Best Tent Camping near Mecca, CA

Recent Tent Reviews in Mecca

1154 Reviews of 25 Mecca Campgrounds

• 

  Ava C.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 20, 2025

  Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground

  Easy Booking & Kind Staff

  My boyfriend and I stayed here for about a week and we absolutely loved our stay! The staff was very friendly and hard working. They ran an easily accessible store on the campgrounds that had lots of last minute necessities. Not to mention the ducks! This RV park is also in super close proximity of the National Park. I would definitely visit again. Also, Rue loved it. 🦆👍🏼🤠

• 

  Brittany

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 14, 2025

  Arroyo Salado Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Amazing sunrise

  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!

• 

  Ryan L.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 12, 2025

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Free Desert Camping

  Grateful for free camping sites. Just outside of Julian which is a charming little town.

  Decent for some seclusion/isloation as the road through is winding.

  When in early January. 65-70 during the day. ~45 at night.

  The quiet was my favorite part.

• 

  Julie K.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 6, 2025

  Corvina Beach Campground — Salton Sea State Recreation Area

  Really great for $10

  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.

• 

  Julie K.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 6, 2025

  Black Rock Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Close to Joshua Tree NP but not a stellar CG for $35/night

  The CG was very well maintained in that the bathrooms were clean, not much trash and very nice camp hosts.  However, the sites were close together, narrow roads and the sites were not level. We found a rock to level our van which helped, but flat spots were expected. The price per night increased on 1/1/25 which was the night we arrived. 

  NOTE: after visiting JTNP I learned that many campgrounds in the main part of the park had no water so extra props to this CG for water.

• 

  Gary H.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 5, 2025

  Indian Cove Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Big rocks and lots of sunshine

  Nice place to visit in early January. With sunshine and daytime temperatures of 60s and 70s.

  Would be a 5 star if it had water, a dump station or electric.

• M

  Michael W.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 4, 2025

  Octillo Wells OHV Recreation Area

  It’s desert time!

  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.

• R

  Robert

  Guide

  

  Dec. 27, 2024

  Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Great campground, with fabulous views

  Enjoyed staying at this campground. Each site is different, but the information on reservation site contains all details.
  Planning for water is needed, there is only a pit toilet.

• 

  Dawn S.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 11, 2024

  White Tank Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Big rocks!

  We loved camping 🏕 here! Great big rocks, and good trails near by! An arch too!

• 

  Paulina B.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 7, 2024

  Sam's Family Spa RV Resort & Motel

  Worth it for Long Term Stays

  Sam’s Family Spa offers a mixed experience with steep daily rates, decent weekly rates, and an unbeatable deal for monthly stays. The mineral-fed hot springs and heated pool area are highlights, though access requires wristbands and a bathroom code. Mail delivery is convenient, but the lack of security at the campground entrance feels like a gap. The west side of the park boasts stunning views, and the grounds feature a variety of interesting desert plants. However, the overall experience didn’t quite match the polished image portrayed on the website. Still, its proximity to Palm Springs and relaxing hot springs make it a worthwhile option for longer stays

• 

  E.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 2, 2024

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Great escape from the city!

  I followed the coordinates provided and it took us right to the trailhead. We saw a few other campers but overall, the campground was ours for the weekend. We did some light hiking and exploring but otherwise took advantage of the peace and quiet that was available to us. Gorgeous sunsets and sunrises and epic star gazing! Being a dark sky community, we were able to see so many stars and constellations. We saw shooting stars nearly every minute and we were also able to find Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,  and Neptune all with the naked eye! Next time we will pack a small telescope and I'm sure we will see more! 

  Watch out for cactus and needles that are buried in the sand. It is not recommended to bring dogs or walk barefoot for this reason. Our sandals and boots both had many needles stuck in the rubber soles after the trip. Being in the valley, the winds were very light but there is a possibility of strong winds and sand storms so be prepared. Temps averaged 70-75 during the day and dropped to 38-42 at night but with a small fire and proper gear, we were plenty comfortable. Fire rings are provided at some locations however the ranger informed us we could build a rock ring and line it with tin foil which worked great. 

