Desert Camping

Discover the magic of desert camping. Dramatic landscapes, star-filled skies, and serene solitude.

20+ Campgrounds4.6★ AverageBest: October - April

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Desert Camping by State

Featured Campgrounds

Handpicked destinations that define the region

4.7

(627)

Devils Garden Campground

Arches National Park
Moab, UT

Towering sandstone fins and ancient arches surround your campsite beneath twisted junipers and fragrant pinyon pines, where prickly pear and yucca thrive in the red rock amphitheater.

Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground

Canyonlands National Park
Moab, UT

Towering sandstone spires and ancient junipers frame your nights under some of Utah's darkest skies, where the Milky Way stretches unobstructed across the desert horizon.

Jumbo Rocks Campground

Joshua Tree National Park
Twentynine Palms, CA

Massive honey-colored boulders tower like buildings, creating intimate camping alcoves among groves of otherworldly Joshua trees in this high-desert sculpture garden.

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About This Landscape

Desert camping offers some of the most spectacular and otherworldly outdoor experiences in the United States, where vast landscapes of sand, stone, and sky create an environment unlike any other. From the iconic red rock formations of Utah's canyon country to the towering saguaros of Arizona's Sonoran Desert, and from the boulder-studded wonderlands of California's Joshua Tree to the remote wilderness of Texas's Big Bend, desert campgrounds provide access to landscapes shaped by millions of years of geological forces.

Best Time

The optimal desert camping season varies by region and elevation, but generally fall through spring offers the most comfortable conditions across most desert environments. October through November and March through April provide ideal temperatures in lower elevation deserts like Joshua Tree, Anza-Borrego, and Big Bend, with daytime highs in the 70s-80s°F and pleasant evenings perfect for campfires.

Scenery Highlights

Unique desert landscapes
World-class stargazing
Mild winter temperatures
Solitude and wide-open spaces

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4.7

(597)

Seminole Canyon State Park And Historic Site

Comstock, TX

Ancient pictographs dance across canyon walls where prehistoric artists left their stories thousands of years ago, while resurrection plants demonstrate nature's resilience across the Chihuahuan Desert landscape.

Cottonwood (Big Bend, Tx)

Big Bend National Park
BIG BEND NAT. PARK, TX

Towering cottonwood trees create a shaded oasis along the Rio Grande where vermillion flycatchers flash through branches and 1,500-foot limestone cliffs of Santa Elena Canyon dominate the horizon.

Borrego Palm Canyon Campground

Anza-Borrego Desert SP
Borrego Springs, CA

Rare native palm oases emerge like mirages against weathered mountain sentinels, where barrel cacti and skeletal ocotillos dot sandy expanses that transform into purple silhouettes at dusk.

Hidden Valley Campground

Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree, CA

Massive granite boulders create natural amphitheaters where twisted Joshua Trees glow golden at sunrise, their sculptural forms framing some of the Mojave's most dramatic desert scenery.

Saddlehorn Campground

Colorado National Monument
Fruita, CO

Towering red sandstone monuments rise like ancient sculptures around your campsite, their cross-bedded faces glowing ember-red as the sun traces shadows across canyon mazes and soaring cliff walls.

Aguirre Spring Recreation Area And Campground

Las Cruces, NM

The Organ Mountains' jagged spires tower overhead, their stone faces blazing rose gold at sunrise before deepening to purple shadows at dusk, while the Tularosa Basin unfolds below toward distant White Sands.

Hole-In-The-Wall Campground

Mojave National Preserve
Essex, CA

Volcanic rock formations sculpt dramatic corridors where coyotes leave dawn tracks and tarantulas emerge for nighttime hunts among thriving chollas and barrel cacti.

Snow Canyon State Park

Ivins, UT

Burnt orange sandstone cliffs tower above ancient black lava flows, creating an otherworldly desert tableau where volcanic cones and wind-carved alcoves tell millions of years of geological history.

Valley Of Fires Recreation Area

Valley of Fires
Carrizozo, NM

A 5,000-year-old lava flow creates an otherworldly black landscape where desert plants push through cracks in twisted volcanic rock, and mule deer navigate the formations at dawn.

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Campground Locations

Showing top 20 campgrounds near Desert Camping Nationwide

Map of campgrounds near Desert Camping Nationwide

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Map Key

Devils Garden Campground

Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground

Jumbo Rocks Campground

Seminole Canyon State Park And Historic Site

Cottonwood (Big Bend, Tx)

Borrego Palm Canyon Campground

Hidden Valley Campground

Saddlehorn Campground

Aguirre Spring Recreation Area And Campground

Hole-In-The-Wall Campground

Snow Canyon State Park

Valley Of Fires Recreation Area

Lone Pine

Willow Beach Campground (Lake Mohave)

Burnt Corral Campground

Bottomless Lakes

Tortilla Campground

Painted Rock Petroglyph Site And Campground

White Tank Campground

Indian Cove Group

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Plan Your Trips

Popular Activities

Hiking through slot canyons and desert trailsRock climbing on granite boulders and sandstone formationsStargazing under dark desert skiesPhotography of landscapes, sunrises, and sunsetsWildlife viewing including bighorn sheep, roadrunners, and desert birdsExploring geological formations and ancient rock art

Tips & Recommendations

1Desert camping requires specific preparation and respect for harsh environmental conditions that can quickly become dangerous without proper planning.
2Always carry at least one gallon of water per person per day, and double that amount for summer camping or strenuous hiking—dehydration is the number one safety concern in desert environments.
3Pack sun protection including wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, long-sleeve shirts, and high-SPF sunscreen, as desert sun intensity exceeds most other environments due to elevation and lack of atmospheric moisture.
4Temperatures can swing 40-50 degrees between day and night, so bring layered clothing including warm jackets even for spring and fall trips.

20 campgrounds ranked

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Curated for Desert Camping

Desert Camping FAQ

Desert camping offers dramatic landscapes, incredible stargazing (some of the darkest skies in America), unique geological formations, and serene solitude. The wide-open spaces and minimal light pollution create unforgettable night skies.

Fall through spring is ideal for desert camping when temperatures are moderate. Winter offers mild daytime temps and cold nights. Summer camping is possible at higher desert elevations but requires careful preparation for extreme heat.

We list 20+ desert campgrounds across the Southwest, including the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin deserts. From developed campgrounds to primitive boondocking sites.