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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)
Legend
We love this BLM dispersed boondock area. It’s one of our go-tos. There’s always room, even though there are always lots of other campers here. Once you leave the main road and drive on the dirt road for a bit in either direction, people start to thin out and you have your own huge patch of camping.
The road is washboard in parts, but manageable. Heads up that the BLM land is a checkerboard type situation, but nobody seemed to care. People were camped anywhere, and we’ve never seen anyone from BLM come by.
Cell service is great out here. Getting your spot level is tricky each time, and we usually have to dig a hole on one side and use levels on the other just to get our rig level. Of course we fill the holes back in when we leave.
Traveler
Everything about this site is not only free, but literally free to park and camp anywhere. There are private properties around, so just double check, but for the most part its wife open land to camp. Also currently in a fire ban, but that should be getting lifted in October. So campfires would be a great idea out here as well.
Guideabsolutely incredible views, in my opinion better than the park itself! easy road and so many open spots + so many cool people
Traveler
Peaceful dispersed campground. Wide open great views. Didn’t even know I had neighbors until I walked around in the morning and saw neighboring campers over the hill. Clear skies when I went back in November, could get pretty windy. Saw some coyotes pass by my camp.
Guide
We stayed here for 2 nights and worked from here with our starlink. Great internet - we had 2 people doing video calls.
Each site is pretty large and can fit at least 3 vans but they’re only about 100 ft off the dirt road.
TravelerThis is a great area. I recommend you bring extra mosquito repellent. Have fun!
GuideGreat location in proximity just outside of Joshua Tree National Park. There are plenty of spots for tents, pop-ups, campers, or RVs. Fire rings are already established.
Guide
Takes a bit of time to find just the right spot, as some areas are a little trashy. Quiet, beautiful evening sunset enjoyed. Cools down nicely at night.
ScoutHere in late May and the bees and other bugs have been nonstop on me the whole time I've been here. It's a really beautiful area and the spots are spacious
Traveler
Absolutely quiet and an amazing starry sky
Ideal for tents
Traveler
The area was easy to navigate; even when we pulled in late at night. There were a lot of people coming in and out as well. I wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for privacy. Aside from that, I would camp if you’re looking for something easy, safe, and accessible.
ScoutNice area but we were told that some areas have now become private land, so that’s something to watch out for.
ScoutVisited early May. Arrived right before sunset, there were people close to the bathrooms, but lots of space to spread out if you drive a little.
RangerTons of dispersed spots down the road.
TravelerEasy access to most designated campsites. Enjoy the changing colors at dusk. My area had 2 bars of verizion service.
Scout
Pretty sandy - would recommend 4wd but i suspect you could get in without. got my jeep deep into the canyon between coachella weekends and was the only person there.
Scout
We 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.
Guide
There are a bunch of campsites along a service road that is parallel to a main road, several hundred feet away. This whole area is essentially within one valley, so you have mountains on both sides. It is well vegetated and allows for fairly easy hikes up the soft slopes.
The parking spots are right alongside the road, so for van camping is not so great, but tents can be put away from the road and therefore it's much more suitable for tenting.
The stretch of dirt road closest to the main road is Sandy, but manageable bull in a two wheel drive. This is where most of the campsites are. Further along the road, there are fewer camp sites, so they are more dispersed, however the road becomes more rocky and jutted, but for those wanting a bit more privacy, this is the spot to be.
I would like to come back in camp in this location. So i'm going to mark it to return another time.
Guide
Drove in..., drove out. As another review noted, it's a big parking lot. Fine if you just need a place to pull over, nothing of value there..., maybe proximity to a hiking trail.
GuideWe arrived late in the evening and spent one night there. There was couple of other campers too, so we felt safe. No trash but smelled like urine. Cell service was okay.
GuideReally convenient if you’re in Joshua Tree. The sunset was a 10/10. Very quiet, but we went in July so it was miserably hot. There are fire circles scattered throughout each site. Cell service for xfinity was great. Very nice quiet night
GuideStayed 1 night in this easy to access free area near entrance to the National Park. No fee required to camp here. Was not busy at all end of March. Fire Rings randomly throughout. Verizon 5G works great here.
Scout
High clearance 4x4 required Can be windy Great views
ScoutNot a bad spot in close proximity to Joshua Tree, but our tent disappeared from our site on 3/12. We left in the morning to hike and returned to our site to find that every piece of our tent and sleeping gear was gone.
TravelerFree. Easy to find a spot, lots to choose from. Clean and quiet. Cell reception was ok. The road was quite bumpy, but we managed with a campervan.
ScoutStayed here for two weeks in February and found it very enjoyable. Nobody too rowdy, people left respectful distances between rigs, GREAT location for travel caravans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Thermal, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Thermal, CA is Joshua Tree South - BLM Dispersed with a 4.3-star rating from 58 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Thermal, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 41 dispersed camping locations near Thermal, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
