Best Tent Camping near Holtville, CA

Recent Tent Reviews near Holtville, CA

96 Reviews of 19 Holtville Campgrounds

• 

  Joanna N.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 9, 2022

  McCoy Mobile Home & RV Park

  Not worth it

  The first night they put us tent camping in an rv spot which was great. In the morning they said we had to pack up because somebody needed the spot. We moved to their "tent" section which was actually the walk way to the hot tub. Middle of the night drunk people walked right by our tent being super loud and woke us up. Can't blame them since the park had us put our tent in the walkway. Don't stay here!

• 

  Jeannie B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 29, 2020

  Salton Sea Sra

  Fascinating landscapes

  We 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

• H

  Hayden G.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 10, 2021

  Glamis Flats

  The best beach without an ocean

  Not much to do if you don’t like off-roading. There are places to rent Atvs and side by sides if you don’t have your own. Bathrooms stink, but it beats squatting in the sun and sand in your bum. Bring a tent or a trailer and make sure you have 4 wheel drive.

• 

  Dan X.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 5, 2021

  Wiest Lake Park

  Nice spot, but close to loud cows

  Ended up here since CA closed all state campgrounds (because camping spreads COVID?) We were the only tent campers there. Lake is super lovely, clean bathrooms with showers. Sites have charcoal grills, but no ground fires allowed.

  Unfortunately there is a very loud and semi-smelly cow farm next door. I was fine with earplugs but I wouldn't stay there without them.

• 

  Christopher

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 19, 2021

  Walter's Camp RV Park & Campground

  Leave city life behind.

  Come slow things down at this wonderfully secluded campground. About 6 miles off the main highway down a rough dirt road lies this hidden gem. Whether you’ve got a boat to launch, a travel trailer, or a good ol’ fashion tent, you’re welcome here! Located right on the beautiful Colorado River! Heads up, this place gets packed during the warm months!

• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 16, 2018

  Slab City

  Art and Independence: designed for the daily boondocker

  As a tent camper this one was a bit of a stretch for me to feel comfortable, however if you are a boondocker this is an ideal spot for the adventurer who wants to be off grid with a community designed for just that.

  Slab City and East Jesus are known as the last free place in America as noamads flock here during cool months and find themselves in many cases not wanting to leave. It is a community without a city limits but with basic rules of understanding that everyone dwelling there or camping there basically respects the thoughts of respecting one another and living self sustaining lifestyle.

  Most staying are in travel vehicles of many kinds and have large water catchment systems as there is no sewer or water supply available. For an average tent camper you can visit however there are no amenities making for a rough stay if you opt in for more than a day or so.

  There is within the community Salvation Mountain and a outdoor art gallery constructed from the leavings of those in the desert. You will find things made of old parts, used tires, pieces of old buildings repurposed and all free!!

  I give it a 4 for the unique experience and urge you to check into the “library” if you make it there. They will let you know if you have arrived during any special occasions such as their community prom or karaoke night at their nomadic bar. Yep, it is a can’t miss.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 24, 2022

  Bombay Beach - Salton Sea State Rec Area

  Very Cool, But Not For Everyone

  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.

• J

  Joshua H.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 4, 2023

  Desert Trails RV Park

  Nice place to stay

  Nice place to stay easy to make reservations for staff was really helpful. I would stay there again. It’s a bonus that they had a nine holes of golf course and the driving range and Central located.

• 

  Chip K.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 30, 2023

  Desert Trails RV Park

  Sun and fun

  We stayed 5 days there is a 9 hole golf course on site and a nice sized pool .Many snow birds and year round campers. Mostly 55+

• Z

  Zackary D.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 11, 2022

  Desert Trails RV Park

  Came in a pinch,

  Looking for a quick place to stay near family in hospital. Staff has been extremely helpful and caring. The place is GREAT

• 

  Jen H.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 9, 2019

  Cement Flats

  Free!

  Great boondocking site on our drive to San Diego! You can’t beat the price!

• J

  Jeanette C.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 10, 2016

  Gecko Campground

  Gecko

  Love Glamis for Christmas and New Years. Sand for days and lots of great adventures.

• 

  Michelle W.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 21, 2019

  Imperial Sand Dunes RA - Pad 5 - BLM

  Mesmerizing

  Sand and more sand for days!!!! Super fun place, lots to do. Take your sand dune buggies and enjoy the day and night. Super fun for the whole family

• 

  Ashlie F.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 25, 2019

  El Centro NAF Campground

  Military Campground

  This campground is located on a military facility. You must have base access/privileges in order to utilize this campground. 

