Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Ocotillo? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Ocotillo campgrounds for you and your tent. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Ocotillo, California's most popular destinations.
Corral Canyon CampgroundDistance1.2 miles with connecting optionsCampfiresCampfires are not allowed when elevated fire restrictions are in effect. Please see our current fire restrictions page for more details.FeesAdventure Pass RequiredHike/Ride TimeHalf dayDifficultyEasy to ModerateBest SeasonsSpring, WinterLocationOff the I-8 at Buckman Springs Rd. Turn right on Buckman Springs rd. to Morena Stokes Valley rd, travel 10 miles to reach Four Corners Staging area and continue to the campgroundRanger DistrictDescanso Ranger District - (619) 445-6235 Corral Canyon Campground is located within the Corral Canyon OHV Area and provides a secluded camping opportunity for those using the surrounding trails. Campsites are nestled amongst an Oak grove with views of chaparral and desert for miles. Trails can be accessed from just outside of the campground, linking many to__the greater OHV Area for more options. Each parking sport was designed to accommodate vehicles towing up to 27ft. trailers.20 sites are available and OHV use is allowed with a Green Sticker (required). Please note that there is no potable water in the campground or within the local Corral Canyon and Bear Valley area.
“Discover the Joy of Nature at GoodVibes Ranch & Farm: Your Ultimate Mountain Escape!” At GoodVibes Ranch & Farm, we offer a variety of camping options to suit your preferences. Whether you prefer traditional tent camping, glamping units, or eco-friendly trailers, we have something for everyone.
Our campground is nestled in the breathtaking mountains of Jamul, California, providing a serene and picturesque backdrop for your camping adventure.
In addition to camping accommodations, we offer a range of activities to keep you entertained. Explore the surrounding hiking trails and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature. Challenge your friends to a game of disc golf or unwind with a friendly game of billiards.
We pride ourselves on providing an affordable camping experience, making it the perfect choice for families or friends looking to gather and create lasting memories.
Come and discover the joy of nature at GoodVibes Ranch & Farm, your ultimate mountain escape!
At GoodVibes Ranch & Farm, we provide a range of amenities to ensure your comfort and convenience during your camping experience. With 74 Acres you have ample space around your individual campsites to enjoy with friends and family. To utilize amenities such as disc golf or billiards check in at front desk to access. Hiking or Disc Golf maps are also at front desk. Our campground offers separate men's and women's bathrooms, as well as a shower area where you can freshen up after a day of outdoor activities.
For those who prefer to cook their own meals, we have a fully equipped kitchen available for your use. Stay connected with our WiFi access and enjoy the convenience of well water throughout the campground.
We also prioritize sustainability and have implemented a waste management system. You will find designated bins for garbage, recycling, and compost, allowing you to dispose of your waste responsibly.
To enhance your camping experience, we have fire pits where you can gather around and enjoy a cozy campfire. Additionally, we provide a BBQ grill and picnic areas for you to enjoy outdoor meals with your loved ones.
We strive to provide all the necessary amenities to make your stay enjoyable and hassle-free at GoodVibes Ranch & Farm.
$50 - $175 / night
Scout
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.
Traveler
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!
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.
Scout
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.
TravelerA 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
Traveler
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.
TravelerPeaceful 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.
Scout
Pretty small spot off the road, does get kind of loud from cars but overall a decent and clean spots
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.
ScoutHere 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
ScoutThis 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.
Scout
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.
Traveler
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.
Traveler
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.
Traveler
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.
ScoutVisited 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.
RangerTons of dispersed spots down the road.
TravelerEasy access to most designated campsites. Enjoy the changing colors at dusk. My area had 2 bars of verizion service.
ScoutPeople riding motorcycles, trucks,screams, not a good place for solo camping for sure
Guide
Very close to the park. Very clean. Restroom available. Beautiful views. Fire pits provided.
GuideVery 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.
Scout
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!!
ScoutBeautiful 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.
Guide
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.
GuideUsing 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.
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.
Scout
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.
Ocotillo, California, offers a unique desert camping experience for tent enthusiasts, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to different preferences and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ocotillo, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ocotillo, CA is Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area with a 4.4-star rating from 16 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Ocotillo, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Ocotillo, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
