Want to go dispersed camping near Pioneertown? Here you'll find a diverse selection of places to camp, including remote dispersed camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. Search dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots and read camper reviews.
Limited, but free wilderness permits for day hiking and overnight camping are required for the San Gorgonio Wilderness and the Cucamonga Wilderness Permits – they are issued by the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association, a Forest Service partner. Parts of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, including the San Bernardino Peak Trail, are still closed due to the El Dorado fire.
Upon completion of your reservation request. you will receive a download. Please retain this download as your permit reservation. You may keep a copy on your phone and show it to a ranger as verification of your permit or you can print it out. If you do not receive a permit use the contact link here: https://www.sgwa.org/contact-us
The Vivian Creek Trail is the shortest and the steepest route to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio, located in the San Gorgonio Wilderness on the Sand to Snow National Monument. One and two-tenths miles from the trailhead is Vivian Creek Camp (7,100'). Campsites are located upslope to the right of the trail after reaching the stream: one is halfway up the slope, and the other is at the top of the slope (no camping within 200 feet of the trail or creek). One and three-tenths miles from Vivian Creek Camp is Halfway Camp (8,100'). Water is obtained from the creek 200 yards before camp. Two and three-tenths miles further is High Creek Camp (water available - 9,200'). The summit of San Gorgonio (11,499') is 3 miles beyond High Creek. The upper end of this trail offers outstanding views of Yucaipa Ridge and Galena Peak, as well as sweeping panoramic views from the top of Mt. San Gorgonio. General info: No water available. No campfires allowed. Portable gas stoves are allowed with a valid California Campfire Permit. No camping within 200 feet of the trail or creek Wilderness Permit Required - this is a very popular trail, especially on summer weekends. It is suggested you request your permit in advance. Wilderness Permit applications are accepted up to 90 days in advance of your trip. Permits can be obtained from sgwa.org. Fee: Adventure Pass Required $5/day or $30/year. Interagency Passes also accepted.
Dispersed, or undeveloped, camping provides more solitude and an opportunity to “rough it.” There are many camping opportunities in general forest areas as well as in wilderness areas. Know before you go: Before traveling visit or call the nearest Ranger Station for current fire restrictions and area closures. No wood or charcoal campfires (check current fire restrictions before you go). Vehicles must remain on roads and associated pullouts. Do not clear vegetation. Portable gas-powered stoves, lanterns and fire rings with a fuel-shutoff valve allowed with a California Campfire Permit and five feet clearance from vegetation. Camp at least 200 feet from springs, water, meadows, trails and roads. Camp at least a quarter-mile from designated campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads. Camp at least a quarter-mile from private property and state highways. Pack out all trash. Leave no trace!
Group size limited to 12 people and 8 pack/riding animals per group. No campfires allowed. Portable gas stoves are allowed with a valid California Campfire Permit.
Limited, but free wilderness permits for day hiking and overnight camping are required for the San Gorgonio Wilderness and the Cucamonga Wilderness Permits – they are issued by the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association, a Forest Service partner. Parts of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, including the San Bernardino Peak Trail, are still closed due to the El Dorado fire.
Upon completion of your reservation request. you will receive a download. Please retain this download as your permit reservation. You may keep a copy on your phone and show it to a ranger as verification of your permit or you can print it out. If you do not receive a permit use the contact link here: https://www.sgwa.org/contact-us
The Vivian Creek Trail is the shortest and the steepest route to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio, located in the San Gorgonio Wilderness on the Sand to Snow National Monument. One and two-tenths miles from the trailhead is Vivian Creek Camp (7,100'). Campsites are located upslope to the right of the trail after reaching the stream: one is halfway up the slope, and the other is at the top of the slope (no camping within 200 feet of the trail or creek). One and three-tenths miles from Vivian Creek Camp is Halfway Camp (8,100'). Water is obtained from the creek 200 yards before camp. Two and three-tenths miles further is High Creek Camp (water available - 9,200'). The summit of San Gorgonio (11,499') is 3 miles beyond High Creek. The upper end of this trail offers outstanding views of Yucaipa Ridge and Galena Peak, as well as sweeping panoramic views from the top of Mt. San Gorgonio. General info: No water available. No campfires allowed. Portable gas stoves are allowed with a valid California Campfire Permit. No camping within 200 feet of the trail or creek Wilderness Permit Required - this is a very popular trail, especially on summer weekends. It is suggested you request your permit in advance. Wilderness Permit applications are accepted up to 90 days in advance of your trip. Permits can be obtained from sgwa.org. Fee: Adventure Pass Required $5/day or $30/year. Interagency Passes also accepted.
