The best camping near Kelso Dunes

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Kelso Dunes adventure.

Discover the Kelso Dunes: A Desert Symphony of Sand and Solitude.

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Community favorites near Kelso Dunes

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Fireside Nomad Outpost

6 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents5 acres · Twentynine Palms, CA

Fireside Nomad Outpost is your perfect retreat for the ultimate offgrid experience. With parking sites and multiple van life glamping experiences, we offer accommodations for whatever your outdoor retreat or adventure may hold! Our site is 100% off grid with total solar power, outdoor shower and restroom, multiple desk working stations with starlink wifi for hispeed internet, community indoor and outdoor gathering areas, art supplies, board games, and even an outdoor work out area!

ProsperityLand Newberry Springs

8 sites · RVs5 acres · Fort Irwin, CA

This gorgeous desert property is the future site of something cool!Green energy RV Resort park for Travellers, Imagin ProsperityLand will feature a lake, outdoor kitchen, gazebos, drive-in theatre, Learn more about this land:Namastè, Sovereign Traveler;Welcome to Imagin ProsperityLand - Newberry SpringsEnjoy the Tranquil desert setting in lovely Newberry Springs!There are Lots of water activities nearby - with over 35 lakes in town!Water skiing is important to the area. Newberry Springs contains some man-made oval lakes and other water race courses used for water–ski and jetski racing, including the privately owned Cheyenne Lake. The Horton Lakes Water Ski School and Wet Set Village, which has hosted water ski tournaments seen on ESPN, are in Newberry Springs. There are also desert courses used for motocross, dune buggy, and ATV racing. The area also supports camping, hunting, fishing, wilderness backpacking, and paraflying. Paraflyte Ranch, a paraflying school, is in the area. (source: wikipedia.org)The 35 lakes which dot the floor of the valley tucked among the Calico, Newberry and Cady Mountains, 20 miles east of Barstow, range in size from a half to 28 acres.Visitors can enjoy fishing, boating, swimming, and waterskiing, plus the local waterslide park is set to open again in 2022!Are you Nevada bound and need a place to crash for the night? Or looking for a serene getaway to sit under the stars that is not too far from civilization? Pandemic giving you cabin fever?This is the place to reconvene with nature and let your hair down without hotel/park staff breathing down your neck.Bring your tent(s) and off-road vehicles.

Dry Oasis Silver Valley Campground

21 sites · RVs, Tents10 acres · Barstow, CA

You want to also Help the Planet: Our mission is to reduce Global Warming by planting more trees and recycle whatever we can recycle such as tires, plastic bottles, water, etc. According to the Arbor Day Foundation , in one year a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange. The proceeds from this campground will go back into the campground. Trying to make this desert green will require a lot of help and donations. So far I've been trying to germinate fruit trees that will survive in these extreme weather conditions, 28 degrees to 120 degrees in the summer. My seedlings are growing too slow. We would need bigger plants to put outside. So if you guys have any desert plants lying around and would like to plant them in this campground, bring them over. Ideal trees that will survive here are: pines, desert orchids, pomegranates, persimmons, jujubes, Asian apples, date palms, granny apples, figs, peaches, nectarines, almonds, pistachios, olives, grapes, etc. We prefer fruit trees and multi-purpose plants so everyone can literally enjoy the "Fruits of their Labor" here. There are quite a few lake communities around here. From Our site, you can see the infamous Volcano House, featured in recent movie “Honey, Don’t Worry” with Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde. The closest shopping centers is only 17 miles away in Barstow.

Raw Land Ranch

1 site · Tent2 acres · Twentynine Palms, CA

This is a 2-acre piece of land with loose sand and desert brush. 4wd will be needed to get onto the property. What's special about this place: It's one of the cheapest places to camp outside of Joshua Tree (just under a 30-minute drive to the National Park entrance). Local grocery, restaurants, and fast food nearby!

