Magic Portal Stargazer&#x27;s Retreat

FYI the outhouse was knocked over by the wind when I was there, as well as several of the signs being knocked over. I recommend future campers should expect high winds, do not rely on having the outhouse, and download the map of the campsite # not just the main location.

Hohmann K.

1 month on Hipcamp

Recommends

· November 2025

Tent ·

A beautiful spot with excellent views, and a pleasant surprise visit from some cattle on our way up to the location. I strongly suggest bringing something that can off-road a bit, it wasn't a rough drive, but I know my sedan would have gotten stuck or struggled toward the end. The provided outhouse is a welcome addition. It's a nice, quiet spot for a good getaway with a killer view of the stars all around.

Jared S.

3 reviews

Not recommend

· September 2025

Struggled To Find Location

16 ft car · With pets ·

Had to sleep on the side of the dirt road, genuinely couldn’t find the spot. Google Docs instructions wouldn’t open. Nice views though, just hard to find spot. Took a little long to respond, but it’s fine. If you are looking for a spot to camp just for the night, id honestly just look for a parking spot.

Sego F.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2025

Tent ·

Great for people who don’t mind being off the grid and using wipes as a substitute for a shower. It’s a legit place and you really can see a lot of stars out there! A bit hard to pitch a tent with the rocks in the ground but we managed!

Stoker W.

7 months on Hipcamp

Not recommend

· June 2025

Tent ·

I camped here during a time of strong wind and heavy sand, which made it difficult to enjoy the stay. On top of that, I encountered biting ants and would definitely recommend bringing strong bug repellent if you plan to stay here. The most stressful part of the stay was encountering a group of wild or stray dogs at night circling my tent. I contacted the host, and while he was responsive via message, he was too far away to come in person. He mentioned this was the first time such an incident had happened, and I understand that it may have been out of his control. That said, the feeling of being unsafe and unable to leave the tent was very real and made it difficult to sleep. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this spot. I think this spot could be okay for experienced campers or those traveling in a group, but solo campers should be extra cautious and well-prepared for both bugs and potential wildlife.

Jonathan J.

1 year on Hipcamp

Not recommend

· June 2025

Wild animals + intense wind

Tent ·

I'm a pretty experienced backpacker across California and Washington, and I narrowly avoided disaster on this trip by insisting on best practices. My friend and I rode (cruiser) motorcycles out to these sites and the sandy road out was much more technical than I would've expected based on the map and location. Doable but be aware this road has elevation gain and loss, uneven roads, and deep sand at points Upon arrival we were the only campers, and this is what site 3 had in store for us... a hillside of non-level and hard packed dirt site in which we struggled to push in stakes while non stop 40-60 mph winds (6pm-7am) tried to snatch our tents, tarps, jackets and other gear... the outhouse toilet seemed to have been left with the door open so the two rolls of toilet paper were thrown about 100ft down wind and caught in the underbrush. Settling in we were able to make dinner and even look at the sunset (despite the winds) ... shortly after midnight we were visited by 2 wild dogs that were luckily much more interested in my bear cannister with food and toiletries but were unable to get in. After which they touched noses on our tents to sniff for food before carrying on (terrifying!!). In hindsight there was dried and fresh animal scat all over these sites so I should've anticipated this encounter. I wouldn't trust anyone without an RV or at minimum a bear can and nerves of steel to stay at this campsite safely. I got out of here as soon as I could in the morning.

Full T.

8 months on Hipcamp

Mixed feelings

· April 2025

Open Prairie

We had a great time connecting with friends. I wish there were places at the camp to get water. I’m ok with the outhouse since we wanted to “rough it.” The time of year we went was extremely windy; lucky we had vans to sleep. 03/16/2025

Jeffrey S.

9 months on Hipcamp

Mixed feelings

· April 2025

Windy but gorgeous.

