Best Tent Camping near Darwin, CA

Not a pretty campground, just a gravel parking lot, but not crowded in winter when the weather is very pleasant. Can be very windy at night. Only $12/night. Walk to nice shops and restaurants. Bathrooms clean. Nice view of valley. Mostly RV sites. One row of tent camp sites with fire pit grills. If you have a roof top tent you’re considered an RV here so can’t use a tent site.

This was stop to be able to visit Manzanar Internment camp.

Tent sites are gravel and mostly level. They all have water, a table and fire ring. Trees are still young. Very close to Owens lake(within view).

We had a lot of wind that came blowing up the valley from the south. There is very little protection for the tent campsites. Almost killed the tent.

Hosts were very helpful in getting us situated despite the need to switch sites(too many people).

Free muffins and coffee in the morning! Nice pool and hot tub, as well as bathrooms and laundry facilities.

Easy access into  town for dinner or groceries.

Easygoing great rv and tent sites close to all Death Valley sites

The park is conveniently located within the park and is easy to get to. The RV section of the park basically consists of a large parking lot. The tent sites are on one edge of the parking lot. There really isn't any indication where one tent site starts and another ends. But there are fire rings and picnic table scattered about so everyone sort of claims the one closest to them. It can get busy at times so getting a site is definitely not guaranteed. The sunset is Death Valley is absolutely breathtaking. Also, since its so dry, consider leaving the rain cover off your tent to truly sleep under the stars!

I love that they have separate parts of the campground for RVs and tents so you don’t have to hear generators if you’re tent camping. Our site had some trees that we pitched the tent under for shade. Bathrooms were clean with running water and a dishwashing area too.

This is a large open gravel lot w parking spaces. Fine for easy overnight near sand dunes. No privacy or shade trees. Best tent sites along back row.

Great for tent camping, but no pull-in or flat spots if you're sleeping in your vehicle. I slept in the equestrian campground since those were back-in sites, but if there are horses you're not allowed to do that. The hike to the base of Langley was great though!

This is where most people come to stay when they are in the park.  Can be corwded and if you are a tent camper you need to pick a site far from the generators of the massive number sof RVs.  There are good tent sites with space and protection.  But there are also tent sites out in the open with no cover or shade.  Choose wisely. The wind can be as much ot=f a factor as the sun.

I am one who like solice so a crwod is not for me.

Positives are that you are near the Furnace Creek Resort so you have access to a store, a restaurant and gas.

Also it is a short walk to the visitor center which allows you acces to the most up to date info on what is open in the park.  I always stay a day or two here to cover the sites on the southern end of the valley.

When there is super bloom this is wheer you want to be  - easier access to teh bloom sites.

The best part about the campground is the location! Super easy to get to all the great sights. We were tent camping in site 14 which has an RV spot, fire pit and a picnic table. We were across the street from the bathrooms and they are flush and have a dishwashing station. The campground was quiet even on New Year’s Eve! Great December camping

Very cool natural features included with this campground. On the lower level (reserved for tent camping) has some shade trees, rock formations, flush toilettes, water, fire pits, tables and grills... It's amazing set up. The upper portion of the camp (where I stayed) is set up the same as lower, only difference is RV's can camp here. Very nice, quiet and clean campground. The use of generators are prohibited on both the upper and lower campgrounds FYI

We were gonna camp wild Rose (free campsite) but was feeling a lil cold in the mnts so came down to sea level for the warmth. Two nights tent camping at $14 a nite. Very windy but so is the rest of the desert. Spots in the front were quieter first nite, spots in the back seemed more popping off but still chill. Sadly the overpriced market / gas station seem to be the cheapest in the main stretch of the park so def gas up or buy stuff there and not at the oasis / furnace creek side of things .

This campground was quiet and clean and centrally located in the park. No hookups, but there is a dump station with potable water available near the entrance.

The spaces are REALLY close together but when we were there the park was mostly empty…maybe a dozen other campers in the whole park. Tent camping only on the lower loop…upper loop had MANY large, pull through spaces. Our camper is small, so the space felt big though. Picnic tables and fire pits at each site. Self serve pay stations, discount for Access Pass holders, I will definitely stay here again if I come through Death Valley again.

I've camped here many times and have always liked it here. It is in the center of all the attractions. Can be a little noisy with the crowds and RVs. 