Guide
Easy to access dirt road off of Amboy leads you to BLM land. Left over fire rings mark sites, however many sites are covered in glass and bullet casing from people using this area for target practice. Sunsets are gorgeous, however desert winds are harsh. Wouldn’t go back but free camping doesn’t hurt.
Legend
Because the National forest allows dispersed camping, as long as your off the roads and trails, the camping spots are unlimited. We like coming here if we want to be guaranteed a spot, no early arrivals or reservations needed. Dogs are allowed, and the trails in the area are dog-friendly.
Ranger
I researched this spot a ton and was hesitant to go - mostly because my 1987 VW Westfalia isn’t 4WD, and everything I read said you must have an off road vehicle, but the area looked beautiful and we didn’t have lots of campground options based on COVID park closures so we went.
I’m glad we did.
Box Canyon Road - the main road that goes right through Mecca Hills is paved and that drive alone was worth it. Beautiful.
The reviews were right that my car couldn’t make it to Painted Canyon or Mecca Wilderness Campground (a bit past Painted Canyon), but because it’s BLM land there’s dispersed camping anywhere off Box Canyon Road, which was amazing.
We saw old campfire pits all over and we pulled off on a dirt road that didn’t need 4WD, found a man made rock pit and setup shop. It was around a mountain so we felt totally isolated.
I had to be careful where to drive as there’s lots of sand but it was great. Glad we went. There were two other cars within site of us doing the same thing.
We had a great fire that night and enjoyed the stars and solitude.
Guide
We love BLM camping, but frankly living near LA free dispersed or BLM land is far between and hard to come by. Thankfully Joshua Tree has the perfect BLM spot just northeast of the park right south of the Pinto Mountain Wilderness. We usually come out here on holiday weekends because while the parks are full beyond capacity you can go days on BLM without seeing anyone. We’ve stayed two weeks before seeing one person in the “off season”. There’s a reason why us dirt bikers love this kind of area. Free camping, all the dirt trails you could ever want, full fire options, wonderful place to get space and seclusion; everything you could want as a disperser, minus access to water and shade (unless you bring it with you). And you should, the town is not close and the likelihood of encountering someone to help you out of a tough spot, or supplement missing something is near nil on the off-season. Remember people, this is the desert, if you don’t bring it with you, you won’t find it here. Inexperienced dispersed campers are not recommended. Many grossly underestimate the water/shade they will need/use and if you’ve never had to be 100% self sufficient, this is not the place to start. Cell service is spotty at best, and with the main road several miles away, and town several miles from there, not recommended unless you know you can be completely self reliant. Also in the summer temps soar easily in the 100s and drop hard after the sun goes down to the mid 50s. Even more unpredictable in the “off season”. That being said we love it here and get our desert fix in and plenty of dirt biking done. A great spot to go if you know what you’re doing, place your ego aside, if you know what you’re doing you’ll have a blast. Don’t? And you could end up in trouble quick. Can’t wait to go again in November!
TravelerTypical BLM land, not far at all from Joshua Tree Park. Open and spacious, was able to dig my daily fox hole butt naked in broad daylight without being spotted. Very dispersed, road wasn’t too bad either. I’ll stop by again if I can’t get a reservation in Joshua Tree Park next year. Thanks BLM!
Traveler
Randomly ended up in J Tree, only to find every camp site was booked out. This patch of BLM land has the flat playa vibe with plenty of space to spread out.
LegendWe drove up to a spot in the dry lake bed area, sat there for a few minutes, and decided to leave. The place was fine, for a different kind of camper or maybe we would have liked it on a different day. But when we were there on a Saturday in mid November, there were so many people and so many ATVs, we just felt like we'd have ATVers zipping around us all night. And there was so much trash! :(
The environment was fine, easy access for our 26ft class c, wide open, flat land, good cell reception, close to town. We just didn't like the vibe. There's zero shrubbery or any kind of division to make you feel like you have your own space. It's just a wide open dry lake bed.