  The sites near the gym are back in only with full hookups on an asphalt lot. There is a small strip of grass behind each site. 

  Pets are allowed. Leash rules are established. 

  Great location for the annual air show in March. This campground is popular with “snowbirds”. Winter months stay pretty busy, while excessive heat in the summer keeps it pretty empty. 

  The base has a large pool with water slides, gym, bowling alley, exchange/commissary, and movie theater.

• 

  Karen B.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 15, 2023

  Rio Bend RV & Golf Resort

  Convenient and clean, nice park

  We only stayed one night in a pull through but enjoyed the facilities. Park is very clean and has a good restaurant. They do have a lot of mobile homes but most are newer and well kept. Some RV’s look abandoned which is a shame. Nice dog park area with grass, could use water for the pups. Laundry and bathrooms were very clean. Pool area and restaurant, bar area is nice. We had dinner, wing’s were great burger was good but not great. Service was very good. Pull through site was narrow but had all we needed for one night. Looks like the workout facility is nice.

• K

  Kelly P.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 16, 2023

  Rio Bend RV & Golf Resort

  Fair

  $850 a month. Very expensive food and drink. There is a nice little store in Seeley though. Huge piles of slash and garbage mixed in at the south side.

• 

  Glen C.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 8, 2024

  Rio Bend RV & Golf Resort

  Perfect for Snow Birds and winter get-aways

  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.

• 

  Kevin N.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 21, 2023

  Rio Bend RV & Golf Resort

  Quiet Place to stay with a lot of amenities.

  It has great food and beautiful golf course.

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/718214693509760

  http://riobendmap.infinityfreeapp.com/

• 

  Michael

  Guide

  

  Nov. 18, 2021

  Rio Bend RV & Golf Resort

  Wonderful stop over

  We stayed here four nights. The pull throughs are limited with views of the pond and wide so plan ahead. The team there is welcoming and warm and very accommodating. The grounds are well maintained, attractive, and lots of palms! Plenty of activities and facilities. It’s close to the Navy base so fly overs of the Super Hornets are frequent but not loud. You can actually take side roads and get right to the runway if you want … Blue Angles practice in Jan!

• 

  Lee D.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 11, 2022

  Osborne Overlook

  Surprise, it's also a campground!

  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!

• 

  Raymond B.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 8, 2020

  Glamis Flats

  Wonder Land

  Great place with awesome vibes! No cost. Bring your bikes and have a blast.

• 

  Katie O.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 14, 2018

  Glamis Flats

  fun!

  if you like to drive offroad, this is the place for you! even if you dont,its fun to sled down the dunes. small pit toilets that seem to be cleaned often but still smell, no water available and there are always beer cans thrown in the bathrooms. very popular with OHV and is pretty empty in the summer due to the extreme heat.

• 

  Jennifer D.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 31, 2018

  Glamis Flats

  ohv camping

  go with someone familiar with the area, as heading off into the dunes can be dangerous: you can get lost super easy!.. on a holiday weekend this isnt a concern cuz it’s ridiculously packed and loud.

  rv’s are parallel parked, several deep. mostly dunes vs washes.

  no trees( as Its in the desert) nor any rv hookups. beautiful dunes for miles.

  must purchase imperial dunes pass

• L

  Loner4011

  Scout

  

  Apr. 10, 2023

  Del Yermo RV Park

  Price Gouging dump owners never there

  This 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.

• M

  Mike R.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 7, 2021

  Slab City

  Depressing but interesting place

  Slab City can be a dark and depressing place, but is also an interesting view into the human spectrum. You'll see all types of rigs, from new class A setups to people living out of their cars. Some attractions to check out are East Jesus, an artist community and Salvation Mountain, one man's lifelong project devoted to his faith. Worth a trip if you keep an open mind.

• 

  Jody S.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 20, 2021

  Slab City

  24 hrs in the SLABS

  Ok 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.

• 

  Autumn O.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 23, 2022

  Slab City

  Slab City is one of a kind

  Educate yourself before you come here. I’m not sure if this is considered camping, in the middle of the desert on old military testing land. There’s no law here. Stuck between an art instillation, peoples homes, and random attractions. You can stay here via Air bnb. It’s close to the boarder of Mexico and you will come through customs a few times if coming down the west coast, salvation mountain is before you hit slab city. We were offered to stay the night in a locals place when we visited and smoked with a local who ended up being from the same small town as we did in Oregon, SMALL WORLD. Everyone was super inviting and nice, others not so much and gave the vibe that you should stay away. Don’t bother people, this is where some folks live so be respectful! Don’t money if possible too.