If you're looking for a place to park your RV near El Centro, look no further. With The Dyrt, it's easy to find campgrounds near El Centro for RVs. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a happening campground near the attractions, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to park your RV.
Ocotillo RV Resort is focused on family fun, desert adventures and good times for all! Here’s what you are going to love!
Contact our resort directly to book your stay with us!
$30 - $213 / night
RV Park open October 1 - June 1.
RV Camping Rates:
Per Campsite 2 adults 2 children - $49 FHU 30/50 up to 4 persons* Weekly - $235 FHU 30/50 Monthly - $375 plus electric
Tent Camping:
Nightly - $35 up to 4 persons Extra Person $10 per night Animals subject to additional fees. Passport America, Good Sam, AAA, Active Military, Senior Discounts Available
Discounts:
Discounts Available for Passport America, Good Sam, AAA, Active Military, and Seniors (over 65) for RV Camping and Tent Camping only. RV Rentals and Day Use at Regular Listed Pricing
RV Units for Rent:
Nightly - $144 night double occupancy. Extra Person $10 per night
$35 - $375 / night
Ranger
Pilot Knob RV Resort is a solid option for RV travelers, especially those affiliated with Thousand Trails or Encore campgrounds. Overall, I’d give it 4 stars, with the only downside being its remote location. Aside from the Granite Museum and the overpriced gas station at the exit, there’s not much nearby. For most necessities, you’ll need to drive into Yuma, which also involves crossing a time zone.
On the positive side, the amenities at the campground are great and seem recently renovated. The restrooms, game room, and pool area are all clean and well-maintained, and the shuffleboard courts and bocce ball are fun additions. There always seem to be organized events on the calendar, which is nice if you’re into social activities, though we didn’t attend any ourselves.
The RV sites are spacious, especially compared to other Thousand Trails locations. This makes it a great spot for those who RV part-time or full-time and enjoy a bit more room to spread out.
The staff here is incredibly friendly and helpful, and package/mail handling is seamless, which is a bonus for longer stays. The sunsets are absolutely gorgeous, and the nearby Pilot Knob hiking trails and Sand Dunes offer excellent opportunities to explore the outdoors.
Lastly, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the nearby casino—it was delicious and convenient, though the casino itself wasn’t our favorite for gambling.
Yuma is about a 20 minute drive.
Scout
Hot spring campground in the Anza desert. Such a great place to come and reset from busy day to day hustle. Peaceful and clean, with cabins for those who dont tent or trailer camp.
Scout
Staying here for the fall, winter, spring season. The facilities are very clean with a beautiful pool and spa. The rates are reasonable especially if staying long term. It’s mostly quiet although there are off road vehicles around they’re not too irritating. There are occasional fireworks. It feels very safe here. Lots of shade.
Traveler
We have stayed here a few times now. The best times are during the fall and winter months as the park welcomes back its community of Snow Birds coming from Canada and the northern US. During those times the atmosphere in the evening is always festive, often with live music and an outdoor bar. The staff are pleasant and accommodating. It is also a pretty good overnight spot if you are passing through in the summer, but the temperatures in this area soar during the summer and are frequently above 110 degrees. During summer time the pool becomes too warm to be refreshing, and the restaurant and bar are closed. The rates are much lower in the summer. This is also one of the few parks that accepts Passport America all days of the week. Note that Passport America discounts cannot be used with pull-through sites. The sites are fairly spacious and generally separated by hedges so you are not looking directly at your neighbor's rig. Scenery around the park is beautiful any time of year, and for those who enjoy the RV Resort lifestyle the only reason to go out of the park during the snow bird season is for groceries.
Guide
This is a great out of the way spot for great camping and hot springs to enjoy and pools. The have a small cafe on site. You can take your ATVs, quads, motorcycles, etc. out there and there are tons of trails to explore. They also rent wagon cabins that look great. Full hook ups.
