- Mojave National Preserve
The best camping in Mojave National Preserve, CA
97% (47)
1.6 million acres of soaring mountains, volcanic rock walls, endless deserts, and huge sand dunes.
The best camping in Mojave National Preserve, CA
97% (47)
Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Mojave National Preserve adventure.
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M
Meghan
2 weeks ago
Tent
With pets
What a cool place to stay! We had the opportunity to meet Heather, and she was fantastic. Our kiddo had the best time talking with her. We'll absolutely stay again!
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Nancy
3 weeks ago
24 ft Class C
My son and his friends had an amazing time exploring the property and stargazing. He couldn’t stop raving about how much fun he had and how beautiful the night sky was. He is a budding astral photographer and this was his first opportunity to really get up close and personal with the night sky. He found Laura and her crew to be super helpful and friendly and he can’t wait to go back. Thank you for making his experience so amazing!
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Erik
November 2025
Tent
With pets
Perfectly situated in the middle of nowhere. Completely authentic and extremely interesting. Ground is flat and made of perfectly uniform decomposed granite, so fine you can walk barefoot. Priceless desert vista in all directions. We chose a spot next to the old train depot to car camp overnight. This Hipcamp was exactly half way between our trip from the coast to Sedona. We were greeted at dusk, set up camp, slept, and left around 9. There was only one other camper in the whole place which we had basically to ourselves and our two annoying dogs. The bathroom was clean and well decorated- complete with a nice shower. The bi-hourly freight trains that pass in the night may be an issue for some, but the noise was not as extreme as some have stated in other reviews. If you think about it, you are considering staying at a train museum so the fact that there are active tracks nearby shouldn’t be a shocker! The place is off Route 66 which loops off of 40 so the distance from the highway is a non issue as you can take a short side route on Route 66 without the 11 mile drive in being an issue. Will stay again and hopefully late enough in the morning to visit the museum.
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Susan
August 2025
18 ft Class B
Nice overnight stay at the museum. Chris was very helpful and knowledgeable. We really love the vibe and scenery, but the train noise did it make it hard to get a good night's rest. I would stay again, but earplugs may be needed.
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Lander eta Malen
August 2025
20 ft Class B
With kids
Laura was so so kind with us. We arrived at 21:45 and she was waiting.
Thank you!
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Samantha
July 2025
17 ft campervan
We had a wonderful time at Goff’s Schoolhouse, Laura met us with a smile & made us feel extremely welcome straight away. We then had the pleasure of meeting Chris who talked us through the history of the Schoolhouse & pointed out loads of interesting items for us to look at. We were completely unaware of the history behind Goff’s & couldn’t be more pleased that we stumbled across this gem which gave us a completely different experience to what we have seen throughout the rest of our trip.
We highly recommend this campsite & are truly grateful for the hospitality we experienced. It was a great option to stay between Joshua Tree National
Park & the Grand Canyon.
Thank you all!
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Rachel
July 2025
25 ft Class C
With kids
Beautiful and interesting place that has loads of character. Warm welcome and helpful hosts.
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Ronda
June 2025
Tent
We camped on Laura‘s land. It was hot during the day, but so nice at night to watch the sunset
And the stars. We really enjoyed it. There’s a lot to see, and we loved it.
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cindy
June 2025
16 ft car
With pets
What a treat! We came in our EV truck. The level 2 charger was reliable. We enjoyed sleeping under the stars. The camphosts were welcoming and helpful.
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Lindsay
May 2025
52 ft travel trailer
Chris met us at the front gate and ushered us to our campsite. Chris and Jennifer welcomed us and we're very knowledgeable with RV experience which we really appreciated. Our site was just as we expected. We came to appreciate all that was happening in Goffs and plan to return in the future.
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nateo1374
May 2025
21 ft pop-up camper
With pets
Very unique spot to get off the interstate and camp for the night. We liked this spot and would come back again but bring ear plugs next time. The train passed by a number of times throughout the night blasting the horn for a near by road crossing. The host was also very attentive and helpful.
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Anet
April 2025
16 ft Class B
Lovely, Laura greated us in the dark when we arrived and showed us where to park from her cute golf cart! Very cool place! Definitely recommended!
