Out This Door: Destination Reviews • Hotel Reviews • Itineraries • Travel Tips

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

Hiding in plain site, the Mojave National Preserve is just 2 hours from Las Vegas, 4 hours from LA, and 4 hours from Phoenix. From the I40 and I15 freeways this stretch of Mojave Desert may look empty and lifeless but it’s actually a hidden gem for recreation such as RV camping.

Why the Mojave National Preserve is Our Favorite Desert Camping Destination

The Mojave National Preserve is our favorite park in the desert. And we think you will find it well worth your time to visit no matter where you are traveling from.

First of all, we love that there’s hardly anyone here. In fact most of our travels around the park, we have seen very few people whether we are on the roads, trails, or points of interest. Winter RVing in the American Southwest is very popular and this spot is a little farther north than many of the seasonal RVers chose.

Secondly, there’s so much to see and do. There’s more popular places like the Kelso Sand Dunes, the Visitor’s Center, and the Lava Tube Caves. There’s also scenic drives and amazing night skies.

Travel tip… Get the California Atlas and Gazetteer by DeLorme. The detail is pretty amazing. We have used it with each trip to the Mojave.

And finally, we love that the Mojave National Preserve is on the way to adventure trips to the Pacific States. Getting going from our home in Phoenix to setting up our RV camping spot in the Preserve is a full day’s work. We really appreciate that it is so close to the freeway along on our route.

What makes The Mojave National Preserve different?

Though the Preserve is maintained by the National Park Service, the Mojave National Preserve is equal to a national monument. Because of this, there are less rules since there’s much less visitor impact than in a typical national park.

For example, the preserve offers dispersed camping which is typically not available in national parks. Also, dogs are welcome at the preserve, whereas dogs are very restricted at national parks.

When is the best time to visit the Mojave National Preserve?

Winter, of course! It’s hot in the summer, like really really hot. The best months are from November to March when the weather is cooler but still mild.

Rain storms are very rare and often very localized. Flash floods can happen quickly and even if the storm is far away. As with any RV camping trip, keep an eye on the sky and the weather report. Stay on firm roads and don’t camp in washes.

Get Nikki’s gray coat: This awesome North Face coat is my go-to for temperatures from 20-60f degrees. Warm but not bulky. Doubles as a travel pillow.

Driving RVs in the Mojave National Preserve

RV camping at the Preserve is the best! With your RV you get comfy digs and can stay longer to take a look around. This Preserve is HUGE so you will want a few days to take it all in. An RV makes this so easy but many people do enjoy tent camping and Overlanding at the Preserve too.

Roads

Most of the roads within the Preserve are paved and in good condition. But flash floods can cause erosion that’s not noticed immediately. Drive with caution and enjoy the scenery.

There are also miles of dirt roads starting with Level One dirt roads that are wide enough for two cars to pass each other, fairly level or gently sloping, and in good condition. Except for full size Class A and Class C RVs that have low clearance, these Level One dirt roads tend to be accessible to toy haulers, fifth-wheels, truck campers, and bumper pulls. Yet all of these dirt roads cross washes. Consequently, the sand and small gravel in the washes outflows to the road and can be thick.

Smaller dirt roads such as Level Two and Three are not recommended for any rig with a trailer. These roads tend to be very uneven due to frequent erosion. Even truck campers and sprinter vans will find those roads difficult. Take those small side dirt roads with your tow vehicle and get out to walk!

Safety and Responsibility

Disclaimer: We know our rig, our abilities and capacities, and that getting out of trouble sometimes means taking out credit card! I will give our experience and offer suggestions but the onus is on you to know your rig and its abilities and capacities, and to keep yourself safe.

Nearby services

Warning: Nearby services are scanty to none.

Inside the Park

The Mojave National Preserve, while being close to big cities, is still remote. There are no grocery stores, gas stations, charging stations, or other services within the Preserve. Cell service is spotty or totally unavailable. We have had great luck with Starlink service.

There are two visitors centers. One at the Hole-in the Wall Campground which is only open seasonally with limited hours. It was not open in 2023. The main visitors center at the Kelso Depot is currently closed but may open in 2026. When we visited in 2023, this vc had a helpful ranger and interesting exhibits of the natural history and human history of the area.

The towns at the boundaries of the Preserve are very small and may not have services either. In fact, many of the towns listed on your map will not have much of anything. Google, helpful as it typically is, may have outdated information. We’ve learned to cross- search for several RV-friendly keywords and scour reviews to make sure a business has the service and room to maneuver that we require for our fifth wheel.

Southern side along the I40

Along the Preserve’s southern side on the I40, there are not many options. We suggest tanking up in Barstow. Najah’s gas station in Fenner is easy to maneuver in with an RV but has sometimes cost us $3 per gallon over California’s typical asking price. Eek!