Be sure to keep an eye on the map as you're driving in to make sure you camp on BLM land. There is a lot of non BLM land surrounding this area, some but not all marked with "no trespassing" signs, and some sad encampments set up on the non BLM land. So just because you see an RV or a tent set up, doesn't mean it's BLM land.
ScoutThis is just a dry lake bed not far from Josh Tree National Park. It’s just a dry lake bed on BLM land.
Guide
The road leading there was a little bit bumpy, however the ground of the BLM lands was pretty sturdy and compact. As stated there is nothing but land, however, that is the beauty of this place!
LegendNot sure if this is the same place the rangers in Joshua Tree told us about, but if you drive North on Sunfair off of Route 62 and take a right on Sunflower, you can drive on to BLM land and find anywhere to camp on a dry lake bed. It was pretty open and incredible in late November.
RangerAs another reviewer noted - this spot is huge so make sure you are staying on BLM land. There is a lot of trash in some areas and there was some dirt bikes but they didn’t bother me. Car camping I found the area I liked best was as follows: off 62 take Sunfair rd, right on cypress rd (dirt road which my GPS thought was Reagan Rd but is marked with a street sign Cypress) - go past ITH coyote ranch (no sign but may show up on map) Then right on cascade - an unmarked dirt rd. Then there is a large flat BLM area where rvs and vans were quite spread out, and a motorcycle with a tent was my neighbor (quite far away). No trash here when I was there. Zero facilities obviously so pack it out. Hot tip - water and restrooms 10 min away at the Indian Cove ranger station near Indian Cove Campground in JT park. I stayed here two nights car camping.
Traveler
Great free camping when campgrounds are booked. Easy to navigate with GPS. Many large and small sites along the road. Some spots more secluded than others. Smaller rigs, medium clearance and lite off-road capabilities recommended. Good cellular reception in my particular location.
GuideFree camping just outside Joshua Tree. No amenities or designated campsites. Large open area where you can camp wherever you'd like. Previous campers have built fire pits from the rocks laying around. Beautiful views, off road vehicle recommend.
RangerIt's free camping so be respectful and clean up after yourself. That said, there are no facilities so pack it in and pack it out. The road going in isn't too rough, and you'll likely find makeshift fire pits. Work with what is already there instead of making making a mess. Bring your own shade too.
GuideFirst come first served dispersed camping just outside Big Bear. Near bike trails. Was not crowded mid week, but spots were filling up closer to the weekend. There are a lot of flat spots to choose from.
RangerCame here to hike Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon. Before the trailhead there are lots of areas for dispersed camping. It's an unpaved road that can be challenging to drive in at times, so would recommend 4x4 high clearance vehicle. Overall a nice remote place to camp out in the desert!
GuideBasic dry lake bed boondocking site. Not too crowded. Quiet. East in and out.
Guide
Shear cliffs that are heavily eroded. Very distinct layers of floods. Nice hikes up thin canyons. Cons; very easy to get stuck Very loose sand. Great boondocking spot at the bottom of the canyon at the turn off to the painted cliffs.
RangerTo begin please be careful of the roads as they very sandy and you can get stuck easily if you don't have a 4x4, that being said I made it in and out with a 2 wheel drive truck but I almost got stuck. If come in by cell tower there are two roads to the right one goes south one goes east towards the mountain we went east and camped in the dry riverbed where the road first gets close, much past that you really need a 4x4 I went down the road but barley made it out by where the graffiti is the parking area on Amboy rd.
So this is a beautiful area with plenty of wildlife and areas to hike. Due east the cell tower behind a small hill is a camper trailer that looks like it's been there for quite some time, there is somebody that lives there so don't approach it because I believe his cheese slid of the cracker. He would come out at random times and just laugh in a very creepy manner. If you look on google earth you can see it. I think it was his way of telling us to stay away. So we did. This is dispersed camping so there are no amenities.
