Are you planning a trip to Joshua Tree National Park with your RV? We've got you covered. Finding RV campgrounds in California is easier than ever. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a place near local attractions, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect spot for your motorhome.
$35 / night
Holcomb Valley Ranch provides campers with an enchanting escape from the city. We invite you to kick back and relax at our private, 400+ acre ranch in the San Bernardino Mountains just 25 minutes from the Big Bear ski slopes and 15 minutes from Big Bear Lake- A large recreational, fresh-water lake for Summer swimming and water sports. Each campsite is approximately one acre(or more), generously-distanced from neighboring campers with its own fire ring and picnic table. The Ranch feels remote and private. Yet is only four miles to town. Neighboring the Pinnacles, for incredible rock climbing, and surrounded by the National forest, the location offers seemingly endless hiking and epic off-roading trails to enjoy and explore. After a day filled with adventure or relaxation, take in the breath-taking sunsets over the meadow. Then, blanketed in a sea of stars, enjoy toasting up some s’mores and hot-coco over a beautiful warm campfire. The horses are vacationing in sunny Palm Springs for the winter and will be back this Spring. ACCESS AND DIRECTIONS: Please pay close attention to the driving directions we provide. Your GPS may suggest you take Van Dusen Canyon Road or Rim of the World Drive, however, we highly suggest you take Polique Canyon. It is the most direct. The Ranch is about 15 minutes or 3.5 miles up Polique Canyon, on the left. Polique Canyon is a forestry road it does not get ploughed after a snowfall. Particularly during winter months, a 4x4 or AWD vehicle is recommended. After a snowfall, 4x4 or AWD combined with snow chains will likely be needed to successfully navigate Polique Canyon to get to the Ranch. WINTER CAMPING WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS: Big Bear is popular for its snowy white winters. Nighttime temperatures can fall into the single digits. Please check weather.com or another weather app prior to your visit and plan accordingly. When travelling to the mountains during the winter months, be prepared for winter weather driving conditions and always carry chains, extra food/ water, warm clothing/ blankets, and a full tank of gas in the event you become stranded. The sun sets around 7:00PM this time of year. Please arrive and check-in after 2PM and before night fall. Last check-in is at 8PM. WATER: The Ranch has been winterized to protect the pipes from the cold temperatures. Thus, the water has been shut off for winter. Our shower and flushing toilet buildings are currently closed. There are numerous, very clean, portable toilets throughout the Ranch and near each campsite, for guests to use. Please bring a plentiful supply of potable water for drinking, cleansing and extinguishing fires. FIRES: Campfires are permitted at the Ranch unless the Forest Service institutes a fire ban in the surrounding national forest or high winds are expected. Firewood is available for purchase on-site. Just ask your camp host for some bundles when you arrive. CELL RECEPTION: Verizon gets pretty good cell reception at the Ranch. AT&T gets some. Other cell carries are pretty spotty. Please note: Weather conditions in the Big Bear area can change dramatically and rapidly during the winter months. As such, Holcomb Valley Ranch reserves the right to cancel any reservation up to 24 hours prior to arrival due to any extreme or cold weather conditions. Remember the s’mores and always follow the“Leave No Trace” principles. We look forward to hosting you at the Ranch!
$25 / night
Two (2) 20x40 RV/LQ SITES ON a private 5 acre horse property. Hookups include Water/electricity/sewer. Sorry no tents. 1 hour to Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear, Joshua Tree National Park. Short drive to fishing, hiking, trail riding. Have horses? Two (2) Stalls available in mare motel + 60 ft round pen. Happy Trails!
$45 - $55 / night
Scout
This little RV park was opened in 1977. It is nothing fancy but perfectly inperfect. You are greeted by staff and escorted to your space. Staff will assist you in plugging in if needed. They ask that you check-in after you are settled. Full hook-ups and wifi strong. They accept Good Sam. A real drive-in movie theater is across the street.
Guide
Been here many times since it is local to me.
