Looking for the best campgrounds near Salton City, CA? Salton City is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Discover great camping spots near Salton City, reviewed by campers like you.
"This is in the "badlands" part of the park, leaving Borrego Springs and heading toward Salton City, which happens to be the cheapest place to get gas in these parts."
"Super primitive but heavily used campground tucked among red rocks along a wash. I camped here in Spring and the wash was full of wildflowers. We drove back at least a mile in a sedan to set up camp."
"Make your campsite anywhere, restrooms near by, driving distance to a few stores & gas station. Great camping & 4x4 in truck haven, cool off-road in event for Tierra Del Sol/TDS-in March"
"Beautiful spot we stopped at on our way to Arizona , gas station / food really close by as well !"
"Great place to go get off grid if you don’t mind off road vehicles. Plenty of open space to get away from the crowds."
"Great place to camp and offroad. Maps are easy to get and trails are well posted. Avoid big weekends and pack 3 times the amount of water that you think you would need."
"Absolutely love staying just outside the park. Easy access to some beautiful trails and you can easily fill up with water, dump out, and use the garbage from your vehicle."
"This is a great free site right at the edge of Joshua Tree National park. Spots are far apart and you don’t have to worry about other people. Area is flat and easy to set up and park on."
$20 / night
"If you’re looking for a campsite off the beaten path with gorgeous views and some unique exploring nearby, this is it.
I stayed here in a 22 foot RV at one of the hookup sites."
"Incredible drive through vineyards, citrus tree farms just to get to the Salton Sea. Such a cool place to stay and see.
Nice, paved short trail to the beach."
"I stayed 4 nights and enjoyed the near solitude with only four other campers in sight. Very interesting walks on the shore. Excellent stargazing, and some fabulous sunsets."
"However, if you walk down to the water's edge, you'll see fish carcasses due to the increasing salinity of the water (and other issues.)"
"The only challenge was the highway noise. But it’s a sweet spot."
"Very friendly staff and a great location to live."
"The campground is right off highway 111 and the railway so there is a lot of noise (which didn’t bother us). Just 45 min drive to Joshua Tree NP and plenty of hiking and scenic drives in Box Canyon."
"It is near Headquarters campground but is not the same campground. First off, know that New Camp has no views of the Salton Sea. For that, you need to select one of the other campgrounds."
$20 - $30 / night
"California State Park… so safe. The lake is improving but not safe yet. Fishing has Improved. There are three separate campgrounds in this park."
"Sunrise over the lake lovely. Trains go by during the night (tracks are very close by), but didn't bother me. I'll return to spend a few days."
"Also go to Salvation Mountain which is close by, another bucket list spot to scratch off the list."
"Some ATV people riding around the sand also but they weren't too bad."
GuideVery nice campground. Camping spots are spacious and clean. They do offer showers, but they are pay showers and only take quarters. They were doing some construction on a playground while we were there, but it didn’t bother anything. Overall a nice campground
GuideWe stayed the night of a new moon, the stars were gorgeous, and there was SO much room between campsites! The entrance from the south does take a little longer, but is much less crowded!🫶
GuideCamp host there was very nice and friendly, there’s a few sites on this campground. They allow you to stay 7 days and the camp host will take your information down. Right next to the airport. You can barely hear any highway noise!
TravelerIt was kind of funny. The roads very bumpy, but my sedan made it no problem. Just pay attention to the ground because there are some anthills. Stayed out of their way and they’ll stay out of your way. Not really noticing any bugs, light breeze, I went a mile off of the road so I can barely hear the highway. I like that the mountains will block the sun in the morning so I can do some yoga and meditation. Got up to 105 today so I’ll probably be out of here by seven. Up at four or five in the morning. I can’t tell if this is a good place for hiking, but there’s lots of places to camp and it’s all free. You could show up here in the middle of the night and you’d probably find a campsite, although it’s dark and I would not recommend it. If you’re planning to go here, get here when it’s light out so you can have an easy time of set up, etc.. and you don’t wanna get any surprises. I thought I might see a snake or two, but I haven’t seen anything. I’ve had my shirt off and there’s been no bugs so for me, avoiding a hotel and paying a fee to campsite, this was a winner.
GuideQuiet, far enough from the highway, great view and sunset
TravelerStunning canyons to explore! They are marked and theres also pit toilets halfway through the main road to turnaround point. Hummingbirds came right up to my face! Didn’t even know they lived out here also saw whiptail lizard. Cell AT&T spotty to none the further you go in but theres random places with 2bars or more. Says mandatory 4WD but your fine with 2WD as long as you stick to main road or the pullouts that look like firm like the main road.
LegendKathryn at the desk was awesome. We arrived around 3:30 after driving 375 miles. Didn’t utilized the park amenities. The pool and hot tub looked very inviting. Not much to see around Desert Center but the oasis created here was definitely worth the stop. Will reserve for our return in November
ScoutI've camped at Burnt Rancheria for about 15 years. The hosts that were there in 2024 were ATROCIOUS, unfriendly, intrusive and homophobic. I'm thrilled to say that a new company was hired to run the campground for 2025 called WesTrek- and what a difference! Our camping trip was WONDERFUL last weekend.
We had hosts that were helpful, friendly, the restrooms were stocked/clean, they brought firewood around, and were just good people. Big shout-out to the hosts Dax, Lane, Nick,& Sara-- we will happily start camping here regularly again! So relieved that we can actually*relax* in nature and not have camp hosts driving by every five minutes glaring at us!
One other thing to note- the campground is divided into two parts. The south half(more chapparal) can be reserved online. It has the showers and flush toilets. The north side(more pines!) is first-come/ first-serve only and close by the overflow parking, vault toilets only. Potable water available throughout whole campground. 10/10 one of my fave spots in southern california!
TravelerMy favorite spot to come up from san diego (only and hour away) and escape to some pine trees and meadow wilderness. So many hikes behind this campground I definitely recommend checking out
Camping near Salton City, California, offers a unique experience with stunning desert landscapes and a variety of campgrounds to choose from. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to unwind or a place to explore the great outdoors, there’s something for everyone.
Camping near Salton City, California, offers a mix of adventure and relaxation, making it a great destination for all types of campers.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Salton City, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 163 campgrounds and RV parks near Salton City, CA and 38 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Salton City, CA is Arroyo Salado Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 9 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 38 free dispersed camping spots near Salton City, CA.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 parks near Salton City, CA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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