  The road in was a bit rough in some areas. Wash out and silty sand could pose problems for smaller vehicles or campers so use your best judgement. Single track roads in/out so you will need to yield off the main road when encountering larger oncoming vehicles, which could also be difficult for inexperienced offroad drivers.

• 

  daniel Q.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 1, 2024

  Pioneertown Corrals

  $60 too much

  Nice place, beautifull views, good bar. Rustic place for camping. Just to sleep, no services.

• 

  Sade H.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 30, 2024

  William Heise County Park

  Fun but Dusty

  We went in October with our AHG group. It was great and super dog friendly but WOW so much dirt created so much dust in the air and it got on everyone and everything. With that being said… TONS to do! Such beautiful sights to see! The drive up was amazing. They had plenty of water to wash and drink with a lot of bathrooms as well.

  You can walk trails, stargaze, take your bikes around and so much more!

• 

  Karen M.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 30, 2024

  Joshua Tree RV & Campground

  Clean, safe and friendly spot

  Located close to the town of Joshua Tree so you can still grab a bite to eat if you’re not up to cooking. Easy access to the west entry gate but this gate tends to get busy on holiday weekends. Campground is clean and quiet. They rent every other spot so you’re not quite on top of your neighbors. Camp staff super helpful and friendly. Bring your own table as outdoor tables are limited. Nice community area with picnic tables, microwave, bbq, and games.

• 

  Sade H.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 29, 2024

  Observatory Campground

  Love this place!

  I brought my family with our 2 dogs for Thanksgiving and unfortunately we left early because it was a major danger for our dogs with the very bold and brave coyotes.

  We tent camped but I feel like if we had an RV it would have been safer for the dogs.. for us alone with out the dogs, tent camping would have been fine!

  Other than that. BEAUTIFUL!!! We loved every single moment from the colorful drive up to the stars and checking out the observatory which was also pet friendly. It’s SO FUN to see all the different color leaves and the sunsets, the sunrises, the crisp air, the views on the way up….all of it was so beautiful.

• 

  Mark D.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 25, 2024

  Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Limited Space

  Campers beware that the sites are close together and have limited space for campers. We have a RTT with a fold out annex. There are boulders along the road side that do not allow you to pull into the sites. This was not obvious from the pictures or descriptions. Beautiful area. Close sites and seems to be a social area and the people were great!

  We opted instead for a first come first served site at the Belle campground. TY to the campers that gave us an alternative location!!

• 

  Mark D.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 25, 2024

  Black Rock Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Easy access

  Reservations are required but the park is easily accessible. We picked an easy location for our maiden voyage and the need for cell service for my spouse. Cell service was just adequate. Facilities are clean and well kept. Visitors center staff was friendly and helpful. Sites are decently spaced but there will be sharing with RV’s and generators. I would stay here again but if time permits the sites within Joshua Tree NP would be my preference.

• K

  Kandi R.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 17, 2024

  Indian Cove Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Amazing Joshua Tree Gem

  Love, love this campground. Beautiful rock formations set amidst the magical Joshua Tree National Park. RV sites are good size, no hookups, but campground does have vault toilets and endless exploration opportunities!

• S

  Shawn

  Guide

  

  Nov. 9, 2024

  Salton Sea Sra

  I love this place

  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.

• 

  Kara S.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 8, 2024

  Indian Cove Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Joshua tree np without the fee

  I’ve camped at Joshua tree national park numerous times but this is the first time at this site. It was great. Lots of climbing at hiking at this spot. Great Joshua tree experience without the long drive and entrance fee.

• 

  Karen D.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 5, 2024

  Ryan Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  Beautiful and quiet

  We stayed two nights here in a campervan. It's a really great location to explore the park. The rocks give some good shade. Space #9 was shady in the mornings. The toilets were fine. It was really quiet, they're were a few other campers mostly in tents. No sign of any rattlesnakes or other critters either. Except loads of cute squirrels, and some mice and lizards.