Guide
This is the perfect spot if you are planning to stay in slab city. Either for short or long term it is nice to be able to show up to an established camp. Mojo is the coolest person. Super nice and knows how to run a good camp. Lots of interesting people to talk to, it’s a very community oriented camp so plan to make some friends while you are there! We sat by the fire morning and night with the crew there and got to hear some amazing stories. Bathrooms and a kitchen are available so no need to be fully contained. Please be respectful if you go. This place is awesome and the vibe is awesome. Please don’t disturb that! There are lots of local dogs running around. All the ones we met were super friendly but keep that in mind if you have a dog or are afraid of them.
RangerGiant RV park with many entrances, it looks free but don’t quote me on that. We camped here off the dirt road and didn’t see anyone to pay. We asked a few people around and they said they had never paid either. Again, don’t quote me on that! Beautiful area, tons of shooting and off-roading nearby.
Scout
Pretty interesting RV park there are people with sail kites and they have two stroke engines strapped to their back or like go karts some of them,and they’re flying with a propeller on the engine. I don’t know what they call it but it’s pretty cool to watch. A little noisy in the daytime but other than that, it’s great
RangerWe tried stopping at pilot knob as there isn’t much else in the area. It’s pretty much that and a chevron gas station. Unfortunately, it is closed from April to October. Driving by, it looked pretty run down. All the sites are right next to each other.
This looks more like an rv park than a place where you could stop for a night or two.
It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Not much to see here other than the beautiful sunset. We did se some other people setting up camp in a nearby parking lot. I’m assuming it is related to pilot knob as there is literally nothing else out there.
ScoutThis used to be a good RV park for Seniors on fixed income. But the new owners, who live in Palm Springs, have gotten greedy. First they cut out cable TV, then they cut out the seasonal discount, then they raised the rent$50 in one shot, and now they have cut off the Wi-Fi and raised the rent another$45 so Seniors now can't even get on the Internet to pay bills, or check on their Banking. Now they have been lying to us about the Wi-Fi internet, telling people it is only down temporarily, It has now been down temporarily for over 3 months. It is just a dirt lot that turns into a giant mud bog when it rains, no level pads to park on, and dogs are allowed to run free and shit all over the place. They just want to bleed people on fixed income, and stuff the money in their pocket. Some senior citizens have been forced out and have become homeless because the rise in food and gas prices already had them fighting to just put food on the table. The sprinkler system that is supposed to water the plants separating the sites at night has broken down so all the plants are dying off and they have no intention of fixing it. There is only one men's public shower and rest room and one public shower and rest room for women. The door locks don't work and men have been caught using the woman's shower if there is someone already using the men's. They have cut the Manger's hours down to noon to 5 O'clock 3 days a week and the owners are never around. They stay up in their nice rich house in Palm Springs and never even visit the park. So the poor Manager has to deal with all the problems. Their ad still says they provide free cable TV, Seasonal discounts, and free Wi Fi but they have discontinued all of these plus raising the site rent$100 a month. Avoid this place it is a dump run by slum lords.
RangerCamped here for three nights in March of 2019, in one of the partial hookup sites close to the pool. According to the map of the CG, there are 104 sites and 7 cabins. Partial hookups are closest to the pool/shower area, with full hookups and cabins farther back and tent sites in the middle.
it seemed to be a well run facility. It was cool, cloudy and wet from recent rains when we were there and our site had a tiny stream running through it. Some sites, including ours, were not too level. The pool was not what I'd call "hot", probably in the mid to high 90s.
There's a couple short trails in the park, we hiked Moonlight Canyon. We really enjoyed it!! A bit like a lunar landscape with wild desert plants and flowers. The highlight was seeing some desert bighorn sheep!
A small store sits just outside the park entrance and though it was small, it seemed to have at least one of everything you could possibly need, including my favorite Colorado beer, Fat Tire!!
This park has a lot of rules, some quite unusual. Probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with them before you head out.
Guide
The S.Family went camping for my Nieces birthday. Small campground, restroom is a plus, off-roading & trails were very nice. That weekend was very very windy our 2 person tent didn’t fly away. Campsite fit a tent & 1 motorhome & 2 truck and trailers.