This place has changed a lot over the years, and not necessarily for the good, in my opinion.
What there is:
What there is no longer:
Beware of skunks and loud trains!
It is still a somewhat nice place to visit for a couple hours with the kids.
We have camped in a tent. The tents sites are adjacent to the lake.
Trailer camping isn't too bad, other than being adjacent to the busy railroad. Most sites have grass.
LegendWe stopped here to use their dump and fill our water tanks, and were directed to the Flying J south of town. The staff person told me that all the RV parks in this area operate this way, so just a heads up!
As described in previous reviews, this park is pretty run down but seems to be an interesting place. Weird cars and a big dinosaur sculpture out near the main road, a phone booth near the restroom marked as “time machine,” random clutter and items throughout.
Observed a mixed recycling bin at this park.
Saw a sign for a Good Sam discount.
There isn’t much around in this area of town, so stop for groceries and supplies before you arrive.
Legend
A previous reviewer noted this is a military only facility. That is correct. I.D. is required to get on base. Once that is done the office is in building 185 and check is is super easy. The pads are new concrete and level. There are a few trees along the back of the RV pads. Full hookups and apparently the base WiFi is available by renting a router for the night, but our cell phones (Verizon) have 4 bars of service. The parking lot is gravel. Which is the norm in the south west with less than 5 inches of rain a year. At $35/ night with full hook up, this is a go to again place! The office staff was extremely helpful too.
Scout
Reasonable price for full hook up - 40 dollars Amazing place, quiet, the ghost town was really a good surprise it s really interesting, nice hiking around. Definitely recommends
RangerThere are 253 different sites. There are primitive sites, only electric sites as well as full hook up sites. Section A came with the full hookup, I saw mainly large class A RVs parking there, probably came for a longer time. I took a space in camp B with only electricity, which is enough for me and my Class B. Basically when you drive to the gate, they tell you to go inside and pick a place for yourself, the ranger will come and collect the fee later. I liked that.
The bathrooms and the park is clean, it has paid showers. Park admissions are also included for both days in your nightly camping fee. The town itself has many little tours that they charge extra for. I only tried the train ride. The ranger was around all day and at night, security took over. I visited in February and it was perfect weather to stay outdoors all day, however, in the summer camping, there might be too hot. I did not see many shaded areas.
If you don’t go when there is a big event there it will be peaceful and quiet. It can get crowded and dirty when there are special events going on there, Halloween or New Years Eve.
ScoutWell no fault of this location, we planned this trip months ago, but unfortunately the ambient temps soared. Two huge AC units could only manage about a 20 degree reduction in 110 degree heatwave. Recommend this as a winter, early spring or late fall. OHV pull through site accommodated my 45 foot 5th wheel no problem. Upper campsite has full hook ups for small rigs but there is no cell service at upper camp. Aside from weather advisory, this is a spot I can see us coming back to during appropriate season ☀️🔥🔥🔥
Legend
This is a great BLM campground, FREE, individual sites with varying levels of privacy and levelness, no reservations. Each site has a shade structure, table, fire pit, and grill. There are pit toilets but no other amenities. No water and no trash service- please pack your trash out! We had to pick up after some other campers which is just so dumb to have to do. There was a camper there who looked like they had set up for long term residency, and the sheriff came by and kicked them out.
This is also a big rock climbing destination so you’ll have climbers coming in for the day as well. There are some “dispersed” type sites in the brush area so if you show up and all the spots are taken, you can sleep in one of those spots in a pinch until morning. We were there in late December and there were only a couple of other campers, and then again in early January and it was busy on weekends but quiets down during the week.
The road coming in is 1.6 miles of washboard and some big dips, but it’s doable. Cell service is very spotty throughout the campground. Parts of decent ATT or Verizon service, and parts have zero. Lots of hikes and trails and places to walk and scramble.
Legend
This place we stumbled upon... it's right after the shady lane RV park, if you happen to strike out this place has everything you need for your hook ups so in a pinch it's here for you. They have hook ups, a bar on property, its a dirt lot nothing is paved, they have laundry rooms if need be as well.
