Best Glamping near Death Valley National Park

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.

This 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.

The 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.

Am 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.

Campsite is at 2000 feet so cooler than bottom and way less crowded. Good biking up side roads.

limited sites, each with a picnic table, access to water and flush toilet. very nice spot and the higher elevation provides cooler temperature.

no 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!

We 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.

Check in is actually at the Oasis at Death Valley, and for $34 a night they will let you stay in a parking lot down the road, and use restroom next to the golf course. Staff instructed us to walk 10 minutes across the golf course, where we could use the showers at the pool. There is no on-site laundry, and there is no communal fire pit. No picnic tables. There IS WiFi, but it doesn't reach to the campground; you need to walk to the golf course to connect. Save yourself the money and just camp at one of the other park campsites.

The campground is part of the Oasis Resort, located by the Ranch. The amenities for the Ranch are included in the campground fees. The actual campground area is a gravel parking lot with 50’ parking areas for RVs.

There is no quiet time. Generators ran all night. The jeep rental company at the front of the lot started pressure washing jeeps at 5:15am. The construction crew kicked off their day and heavy machinery at 6:25am. No privacy, sites are right on top of each other, especially with bigger rigs (I was car camping). Pool and showers is included in the fee (week nights 29 weekends 34). Had WiFi not been required for me working all of the other campsites around that are part of the NP are much nicer and more scenic views and cheaper. WiFi only works near office and restaurants, so no matter where you stay on the property you have to come to the front to use WiFi (for most people not a big deal, but I’m working so it was inconvenient but better than nothing). There is a bar and food / restaurants on site- all severely overpriced. Local draft beer $11, grilled cheese $17, breakfast buffet $18, dinner buffet $32. I didn’t use the pool but lots of others did and seemed really happy with it. Staff was all nice except a younger man working early shift at reception. All in all - Would not stay here again.

About 28 sites mostly level. All dry camping. Some gen sets running till 11.00 pm. Some starting up around 6:00 am. Toilets available at golf course next door. Site fees include flush toilets next door, use of pool (8:00 am to 11:00 pm), General store, 3 dining options, all on South side of Camp ground.Furnace creek visitors center next door on the North side. One mile of paved path to Harmony Borax Works, for walking or biking.

The campsites aren’t much (dirt lot) but you have full access to the resort. It was a short walk over to the pool which we loved as it was extremely hot. The pool showers are closed due to COVID so we washed our hair in the sink (not ideal). We got free WiFi sitting near the main office and were able to use the bathrooms at the restaurant. Definitely the best option if you’re planning on camping in Death Valley!

So this place is super pretty and green the only thing green in this entire valley it  has an actual resort, with hotel rooms, they do have an RV park with hook ups but I would call the resort to inquire, anyway they have a golf course, horseback riding is available which I did as a teenager here, a nice pool, shopping, etc...

When you see the gas station it's right behind that is the Fiddlers’ Campground.

Campsites are $24 per night. NO hookups, no pull-throughs, no sewer or electric... just basic back-in sites.

on their website it states with your nightly rental, guests enjoy the Ranch’s natural spring-fed swimming pool, shower facility, coin-operated laundry which I did check out and is nice, and sports courts including a Tennis Court, Shuffleboard, Volleyball, Bocce Ball, and Basketball Court. 

Your nearby to the  Ranch’s restaurants and the General Store for camping supplies, groceries, and souvenirs.

I took pictures of the entire park from the camp grounds, the rv park, hotel and the shops. A lot of parking at well.

It’s been said before, but I’ll say it again–“all of the campgrounds in the valley are glorified parking lots, some more obviously than others.”  Fiddler’s Campground is one of the more lot-like, but there is shade with a row of trees on the south side of the camping lot. The campsite is closer to the National Park Visitor’s Center than even the Park’s campground, Furnace Creek.  While it's a very utilitarian campground, it's a good central location to explore the park from Golden Canyon to Zabriski Point to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes to Badwater Basin.

