Best Glamping near Thermal, CA

Catalina Spa and RV Resort in Desert Hot Springs houses upscale glamping accommodations with natural hot spring pools maintained at approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The resort's glamping options include comfortable canvas structures with private access to mineral-rich waters that draw visitors seeking therapeutic relaxation. One guest shared, "The main draw is definitely the pools fueled by the hot springs, so the pool is at about 90 degrees and the hot tub a bit hotter." Additional amenities include modern bathroom facilities with hot showers and excellent water pressure, laundry facilities, and recreational activities like mini golf and pickle ball. Sites offer privacy with tall hedges separating accommodations, while some premium locations feature additional shade trees and enhanced views of the surrounding landscape.

Joshua Tree KOA offers distinctive glamping yurts and canvas accommodations positioned between Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. The family-friendly glamping resort provides year-round accessibility with excellent mountain views visible from selected sites. Recreational options include multiple swimming pools, organized activities, and convenient access to both desert adventures and urban amenities in nearby Palm Springs. A visitor noted, "This place was exactly what we needed with awesome amenities! Our kids loved the pool and we couldn't get enough of the hot mineral spring." Guests appreciate the convenient location that allows for day trips to Joshua Tree National Park approximately 45 minutes away, as well as explorations to Palm Springs attractions roughly 20 minutes south. The resort features a small convenience store for necessities, outdoor kitchen facilities, and covered patio areas for socializing and dining.

Map showing campgrounds near Thermal, California

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Best Glamping Sites Near Thermal, California (26)

1. Oasis Palms RV Resort
10 Reviews
Coolidge Springs, CA
12 miles
Website
+1 (760) 397-1011
"Pool is open 24/7 and there are showers and laundry on site. Very friendly staff and a great location to live."

"New Management, Pool, spa, Clubhouse, Showers, laundry rooms, Ping pong, Billiards table, Piano, , Clean and fun. Can accommodate 45' Rigs. Clean sites with 30 and 50 amp. Daily weekly monthly."
2. Catalina Spa and RV Resort
21 Reviews
Desert Hot Springs, CA
26 miles
Website
+1 (760) 329-4431
$22 - $44 / night
"We loved our location of our site, right by all the awesome amenities this place has! Our kids loved the pool and we couldn’t get enough of the hot mineral spring."

"This gem is located on the outskirts of Desert Hot Springs, CA. With two hot spring-fed pools and hot tubs (one of which is massive and SO luxe), we didn’t want to leave. Like, ever."

3. Borrego Palm Canyon Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
32 Reviews
Borrego Springs, CA
29 miles
Website
+1 (760) 767-5311
$35 - $125 / night
"My practical side enjoys the clean bathrooms with hot showers and proximity to markets for refills on ice and beer."

"Each site has a large fire pit, charcoal grill and a water spout near by. Bathrooms with flushing toilets and coin operated showers."
4. Lake Hemet Campground
39 Reviews
Mountain Center, CA
31 miles
Website
+1 (951) 659-2680
$45 / night
"You can fit two 10' x10' canopies to cover the bench table, and fit 2 individual tents (4-6 person) OR a bigger 12p tent however you decide to position it. It has its own Fire pit."

"I've been coming to Lake Hemet for several years. The campground is clean and the fishing is good, most of the time."

5. Palm Springs-Joshua Tree KOA
21 Reviews
Desert Hot Springs, CA
27 miles
Website
+1 (760) 251-6555
"Near and clean campground with clean restrooms requiring a key code to enter. Two laundry rooms."

"The KOA is reasonably priced for KOA and California. 3 hot spring tubs. Pool is warm and wall stops wind. Many activities for kids miniature golf, jump board, play ground."
6. William Heise County Park
46 Reviews
Julian, CA
48 miles
Website
+1 (760) 765-0650
$24 - $34 / night
"Table and fire pit at each site. Hiking available walking distance from camp, trails leading out of camp. Family friendly environment."

"The drive up was amazing. They had plenty of water to wash and drink with a lot of bathrooms as well. You can walk trails, stargaze, take your bikes around and so much more!"

7. Happy Traveler RV Park
4 Reviews
Palm Springs, CA
27 miles
Website
+1 (760) 325-8518
$90 / night
"It’s walking distance to downtown, across the street from a convenience store, Starbucks and restaurants, and has multiple hiking trails within walking distance, including one out the back gate."

"We spent 5 nights here and choose this location for it’s proximity to downtown, Aerial Tramway, and Joshua Tree. The park could be a gem once again, but currently worn down."
8. Yaqui Well Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
12 Reviews
Borrego Springs, CA
34 miles
"There’s a wonderful path call Bill Kenyon Overlook trail that’s trailhead is on the side of the campground."

"I don't think this map pin is correct for Yaqui Wells Primitive Camp, the location according to Google Maps is a little further south just off Yaqui Pass Road off Highway 78."

