Saline Valley Primitive Campground — Death Valley National Park

The place is trashed. Plants are pulled up. Tubs are caved in. Source is Luke warm and nasty. Anyone that actually stays there is rude and disrespectful. Bathrooms were over flowing and poo was on the ground. It made the whole area stink. Random people came through camp and stole my property. Nothing worth seeing out there. Highly recommend against visiting

First off - you need a decent 4x4 with good tires to get out here. All trail entries into Saline Valley are rough and occasionally hazardous. But once you are down in the valley you head across the sandy bottom until you see Palm trees in the distance. Once you get there - it’s the most magical place I’ve ever been. Warm springs fill multiple pools to bathe and relax, there is a turf area with shade to relax and the whole vibe is really chilled.

This campground is accessible from the north pass which is a pretty long rough ride, or by 4X4 trails to the south over Lippencott or Owens Valley. While I prefer the solitude of the incredible dispersed camping options available in Death Valley, the warm springs pools are the star here. Surrounded by palms, this weird collection of man-made pools feed from a hot springs source and are scattered around a clothing-optional hippie paradise of communal fire pits, book libraries and sitting areas decorated with crystals, art and all manner of oddities. The campground is fine if you don't mind neighbors.

Being accessible by long stretches of rough roads to the north or rugged 4X4 trails to the south, really cuts back on the crowds. Saline Valley is a gorgeous, empty expanse with stellar sunrise/set views. In late March we had the entire valley to ourselves with the exception of a handful of cars passing by. There are rocky pull-in areas along the road, some more level than others, all with incredible views. A short drive to Lippencott Pass and Warm Springs from here.

Beautiful warm springs out in the middle of nowhere. The camping area can be crowded, and it can be hard to find spots, but it’s oh so worth it if you can. There are pit toilets, 5 different hot springs and plenty of stars. From Big Pine it is about a 3.5 hour drive, 40 miles of which is off-road. AWD or 4x4 is recommended, same with ground clearance. Just follow signs for Saline Valley Warm Springs as there are a couple of turns. It is a long journey out there, but definitely worth it.