It is run by the Oasis Ranch at Death Valley Resort, so you have access to all of the services provided there including the lovely golf course, pool, showers and reliable wifi. During our two visits to DVNP, we’ve spent at least one night here just to grab a shower, swim, and wifi update. While these sites are usually booked months in advance, you can find an occasional open night during the mid-week. 

The campground bathrooms have clean flush toilets and hand washing sinks, and a dishwashing sink with good tasting potable water just outside of the bathrooms. The bathrooms by the campsites were pretty clean, but the pool was very clean as was the shower/ locker rooms. 

The campsites are stacked pretty tightly together but there’s plenty of room for big rigs. Unlike Texas Springs campground up the hill, Fiddler’s Campground allows gas generators. There’s no need with all of the sunshine, an appropriately sized solar panel system will provide you with all the power you need. We’ve run for over a decade on solar panels and saves a ton of money on campgrounds. 

The resort also offers a few restaurants, gift shops and a small grocery store with enough options to feed yourself in case you didn’t bring much food. We highly recommend the milkshakes at the ice cream shop, they are expensive but worth the drive to the valley alone! 

Mobile service was pretty spotty, we had Verizon which seemed to have a good signal in the morning until more people woke up and then everything slowed down. Service throughout the park was pretty spotty too.

 quiet, clean, friendly laundromat, hot showers, even use of the swimming, pool and hot tub at the adjoining death valley Inn

We were mapping our trip and Beatty won the draw for mileage. The Space Station win out. They were the cheapest. The host was very friendly and they were there until late. Many places are closed at 5 pm. We saw burros on the way into town and on the road. There are many places to visit here but we were just staying overnight so on we went. Adequate showers. The hookups had brand new electrical boxes. The site was gravel but level. They sell propane here also. Great overall site. Dog friendly. T-mobile and ATT were okay, the wifi helped.

I thought Oatman, Arizona was the only place I would find wild burros but I was wrong!! I went to Rhyolite and stopped off for a stay in Beatty, only about 5 miles away from the ghost town site and art park. I was excited to have found this location because most everything I looked up only was indicating places to stay that were in excess of 40 minutes from the site. This place is hidden gem in camping world clearly as it has a location which is very unique to something very cool.

But back the burros, they roam wild here, and while I do not know why, they are friendly and were a fun addition to my trip while I settled in for the stay.

At first I thought this place was only for RV campers but when I inquired I was pleased to find out that they accommodated tents as well.

So how did I discover it? Ironically for the market, we were looking for a fresh fruit snack (this place is the only place in town you can find fresh fruits like this we were told) to take with us to Rhyolite and when we went in and happened to tell the people we were looking for a place and they mentioned they did accommodate tents! SCORE ONE FOR THE GOOD GUYS!!!

But the winning just kept on winning with this place, they had free coffee, wifi and cable for those who were traveling in RVS. For us tent campers they had nice facilities, hook ups and bbq grills.

I felt like we left the house not knowing where we were going to stay and thinking it might just be easier to make the long drive back to Vegas than to drive 40 minutes out of the way to camp only to discover we had hit the winning lottery ticket with this place.

Sure the name is kinda weird, but you are in the middle of the extraterrestrial obsession area so while we didn't ask we assumed it had something to do with that.

I would give this place more than 5 stars if it was available to do so!! The staff was so helpful and friendly, the grounds were well kept and very nice and the price was better than I was expecting with all that I was getting at only $15.

I think when people are looking for sites they often want all the bells and whistles and for a person in a tent sometimes it is just finding a site that isn't just designed for RVs that makes all the difference!!

TIPS:

• Shop at the store they have everything to make your stay nice.
• Don't feed the burros they will adopt you and continue to want you to feed them.
• Check out Rhyolite which will be one of the highlights of your trip in this area ( I have included some photos of that area because it is amazing and completely unexpected amidst the desert)