My favorite spots are tucked away in the trees near the Usal River.Īlthough you’ll almost certainly see countless vehicles camped right on the beach (and tickets are rarely handed out), driving and camping on the beach are both actually illegal. You’ll find scattered picnic tables and fire rings, although you can set up camp just about anywhere. Once you’re at the beach, there’s plenty of room to spread out. I recommend high-clearance at a minimum, but 4WD is a huge help. Expect 6 miles of rutted, single-lane dirt road with several steep sections, many very tight corners, and a handful of harrowing drop offs. The long, rough drive into Usal Beach starts by turning off of Highway 1 about 15 miles south of Leggett onto Usal Road. These beautiful beachside dispersed campsites are located in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park at the very southern tip of the Lost Coast. Box Canyon is also in a flash flood zone.įree camping on the Lost Coast just doesn’t get much better than Usal Beach. Be aware that this area is also extremely sandy, so look before you leap. Continue down one of these turnoffs for about 100 yards you’ll find previously-used sites. Keep an eye out for turnoffs to the south. Other Free Campsites Nearby:Ĭontinue down Box Canyon Road past the turnoff for Painted Canyon Road. Set up camp before the canyon itself if you’re in an RV or trailer to avoid the worst of the sand. Scout ahead before pulling into a campsite, unless you’re in a 4×4. Although moderate washboarding is usually as bad as the main road gets (except after rain), many of the campsites are sand pits. Hiking opportunities are numerous (such as the popular Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon Trail) and you can camp right near the trailhead itself. Painted Canyon and the surrounding Mecca Hills Wilderness are incredibly beautiful. Not only is the dirt road all but impassible (even with 4WD), but this is a flash flood zone. * Avoid this area if rain is in the forecast. I recommend selecting a campsite before entering the canyon for all but the smallest RVs and trailers. Just make sure not to go to deep into the canyon in a big rig. Painted Canyon is a decent spot for boondocking. However, there are countless dispersed campsites along Painted Canyon Road and its side roads well before you reach the trailhead – just make sure you’re off of the Torres-Martinez Indian Reservation first (it ends about 2.5 miles down Painted Canyon Road just after the first big turn to the north). Most campers seem to set up camp near Painted Canyon Trailhead. There’s plenty of room to spread out here, especially if you’re willing to brave deep sand. These are particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset. Painted Canyon is notable for its towering canyon walls. Located about an hour from Palm Springs, it takes just thirty minutes to reach Joshua Tree’s south entrance from here. Painted Canyon is my go-to for free camping near Joshua Tree National Park. Strongly consider camping in one of the developed primitive campgrounds in the area, such as Tuttle Creek Campground ($8 per night) which is also managed by the BLM. There’s a huge problem with left behind trash, including human waste – both of which have led to the above-mentioned stricter dispersed camping regulations. Alabama Hills is now extremely popular and the best spots fill up quickly. It gets very hot in summer (visit in spring or fall for the best weather). Campsites are suitable for tents, vans, and passenger vehicles as well as RVs and trailers. There’s plenty of room to spread out, although dispersed camping is now limited to certain areas. The very dark night skies are great for stargazing. What I Like:īeautiful views abound here, especially at sunrise and sunset. Designated dispersed camping among the large jumbled rocks in this beautiful desert landscape provides insanely gorgeous views of the nearby Sierra Nevada, including Mount Whitney (the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States). The goal of these measures is to help minimize human impact in the area.īut the new hassle is well worth it. Instead, it’s an “informational permit” similar to the campfire permits required in California. Most important to know is that a free dispersed camping permit is now required. * Learn more about the new Alabama Hills Management Plan for overnight use.Īlabama Hills National Scenic Area is still one of the absolute best places for free camping in California.Īlthough recent rule changes restrict dispersed camping to designated areas only, (“No Camping” signs are now abundant in many areas where dispersed camping was once allowed, including to the west of Movie Road on Movie Flat), it’s still possible to camp here for free.
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