Ridgecrest is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Ridgecrest. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
$10 - $20 / night
"We had an area where we could set up bon fire. Had some wood on the area. Easy to find the location based of Joe's directions. I will definitely be coming back !! Thank you Joe !"
$28 - $30 / night
"Due to a bridge wash out and no funds for repair, this beloved campground is closed."
"Unfortunately, went to camp there last weekend and were informed the bridge has been washed out and camp is closed with no plans to repair the bridge. SO SAD!"
"Campground had some nice spots for dry camping. I planned to stay on BLM land off the road but this seemed part of the ghost town private property."
"It is also an off-roading area for sport bikes and the like so there are trails all through out for it. But all the campsites are pretty spaced out so you’ll have your privacy."
GuideLovely campground! Stayed with a small group at site 35, which is a large site with a parking area that can fit 3 cars/SUVs. We set up 3 large tents, 2 hammocks, plus a lot of cooking equipment, and still had room for more! There's a trail that leads down to the creek right from the site, which we used each day to cool down in the water. Very dog friendly- our group's pups enjoyed themselves too. Vault toilets are clean and the toilet paper was abundant. The price of $17/night (plus$5 for additional cars) is very reasonable. Used a bit of the non-potable water and came prepared with lots of drinking water from home. Was a pleasant temperature in the high 80s with a regular breeze.
Now for the downsides…it was extremely buggy;. Even with multiple types of bug spray and a Thermacell, we got bit by mosquitos and various flies all throughout the day. Plus, there are really big beetles that flew on us at night. Wish we had a big bug net over the picnic table or other areas, but at least the hammock was covered. There were also noisy neighbors- one group had a bunch of ATVs they started riding at 8am, and another was shooting guns. No cell service, but that was expected, so we brought satellite devices for emergencies.
GuideNearly all these campsites butt up against the Badlands-esque rock formations with mini slot canyons to explore right at your campsite. My son absolutely loved this place. I loved it. We had a great time!
It costs $25 per night and has zero amenities but the landscape makes up for it. Joshua trees and amazing rock formations, Jack rabbits and desert squirrels... it’s just great.
1 bar AT&T if you’re lucky. No water, no electricity, but there’s a dump station near the visitor center. No electric car charging. Lots of tents and small rigs, nothing big. Campground uses narrow one-way dirt road. There are about 50 campsites with a picnic table, fire ring, rocky tent pad and fairly level gravel parking spot. At least 2 spots are ADA with concrete parking spots and nearby restroom.
Now during COVID time it’s self registration, not sure about other times. We stayed one night and never saw a ranger. The campground was about half full and didn’t fill up while we were there.
LegendGeneral: Smallish (approx. 50-site) campground that does not take reservations. No hookups, one walk-in tent site, and the others are either back-in or pull-through. Some are “double” sites that would be ideal for sharing.
Site Quality: Varies. All sites (except four, three of which are designated handicap sites) are a mixture of sand/gravel. Not all are completely level, and some accommodate larger vehicles than others.
Bathhouse: Pit toilets only. Some are open air and some are enclosed; the one closest to our site was clean.
Activities: hiking, photography. Good night sky area. The nature trail is accessible directly from the campground and the Hagen Canyon trail is ¾ mile from the campground. Red Cliffs is another short trail across the highway; these are the most popular (and short) hikes in the park but there are others. The views are jaw-dropping and well worth exploring.
Note that although there is a dump station, there is a $20 charge to use it.
We arrived around 1 pm on a Sunday in late March and had our pick of sites, however, the campground filled in to about ¾ full by the end of the day.
GuideThis is a great primitive campground if you truly want to disconnect for a few days. No cell reception, no WiFi, there are restrooms but no showers. Take a 3 minute walk through the woods to get to Kern River and you have a little oasis away from it all. Bring everything you need with you. Currently no fires permitted. Great place to unplug and decompress.
GuideLast time I spent the night here was in Feb. 2020, Close to Hwy. 395. BLM run and has vault toilets and a water source, fire rings and tables, no shade. Quiet, well separated sites. Good hiking in the area. Close to Red Hill off Hwy. 395. Open all year. Cell service, great for star gazing.
GuideQuiet place, we only saw one other set of campers. The warm sun the next morning was beautiful but there is next to no vegetation. Additionally, this campsite has nothing so take what you need and leave no trace! It worked for a night. The road in is kind of weird as it runs parallel to another road similar, we drove along one and would alternate to try and avoid bad potholes. Some are inevitable and I would imagine high clearance is needed to access.
GuideThe creek was running which made it nice to cool down. Not the best kept grounds I'd say, overgrown weeds, and shrubs. Half the camp ground is closed. No showers are available as they used to be and toilets are now vault toilets only, but they were clean (fairly new). The camp host was a nice gentleman, he cruises the grounds often. Lake was pretty full so you're not far from water. Fish cleaning station was nearby. Dump station was not open either. The place simply needs some love. Most sites lack shade, though the few that do offer shade get you close to the road and road noise can be loud. I've camped this place through the years, it's what you would expect for the area. There is water but some faucets were non-working. Stores are nearby, a few convenience stores walking distance, a Vons in the town of Isabella not far away. Kernville is nearby and there's all sorts of good eats and cool small town. You will need a fire permit, they're free, and take the test online. Camp host will ask.
Traveler02NOV2020 - As others have mentioned, portable toilets and dumpster available. It’s not far from town as the description indicates, about 6 miles. With that said, however, there is little cell service. You might get 1 bar for a minute and it’s gone the next. There are about 6 spots or so along Kern River but this is a place people like to drop in for tubing. Each site is private-ish and they won’t be walking through your site to drop in, you’ll just see groups of people float by your area, once they drop in close to the first site on the north end. There is a review on here indicating the parking lot was full, but that likely was just people tubing. It is pretty large lot. Also, there is really only one way down to get to the campsites, at least to see what’s available. Just note, you’ll have to walk through other people’s occupied sites and walk along the river to see what is available. Once you find one, you can rough hike from that spot, directly up to the parking lot. You can then move your vehicle closer to the site you found along the river. I ended up just climbing the rocks and rough paths so I didn’t disturb my neighbors. Most people did it this way to respect each other’s privacy. Once you’re established along the river, there won’t be much road noise, but if you car camp in the lot, there will be plenty of road noise, depending on season. The river is nice to fall asleep to, and some sites have a lot of shade, where others do not. Plenty of trees along the river to set up a hammock. Store at the edge of town for any essentials you need, restaurants, laundry, and Kern River Brewery. Stars are bright, and little to no light pollution. You can see the Milky Way faintly, if the moon isn’t out. Oh, and no official RV sites with hookups, but plenty of room to park one and use the generator.
GuideIf you like to stay off the beaten path and away from crowds. The this is a spot to check out. Stayed memorial weekend. We were one out of about 5 campers in the area.
. They have primitive bathrooms . No potable water. So bring water. It is buggy. Ants, nats, mosquitos. Look for spots with shade cause it gets hot. . Sites from 19 to 36 are pretty nice.
Ridgecrest, California, offers a variety of tent camping options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. From scenic views to unique amenities, there’s something for everyone.
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