Best Tent Camping near Hinkley, CA

Slow going on the dirt road but boy is it worth it. There are a couple of water spigots. Pack your trash out when you leave. Do not need 4WD to get there but it’s sure fun on all the truck trails if you do! Lots of trees and shade, 26 sites that are usually pretty full on the weekends. Vault toilets. Fire rings, bear boxes and picnic tables provide the basics. The drive out to the lake is also worth it if kids want to play in the water. Kayak and small boat rentals, fishing with stocked waters. All in all a great way to spend a weekend in the mountains.

We found Owl Canyon a few years back and became enchanted with this place. About three miles of washboarded (but maintained) gravel road leads to a small campgroundwith exquisite rock formations and plenty of hiking trails leading off in all directions. The first time we were here, we were the only campers other than the adorable camp hosts who had taken the trouble to put small solar lights on the vault toilets and soap on a rope hanging from the water faucets. Unfortunately, they are no longer there and neither is the solitude. The camp had a wide range of campers from Coleman pup tents to Land Yachts. UCSB has a large research station where students come out and study geology and mapping. It was fun to chat with them and get infected with their enthusiasm. The weather was mild enough to sleep out under the stars. The night sky is stunning! Wind can be an issue as it was this last visit. Tents were challenged and I was woken up in the middle of the night by a levitated camp chair landing on me. i will guess if you go sometime after spring break and mid-week, the campground won't be as crowded. Toilets are clean, water is limited and the price is right. Make sure to take extra tarps and rope to rig up a wind break or two and you are sure to have a nice stay. .

So this weekend, I got a wild hair up my butt to go camping. Keep in mind I’m 8 months pregnant and kept forgetting everything at my house.

With that said, I tried Silverwood to late and KNEW that it’d be packed. I was a bit disappointed but came across North shore.

It’s a nice little getaway from the hustle bustle with decent shade(depending on site) and relatively cool neighbors (campers).

I will say it’s down the way from a community hospital so you might here some forms of traffic including a rescue helicopter but it’s not an end all.

Again this was not my first choice. We got there and found no showers but they did have running toilets and cool tap water near our site. We totally lucked out and were able to switch with a couple who wanted more privacy and shade.

We eventually stayed on site 4 which was even and open. Our tent (as pictured) was nestled amongst the few trees on our site- only downside was the constant traffic going to and from sites 5/6- a bit of a drag. I felt like it was the prefect spot given the leveled ground and the fact that we had a kid and dog posse.

But let me tell you about the ranger named Shawn. Omg, he’s a character but he’s a good one. Gave him a tip, he tried to help us not spend money unnecessarily on wood and lent us his ax to go collect nearby. Super chill, down to earth guy who was just generally a lover of nature- you could tell.

Again, no showers. A bit of noise, but manageable. Quiet hours are the usual 10-7 but we unfortunately were situated next to a group that violated both times- how can someone go to bed after 10 and manage to wake up before 7 and make noise is beyond me....but it’s also been a while since I knew what having no kids and a dog meant- lol.

Would recommend IF you reserve a decent site. The first one we originally had was 3, super hilly and not leveled. Recommend 4,5,6 if you can and even the one right next to that (assuming it’s 7). Lake is a stones throw away!

Hope that helps!

We stayed here for Father’s Day weekend and we thoroughly satisfied. Our site was 71 and although secluded would not recommend for toddlers(I have two toddlers). The site was sloped and the level pad was small. Would be great for a couple with a 4-6 person tent seeking a little more privacy than other sites. The site as well as the campground was spotless. Very well maintained. Bathroom was across the road as well as potable water. Trails literally out the back of the campsite. There’s a little off shoot from the campground that had a large flat spot which would be cool to set up a tent if you needed to set up multiple tents. There are better sites but you’ll have to explore the campground and find those yourself 😉. There’s a few cons. You can hear cars out on the 18 when you’re laying quietly in your tent. Not a nuisance but takes away the feel a bit. The other con was pulling in and out can be a little sketch due to a simi blind turn. Other than that I look forward to my next visit here with my family.