Guide
All the great KOA perks. Camp Store. Full hookups. A refreshing pool.
TravelerThe RV Park is located in a natural reserve. The scenes are beautiful!! We stayed by the river and had a great time. The only downside is that there are railways near the park and trains running by all night long.
Scout
One of the most beautiful and pristine properties I've ever seen. Holcomb Valley Ranch is a magical place. So much room to run around and enjoy the outdoors, safely. The RV spaces are well distanced. The staff are incredible. Very welcoming and professional. You'll definitely enjoy your extended stay and will likely want to settle into this beautiful setting for the entire season.
RangerAll of sites are big level concrete slab with full hookups, there seemed to be cable TV hookups, No WiFi. There is the base Commissary and base Exchange with gas station also few blocks away. Pre paid $35 a day over phone. Charge at check in.
LegendBarstow is a good mileage stop between Las Vegas and SoCal. The campgrounds are pretty quiet with only a little road noise (surprisingly, due to its proximity to the highway) and very easy to access. The Sites aren’t very private, being so close together but there are small bushes that offer some semblance of separation. The gravel pads are a bit different than most KOAs and don’t create that fine white dust, which is a plus. The full hookups worked well but there is no Wi-Fi and all amenities were closed aside from laundry and bathrooms (neither that we used). Pool was closed due to construction on it. The town doesn’t offer much in the way of amenities. You can grab some food at the diner across the street or head to the Calico Ghost Town 3 miles up The road. The biggest draw here is the electricity to keep your A/C running in the high temps.
Guide
Easy checking Cheap with Passport America membership: don’t expect much Level sites, electric (30 used ) water and sewer Little shade - over 106 when there late Aug
GuideFull hookups, concrete pads, picnic tables. Many full time campers parked with junk around them. The grounds need a ton of cleanup. Not the safest feeling being in this park.
TravelerBe prepared for the heat! Full hookup and decent cell service. No AC in the bathrooms so they were pretty uncomfortable, but they were clean. The ghost town was fun to explore and learn about. Basic food fare as well as local beers on tap. Our kiddos loved it!
TravelerGreat place for a stop over. Level sites.
Guide
If you find yourself traveling through the Mojave along the 15 between L.A. and Vegas, do yourself a favor and stop off at this little gem of a campground. Located in Afton Canyon, this BLM Campground offers plenty of level sites, compete with concrete picnic tables, fire pits and charcoal grills. There are also pit toilets. The drive in is a bumpy dirt road about 3 miles off of the 15 along Afton Creek Rd. It was more suitable for all-wheel drive cars (esp when wet I imagine), but we saw everything from a Prius to a Class C motor home. We came in at night and found it almost empty, which was a nice change of pace. We went to sleep listening to coyotes howl in the distance. There is also the occasional train that comes through on the adjacent tracks, but it is more melodic than disturbing. The morning brought a riot of colors from the surrounding cliff faces and quickly warmed the cool desert morning. This is one of the few places the Mojave River runs above ground, so the place is teeming with birds and other wildlife. Definitely worth the stop.
TravelerOur planned stop for the night off of I-15 did not work out. It was a Sunday and the interstate was clogged with travelers returning home from Utah, Las Vegas or wherever. The Santa Anna winds were fiercely interfering with a pleasant drive. This RV “camp” was along our route and we called to reserve a space late in the afternoon. Located perhaps 3/4 mile from the interstate, it is shielded from its noise. Nice interaction with the folks running the place. The sites are tight, but far enough apart for good air and personal separation. The electric, water and sewer worked fine. The Wi-Fi was weak and kept disappearing. We didn’t use any of the facilities there. Overall, the $45 for the site was OK. We had a restful stay. The place was full plus some in the morning.
Guide
We were only here one night but we had a nice stay. We left the windows open since it was great evening weather. The freeway noise was there but it didn’t keep us up. We had full hookups and check-in was easy. Our near-end site was great for our dogs since no one was booked at the end so we had plenty of space. The space itself was large and we enjoyed the quiet. I’m sure we’ll stay again when we’re in the area.