• T

  Tony B.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 27, 2024

  South Ridge Yellow Post Sites

  Awesome dispersed site with amazing views

  Very nice to find a campsite this private on a weekend in southern California elevation is high enough that temperatures were very enjoyable (mid 80's)

• 

  Kate

  Guide

  

  Sep. 21, 2024

  Chiriaco Summit Dry Camp Area

  free camping outside joshua tree

  i loved camping here! the campsites are pretty close together but only a few others were there when we visited so we were spaced out. the first campsite we chose had a few pretty big ant hills so we moved to another which had none. wood fires are allowed. the stars were absolutely beautiful at night! you are near the highway so you will get headlights shining towards you occasionally but it was overall still pretty dark and quiet. no amenities but you’re within a half mile of a cute family restaurant and gift shop, the general patton museum, and a gas station. when you first drive into the campground, you will pass some old tanks. keep going until you see the campground sign. i had an amazing time camping here with my dog and my friend. i hope to come back here with my family sometime!!

• 

  Carol L.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 20, 2024

  Shabby Shanty

  cool

  What a stunning view from this hillside property! Overlooking the dry lake bed with a neighbor half a mile away sounds like the perfect retreat for those seeking peace and privacy. The proximity to downtown Joshua Tree and JTNP offers the best of both worlds—seclusion and convenience. If you’re considering moving to such a beautiful area, it’s important to communicate your vision clearly. That’s where https://stateofwriting.com/uk/sociology-writing-service comes in. Their expert writing services can help you craft compelling content, whether it’s for a personal blog, a real estate listing, or any other writing project. Enjoy the tranquility of this amazing location!

• 

  Annie G.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 18, 2024

  Fry Creek Campground

  Very beautiful

  This is a very nice and quiet campground and everyone there was very respectful of quite hours. The place was very clean and very beautiful. The only con was that there are way too many insects everywhere, My base camp got bombarded with a swarm of wasps, And I was forced to leave a day early, and had to leave my cooking pot behind because of the swarm of wasps... I wish there were some kind of rangers or someone there that I could have asked for help about this, or I wish someone would do something about this issue but I guess it is what it is at this location lol 😆 Other than not being able to cook and eat without wasps in your face and In your food, it was really nice

• M

  Molly A.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2024

  Tool Box Springs - Yellow Post Campground

  Canpsites a plenty

  There’s a few designated camp areas up this way. Went out in early Sept 2024 and the road was fine. I drive a lifted AWD overloaded Honda Element and I had no issue. There were two sections on the final ascent loop to the top of Thomas Mountain that were a little scratchy. You do not need to complete the final ascent to the top to enjoy the camping areas. Although if your car is capable there’s an excellent spot at the very end of the loop.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 14, 2024

  Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

  We were too big

  Heads up about this place if you’re in an RV like we are. We reserved spot #40, we are a 26ft class c (28 ft total length) and the length limit for this spot is 30 ft, and RVs are allowed. But we felt like we barely fit side to side, and definitely wouldn’t have put our slides out. Not to mention it was so unlevel that we wouldn't have wanted to take the slides out anyway. The spot was cute, a little spot by itself between a hill and the “bump out” type parking spot where you’d park your vehicle. There’s a picnic table, a grill, and a fire pit. We ended up parking there for a bit, walking over to skull rock and the discovery trail to face rock (dogs not allowed on trails), walked back, and left. We would have been way too uncomfortable if we’d tried to stay the night. Oh well- we only lost $20. 

  There are dumpsters throughout the campground, and recycling at the entrance. We didn’t see any hosts or staff. There are pit toilets as well. We did see some other RVs in spots that looked fine, but overall I’d recommend this place for tents only unless you know for sure you’ll fit in the spot. Zero cell service in the entire park.