrogs serenading you at night.
TravelerVery nice scenery, with a lot of space. It is nice not to be on top of each other. Nice off road and water sports opportunities.
Guide
Troy Meadows is not as well-known as the campgrounds around Mt. Whitney, but it accesses the same Eastern Sierra wilderness. Frequented by OHV enthusiasts, this campground may not be as popular with tent campers, but the off-roaders are quite considerate, and their vehicles have never been an annoyance the many times that I have camped here. We choose the spots that are several hundred feet from the car parking area, down from the road, right on Fish Creek. You have to carry your stuff a couple of hundred feet down into the sites, but it's well worth it. Great hiking on Fish Creek, or, after a short drive, to Jordan Hot Springs.
ScoutNormally do dispersed camping, but figured I would do the campground thing. Very beautiful well kept supposedly it had just opened an hour or two before I arrived after being closed for two years. Great campground
RangerWe arrived on Sunday afternoon. The weekend crowd was moving out. We had the campground A Loop to ourselves. Really nice to be out of the Valley heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Darwin, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Darwin, CA is Whitney Portal with a 4.8-star rating from 28 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 6 glamping camping locations near Darwin, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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