GuideThis campground in Barstow has many things to do. Campground has full hookups first off. Next, they have a separate campground area for OHV campers and vehicles. Plenty of trails and some famous rock climbing just behind the hill. The ghost town is awesome to check out, kids love it. Pan for silver, train rides and explore the mines. Even grab a bite to eat with a beer at the saloon. Gets hot in the summer but fall and winter good times to go. This place even has cabin rentals too.
TravelerCamping fees include access to the Ghost Town which closes at 5pm daily. It's a short walk up the trail from the campground. No need to drive around and park. On Easter they have an egg hunt divided by children's age groups, music, photos with EB, and other activities. Your camping fee also covers access to these type of special events. The largest full hookup site is likely #B18 and #B11. They seemed to have the widest parking area. I was able to work from this location using Homefi with no service issues on zoom calls.
LegendI love places that are child friendly because it shows when people truly care for others and this place sure does! Yes, it's a hole in the wall but what did you expect Barstow to be>??? This RV spot however is a KAO and has tons of family-friendly things to do so no one will be bored. Yes it's parallel to the major free way but I mean it's well kept and plenty of things to do. For sure a Good Spot for a day or two
GuideI used to go here a lot as a kid, both for RV camping and fishing. It's an interesting area, as a rockbed forces the normally underground Mojave River to the surface here, meaning that this is one of the only parts of the river to flow above ground year round. As a result, a small forest of Cottonwood trees abounds, which are the only native tree to this area. The lakes are nice, there are mountain views, and some cool hikes to explore in the riverbed area. It's a green Oasis in the desert, spring is probably the best time to go as it can get very hot in summer and very cold in winter. I do miss the houses, cows, and camels that use to be housed in the stables.
GuideTraveling while pulling my utility trailer along makes slow going. And pulling up a long, long, long desert mountain grade can be downright exhausting.
So this is a mighty grateful thumbs up review. Robert made my day when I phoned up in the late afternoon and offered me a limited use rate on one their full hookup sites.
And of course, I got in real late, just after late closing hours–10 pm!
I got the last pull through site at the end of the lane. It was a breeze to pull in, get my deep cycle battery charging. 30 Amp with an adapter is all I need.
Shady Lane is mostly populated by real big rigs. So a 50amp socket is also on the post.
The park is a little distance from the highway, so it's blessedly quiet overall. After a grueling pull from Las Vegas, it was a wonderful blessing to crawl into my tent with my feline road companion, Missy. She just loves tent camping the very best. It was down in the 40s last night, but our traveling bed is a cushy cloud ☁️ from Heaven 🌠🌌✨ Just me and Missy and all those stars on that dark desert night.
Just woke to a lovely quiet morning here at Shady Lane. Fully renewed, to make my long drive down towards San Diego.
Looks they offer all the basics, showers, laumdry, and the same wifi network is offered all over these desert parts.. So once signed up, its the same login wherever you go on this network.. That's handy. Great wifi signal all the way down at the end of the lane, too.
Most importantly, Shady Lane offers tent spots and doesn't get snooty about whether you're pulling a utility trailer, or a spit shined mega-rig. On the phone, when I spoke with Robert, told him what I'm pulling along, he was as nice as can be.
I'm glad I found this quiet little desert overnighter. 🏜 Just right for Missy and me.
ScoutDirt interior roads, including a dead end that was really a challenge to back and fill the trailer out of. Quiet at night once the off-roaders go to bed. Good hookups. Pretty easy walk to Calico Ghost Town, well worth the effort. We will probably be back.
Explore the beauty of RV camping near Joshua Tree National Park, where stunning desert landscapes meet well-equipped campgrounds, perfect for a memorable outdoor experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Joshua Tree National Park?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Joshua Tree National Park is Military Park Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Base Oasis RV Park with a 2.3-star rating from 4 reviews.
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