- Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
The best camping in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, CA
The best camping in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, CA
Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Providence Mountains State Recreation Area 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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c
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 Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
The best camping in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, CA guide
Overview
About
Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy one of the most iconic and time capsule parks in California. This unique and remote travel destination offers a frontier experience of timeless landscapes and breathtaking views. The park is also home to the beautiful Mitchell Caverns, a diverse habitat full of limestone cave formations and unique wildlife - everything from bats to tiny pseudoscorpions and more.
We invite you to visit this iconic state recreation area. There are a number of day-use activities available for the public including tours of Mitchell Caverns and park trails. Also, Providence Mountains State Recreation Area is located within the Mojave National Preserve. Visitors can visit Providence Mountains early in the morning and explore the other wonderful sites within the Mojave National Preserve including camping under the stars.
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