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John
April 2025
24 ft fifth wheel
With pets
This is a neat place to stay. It’s fun to experience a piece of Route 66 and see all the others who stop by to see this place.
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Travis
March 2025
34 ft fifth wheel
We were met immediately by the camp hosts which we learned are moving along their own trail at the end of this month. They invited us for campfire and made us feel welcome, shared awesome knowledge about the schoolhouse and surrounding land. Even guided us to specific things to seek out for an even more enriching experience.
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Terry
March 2025
15 ft travel trailer
Laura’s place was a wonderful stay in the desert and so interesting with the outdoor mining equipment museum and he historical research they are doing there. Lovely with the hook-up, water & hot shower too!
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Travis
March 2025
34 ft fifth wheel
Our host chased me down when I missed my turn (it’s the dirt/gravel road immediately to the left off Route 66) and escorted us right to our spot. Then he stayed late to introduce us to the schoolhouse and shared some great photography with us. Walked the grounds the following morning with crisp freeze dried air. What a great find along the famous Route 66. We’re headed back 2 weeks from now for another night and looking forward to touring even more. 10/10 enjoyed this special place.
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Leigh
February 2025
20 ft Class B
With pets
Great spot. Safe and quiet. Took some fun pics of the sign. Be sure to add something to the ad-hoc sculpture across the road next to the Karmen Gia. I’ll stop here again for sure.
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guillaume
December 2024
30 ft Class C
With kids
The spot was amazing with a lot of history. You really sleep in the middle of a museum.
Jim, who welcomed us, was super nice and took the time to show us the place.
The only bad fact is that the place is close to the railroad. If you like trains you’ll love the spot.
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eric
December 2024
22 ft campervan
With pets
Staying at Goff’s Schoolhouse was awesome. Got there just in time to see sunset and staff greeted us at the gate and showed us an amazing location that we could really experience the beauty of the land as the sun went down. Bathrooms were so amazing and clean, shower was wonderful. We had to leave a little early so we didn’t get to experience the library or museum but did walk around and the space has been so week curated - 10/10 on this spot. Thanks to everyone there!
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Other options near Mojave National Preserve
The best camping in Mojave National Preserve, CA guide
Overview
About
Sleep among sand dunes and an unobstructed view of the stars in the Mojave Desert. This pristine wilderness isn't the desolate place people make it out to be. The Kelso Dunes tower above a sandy landscape. A steep hike to the top leaves you awestruck looking at a 360-degree view. Lava tubes speak to the area's volcanic past.
Death Valley is the lowest spot in North America, and one of the driest. Check out the abandoned silver mines here. If you're lucky enough to see it rain, the valley floor teems with small wildflowers shortly afterward.
Roadside camping here is a delight for lovers of rustic camping. Remember to bring two sets of clothes: one for warm days and another for chilly nights. The place has fire rings, trash dumpsters and pit toilets, but little else. This area is truly a spot to get away from it all.
Nearby attractions
Step into the heart of the desert while camping near Mojave Trails National Monument. An untamed wilderness offering unique landscapes, Mojave Trails camping is your chance to experience stunning sunsets, ancient lava flows, and historical routes. A truly magnificent place to reconnect with nature!
97%
47 ratings · 21 reviews
Recommends
· October 2025
Très belle endroit
Débora F.
4 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Beautiful landscape
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Rachel W.
2 reviews
Recommends
· December 2024
Amazing place to see. The dunes is so nice to walk
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Guillaume R.
2 reviews
October 2022
We visited for 2 days the 3rd week of October on our way from Flagstaff to LA. Check the weather reports for Goffs, CA to get closest to what the campground will experience. We had great weather: cool air and warm sun, light breezes until 2am the second night the wind woke us up.. There was enough phone signal to find out the winds were going to pick up from 15mph to 25mph with stronger gusts, so we finished packing up in the dark and headed out. The road in is paved all the way. The toilets were well stocked. The Rings trail was great fun, even for us in our 70’s. Do the trail clockwise, staring at the south end of the big dirt parking lot by the visitors center. The night sky was good, but affected by Las Vegas light.
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Elizabeth M.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2020
I usually like to start or end my long road trips with a quick over night in Mid Hills Campground because of the secluded nature of it. It does have water and toilets so that a plus for being such a remote campground.