[ PROS ]

• Each site comes with a shade shelter, BBQ grill, and fire pit (max 8 to a site)
• Great for solitude! It’s pretty quiet and empty, and there was only two other groups at the campsite so finding a place to set up was not a problem.
• Sites have a good amount of distance from other sites. Not much privacy in terms of bushes/trees (it’s a desert!) but they are well spaced and the campgrounds is relatively empty so you can pick and choose where to pitch your tent.
• First come first serve, cash only. Sites are by self-registration so it’s the honor system. You fill out the form and place $20 fee into an envelope and deposit into the drop box. Don’t forget to take your stub to show proof of payment in case someone comes around to verify.
• You can hike the Dowen Nature Trail or the Little Butte Trail. Both are easy walks with flat/wide trails. Great for kids and elderly (wheelchair accessible)! Just make sure you wear sunscreen, good shoes, and drink lots of water.
• Lots of flora and fauna to see! From rabbits and rattlesnakes, to Joshua Trees and wildflowers. You can also see one of the oldest living plants on earth, the creosote bush, and they can live over 10,000 years! It’s pretty awesome!
• You can see granite buttes all around, which is one of the natural characteristics of Antelope Valley. If you want to hike up the buttes it’s a little steep so be prepared.
• Evenings here are SPECTACULAR. The sky lights up with endless stars and you can see the milky way very clearly. Also, you can watch shooting stars ALL NIGHT. Absolutely magical.
• Updated restroom facilities with nice flush toilets and sinks. They are relatively clean and well kept.

[ CONS ]

• No fires allowed! Which is weird because each campsite comes with a fire ring.
• Lack of ranger presence, which is a pro or con depending on how you look at it. In some ways it’s nice feeling off the grid and removed, but the lack of ranger presence means that neighbors don’t always follow the campground rules and it feels a little sketch. Camp Host here is awesome though!
• Really dusty and windy with constant 20mph winds. Our stuff was flying away constantly so we had to take the time to have everything tucked, staked, and held down securely. The inside of our tent was constantly covered in a fine layer of dust, even with the rainfly on. It was hard to sleep at night because our tent was rattling and flapping all night and dust was flying in.
• SCORCHING HOT during the day and frigid cold at night. Just like you’d imagine a desert to be. If you come prepared, you’ll be fine :)
• No showers here but there are water faucets if you need to splash some water on your face to cool down.

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - this weekend I tested Snapbuds. Snapbuds is an earbud detangling system which keeps your earbuds from ever getting getting jumbled up into one of those hair-pulling knots. I love that they found such a simple solution to a problem that is VERY REAL. If you’ve ever spent time untangling earbuds than you understand the frustration.

When I received the product it seemed simple enough, but I was a little overwhelmed with how much instructions came with the product. There are 2 ways - original and bolo - that you can set up your snapbuds, and I went with the original. Just be careful when setting up because they are permanently affixed. I screwed that up the first time opening the package because I got excited to snap them together without reading directions and ended up having one less snap.

Once you have your snapbuds in place, it’s really simple and easy to use. They look a little funny on the ear buds at first, but they are pretty small and light so they don’t affect the function or design. I crumbled my earbuds and shoved them into my pocket to try to tangle it naturally a couple times and they never tangled! The magnet placements really make them hassle free. Snapbuds are one of those products that you never realized you needed until you own it! It’s great for travel and people on-the-go, which makes it great for camping/backpacking. It’s nice to be able to pack your headphones away into a stuff sack or pocket, and easily pull them pull them out without having to deal with the nightmare of untangling them.

It is a BLM campground in the Rainbow Basin right above Barstow, CA. Have to drive through washboard road for about five miles to get to the campground. Nice site with a trail head to Owl Canyon right by the campground. First come first serve site, but $6 per night. Each site has a picnic table with a shelter and a fire ring. Was very windy when we were there and had to put up tarp as wind shelter. Most pit toilets were clean, but it was an Easter weekend so very crowded with college field trips. No water (taps were not working) so bring your own water. There are some interesting playground structures at the campground towards the trail head. It was a full moon day so it was pretty bright that night and could not do stargazing. The view from our sites (first night #??, second night #22) were great. You can even see San Bernardino Mountains. A great place to camp if you are into geology. You can hike into Owl Canyon or drive a short distance to see colorful geological formations at Rainbow Basin. It was hot even in April so be prepared for the heat if you are not used to it.