Northern side along the I15

Off I15 on the northern side there are more services. At the junction with the Cima Road, on the northeast corner of the Preserve is an Americana quick stop gas station and eatery catering to the LA to Vegas crowd. The parking and gas is very tight and is not maneuverable with a trailer.

Try instead the northwestern corner of the park in the town of Baker at the junction of Kelbaker Road. Baker RV has a dump station with trash service that we have used a couple times and they are easy to work with. There are also a couple diesel gas stations in town that you can get a larger RV into. This town is a gateway for the ATV/OHV riders so they do have more services.

RV Camping at the Mojave National Preserve

These start with the most services to the least including paved roads, trash and bathrooms at the campground, to nothing but a scratch in the ground and a fire ring at the dispersed camping sites.

• Developed campgrounds
• Boondocking at the Dispersed Camping Area near the Kelso Sand Dunes
• Boondocking at dispersed roadside camping sites

Developed Campgrounds

The park has three developed campgrounds but we have only had experience with one: Hole-in-the-Wall. The other two developed campgrounds are unknowns to us. Mid Hills is a much less developed campground accessed with a 9-mile dirt road, has vault toilet but no water. Black Canyon is a group and equestrian campground. Check the official NPS site for more info.

Hole-in-the-Wall Campground is the best bet

Hole-in-the-Wall Campground requires reservations which is best done before coming out to the park. The road in and through the loop is paved, while the site pads are hard packed dirt. Some sites have some erosion and none are laser level which makes picking a site unseen a bit tricky. Pads are on the shorter side, trailers max out at 30 feet.

Hole-in-the-Wall has no RV hook ups. Water is spigot only so make sure your fresh tanks are full. According to the website, there is a dump station but we don’t remember seeing it. The nearest dump station will be in Baker. Vault toilets and trash service are offered. A two-minute walk will bring you to the Hole-in-the-Wall visitors center which has limited seasonal hours.

Views from this campground are beautiful. The Hole-in-the-wall rock formation is quite interesting to walk around the short hike. Many people go climbing and mountain biking on its western side. We stayed one night here on our first trip in March 2023 and most sites were empty.

RV Boondocking at the Mojave National Preserve

First, what is boondocking?

“Boondocking” is also called “dispersed camping.” The main thing to remember is that this type of camping is the opposite of staying in a traditional, developed campground. Dispersed sites are out in the “boondocks” (the wild) and do not have services such as running water or electricity. Because of this lack of services, campers need to be prepared to take care of their own needs.

Boondocking at the Dispersed Camping Area near the Kelso Sand Dunes

A large Dispersed Camping Area can be found at the Kelso Sand Dunes in the southern portion of the park. The area sits right at the foot of the dunes so it is very sandy. Truck campers, overlanders, and camper vans can do it. There are fire rings and vault toilets but no shade or privacy. The area can get very crowded even when the rest of the Preserve is empty.

The 3-mile dirt road to the area is wide, gravel-sand and grated to a mind-numbing bumpiness that we can’t recommend for any vehicle. In 2023 we lucked out and found a roadside dispersed site on firmer ground that was away from the crowds which was only a mile in. But the road has gotten worse since then.

Boondocking at dispersed roadside camping sites

Dispersed roadside sites are scattered all over the preserve. Some have markers which are 4 foot tall x 4 inch wide brown Tyvek stakes, some have fire rings. Only camp on ground that has already been disturbed.

In 2024 and 2025, we stayed along the Aiken Mine Road which had several large, flat sites at distances from each other that afforded some privacy. Unfortunately this road has also degraded into sloshy, dry gravel and sand alternating with grated hardpack. Truck campers, overlanders and camping vans can do it. Somehow we did it with our Class C and then our 24 ft Fifth wheel but we decided that was enough of those roads. We did see some possible sites in the wildfire scars in the New York Mountains area.

Do your research

Do some research for possible sites by looking at the overhead satellite map on Google for disturbed ground by the side of the road. We recommend is to park one night, or more, at Hole-in-the-Wall, and take a drive in your more agile tow vehicle or hauling truck and look around. Nothing is better for finding RV boondocking sites than your eyes and your best judgement. Finding a good sites does take time, which is part of the adventure! And when you do find that great site all to yourself–oh, sweet!

With the RV camp set up, there’s lots to explore at the Mojave National Preserve

Some teasers here since this post is too long by now. I will soon have another post detailing these…

• Explore the Lava Tube Caves
• Climb an extinct volcano
• Stand like a Joshua Tree (better than Joshua Tree National Park)
• Slide down the Kelso Sand Dunes
• and more…

This video below is about a cool side trip you can do in your tow vehicle.

Check out another RV Trip in the USA Southwest…