Best Campgrounds near Shoshone, CA

Stayed here my first night at DVNP. There was a high wind event happening and most of the spots with tree coverage. It’s all FCFS right now so that was to be expected. All the sites were level and paved with dirt areas and picnic tables. The ground was too hard for me to get my tent stakes in so I didn’t put up my tent because of the wind. The bathrooms were clean and many of them around the park. Some RV hook up spots. This is a popular campground apparently and because it’s FF there was LOTS of traffic well into the night with people hoping to find any spot. Because of this constant traffic I wouldn’t stay here if you’re looking for peace and quiet and some star gazing. It’s a great spot for central location to the surrounding park though. And one of the few places in the park with decent cell service, at least for Verizon.

I will definitely stay here again next time I’m at DVNP. There are tons of available spots. It got a little busy Saturday night but everyone still had plenty of space between each other. There is absolutely no shade, which is bad when it’s hot. But it was great for me to test out my Starlink and Jackery, which both performed great. Make sure you’re self contained and bring everything with. Including your camera. Sunrise, sunsets and Milky Way were amazing

Quite a bit of trash at nearly every site--please pick up after yourselves! Most sites were occupied on a Monday night, but despite that we were able to find an okay spot and had a quiet night. The cooler temp at a higher elevation was a nice break from the heat. No cell service, no amenities.

Got here really late during first/ second week of April. Wasn’t too busy and got a spot with no issues. It had a concrete slab to park and was convenient and easy. Weather was great too. Proximity to the park makes it even better. No service.

Directions led me right to it. Gravel road up the side of a hill. It wasn't too hard in an old 92 Chevy van. Campsites are far apart but I only found about 6 camping spots here. It is very quiet and very scenic. It sure beats sleeping in Sam's Parking lot. ;) I couldn't figure out if a permit is needed. No signs but the dyrt writeup leads me to believe one is needed.

11mi in from Warm Spring Canyon road (heading west off of West Side Road along the Badlands) is a settlement of buildings established to mine talc in the nearby mine. There’s a hidden gem of a warm spring about a 10th of a mile up the side of the mountain. An outcrop of big, shady trees offers escape from the heat. Wild burros, bats, crows, and hummingbirds frequent the area.

The road leading to it is a mix of packed washboard road, sandy patches, lots of smaller sharp rocks, and some larger rocks. My AWD moderate clearance crossover made it, driving a safe 3-5mph through tough patches. Fully dispersed camping—no facilities, no toilets, no cell service.

I’ve stayed here for a week and it’s been pretty quiet. There is a training facility near by and I heard shots one day but it only lasted a little while. There are several places to park a van and I can see a few motor homes parked here and there. I have good cell service with AT&T and the land fill is on the way into town so getting rid of trash is easy. I’ll stay here again when I’m passing through.

First come first serve, good for our beers and tents. Running water for toilets and sinks. No showers. Great views in upper loop. Here the first week in April and we’re in the 70s and a low 80s. Good dry camping for 20 bucks a nightcan fill up fast. Get your spot early afternoon.

Stayed at the pads for a week or so. They are a 300ft elevation and stay much cooler than the “downstairs” of Death Valley. It’s about a 20 minute drive into the park proper with several notable spots along the route to the Inn and the Ranch. Level spots with some gravel and lots of room. Big rig friendly for sure! NOTE: this area is an abandoned mining town so there are small pipes and some drop offs on a few slabs. Arriving at night is not a good idea. There is a wide open area in the turn off I would recommend hoofing it to scope your spot then move your rig in if you’re over 25ft. Coyotes frequently stop by so be on the lookout for that and smart with your trash, small animals and kiddos.

Plenty of room, first come first serve. Self pay kiosk accepts credit cards. No hook-ups , but flush toilets and water cleanup counter. The ranch at Death Valley across the street if you care to go for dinner. Also ice cream and gift shop and small grocery section. Visit the museum on the property also.”

Big gravel lot with spaces, not much space between as I could hear the neighbor snoring all night. No generators allowed. Got there about 2 and there were just a few spots left, by 4 pm it was completely full. Beautiful views though

The camp sites are nestled in a high bush growth.

Sites H6 H5 and H3 are best. You can reserve through recreation dot gov. Roads are cleaned up from the 2022 storm but not like before. Terrain is not recognizable from older satellite images. Beautiful night sky.

South of Jubilee Pass Rd on Badwater Rd.  No camping allowed for the first mile. There are basically some short driveway width areas where you can just pull off. I drove a few miles. It is sandy in places. I decided to turn back into Death Valley and camp somewhere else at a little higher elevation. I may go back and explore the area some day.  It looks interesting on Google Earth.

When you pull up to the campsite, you will immediately be intimidated by the steep and windy road up the cliff to access the campsites. It's actually quite wide, smooth, and easy to drive up without any issues (27ft travel trailer). Don't let that deter you. 

Stayed here in January, so the 10 degree difference from Vegas wasn't necessarily a good thing. Probably a huge plus in the summer.  At the top of the hill there are a few boondocking spots that are featured in most of the pictures. About a mile back I found a hilltop spot along one of the side roads with great views. However, it was VERY windy exposed at the top of a hill like that, with winds rushing down the main mountain. 

Other reviewers mentioned the rehab camp, which I visited while exploring the back roads one day. It's not ideal to have that nearby, but didn't have any issues throughout my stay. There are employee cars and companies providing services driving back there all day, but it's not a big deal. 

Couple miles away is the visitor center for the mountains, along with a resort with a restaurant. Only services are back down the mountain towards Vegas so come completely filled up when you make the trip up the mountain. Also a ski hill if you wind around the mountain, but probably 20-30 miles away. 

Did see a few burros grazing around the area, but didn't make it to my campsite. There is a cool slot canyon at the entrance. You can either park at the lot by the road and walk about 1/2 mile, or drive back down the single track to park closer.

This is next door to an active gun range. You will hear gunfire. If that makes you uncomfortable, you should not plan on staying here.

Just outside of the facility is a massive flat area for camping and parking. It is on BLM land, however, if you plan on staying here I recommend giving security a heads up. Knowing this is BLM land they should not give you a hard time, but if they do, remind them of your right to stay on public lands, or give them the info to call the local Blm office.

** There are no services nearby! The nearest gas station is 25 minutes away.**

The location is about 7 mi from highway 160. It's about 25 minutes to Pahrump, and about 40 minutes to the outskirts of Vegas.

The entrance and exit off of the paved road is easy with very little obstacles to maneuver. There are existing fire pits too. There are a ton of off-roading trails in the area, and I hear this area is incredible for spotting reptiles and desert tortoises.

From the main camping area there is a road that heads slightly East to an additional area with another set of secluded spots. These more secluded spots are not for big motorhomes IMO, though a truck and trailer should be okay to get out there.

I stayed here for a few days in January and was impressed with the peace and quiet (I was the only one here) and sweeping Mountain views.