Top Tent Camping near Ocotillo, CA

Recent Tent Reviews In Ocotillo

487 Reviews of 13 Ocotillo Campgrounds

• 

  Gabriel S.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 15, 2024

  Pine Creek Road Camp

  Nice quick and easy getaway

  Quite easy to get to. I drive an Acura RDX and had no problems (I actually had a lot of fun driving the road). 

  There were way more flies than we were expecting. Prepare to get swarmed. Luckily just gnats and no mosquitoes from what we experienced.

  We applied for a permit on Friday and did not get it by Saturday when we departed. Luckily, no rangers patrolled during our stay.

  Some spots with good shade.

• d

  david

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 30, 2024

  Pine Creek Road Camp

  Peaceful and secluded

  A great spot if you want to get away and enjoy some alone time. It’s a little warm in the day in august this time of year so you can’t hike around or explore too much. My girlfriend and I stopped in Julian on our way out to get a late lunch and then head to the campsite. The road is paved until you turn off Lone Creek Road and then it is a dirt road. I have a stock Rav4 and it was able to drive on it although there are a few spots you need to be careful at so you don’t scrape the bottom of your car. We only spent one night but we never saw another person during our stay

• 

  Glen C.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 29, 2024

  Laguna Campground

  Wonderful for dry RV or tent camping

  The scenery is incredible and varied from deeply forested to open meadow.  There are miles of hiking trails.  The campground layout is nice and for many of the loops it is possible to find a site that feels separated from your fellow campers.  This place fills up during the weekends in the spring through fall seasons, so book sites early on recreation.gov.  As implied by my title, there are no hookups here so any RV camping is dry camping.  For RVs with a good solar array, it is possible to find open spots that keep the energy flowing throughout the day.  There is one loop dedicated to longer RVs.  As a personal note, I don't recommend Site 62 for RV camping - it is angled and has some erosion issues coming off of the asphalt pad.  I have been to this campground several times as both a tent camper and an RV camper and have not had any problems with cleanliness of the facilities or excessively noisy neighbors.

• 

  Rose D.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 9, 2024

  Blair Valley

  Quiet

  Peaceful dispersed campground. Wide open great views. Didn’t even know I had neighbors until I walked around in the morning and saw neighboring campers over the hill. Clear skies when I went back in November, could get pretty windy. Saw some coyotes pass by my camp.

• 

  anna I.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 10, 2024

  Kitchen Creek Road

  Decent spot to stop

  Pretty small spot off the road, does get kind of loud from cars but overall a decent and clean spots

• 

  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.

• 

  Carter M.

  Scout

  

  May. 30, 2024

  Blair Valley

  Beautiful area but lots of bugs

  Here in late May and the bees and other bugs have been nonstop on me the whole time I've been here. It's a really beautiful area and the spots are spacious

• N

  Nani D.

  Scout

  

  May. 27, 2024

  Pine Creek Road Camp

  Dispersed Camping

  This was a last minute Memorial Day weekend trip with my boyfriend and 2 dogs. Friday sent an email to SM.FS.DescansoRD@usda.gov requesting the free permit (after doing research and finding out you need one), filled out the form, and got it back in the same day. Easy to get there, easy directions once there just make you pass the sign that says leaving the recreation area after that you can find any spot and camp. It was a little bumpy but nothing too bad. Drove with my jeep renegade that isn’t a 4wheel drive. A little busy due to the holiday but not too bad. Cyclist riding by, vehicles, and hikers. Which was nice saying hi. Hardly any service for my carrier which is T-Mobile. Definitely will camp out here again.

• 

  Russ S.

  Scout

  

  May. 23, 2024

  Yaqui Wash Primitive Campground - Yaqui Well I'll

  Nice but small sites, easy access, good views

  I don't think this map pin is correct for Yaqui Wells Primitive Camp, the location according to Google Maps is a little further south just off Yaqui Pass Road off Highway 78. There are two different camps similarly named, Yaqui Wells and Yaqui Pass, fairly close to each other. Anyway, we stayed here at Yaqui Wells for one night after attempting to camp at Blair Valley but getting swarmed by bees. Only saw 2 other vehicles, and while the sites are pretty small and close to the dirt road, they are nice enough. BE AWARE THOUGH: pull your vehicle well into the sites, we had 6 lifted off road trucks come flying through around midnight at a ridiculously high speed without slowing down at all and it could have been catastrophic if we were closer to the road or if we had been walking our dog at that time.