Tent · Group trip ·

The site is great and Will is absolutely fabulous; however the site is EXTREMELY windy!!! My family and I wanted to tent camp and the winds were just unbearable. It was like hurricane-force winds. Maybe it was just the weather but it was sunny AV skies and warm temp, not sure. Our smaller tent went flying. Otherwise great place to see the stars.

Scott Y.

10 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2025

Site 4

Tent ·

Easy to find flat spot if you are camping on trailers or roof tents. Amazing views and great if you want to take your bikes. Would definitely camp here again.

Juan S.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2025

great stay near town.

16 ft car ·

Great stay for various forms of camping! Spent the night while car camping after other plans fell through - booked a bit late into the evening around 7-8pm and owner was still happy to have us. Site was beautiful at the top of a small hill; far out enough from the city that the sky was clear and the stars were bright. Wind is a bit strong during the windy seasons, as since it's at the top of the hill there is no protection; other spots were protected by the hill for those looking to go during a windy day. Sites are clearky marked and accurate. Woke up in the morning to some nearby sheep which was a welcoming suprise. Would definitely reccomend for anybody in the area or those just passing through. The area receives great data connection (t-mobile).

G G.

8 months on Hipcamp

Not recommend

· April 2025

Not really a csmpsite

Tent ·

This is barely a campsite and way over priced at $50 a night. There is no host on site. If you're staying more than a night pack up your stuff. The whole valley is covered in dirt roads like the ones you find here. Anyone can drive around on them, anytime. A number of them are free to camp on too. The only amenity at this place is a tiny outhouse with a door that barely opens and closes. The door is quite heavy and hangs on the cheapest hinges you could find. The outhouse is so small an averaged sized person can barely sit down without their knees hitting a wall. The whole thing is DIY. They could have easily have built it a foot or two longer and used the proper sized hinges for a door of that weight. Real campsites have useable bathrooms, water, flat areas for tents, hosts, and cost half as much. This is a $10 a night place, maybe $20. It's just some land you're paying to park on.

Aywms N.

9 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2025

16 ft car ·

The camp site had amazing views of the surrounding area, and the stars at night. The directions to the site were very good, although I do recommend using Google maps vs Apple as Google seems more precise. It was mid-March when we stayed so the weather wasn’t the best, and the wind was blowing! I would stay here again in the future.

Jonathan S.

11 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2025

Tent ·

So easy! Such a great time! Such a cool ride in too!

James Patrick V.

9 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2025

Tent · With kids ·

Thanks so much for hosting us! We actually ran out of power in our 12 volt battery in the car and a gentleman on a Motocross helped us jump start the car. We'll have to come during a new moon so we can see better stars! It was still so bright.

Ivan V.

9 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· February 2025

19 ft campervan ·

The Magic Portal is a truly unique and special spot in the Mojave Desert. The freestanding door frame, fittingly named the ‘Portal to Nowhere,’ adds a fun and creative touch to the landscape. My dog, however, wasn’t so sure about it and refused to walk through! I was lucky to catch a stunning sunset, and the peacefulness of the area made for a perfect stay. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind desert experience!

Kimberly W.

2 reviews

Recommends

· February 2025

Tent ·

Spent the night with my wife here. Easily accessible via our Mazda CX-5 following the directions provided. Possibly a difficult path if after a hard rain. My only complaint is that the out-house was occupied by a creature when my wife went use it. Out of respect, we gave it its privacy for the rest of our stay. We had the entire campground to ourselves, minus the out-house. Did not do as much stargazing as I would have liked due to exhaustion from an impromptu hike at the nearby poppy reserve. The night sky was awesome except for the light pollution to the south from LA. There are ranches nearby so you do hear the occasional rooster and working dogs. You do hear the faint sound of vehicles off in the distance, but it’s mostly quiet and peaceful. A bonus were the open range sheep and goats in the area. They added a certain charm to our sunset/evening. Overall, it was a nice getaway from typical suburban and city surroundings.

Marcel T.

11 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· January 2025

12 ft campervan · With pets ·

I loved the area, nice flat spot, perfect for my dog and I, we even had a nice run in the morning 🌄

Le Ana L.