We decided to come here one year in early September last year and it was still pretty hot even at night. We were tent camping and it was difficulty to sleep due to the heat. We did a walk in site and there were plenty openings. In the middle of the night there was a sudden dust storm so we had to pack up the tent and equipment quickly. There were 2 or 3 other tent campers and they also packed up. We ended up just sleeping in the car that night, lol. The RVers were fine. 

Other than that it's a great campsite. Haha. Close to the visitor center as well. Clean restrooms.

Perfect base camp for exploring Death Valley National Park. It's located a quarter mile from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center where you can check in to pay the park fee and ask the rangers any questions. They always post the current weather and encourage visitors to stay safe in the heat. It's about 20 minutes from main attractions in the park including the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Zabriskie Point and Badwater Basin Salt Flats.

Campground Pros: Nice bathrooms and large sinks for dishes (also with potable water), Sizable camping spots, great location

Campground Cons: Very little shade, plan to bring a canopy if you are tent camping, no showers

Overall a great campground - just make sure you're visiting when the weather is decent. Super hot temps can ruin the experience pretty quick - and fill your tank before you drive into the park!

This campground location was ideal as it was right next to the visitor center. Like most NP camp sites, they are pretty close to one another. Most sites had no or little shade and you’re lucky if you get one with a little bit of brush to hide from the beating sun heat. The picnic tables are metal, which doesn’t make sense to me given everything gets really hot in the desert. Fire pit was also provided, but we didn’t use. There are few bathroom locations within the park, they were cleaned daily and very basic, but with running water. You have to dump your trash all the way near the front of the campground. RVs with generators made a lot of noise and were not separate from tent sites. The stars at night are amazing!

Pros: Reasonably priced, fairly quiet campground that is close enough to Furnace Creek w/out being in the thick of it. Great scenery surrounding the campground. Modern toilet/sink facilities and potable water.

Cons: Weird site designs - the site boundaries are not clear, so I had no idea which picnic table or fire ring belonged to my site or my neighbors because they seemed to be situated right on the edge of some of the sites. Almost no shade (which is a given), and the campground is very dusty covered in sharp edged cobbles. This is obviously not something they can control, but you'll want to keep it in mind if tent camping - definitely bring 1 if not 2 heavy duty tarps for under any tents, and I would recommend a canopy or awning of some kind. The oddest thing to me, however, is why they would go to the trouble of installing flush toilets and sinks, but not go one extra step and have showers. Even cold-water only coin-op showers would be awesome, and much appreciated at the end of a hot day hiking!

Given all of the above, however, I'd probably choose to camp here again if I was in the park. :)

Campground Review:

This campground lies about 10 miles to the west of its namesake town, Lone Pine in the Owens Valley to the east of the Sierra Nevada range.  It is a very popular campground to use as a base camp for climbing Mt. Whitney especially if the Whitney Portal CG is full. which was the case when we were there.  If you can't get a reservation or walk in site at Lone Pine CG, then Tuttle Creek, and the Alabama Hills would be your closest places to camp if you're not planning on climbing Mt. Whitney.

Now on to the actual campground!  Now since this is a few miles from the actual trail head to Mt. Whitney it has more RV camping sites than tent sites.  Campsite range in price from $25-$65 for single tent sites, RV sites, and 1 group site, respectively.  Each campground has a large bear proof box to store all of your food and  smelly items in addition to a picnic table and a metal fire ring.  The campground had potable water spigots and vault toilets spread throughout.  You could also purchase firewood from the camp host, which is recommended due to the possibility of spreading pests.

To list all of the activities you can do in this area would take a book so I'm just gonna touch on some of the things we did!  Our main goal for the trip was to try and summit Mt. Whitney by the Mountaineers Route.  We got pushed back however due to hard route finding and soft avalanche prone snow.  We ended going around 10 miles but the regular hiking trail is 13 miles one way!  After getting beaten down by the mountain we were able to eat some great food at the Mt. Whitney Restaurant which had Americana and diner food. 

Since we stayed at this campground in the middle of June the temperatures weren't too hot but I would really try to camp higher up at the portal if you plan on coming here in July or August as it could be really hot and there wasn't a ton of shade.  Also be doubly sure to book your campground ahead of time as I doubt there will be any sites if you show up after 3 or 4 without a reservation.

