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 a great open camping area, you can camp near others or find a secluded spot of your own. There are fire rings, picnic tables, toilets and even showers."
"Season starts around Halloween and ends in May for Red stickers. They have public restrooms spread through the grounds. It's great for tent camping and RVs/campers, tents."
"this is a dispersed location on box canyon in Mecca. the road is loose sand and is possible by most vehicles as long as you stay on the road."
"Giant RV park with many entrances, it looks free but don’t quote me on that. We camped here off the dirt road and didn’t see anyone to pay."
"It is well vegetated and allows for fairly easy hikes up the soft slopes."
"We set up quickly and enjoyed ourselves a walk around the site. Not too many trailheads around and it was very hot and dry but we enjoyed it."
"There are 16 yellow post sites along the Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) from hwy 74. Most of the sites are beyond the springs that are flowing through a faucet at Santa Rosa Springs."
"Some just off-roading and a few camping. Road was not too bad. Definitely want clearance but I did most in rwd. Saw a stock Tacoma at the top. I stayed at campsite 6 and it was very enjoyable."
"Great area--it's just close enough to some expensive campgrounds and a few connecting trails, so it's awesome to camp here for FREE. "
"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."
"This place was so big it had space for another 10 cars and tents. We’re coming back for sure."
"Recommend four wheel drive to get to Tool Box Springs, the fire road is long but once you’re there it’s worth it."
"This campsite is about 45 minutes down a 4 wheel drive only dirt path. Pot toilets and trash cans available at the site. Nothing else much around to do other than hang out at the campground or hike."
"Pit toilets, no water, a little cell service with ATT. Half the sites were full but with quiet folks."
"Well was dry, luckily I carry water.
Beautiful canyon hikes, climbs and views.
Petroglyphs and historic mining cabin
Someone drops off scrap wood for campfires
I'll be back"
RangerTamarisk Grove Campground is about 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. It sits next to the highway but there’s minimal traffic so it isn’t terribly loud. There are tent sites as well as primitive cabins. Each site has a fire ring and table. There are also flush toilets and paid showers. There is no potable water at this campground - be sure to bring your own. The cabins are simple structures with platforms for sleeping. There are no amenities in the cabins - no electric, no water, no mattress, no linens, etc.
The campground is across the street from both the Cactus Loop and Yaqui Well trail heads. We recommend the short Cactus Loop hike over the Yaqui Well hike. Go at sunset to catch the cholla cacti backlit by the sunset.
RangerWe camped at site 2 on 6/12 this year and had a great time. We had 18 people and found that there were a ton of different nooks to setup your tent. We even found on one up a little higher in the rocks that would have been cool.
We placed our tent just inside the rock area from the picnic tables and we are really glad we did. The wind on our first night was a lot and this one site was a bit better for wind protection.
There was a tree/bush at the corner of our group site that ended up being great for shade and a hang out place during the day. In the afternoon we spent more time near the tables and grill. The site comes with a large charcoal grill that we used to cook burgers on one of our nights.
At night we ventured off a bit near the camp site and took some night sky pictures. We also we able to see a bunch of owls up in the top of the rocks on one of the nights. During the full moon it was really easy to walk around with out lights.
There is no water and no showers, but the pit toilets that were there were clean and well maintained. They even had some nice candles to light in them. The dumpster was right next to our group site and was also well maintained.
Our only problem during our stay was that on our last night a bunch of people came in after midnight to the site next to ours (#1) and they played music and were loud until 4 AM... We barely saw rangers there and there is no cell signal so it can be challenging to get help for these types of things (assuming you don't feel comfortable confronting a group of drunk people in the middle of the night).
LegendWe stayed at Jumbo Rocks for 4 nights in a tent in late February 2021. Weather was awesome - highs in the 70s in the day and lows in the 30s/40s at night. This was our second time staying here; first time was in a travel trailer in Oct 2018 (see Dyrt Review). We still love the campground, though again it was the inconsiderate nature of our neighbors that bring it from 5 stars down to 4. Here's a review of the pros and cons.
Pros:
Neutral:
Cons:
Site 31 Description: Part of a cluster, meaning you park with others and the sites fan out from the parking area. 31 is a 100 foot walk from parking; we walked past other sites but no one had to walk past ours. It is up on a small rise - had a beautiful view but was more exposed to the wind and sun. Mostly flat and will fit several tents. Closest neighbor was 30 feet away and separated by scrub. Vault toilet and dumpsters adjacent to parking area. Not next to any big rocks, but they are only a short walk away. A coyote walked by us in the night and squirrels frequently raided our camp (keep your food and trash secure).
GuideThis campground was away from the primary campground like Jumbo Rock and therefore less crowded. Campsites included fire ring and picnic table. Flush toilets on premises and away from primary sites. Tent sites were very close together and as we found or a very popular site for star gazing and meteror showers. Required aunt of a drive to get into the primary park area and firewood not available in campgrounds (Walmart is the closest location it was available). Camp hosts were very nice however did not enforce quiet hours. We camp with our daughter (5 at the time) and unfortunately we were surrounded by many college students drinking heavily (not Joshua Trees fault). We ended up leaving a day early because of this. Aside from the other campers we had a good desert camping experience. I think next time we would try a different site to attempt to be more secluded and avoid this issue in the future.
