Best Campgrounds near Winterhaven, CA

I spent 3 months at the old-desert-bull-rv-park in 24-25. I had heard about it 2023 but

I finally found it. It was pefect for me, quiet, all the services I wanted and a price I liked.

Central to where I wanted to be. I would have stayed for a few years on a site in the winter and storage in the summer months when I would be home in Canada. My 5th wheel trailer has been in Arizona and Nevada since I bought it, in different parks from

Mesa to Tacna, Yuma, Palm Springs, Las Vegas. I have wintered in the South West USA

For Years. After the Trump election and the annex take over stuff and the tariffs,  in February I hitched up the Trailer and went home. I will not be back. 

But Old Desert Bull RV Park is where I would like to have spent the winters and  highly 

suggest it for anyone looking for something not expensive and basic.

Just south of the main Imperial dam ltva. The Christian Service Center offers filtered water kiosk, mail service, as well as Sunday worship services.

Picacho State Recreation Area is a fantastic spot for camping, especially if you enjoy remote desert landscapes and river access. The dirt road leading in can be rough, so a high-clearance vehicle is recommended. The campground itself offers basic amenities, but bring extra supplies since it's pretty isolated. If you're planning a trip, checking recent conditions or reviews can help avoid any surprises. https://castletv.app/

Whether you're interested in swimming, fishing, or simply taking in the tranquil surroundings, Walter's Camp RV Park& Campground looks like an ideal retreat for anyone wishing to unwind by the Colorado River. https://magistvhub.app/

FREE & SPACIOUSNESS! Lots of places to park without being on top of the neighbors. Closest camper is over 400 yards away. Great views in all directions and only 3.5 miles to Palm Canyon. PC is the ONLY place in AZ where Palm trees are native. Apparently they have been growing in this secluded spot since this whole area was under water. Think of the song "Beach Front Property in Arizona".... Anyway, something cool to see. It's less than 4 miles off AZ-95 on a dirt road followed by a 1/2 mile VERY EASY hike from the parking area.

Located South of Q Casino on way to boarder crossing. No amenities. Just a great place to park for free. Casino charges $10/nite for exact same amenities.

One of the best boon docking places yet. 40ft Rv made it in easy

Hippie Hole is a fantastic boondocking spot with easy access to the Colorado River and plenty of nearby walking trails. The campground is right next to the Cibola Wildlife Preserve, making it perfect for anyone who loves nature and wildlife.

Getting There: If you’re using Google Maps, I recommend skipping the first suggested right turn into the campground and instead pulling in the other entrance across from Baseline Road. This route is much wider and less steep, making it a safer option—especially for larger rigs.

Planning Ahead: The closest town is Blythe, about 30 minutes north, so stock up before arriving. That said, there’s a little store just down Baseline Road with last-minute essentials. The staff there are incredibly kind; they even gave us some free, fresh lemons during our visit!

The Campground: Technically, there’s a 14-day stay limit, but it’s clear that many campers spend most of the winter here. Vault toilets are available, though they come with their fair share of spider friends. There’s supposed to be weekly trash pickup, but it’s inconsistent, so we packed out as much as we could. If you plan to stay a while, be prepared to manage your own trash.

The Vibe: The relaxed, friendly atmosphere makes this spot stand out. You’ll find a mix of travelers and snowbirds enjoying the simple life here. The easy river access and proximity to wildlife make it ideal for kayaking, fishing, and birdwatching.

Overall, Hippie Hole is a laid-back spot for those seeking a peaceful retreat surrounded by nature. Just plan ahead and pack out your trash to keep this gem clean and enjoyable for everyone!

Pilot Knob RV Resort is a solid option for RV travelers, especially those affiliated with Thousand Trails or Encore campgrounds. Overall, I’d give it 4 stars, with the only downside being its remote location. Aside from the Granite Museum and the overpriced gas station at the exit, there’s not much nearby. For most necessities, you’ll need to drive into Yuma, which also involves crossing a time zone.

On the positive side, the amenities at the campground are great and seem recently renovated. The restrooms, game room, and pool area are all clean and well-maintained, and the shuffleboard courts and bocce ball are fun additions. There always seem to be organized events on the calendar, which is nice if you’re into social activities, though we didn’t attend any ourselves.

The RV sites are spacious, especially compared to other Thousand Trails locations. This makes it a great spot for those who RV part-time or full-time and enjoy a bit more room to spread out.

The staff here is incredibly friendly and helpful, and package/mail handling is seamless, which is a bonus for longer stays. The sunsets are absolutely gorgeous, and the nearby Pilot Knob hiking trails and Sand Dunes offer excellent opportunities to explore the outdoors.

Lastly, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the nearby casino—it was delicious and convenient, though the casino itself wasn’t our favorite for gambling.

Yuma is about a 20 minute drive.

This an excellent place for a stopover especially if you are heading south through the algodones border crossing. Although you can hear traffic it’s not intrusive. 5 minutes east of the 95 just north of the border patrol check point. It’s dispersed camping, flat, no shade. It has nice views of the surrounding mountains. The one thing to be on the lookout for is the tiny red cactus that is abundant.

Traveling down Black Mountain road for about 2miles of wash boards before turning down the camping road.

All the sites were empty as it was almost 100degrees outside and nothing for shade of a creature larger than a bird could find. But here we found quiet solitude and a cooler evening, perhaps the winds helped.

If you have furry friends keep a watch for their paws, there’s small cacti/pokeys scattered about.

Lovely sunrise and sunset 360 views.

Good Verizon service!

Big rig friendly - lots of space to spread out. Nice areas to hike and climb. Can get rather windy and there is some smelly smoke at times from Mexico area. Can drive to Mexico for various doctor/dentist/etc. Easy drive to Yuma as well. Great deal for the winter! Present when the 'scary' situation occurred in March as noted by someone else. Involved 2 parties with dogs loose. We did not and do not feel unsafe at all here.

Most certainly a relaxing place. Lots of birds. Quite except for the store fridge compressor that ran and ran. Hosts are friendly. We were the only ones there. Expect to dry camp. There are no power hookups. The campground does have a central RV dump station, so you can dump before you hit the road. There are water hose hookups, but I would not introduce this water into your RV. It is brownish and not well treated. It is basically river water from a shallow well that ran through a sediment filter. You can wash dishes with it outside using a basin, but that's about it. I will say the community showers are great. Hot water and seemingly the same water at the sites but somehow seems clear. Anyway showers are great. Oh, one more thing, we choose a site sort of close to the store and showers. Well the store has a noisy compressor that runs pretty much 24 hours a day. Seemingly never cycles on and off. Very annoying.

We stayed just one night while traveling through. It's about 1/4 mile from a Walmart with a few other RV parks around it. The Staff was friendly and helpful. We were able to make a reservation over the phone. We had full hook-ups (both 30 & 50 amps were available). It's a small RV camp with spaces, a pool, and a building with bathrooms (very clean), showers (use quarters), and several washers and dryers that cost $1.25 & $1 respectively. Wifi was on slower side but sufficient to stream TV shows. We paid $45.

Pulled in for a night, and stayed 3. Clean camp, showers with great pressure and plenty of hot water. Stayed on the river with great access for swimming and fishing. Very quiet this time of year, also great access to BLM lands for Off road, etc, disperse camping is an option. Hosts were great.