Looking for the best Imperial tent camping? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Imperial's most popular destinations.
Gecko Campground is the largest campground in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. It consists of a north loop and a south loop. These loops are paved roads and offer numerous vault toilets.
Cahuilla Ranger Station is located off of Gecko Road. This station offers visitors a location to purchase their dunes permit, gather information and seek medical aid. This station is open Friday through Sunday from mid-October to mid-April during the high visitation period.
Roadrunner Campground is the second largest campground offering a large loop of paved roads. Two vaulted toilets are available.
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
Traveler
First car camp in Anza Borrego. Wasn't disappionted.
Guide
There is plenty of space for rigs of any size, and a very smooth gravel road into the camping area. Some train noise from tracks about 1/2 mile away. Great for Solar and Starlink(did not test cellular specific but had decent service on my Verizon phone). Did a video review of the area as well as the resources available. You can find that in the videos with this link https://youtu.be/XZRaOBQY7c4
Traveler
The camping spots were close to each other but no one else was there so it didn't matter. The stars and sunrise were amazing! Will definitely go again!
Guide
We were pleasantly surprised by the spacious camp spots with fire rings and picnic tables. The CG had toilets and cold showers. I would have given it 5 out of 5 but there was a train that went by near the site. We've heard about the bad smell at Salton Sea but it was odorless when we were there in January.
Guide
Located South of Q Casino on way to boarder crossing. No amenities. Just a great place to park for free. Casino charges $10/nite for exact same amenities.
Traveler
It’s technically the Republic of Slowjamistan.
Lots of open space, just drive out and park. Might need an air down/up system depending on how far in you want to travel. No issues for the first 0.25-0.5 mile off the highway.
ATV rentals available. There are some picnic tables and compost hole restrooms.
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.
Guide
I have been coming here for 25 years. Sadly the lake is disappearing, but it have beautiful sunsets and is isolated and peaceful ( except for the occasional train). Avoid in the summer, but winter is amazing.
Guide
We loved the spot so very much!! We will be back every winter
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
Traveling down Black Mountain road for about 2miles of wash boards before turning down the camping road.
All the sites were empty as it was almost 100degrees outside and nothing for shade of a creature larger than a bird could find. But here we found quiet solitude and a cooler evening, perhaps the winds helped.
If you have furry friends keep a watch for their paws, there’s small cacti/pokeys scattered about.
Lovely sunrise and sunset 360 views.
Good Verizon service!
ScoutThe most crucial moment after applying for SASSA grants is whether the application gets accepted or rejected. By seeing this, I, along with my teams of experts, analysts, and people with many years of experience in government organization, compiled this article. We all know the ins and outs of SASSA grants.
ScoutI visited for two nights to see which version of the Slab City story to believe - There are so many videos, but most of them were made by people who did not even stay overnight.
One story is the romanticized tale of free-thinking sovereign citizens and preppers working together in Utopian Fashion to survive off the grid in the deep Sonoran Desert and shun government interference in their lives. They even have movie nights and a Saturday night open mic. There are some folks there who deserve a kind description and they work very hard to help their neighbors when they can. There just aren't enough of them.
The other story is about how hundreds of conspiracy-laden, disenfranchised, meth-heads, dependent on SSI, have trashed a 600-acre parcel of public land. This group is real too, and will solicit your sympathy and cash if they can't figure out how to siphon gas out of your tank while you're wandering Salvation Mountain.
If none of this impresses you, then by all means, visit during winter to see the clever art installations, but if you're determined to hang for longer than the day, I recommend you pay to stay at Mojo's Camp or The Ponderosa where the hosts have a care about their guests. Do Not camp alone out in the open. Do not accept any bliss from anyone, and do not flash your cash. Leave the kids at home unless you want to scare them straight.
Traveler
This is not the place I was expecting from all the bad I've heard. It was beautiful. The park was clean, all facilities were clean. The staff were friendly and awesome. They do have E/W hook ups and can take rigs up to 35'. The showers take tokens!
RangerDid a quick motorcycle camp here. The campground was extremely well maintained. Clean bathrooms with showers etc. depending on the time of the year and the winds there can be an unpleasant smell but I didn’t have any problems on this trip Site are pretty close together but it didn’t seem to be very crowded most of the time
Ranger
Camped 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.
TravelerLots of nice flight that spots very nice view
Traveler
4bars of T-Mobile and 2 bars on AT&T. It’s currently $50 for a night which includes the hot spring.
The lots are dirt and uneven. The water on many lots are leaking or with broken fixtures. It’s pretty quiet and I’m here for 2 nights.
Guide
Stopped in total last minute and Mojo was friendly and accommodating! I loved the vibe and although it is free to stay out in the slabs it was totally worth it to pull in here in the dark and have a place to stay. My only regret was that it was a quick stop-over and I couldn't stay longer.
If you are looking for interesting places, colorful people and friendly free roaming pets, then this is the place. I hope to stop here again in the future and spend more time with Mojo and the crew.
ScoutNo water, $20 per nite with vault toliet and trash Nice cover picnic tables at each site
GuideThis is a great little spot stayed a couple of nights, beautiful views, clean bathroom, cold shower. It’s close to the road and the trains go by. They’re kind of loud but part of the topography.
TravelerWhat an amazing place with friendly staff. Go check out them out!! I really loved the ease of their website and reserving a spot. The check in is just as easy because you click on a link from the confirmation email sent from the reservation. Staff are always available, but never bother you. The bathrooms and showers are very clean and the hot springs tubs are nice and comfortable. There are also 3 pools, 1 hot springs and the other 2 are cold. It's definitely nice in the winter because you can do a cold soak then warm up in the hot springs. There are also dunes and ATV rentals, unless you have your own. It is definitely a homey hot springs resort with a positive vibe! Check out www.glamisnorth.com
Scout
So it’s no new news that the park has been sold and along with doing so the previous owner decided to replace the current manager Debra who in my opinion was overworked and definitely more than likely under paid considering who her boss was . My point here is why would anyone sell a place and replace their manager who did and does way more than job description. It seems as with every other business he’s sold in the community in recent years k owing it was going to be an epic failure and he’s wind back up with the business, that he has it changed his business model why sell a park and the incoming owners has to deal with a place they know nothing about or the ins and outs or the people and except to not have tons more of problems with a new hired manager who don’t know either , of course he won’t get this business back but just doesn’t seem ethical or business worthy to do so . If the new owners had this kind of thinking they’d be smart to rehire or keep if possible current management. Just my opinion it don’t matter cause I no longer am a resident of that poor town but still love the place
TravelerIt has great food and beautiful golf course.
Guide
Primitive camping. First come…, requires payment in envelope.
Scoutdrove there 7/9/2023 and the place no longer exists. It was sold years back and now is The Tiny House Block https://tinyhouseblock.com/
Tent camping near Imperial, California offers a unique experience with diverse landscapes and well-equipped sites, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore the desert.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Imperial, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Imperial, CA is El Centro NAF Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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TheDyrt.com has all 18 tent camping locations near Imperial, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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