11 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· January 2025

Nice getaway spot

16 ft car ·

remote and secluded place to go off the grid and relax. 10/10 recommend. Host is very responsive and nice!!

Tbnr K.

2 reviews

Recommends

· October 2024

Views of the sky ✨️

Tent ·

Great spot with unreal views of the sky. Listening to howling through the night and some insane rooster 🐓 that was going nuts most of the night, it's gonna be windy so prepare. It was very quiet and relaxing, easy to turn your brain off. Everyone should stay here atleast once.

Richard R.

5 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2024

Tent ·

Very nice and clean area! It was beautiful seeing all the stars out at night.

Madison D.

2 reviews

Mixed feelings

· September 2024

Nice, quiet stay

12 ft Class B ·

Can be a challenge to find! But feels very remote and is a nice, quiet stay. I enjoyed my time here and woke up to a free roam farm roaming past my van. :)

Joey L.

2 reviews

Recommends

· August 2024

Meteor Shower Viewing Site

Tent · Group trip ·

Our camping adventure was perfect! We wanted a remote site but nothing too rugged. Your directions and our mapping apps directed us right to our spot! We drove into the campsite with a small FWD SUV. As the waxing moon got lower in the sky we got a good look at M31 and the Milky Way. At our campsite the low rolling hill terrain provided privacy and the lack of trees was ideal. My group was satisfied with the amenities and pleasantly surprised by the picnic table and lighted campsite signpost. We would certainly consider returning to the Magic Portal Stargazer's Retreat. Thanks Will! Don

Donald P.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2024

21 ft Class B ·

Middle of nowhere, nice and peaceful. Great place to decompress. Wonderful wide open views. Host very responsive. Windy. Might be tough in a tent.

Paul W.

2 reviews

Recommends

· May 2024

200% excelent

Tent ·

This was our very first experience camping and I can say our host Will was very helpful and responded our questions within 3 minutes, his direction instructions were easy to follow and very helpful. I stayed in the quill 3 and we enjoyed the quite, cleaness and the beauty of the place. It was very windy during the night so if you are not a pro mounting tents like us I sugest research how to properly mount a tent in a very windy weather beforehand. There is a market 15 minutes away in case you need anything. Overall we enjoyed and for sure we will come back again.

Melanie M.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2024

Cool Spot

Tent ·

Nice location to go stargazing. It was beautiful, a bit too windy for what we had planned, but I would go back again.

Mark D.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2024

Camping in a tent

Tent · With pets ·

Good spot for sky views. About a 15 minute drive into town if you need anything. Be prepared for wind and rock hard ground. If you're camping in a tent I'd recommend brining extra spikes as you will likely bend some.

Michael Z.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2024

Tent ·

I enjoyed staying at this site (#4-Peak’s Perch), with beautiful rolling hills and the mountains in the distance. It’s an open space, so the privacy is dependent on how many other campers there are. The sites aren’t too close together, but they’re each close enough for a short walk to the outhouse.

Camey S.

3 reviews

Recommends

· May 2024

Tent · With kids ·

we loved our stay , the view is beautiful and relaxing , perfect for a quick getaway from the city , its a bit windy though , my kids had a great time. Will is very responsive and accommodating, he even lets us change location last minute for our preference. we would definitely come back next time .Thank you so much will

Mary P.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2024

Primo car camping and stargazing

16 ft car · With kids ·

Overall fantastic camping experience my 4 year old daughter and me. Booked this site to go stargazing, and stargazing we did. Perfectly clear sky, nice and dark, can see so many more stars than in the city. Only point of note is that it was WINDY. I’m sure you can check on an app before coming up (I didn’t)… but may have prepared differently had I known. Luckily we were always planning on car camping so we were unaffected other than having trouble using the camp grill to cook dinner… but had we tried to pitch a tent and sleep all night in it I do think that would have been a challenge. In the car was primo.

Jesse S.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2024

Camping in Antelope Valley, CA

Tent · With pets ·