• A

  Andrew C.

  Traveler

  

  May. 12, 2024

  Corral Canyon Campground

  Incredible Privacy

  Saturday night in May. All other public campgrounds nearby are booked solid, but there are only 3 other groups here beside me. 1 camper told me the CG is always empty. Why? Because it's at the end of a 7.5 mile dead-end road in an OHV area, yet no OHVers here. No piped water, but the creek is flowing in mid-May of a wet winter. So peaceful. Lots of shade.

• A

  Andrew C.

  Traveler

  

  May. 11, 2024

  Tamarisk Grove Campground

  Desert campground

  I stopped here for lunch. You're in the desert, so hot during the day. There are some trees for shade, especially for the campsites along Yaqui Pass Road. All sites have lattice-work shelters for shade over the picnic tables. Water is listed as non-potable at all faucets. Besides campsites, there are one-room cabins for rent. $35/night for the campsites is a lot, but that is state park practice in CA. National Forest campgrounds are cheaper.

• 

  Beth W.

  Traveler

  

  May. 7, 2024

  Boulder Oaks Eqst

  Beautiful and quiet

  Super cute area, and much cooler since it’s a little higher altitude. Nice big sites and an entire loop with equestrian sites.

  Pit toilets. One dumpster. Water.

  I was there May 5, 2024 and the fee was $14.

• 

  Anne M.

  Scout

  

  May. 7, 2024

  Blair Valley

  Great weeknight spot

  Visited early May. Arrived right before sunset, there were people close to the bathrooms, but lots of space to spread out if you drive a little.

• 

  Heather K.

  Ranger

  

  May. 5, 2024

  Blair Valley

  Great spot for a night or two

  Tons of dispersed spots down the road.

• 

  Dickie Simmons S.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 29, 2024

  Blair Valley

  Great off grid camping w/ easy access

  Easy access to most designated campsites. Enjoy the changing colors at dusk. My area had 2 bars of verizion service.

• M

  Marco M.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 29, 2024

  Kitchen Creek Road

  Pretty but busy

  People riding motorcycles, trucks,screams, not a good place for solo camping for sure

• 

  Samantha M.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 28, 2024

  Culp Valley Primitive Campground

  Location, location!

  Very close to the park. Very clean. Restroom available. Beautiful views. Fire pits provided.

• 

  Samantha M.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 28, 2024

  Laguna Campground

  One of my favorites!

  Very well maintained. I always get site 8. Close to the restroom and the meadow. Vault toilets. Beautiful area all together. Nice quick drive in Southern California.

• A

  Andrew A.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 20, 2024

  GoodVibes Ranch & Farm

  More like Glamping than Camping!

  Let me first off say that the property is beautiful and that my hosts Carolyn and Bernie were very accommodating and had great energy.  Plenty of room for beautiful hikes on their many acres of land packed with some great views a few decks scattered around the property.  I found out they have a full size professional disc golf course here! I don’t bring my discs, but Carolyn and Bernie happily lent me some discs so I could try it out. 

  Now to the Glamping- now I been camping a bunch, the reason I say that this is glamping is that they have actual running water flushable toilets and outdoor hot showers!  I can’t tell you how excited I was lol, it really upleveled the whole camping experience. They also have an industrial kitchen as well as an outdoor bar where they have very fairly priced beer and wine. Did I mention they have a full size professional pool table? Turns out Bernie and Carolyn are professional pool players too! This place is awesome! I will definitely be coming back again again to relax. I live in sd so it’s only about 35-40min drive from my place.  Thank you so much Carolyn and Bernie for such a great experience!!

• D

  Deborah F.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 20, 2024

  GoodVibes Ranch & Farm

  Love This place!