9. Marion Mountain
10 Reviews
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA
36 miles
Website
+1 (909) 382-2922
$10 / night
"Bathrooms were clean and parking was nice. Paved road all the way to your site. Not able to use fire pits due to fire restrictions."

"Dispersed due to the fact there’s only a few water spigots at select sites and the bathroom were a hike from our spot."
10. Thousand Trails Idyllwild
10 Reviews
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA
36 miles
Website
+1 (888) 707-1477
"We really enjoyed the drive up Idylwild, beautiful scenery. I think the sites are a bit too close to each other, I would prefer more space between sites."

"Great bathrooms and showers. Pool and activities were closed in the winter. Pets allowed"

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Recent Glamping Photos near Thermal, CA

24 Photos of 26 Thermal Campgrounds

Glamping Reviews near Thermal, CA

304 Reviews of 26 Thermal Campgrounds

Christina K.
Traveler
May. 23, 2021
Catalina Spa and RV Resort
Everything you could need
We travel Fulltime and have been to countless campgrounds and RV resorts. After spending some time roughing it in Utah this place was exactly what we needed! Christina greeted us with such kindness and attention it blew us away. We loved our location of our site, right by all the awesome amenities this place has! Our kids loved the pool and we couldn’t get enough of the hot mineral spring. The bathrooms are better than I think we’ve ever had, honestly, nice modern style, super clean and hot showers with great pressure. Laundry room was clean and conveniently located. There were more amenities like horse shoes and a really nice outdoor kitchen covered patio. What more could you ask for? I am shocked at how much you get for how much you pay! Beyond a great quality value here. I would recommend this place to anyone that is looking for a location that has easy access to Joshua tree, Palm Springs and we even took a day trip out to Oceanside. We loved our stay so much we ended up extending for a few more days. We for sure will be staying here next time we come through the area.
cal K.
Ranger
Jan. 20, 2023
Agua Caliente County Park Campground
Large campground with lots of amenities
Lots going on here but felt peaceful midweek in Jan. 3 spring-fed pools, hot showers quarter operated, clean flush toilet bathrooms, water, hiking trails and ample roads to walk the dog on. Mountain lion country - be alert. Friendly rangers. Clean facilities and well-kept grounds. Horseshoe pits and large group picnic areas. Cute cabins for rent - no pets allowed in those. Will definitely visit again. Many of the tent sites are close together - if the campground was full you’d have little privacy but it’s a large place and there were hardly any tent campers when I was there, though more RVs and vans in the hookup section. Tent site 106 is very private. I liked 109 it was in a kind of bird thicket with privacy from the road etc.
E
Elly A.
Guide
May. 20, 2019
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Stars galore!
This campground is one of my favorites. My practical side enjoys the clean bathrooms with hot showers and proximity to markets for refills on ice and beer. My adventurous side enjoys the hikes, coyotes singing and clear skies to observe the night sky. This campground has been enjoyable every time I’ve gone. I’ve been to many campgrounds where neighbors keep you up late, but something about this location demands quiet enjoyment. Don’t get me wrong, my friends and I stay up laughing around the campfire well after sunset but everyone seems to respect the quiet hours. The sites are spacious, each with a shade ramada, grill and fire-ring. The visitors center is a must see and there are numerous hiking trails near the campground. As beautiful as the wildflowers are during a super bloom, the crowds are super distracting. March is the best time of year to go, if there is a super bloom you’ll enjoy that, if not, you’ll enjoy the solitude.
Pablo L.
Scout
Aug. 29, 2023
Lake Hemet Campground
Great Time!
Visited the last 2 weeks of August. Great place for family and kids. Affordable. Campsite #295. You can fit two 10' x10' canopies to cover the bench table, and fit 2 individual tents (4-6 person) OR a bigger 12p tent however you decide to position it. It has its own Fire pit. Different campgrounds for all chosen methods (Tent, RV, Glamping, etc..) There's restrooms you can use. There's showers you can pay per use. The swim zone isn't too far from this campsite, 5-10 min walk w/ no accessories. If you have little ones, you can take them with a wagon but I'd recommend just driving your car with a few items to the zone. Bring your own shade for this campsite, your own water too. The marketplace is near the entrance BUT they only sell individual waters (No 48 pack types). You'll definitely hear your neighbors snore at night after a long day LOL.. quiet hours are from 10pm - 8am. Overall, this is a great spot. If you're lucky to snag other spots with trees covering you then great but this is still a good campsite. Happy camping! ... Oh yeah, T-Mobile no service up there (apparently Verizon, AT&T do)
Matthew D.
Scout
Jun. 26, 2017
William Heise County Park
Fire pits too close to eachother
Stayed in site #73 this past weekend. I wouldn't recommend that spot. It is too close to #74. They are both large spots but the actually fire pits are too close to eachother. Luckily there was a nice family staying next to us so we hardly noticed them. Had they been too loud it could have ruined the trip. Also this spot had very little shade in the afternoon when the sun was the hottest.