Sunlight Retreat

2 sites · Lodging2 acres · Twentynine Palms, CA

Permit #: CESTRP-2021-01683 If you're looking for a fantastic desert retreat, look no further than the Sunlight Retreat. This 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home is located in Twentynine Palms/Wonder Valley, California, and is the perfect place to relax and enjoy nature. The home features dominant desert influences throughout, which means you're away from the hustle and bustle of the city and can truly relax and rejuvenate. The living room is perfect for family entertainment, with a dining area set up within the room. The lighted arched opening also complements the space beautifully. Step into an intimate kitchen area that is bright, airy, and fully equipped to handle the whole family's cooking needs. A fully equipped ultra-modern open kitchen services this property. The property has two bedrooms and two queen-sized beds and is fitted with mirrored wardrobe closets and overhead fans. The third bedroom has a pull-out couch bed equipped with a walk-in closet, washer, dryer, game table, and Ms. Pac-Man machine. The home is serviced by two bathrooms equipped with a tub, shower, sink, and toilet. The house can accommodate up to 10 guests, with the main bedroom sleeping 2 in a queen bed, 2 more in a queen bed in the second room, and 2 in the game room on a pull-out couch. Additionally, four more guests can be accommodated on 2 queen-sized inflatable air mattresses. The Sunlight Retreat is on 2.5 acres of land, offering multiple outdoor relaxation options - covered and open - and ample parking space. The property is in a secluded location and is ideal for a night session of astrophotography or picturesque sunsets. From visiting nearby Joshua Tree National Park to swimming or playing games in the games room, there is something for everyone to do at this wonderful desert retreat!

Esters care campsite

2 sites · RVs2 acres · Newberry Springs, CA

Learn more about this land:Newberry Springs is nestle near the San Bernardino Mountains There is plenty of spaces parking flatland trees Very close to nature near Barstow and halfway to Las Vegas there are lakes in the area good fishing hiking in the area there are many man-made lakes homeowners Yes if you really like it we do have long-term rental spaces yes close to the city of Barstow they have mini shopping centers and essential businesses thank you see you there.

San’s Desert Land

2 sites · Tents5 acres · Twentynine Palms, CA

The perfect desert property for your get away camping weekend! You’ll have the whole 5 acres to yourself where you’ll enjoy complete privacy & peacefulness. The property is located near mountains that give it that unique experience. Beautiful sunset & sunrise. Amazing night sky views you won’t get anywhere else. The property is located in the perfect spot to offer complete peacefulness but not too far from gas stations, restaurants & grocery markets. Give it a try! You won’t regret it!

Top-rated campgrounds near Kelso Dunes

Roy's Motel & Cafe

31 sites · RVs, Tents680 acres · Twentynine Palms, CA

We're located on the Historic ROUTE 66 about 20 minutes from the vast Mojave Desert and 5 minutes from the Amboy Crater. We've been feature in endless movies, music videos, commercials, documentaries, You Tube videos, and we have a huge presence on all of your social media platforms. You'll also find about 4 doz craft sodas and XL custom root beer floats. You can also call us "The Ghost Town That Ain't Dead Yet" Just Google us and you'll see....

Mojave Desert Heritage & Cultural

10 sites · RVs, Tents75 acres · Essex, CA

Tour the historic one room Goffs Schoolhouse (on the National Register of Historic Places) and enjoy the self-guided walking tour through time exploring the history of the East Mojave Desert including railroad, mining, ranching, homesteading and quirky high desert artifacts like the Mojave Booth, the Mojave Road school bus and the Mojave Cross.

Joshua Tree Container Resort

14 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents10 acres · Twentynine Palms, CA

Custom designed by artist John Henry Jones, the Ranch House is the largest and most private suite at the Joshua Tree Container Resort, and has a large screened in front porch giving our guests a safe way to recreate in the outdoors in Theis desert wilderness area. Two queen beds are available inside the history-laden ranch house (originally homesteaded during the WWI era). It is steps away from the hot tub, pool, gym, hammock palapa and great lounging spots on the ranch.

The best camping near Kelso Dunes guide

Overview

About

Within the Mojave National Reserve, Kelso Dunes seems out of place just outside of Los Angeles. It's no wonder why this hike is so popular with the surrounding landscapes visible as you hike through the dunes. As this hike is in the Mojave Desert it is advised that you wait for the cooler months to plan your adventure.

When to go

The ideal time to visit the Kelso Dunes is during the cooler months, from late fall to early spring. Summer temperatures soar, making hikes less enjoyable and potentially dangerous. Plan your visit for a cooler day to fully appreciate the dunes' beauty and the mysterious sounds of the booming sands.

Know before you go

Summer hikes are discouraged due to extreme heat reaching 120° F (49° C); visit in cooler months for a safer experience.
Bring ample water as none is available at the trailhead, and prepare for a hike with no shade.
Expect a strenuous 3-mile round-trip hike with 600 feet of elevation gain, taking 2-3 hours on average.
Drive cautiously to the bumpy and potholed trailhead road.
Respect wildlife by maintaining a distance and pack out all trash, including food waste.

Top parks near Kelso Dunes

Joshua Tree National Park

Angeles National Forest

Palomar Mountain State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Zion National Park

Yosemite National Park

Sequoia National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

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