  Beautiful nature getaway! Only 30 mins East of San Diego. 150 acres of beautiful pristine land. Gorgeous oaks shading our camp site. Loved the kitties & the ranch doggies. Went for a hike. Saw lots of flowers, a seasonal creek, sage, views of the valley & nearby mountain. Played some pool. The disk golf course is on the awesome hike I took. They have live music on the weekends. And 3 huge custom stone showers with natural spring water & full bathrooms with sinks & flushing toilets.

• A

  Abe C.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 14, 2024

  Yaqui Wash

  If you just want to get outdoors...

  There are a bunch of campsites along a service road that is parallel to a main road, several hundred feet away. This whole area is essentially within one valley, so you have mountains on both sides. It is well vegetated and allows for fairly easy hikes up the soft slopes.

  The parking spots are right alongside the road, so for van camping is not so great, but tents can be put away from the road and therefore it's much more suitable for tenting.

  The stretch of dirt road closest to the main road is Sandy, but manageable bull in a two wheel drive. This is where most of the campsites are. Further along the road, there are fewer camp sites, so they are more dispersed, however the road becomes more rocky and jutted, but for those wanting a bit more privacy, this is the spot to be.

  I would like to come back in camp in this location. So i'm going to mark it to return another time.

• A

  Abe C.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 14, 2024

  Yaqui Wash Primitive Campground - Yaqui Well I'll

  Easy with great views..., but am I here?

  Using the marker on the map in the app, I was brought to a small dirt parking lot off the main road. Further exploration showed that a dirt road continued into the vegetation. I followed it, but it turned and went parallel with a road. I am nowhere near see the marker on the map. However, I am a 100 feet off the trail overlooking the town of Borrego Springs and the mountains behind it. I am here in this section by myself.

  I did explore the Yaqui Pass and the Yaqui Wash spots, which are both further west over the mountain. The Pass was great and within a valley. The pass was a carpark as someone else noted. I wanted my back to the sunset (and the wind) so chose this location. Next time I hope to get to the spot the other reviews seem to be at.

• 

  TC S.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 23, 2024

  Slab City

  If Burning Man and a Landfill had a Baby...

  I 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.

• 

  colin D.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 21, 2024

  Loomerland

  Super fun for kids who love animals

  We've been 3 times and can't wait to come back - lots of very happy farm animals and a beautiful peaceful property and campout.

• 

  Bill R.

  Ranger

  

  Feb. 27, 2024

  Agua Caliente County Park Campground

  A funky little San Diego County campground with a hot spring

  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.

• 

  Tamara K.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 23, 2024

  Lake Morena County Park

  We WILL return!!!!

  We stayed 2/17/24-2/22/24 at spot 77. Great, huge shade tree!!! Level. 

  Clean bathrooms!! Flush toilets & 2 shower stalls.

  The Rangers were kind & helpful!

  Fire wood is $6/bundle that is purchased from the ranger station. Cash only.

  Showers are pay showers. .50/4mins.

  There must have been 100 wild turkeys that cruised thru the camp ground a few times. Pretty epic sight!! 

  During this time of year, chilly nights but beautiful days. We did get rained on for a day but nothing horrible.

  Oh, fires out by 11. They’re pretty strict about that time if the camp ground is busy but if it’s not, they leave you alone. I sat out after my kids went to bed til around midnight with my fire & it was heaven. Poured water on my fire & went to bed. Perfect evening!!

• 

  Patrick J.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 6, 2024

  The Springs at Borrego RV Resort

  A great desert glamping destination

  When we arrived, check in was quick and were escorted to our site. Our friends had arrived already and told us the site next them was open. The man who escorted us made a quick call and made the change.

  The concrete pads are really long. I will leave a picture. This allowed us to have both the trailer and the truck on the pad. Not the perpendicular park job we are all used to. 

  It raining all day the following day and we were getting emergency alerts on the phone for dangerous flooding. The RV park has no drainage problem at all. The park is incredibly clean and well maintained.

  We did play a couple of days on the golf course there. The course was in excellent shape. Green a bit slow. :-)

  The pool area with all the activities available was a nice option. One night they had live music in that center. 

  This is a fun place to be for sure. Lots of hiking places near by. We will be back!