The bathrooms were shut down for maintenance in that loop so they offered portable toilets which got full quick. The hand washing station ran out of water the second day and was never refilled so you had to go back to your site to wash your hands. The running water coming from the spigot was orange and frothy and had a sign saying not to use it for drinking.

The hiking trail that was near by was the best part. Tons of wildflowers everywhere and beautiful views.

I probably won't come back to this campground next time I got camping. There are campgrounds closer to San Diego that are have bigger sites.
L
Liz
Guide
Dec. 16, 2022
Catalina Spa and RV Resort
Adequate & ok for an overnight stop
Not a very attractive drive in. Lots and lots of trash in the shrubbery and fields along the highway. Reservation and check in was easy. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. The RV park itself is attractive and seems to be fairly well maintained. It seems there are two rv areas. A lower older area and an upper newer and more attractive area. We were in the older area. Site was gravel with a small concrete area. Unfortunately, no one there seems to care about the dog poop everywhere (not exaggerating!). We and the people behind us parking had to clean dog poop off our site before we could set up. When walking our dog we saw poop everywhere. Dog park was ok, but on the small side and would be better with a gravel base instead of the dirt (very, very dusty and results in a dirty, dusty dog). There is a huge field adjacent and owned by the rv park that you can walk and or run your dog. But also full of poop. Bathroom smaller, older in the lower area. Much nicer, more modern bathrooms in the newer area. Two laundry rooms but no front loaders and the older laundry room only had two washers and two dryers. Can use quarters or an app. Pool and spa seemed pretty popular but we didn’t use. Area could really use some lighting at night. Very dark with minimal lighting in the older section. Trash is picked up every morning if you leave outside your site.
Dani P.
Guide
Jul. 14, 2019
William Heise County Park
Forest and Mountains just a couple hours from the city
Sweet campground with pines trees and a mountain feel. Table and fire pit at each site.

Hiking available walking distance from camp, trails leading out of camp. Family friendly environment. Can get busy in the summer, so be sure to leave it just as beautiful or better than before you arrived.
Ryan W.
Legend
Feb. 21, 2023
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
It's a fine campground. Just fine. Except for all the people.
It's a fine campground. There is a check-in kiosk that was well run and you can pay for an extra car or an open site with a credit card.* The sites are set up in two main loops. One for big campers and one for the rest of us. There is no real separation between sites.

This is convenience based campground. You're at the jump-off for some challenging yet accessible hikes into the desert. Close enough to town to ride a bike for ice cream. The camp has flush toilets and token based showers.** Each site has a deep fire pit, a picnic table under a shade pergola, and access to a nearby water source. Oh yeah, and it's less than two hours from San Diego.

The outer ring sites look out towards the desert. You'll always know you're in civilization, but they offer the illusion of solitude...if you can tune out the generators. There will be generators, and probably unattended kids riding e-bikes or kicking balls at you as your try to use the bathroom. Site 75 is a great site because in addition to looking out away from inner loop, the fire place is set further away from driveway and picnic table. Site 56 is fine. It's just fine.

Temper your expectations for desert solitude, appreciate the conveniences for what they are, and this becomes a four star site. The site is mostly, always, definitely full, but cancellations offer last chance drive up opportunities. The park rangers said that most sites were booked through the entire season which ends at the end of April, and we couldn't find a site when searching online for a second night (Saturday), but there were at least three open sites whose reservations had been canceled we could have stayed in.

Notes:

Anza is particularly great for star gazing and spring flowers. There are often big horn sheep along the Palm Canyon trail leaving camp. We met one we named Barnabas.

Extra vehicles are an additional $10.

*Pro-tip: Fire wood is cash only. It's not bad 3 bundles for $20. If you don't have cash, you can find wood in town for cheaper without the convenience of it being at camp.

**Pro-tip: Showers require tokens which are purchased from a machine. 2 tokens for $1. 1 token = 2m in the shower.
A
Angela
Scout
Jul. 9, 2021
Thousand Trails Idyllwild
Beautiful Idylwild
We tent camped 3 days 2 nights during Memorial weekend with 3 other families. We really enjoyed the drive up Idylwild, beautiful scenery. I think the sites are a bit too close to each other, I would prefer more space between sites. But it's a quiet campground, everyone goes to sleep early around 10pm. A downside during our visit, is the restroom/bathroom; the resort closed down couple restroom/bathroom for renovation, so we had. to walk far to shower/potty. Maybe they were short staffed, the restroom/bathroom were dirty, toilet flushing issue and trash bin overflow. Overall we had a good time, also be aware of coyotes they come out at night.