RangerI stayed at Arroyo Salado one year during a super bloom at Anza Borrego Desert State Park. The campground is very, very basic. You pull up and find a spot and camp. There are no designated campsites. And it's free. There are pit toilets, which are clean and don't really smell.
We had the pleasure, as I said, of coming during the super bloom, when all of the sites closer to town were booked. 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.
There's room to pitch a tent. You basically set up camp wherever there is room. We were among blooming desert lilies and had to be careful not to damage any, but plenty of fairly flat sandy soil to pitch a tent. You can bring your own barbecue if you want a fire, but fires must be self contained and you have to pack out what you bring in, so don't leave behind your ashes or coals. Want to be lazy? Grab dinner from one of the restaurants in town.
This part of the park (the badlands) tends to be slightly warmer than other areas of the park. (Because of elevation and topography? I'm not sure why.) This is a dry camp. There is no water, so you have to bring your own. But Borrego Springs is maybe 15-20 minutes away if you need a supply run.
During the blooms and when it's not super hot, it's lovely, but it's ungodly hot in the summer here (110-115 degrees), not cooling much at night. There are off-road roads in this area. We watched a lovely moonrise amid some night-blooming flowers. So time it right and it's lovely.
LegendWe went to Culp Valley in April just in time to explore the Anza-Borrego State Park during an especially rainy desert season. There were wildflowers everywhere and despite high heat during the day it was so bad you felt like you were in the desert. It's a beautiful time to explore. There is a small city just outside the park where you can get any need supplies, lunch or do some antique/thrifting.
The campground is just West of the state park and at a higher elevation. The sites are first come first serve, and best of all they are FREE! The ground is sand and rock, and outside of clean vault toilets there are no amenities. We had a decent spot with three tents set up and brought our own fire ring. No fires allowed outside a fire ring/pit you bring along. It's a smaller campground and is well known in SoCal but if you arrive before afternoon you'll usually find a spot.
Because of it's location on hill it is subject to gusty winds. Keep that in mind. You will get dusty and check the weather so you set up camp facing away from the wind or you'll get a full tent of sand. The night we were there most recently they broke wind gust records which was unexpected. It was a long night of whooshing wind coming up and over the desert hills before slamming into our tent at speeds nearing tornado strength. That sucked but that was more our fault than the campgrounds.
It's less of a leisure camping spot and there were no big RVs the times we visited. There is a reservable state park campsite nearby if you need more amenities.
This area is know for it's stargazing and the night sky in the desert is incredible. The lights from the nearest town are blocked by the rock.
GuideFree camping! Located off the S22, border of Anza Borrego,just 3.5 miles past the town of Ranchita. If you keep going down the hill you'll hit Borrego Springs. Keep an eye out for the Culp Valley Camp sign because otherwise there isn't much indication. Barely any service so make sure you prepare well for an extended stay. It does extremely windy here, especially in early fall with the Santa Ana winds. Hot during day, frigid at night. It's primitively camping so No water, picnics tables, fire rings, and charcoal grills, but vault toilets and ground to put a tent on are available. In Culp Valley there is TONS of boulders to climb; varying from beginner v0's to advanced bouldering. Check out mountain project to check out some routes or just go spot out some of your own! This is place is definetly worth a weekend trip, but Shhh try to keep it a secret. ;)
Campground coordinates: 33.220541, -116.458858 (33° 13′ 13.94″N 116° 27′ 31.88″W)
GuideHurkey Creek is great, just a two hour drive from San Diego and you're in the mountains. The elevation is around 4,000 and it gets pretty chilly at night. FYI, the creek is dry, but Lake Hemet is a quick walk down the way. The campground is large, with 130 campsites and several group camp areas. We hiked around and explored and wished we brought our mountain bikes, lots of good riding around the area.
We camped at site 100, then found out we actually set up in 99...the sites aren't exactly clearly marked. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, although they are rather close. There are restrooms with soap and hand towels, bonus. There are showers as well, which is nice when you're a tent camper. Quiet and serene are how I would describe the grounds, lots of birds and squirrels, a little coyote came to check us out too.
GuideThis was one of my most favorite camping spots I’ve ever been to. You are literally camping in between the beautiful rock formations and you are a stone throw away from the Arch. It is first come first serve, and $15 for a spot. I got there on a Monday around 10am and there were quite a few spots open, it’s a small campsite though so not very many spots. I put out a camping chair and a picnic blanket to claim my spot, went off hiking all day, and came back to it. The ranger usually comes by in the morning to collect payment is what the office said, and that’s what happened. Sites have fire pits, a standing grill, picnic table and there is recycling/garbage/restrooms at the entrance. I have AT&T and did not get cell service. Highly recommend this campground!
Tent camping near Salton City, California, offers a unique blend of desert landscapes and outdoor adventures, perfect for those looking to escape into nature.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Salton City, CA is Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area with a 4.4-star rating from 16 reviews.
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