GuideDepending on where you camp the roads go from semi rough to very rough. Tough if it rains. Lots of established camps at the beginning with a wide spread of space. Great for RV or none tent campers all around. I'm tent camping so drove to the outskirts and decided that the softer sand at the beginning was more suitable than the cracked surface of the once was lake. Lots of space between camps but not many high trees so isolated but in sight. That and the rougher roads plus high traffic led to the 3 rating. Free is free and no one within 100 ft so 3 is what it is for me. Not bad. Not good.
TravelerMy husband and I were looking for good boondocking spots yesterday and we decided to check out this spot, after finding it on The Dyrt and a few other sites. It's definitely a beautiful place, and most of the road to the site is paved, but the road up to the actual spot is gravel, with lots of potholes and washboard areas, which would make it difficult for an RV. But the biggest issue for RVs is an area of the road that is very steep and immediately turns into a hairpin turn that we didn't even want to try in our 4x4, since the road is very thin and our SUV (a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder) is kind of thick. I'm sure it's probably nothing for people who are used to using their 4x4 for more than regular driving in the snow, etc., but it was too dodgy for us. There is no way that even a Class C rig would be able to take that steep incline and immediately do that sharp turn. And since there's nowhere to turn around in that spot, you'd have to back your rig down the incline and then quite a ways down the pitted, gravel road to get out of it.
It's full of trees and seems fairly remote, but we had 5 cars pass us as we were backing away from the incline, so it's obviously a busy spot - you wouldn't be there alone, and this was on a Thursday.
TravelerMy Ford Escape got stuck twice coming to the camp spot (I had to get out and push while my wife steered the car out), but once we were here, it was great! Plenty of space, fire pits and a pretty spot for star gazing. Would come back, especially if we get 4 wheel drive.
Traveler
This campsite is located at the junctionof the Deer Springs Trail and the PCT, and is breathtaking. Only 3 or 4 sites available so make reservations in advance or stop by the office in Idyllwild if you’re feeling lucky . I stayed there in October and snagged the last site. The sites are dispersed and marked with small signs. There is an outhouse towards the top of the site. You must hike in but it is absolutely worth it.
TravelerWithin 15 min. or so of JTNP, farther depending on where in the park you're going/coming from. I camped here Thanksgiving week. There are established sites all over the place, all along plenty of side roads. Saw mostly RVs, with very few tent campers, like myself. No vegetation above maybe 1m, so you're well within sight of everyone and vice versa. Not much of a problem when it gets dark at 5pm, but there's campsites along Sunflower Rd., I believe, with portable toilets if you're tent camping and can't find a concealed spot to pee, though I didn't have trouble. Main roads are pretty busy; people get in at all hours, but I noticed most people were driving farther into the lakebed. Don't expect to feel very isolated or solitary out here; expect to wake up to more people around you than you thought. Roads go from bumpy to pretty rough--be careful if the first time you're driving here is in the dark (I was in a Jetta, granted). I showed up after sunset every day and easily found a spot on the outskirts. It was noticeably cooler here than in the park--each morning I woke up, my car was saying it was at least 10 degrees cooler, 20 one morning. I ended up getting out of there first thing and cooking breakfast in the park to be a little warmer. Easy to find, and it works if you're just looking for a place to rest for the night.
GuideI would actually give this campsite a 3.5 just because it is so barebones, no privacy, and where the pavement turned to dirt there was a huge hole that I hit just right and it was nasty - so heads up! On the other hand, it’s got lots of spots, it’s free, close to the north end of the NP, spacious, and I actually got pretty god internet out there! It is hard to see where spots are at night, but the sky is gorgeous out there at night. The roads aren’t horrible if you go slow (just watch out for that first hole!). Nothing fancy, but gets the job done.
Traveler
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)
ScoutWe arrived early in the afternoon around 4:30 pm and found a vast, open place witziges only few, dispersed campers. Access was easy, Solid ground . Only the partly littered areas prevent us from giving 5 stars.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Pioneertown, California, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. This area offers a variety of options for those seeking adventure and tranquility in the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Pioneertown, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Pioneertown, CA is Joshua Tree Lake Dispersed Camping with a 3.5-star rating from 34 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 32 dispersed camping locations near Pioneertown, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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