RangerLots going on here but felt peaceful midweek in Jan. 3 spring-fed pools, hot showers quarter operated, clean flush toilet bathrooms, water, hiking trails and ample roads to walk the dog on. Mountain lion country - be alert. Friendly rangers. Clean facilities and well-kept grounds. Horseshoe pits and large group picnic areas. Cute cabins for rent - no pets allowed in those. Will definitely visit again. Many of the tent sites are close together - if the campground was full you’d have little privacy but it’s a large place and there were hardly any tent campers when I was there, though more RVs and vans in the hookup section. Tent site 106 is very private. I liked 109 it was in a kind of bird thicket with privacy from the road etc.
TravelerThis park has something for everyone. The mineral pools, Horse shoe pits, paved roads for bikes, hiking. There are hook up and no Hook up sites as well as cabins. Careful if you bring dogs, it’s the desert and lots of cactus.
Guide
This review is for the New Camp campground. For some reason Dyrt has listings for all of the developed State Park campgrounds within the Salton Sea SRA except for this one. It is near Headquarters campground but is not the same campground. First off, know that New Camp has no views of the Salton Sea. For that, you need to select one of the other campgrounds. What is nice about New Camp is that the sites are large and well spaced apart and there is a degree of privacy allowed due to vegetation. Some but not all sites have electrical hookups. There is a well maintained restroom with flush toilets and showers. The campground is small and the restrooms don't get savaged like many other Cal State Parks I've been to. We met the campground host, who was super friendly, and helpful, and very knowledgeable of the local area. My dog, camping buddy and I had a great time exploring some local hikes and attractions using New Camp as a base camp for three nights. There is a busy train track that runs parallel to much of the Eastern shore of the Salton Sea and is very close to New Camp. We didn't find this particularly bothersome.
Traveler
This place is very remote. No water, electricity, or sewer. We stayed a week there. People living out of there cars and some run down trailers. They are pretty self sufficient. They have free internet at the Internet cafe. We didn’t have any time that we did not feel safe. We were able to leave and nothing was stolen or damaged. We had our inverter generator for power. Had great cell phone coverage 5g signal. Was able to stream on our TV with roku. Great sunsets and sun rises. Great view of the stars at night. Very close to salton sea. Walmart was about a half an hour away for supplies. There was also a lot of trash scatterd around. We did our part and cleaned up our campsite. This was our 2nd time there, so we knew where a safe place was to set up camp.
Guide
This new koa is under new management and they are really trying to make it a memorable experience for you and your kids. It’s a bit off the beaten path, but it’s a beautiful part of San Diego county.
Amenities include a mini petting Zoo and things like a hayride in warmer weather. The facility is gated which felt like a great thing I didn’t know I needed. Facility is at 4000 feet.
Legend
Vallecito is a great secluded campground. It doesn't get a lot of visitors like Agua Caliente 4 miles down the road. As a result the wildlife is everywhere; bees, coyotes, hawks, rabbits.... This is an old stagecoach stop in the 1800s with lots of history. Around the Stagecoach building there is poster telling you of the history of the area. There's also a small cemetery.
There's water but no power hookups. The bathrooms are clean.
The park volunteer was super friendly and made my stay.
Have good cell service
GuideThis is a quiet well ran facility. It has the best drinking water pumped from the mountain aquifers. Every building is relatively new and the showers, laundry and common building facilities are in top notch condition. The staff and the owner are genuinely friendly and have the best of attitudes about the grounds and one’s stay. I can’t say enough about how pleasant our 4 day stay was. It’s unique in that there is not the usual highway road noise we experience at most KOAs.
GuideMy wife and I have been full-time RVing here for a little over a month. This is not your typical KOA. It’s off the beaten path of I-8. To get here you take some very windy roads, bigger rigs will take up most the road. Almost all sites are back-in with little site definition.
The view of the night sky is to die for!!! Lots of walking trails and a meditation labyrinth to collect your thoughts. All to the sound of ranch animals meandering through their day.
Definitely worth checking out!
Guide
It is divided with RVs on one side, tent only on the other. Lots of families, quiet hours, dark skies... and a slide. Campsite #3 is line of sire to the playground, which is good information for helicopter parents.