Product Review:

Being a Ranger for the Dyrt allows us to test and review gear from time to time!  This time we were testing out the Adjustable Neck Gaiter from Eclipse sun protection.  This was honestly one of my favorite pieces of gear I've been able to test for the Dyrt!  

Pros: 

• Simple design that replaces $100's of sunscreen in it's lifetime! (never washes out)
• Is multi functional and can be used as a gaiter, headband, buff, and so much more!
• Super lightweight and doesn't need to be reapplied or leave you greasy
• It is super cheap and includes a Velcro strap to adjust to smaller neck      

Cons:

• The only flaw I could find was the sewing along the neck was a little weak and I ripped it slightly before realizing I needed to be a little more delicate pulling it on

Other than that one con I would say this is an amazing product that helps keep you from spending 100's on a temporary sunblock and helps keep all those nasty chemicals out of nature, the waterways, and the oceans!  I definitely think we'll be trying out the sleeves for fishing as my fiances arms can get pretty burnt sometimes.

My husband and I were at Death Valley 8 years ago (2011) staying in Furnace Creek hotel rooms. This year (2019) we returned with our tents as part of a California National Park tent trip and wow were we surprised! The park has had a major renovation with great shopping and options for your stay. With our senior park pass we get into the parks free and camping is 50% off, so our two night stay was a whopping $16.00. We drove up to the newly remodeled inn that has rooms for 350-600$ a night, and while we were there, someone was arriving via helicopter, truly a luxury resort. We learned that the owner of the LA kings hockey team has purchased the resort and has many improvements planned.

We were reminded how far everything is within the park, you may choose to hike a trail and it may be an hour or two drive away, there is gas in the park, but you may a nice price for it! The main gas station in furnace creek had gas for $5.46 per gallon, however gas at the stovepipe wells was only $4.21.

We choose the hike to zabrieski point for sunrise and sunset, the natural bridge (very rough road) and the 8.5 round trip hike to wild rose peak which was very challenging.

This year, Scotty’s castle is closed until 2020 due to flood damage, so we were happy we had seen it on our prior visit.

We camped at furnace creek campground which is one of the few open after Memorial Day and is first come, first serve, no advance reservations. We arrived around noon and most sites were available, however later that night, most were occupied. The campground has many toilets with running water and flush toilets, and there is a dishwashing station by most bathrooms. There are tent sites and full hookup sites. There are trash dumpsters with areas for recycling and empty propane containers. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.

There is a golf course, swimming pool, horse riding (closes in May), many nice restaurants and a spa.

Here’s the best deal, for 10$ per person you get a pool and shower pass for all day! The pool is awesome, spring fed warm water. The showers have massive pressure with hot water.

This campground is sparse in amenities and full of the beauty of the eastern Sierras. The sites are really optimized for car or tent camping, but will also work for a small trailer. We have a 13 foot vintage travel trailer and she fits anywhere, but not all of the slabs were level or easy to back into. The sites are large and most of them have a pretty view, or an interesting rock formation.  They are spacious and there is plenty of room from your neighbors.     
We went in July and there were no attendants on site, and they are all first come first served. You put your fees (cash or check) in an envelope at the entrance and tear off a flap to clip at your site while you are there, as well as a hang tag for your vehicle. Its $17 per site and I think an additional $7 per extra vehicle The toilets are vault toilets, and there are water taps every few sites but the notice said that the water was not potable until boiled for 5 minutes. There are no showers, and no trash bins - you pack your trash out.
There is no cel service - we had none until the bottom of the 9 mile grade where you start the climb 30 miles away. There is a general store that has ice and drinks about 35 minutes / 9 miles from the campsite towards Kennedy Meadows, and Grumpy Bears retreat about 2 more miles down the road that has food and a bar. Both the general store and Grumpy Bears have a decent wifi that you pay for. I used the 2 hours for $2 and that was enough to get messages out and catch up.

The only gas for sale that I saw was at the general store, and it was expensive, but nice to know its there. There is a trash dumpsite on the turnoff before Grumpy Bears.

We stayed for 5 days and I could have stayed much longer!

Probably not the best place to camp in July as it is extremely hot. Found a nice tent spot (site 100) and set up our tent behind some trees. Some of the campground feels like a giant parking lot but the sites near 100 are nice.