The main perk for me is the lack of light pollution, so you can see so many stars on a clear night.
Phillip B.
10 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2018
Beautiful and remote. Make sure you pay attention to weather, as the first time we tried to stay here it was close because of floods! When we did finally get out there, it was amazing, and we watched a storm pass in the distance, with hug lightning lighting up the sky.
Liz B.
7 years on Hipcamp
November 2017
Hole-in-the-wall you are sleeping in the desert. No shade. We were there in October and weather was fantastic. About 25% full. We were fully contained so did not try the water or facilities. Close to some great hiking although we found the trailhead of Ring hike hard to find so ended up doing it backwards
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Catherine H.
2 reviews
May 2017
I think that Mojave is the most underrated park in CA! It combines the wonders of both Joshua Tree and Death Valley, with its own flare. Be sure to have a full tank of gas cause it is large, but worth days of exploring. Would go back again in a heartbeat!
Elynn K.
10 years on Hipcamp
May 2017
This campsite is really the perfect campsite. The views are gorgeous, the hiking nearby is on point and the campsite is kept clean. As other people have said, the wind does tend to pick up, so we found car camping to be the best option for us. That said, the stars are breadth taking and a real treat.
Elynn K.
10 years on Hipcamp
Mixed feelings
· May 2017
A little scary because it's sooooo isolated
Sarah L.
8 years on Hipcamp
May 2016
Hole-in-the-Wall is a great little campground in the Mojave NP. It does get a bit windy as another Hipcamper noted. This campground is pretty exposed and has no trees, but if you have a tent you can camp at Mid Hills Campground where trees are plentiful in the back portion of the campground. Also neither campground has firewood for sale, so be sure to bring your own!
Kristina F.
11 years on Hipcamp
May 2016
Mojave National Preserve is on of my favorite national parks! Mid Hills is an awesome campground as it's for tents only, is in the high desert (which means cooler temps and trees for shade). It's $12/night and is first come first served, but rarely fills up (holiday weekends are a little bit of a gamble, so be sure to get there on Friday evening). There is potable water spigots and vault toilets making this a great basecamp in the Mojave for all your adventures. The park is very spread out in terms of things to do, but there are some very unique places to see including the Kelso Dunes (45 min drive), the lava tube (1 hr drive from MH and partly on an unmarked 4x4 road), and Teutonia Peak trail (1 hr drive) in a lush desert landscape.
Kristina F.
11 years on Hipcamp
October 2015
I pulled off one of the many dirt roads and wandered for a mile or so before I found a little "hidden" area to car camp. This place is pure beauty. A must see!
April M.
10 years on Hipcamp
August 2015
Pets are allowed!
Laura K.
10 years on Hipcamp
April 2015
The winds can be particularly high in the Mojave Desert, so if you'll be sleeping in a tent, make sure that you have strong stakes to hold your tent down!
Jeff S.
10 years on Hipcamp
April 2015
Interested in history and geology? Check out Camp Rock Springs to see some sweet rock engravings from Native American tribes who lived in the area.
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Hipcamper
10 years on Hipcamp
March 2015
If you don’t have 4WD, you can still come camp here. The Hole-In-The-Wall Campground is accessible via a nicely paved road that will lead you there straight from the highway!
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Hipcamper
10 years on Hipcamp
March 2015
Stake your tent into the ground like you really mean it. You don’t want to lose it to the strong desert winds!
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Hipcamper
10 years on Hipcamp
March 2015
Be sure to pack up everything you need and fill up your tank with gas. There aren’t any gas stations or convenience stores anywhere on the preserve (it is the middle of the desert after all). And for the most part, you won’t find cell service either.
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Hipcamper
10 years on Hipcamp
March 2015
For a more pleasant visit, check out Mojave in the morning or the cooler months or the desert heat (we’re talking 100 degrees, people!) might prevent you from exploring as much as you’d like to.
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Hipcamper
10 years on Hipcamp
March 2015
Paved roads are limited, but you are more than welcome to traverse the open, dirt roads. 4WD will give you more free-roam across the preserve!
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Hipcamper
10 years on Hipcamp