GuideWe camped here on New Years Eve. It was quiet. This area is interesting. Has a Mad Max Thunderdome vibe. Definitely go to Salvation Mountain then drive thru Slab City. I walked thru the odd Outdoor Art Gallery called “East Jesus” fascinating population of people live out there. We camped at the Mecca camp which is a mile south of the ranger station. The actual Salton sea is right there. Great for bird watching bring binoculars. The sunrise and sunsets were some of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. Best hook up site #138 but hands down best tent site #134. If I didn’t get either of those I would not have stayed as sites are very close with zero privacy barrier. The best part of this campground were the hosts. Good folks
ScoutPlace is a run down old trailer park. The pools and hut tubs are cracked. There was actually a feces floating in the pool. All the staff did was fish it out. No warnings to the customers, no change out of the water. The lots are full of busted up asphalt, fire rings are old semi wheels. R/C car tracks are run down not as advertised. Definitely not worth $100 a night with a three night minimum.
LegendThis is a great campground in the middle of nowhere. A lot of RVs are in the center and seem set up as full-timers, but along the perimeter are some great, tucked-away sites. There are also a number of "cabins" in a row. Not a ton of privacy, but they're clean cabins with the basics - a bathroom, sink, bedframe, table/chairs. The best part is sitting out on the little deck. Personally, I like cabins 5-7 the best.
It can get a little noisy if a motorcycle gang comes around, but the hiking is nice. There's a good trail right from the campground but stay on the path because the cactus will get you!!!
The hot springs pool is great and has adult-only hours at night which is fantastic.
I've been there a few times now and it's always a fun getaway with a different feel than going to the mountains.
Legend
Located in the Imperial Dunes, we didn’t even realize this was a “campground” as we drove the short uphill to the lookout to see the dunes. There is a 14-day limit but unless you are really into cruising around the dunes on an OHV, I’m not sure why you would stay that long. It is basically a paved parking lot and there are no markers indicating a separation between “spaces” so you park/camp wherever you find room (there were some sections with no parking signs). Although the road and lot are paved, the wind will blow sand all over and it was VERY windy when we were there! There were two vault toilets, a covered picnic table and several fire rings but no other amenities. As far as I can tell, it is free to camp here. I did notice some RVs displaying rather strident political flags which would have made us uncomfortable staying here overnight so we enjoyed the dunes for a short while and drove on. A plus is the cell coverage is great (you are higher up) and the dunes are beautiful!
GuideOk I went here hoping to spend more than 24 hrs and explore and what not but I stuck out like a sore thumb with a military truck and decent travel trailer. Theirs TOOO much need in this community (comparable to skid row if your familiar but in the desert) This is more than just DISPERSED camping where you pull over and kick back. Its literally survival at all times because that’s what THEY are doing in the desert. I could not sleep with all the evening noises and people tweaking/high on something walking around. That all said Salvation Mountain is pretty amazing and safe due to its state protected and at entrance into the Slabs so it’s well traveled. So much LOVE went into it. Do drive around the outskirts of the slabs some too and you’ll find plenty of random desert art that Slabs City is known for.
Legend
We stayed here two nights and really liked it. There are a lot of travelers and some locals who come to the beach for the day, to look at the art of just to hang out, but overnight it gets pretty quiet. The first night there was only us and a bikepacker in a tent, and the second night there was a car camper that left early in the morning. Some ATV people riding around the sand also but they weren't too bad. There's also a guy in a nice small trailer down on the beach who looks like he's been there a while, but his site is nice and clean.
It's easy not to get stuck in the sand if you stay in the upper area. We had no problems in our 26ft class c. If you drive down to the beach just watch for the soft sand and stay on the hard packed parts.
The town and the beach are just so... interesting. The artists are taking over the nearly abandoned town and it's really neat to see. Curious to see what happens to the town of Bombay Beach in the long run. Very interesting history, both the sea itself and the towns around it. Lots of documentaries about it on YouTube if you're interested.
There's BLM land here but I think the part you can stay on is owned by IID (Imperial Irrigation District). Not sure about this, but anyway I don't think camping here is a problem.
Good cell reception and weather in mid November. We would have left if it was windy to avoid breathing in the particulates.
El Centro, California, offers a variety of RV camping options that cater to different preferences and needs, making it a great destination for RV enthusiasts.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near El Centro, CA is Ocotillo RV Resort with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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