Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area, California | Camping
If you’re looking for wild & free camping, welcome to Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area, a California State Park. Only the wildlife here is not a coyote or deer – it’s a 2-stroke engine, if that’s your thing! This expansive state park has plenty of open desert to roam. There are countless trails throughout. You’ll find hundreds of dirt hills to climb and there’s even an obstacle course for souped-up 4x4s.
Ocotillo Wells SVRA is very popular on weekends with ATVs, dirt bikes, UTVs, dune buggies, sand rails, off-road trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs. If you’ve got motorized toys, this is your campground!
This state park is open to dispersed camping, and there must be hundreds of good campsites. This is one of them…
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Where in The World?
This camping area is 3 1/2 miles southwest of Salton City, California. It’s just one of several camping areas within Ocotillo Wells SVRA. Here you’ll find several campsites with a canopy shade over a picnic table. The camping area has waterless restrooms and trash dumpsters for your garbage.
Camping Elevation: 80 feet
GPS Coordinates: N 33 15.892’ W 116 01.194’
Directions to Camping Area: From Highway 86 in Salton City, California (on the west side of the Salton Sea) head west on Highway S22 (Borrego Salton Sea Way) for 3.4 miles. Turn left onto the dirt road (before the highway climbs the hill) and you’ll see the entrance to the state park where there are several ramadas with picnic tables. Camping is practically unlimited since you can camp almost anywhere. It’s mostly flat here and there’s only the occasional creosote bush for vegetation.
Ocotillo Wells SVRA Camping Area Map
Ocotillo Wells SVRA RV Camping Journal
January 27, 2013
There isn’t much for hiking, unless you want motorized company. However, hiking on the weekdays might be enjoyable, as it’s typically quiet. There is a fantastic view of the desert and the Salton Sea from the hills to the north. There are also a few campsites up here, accessible with a 4×4, or your own two feet.
Weather: It was very calm much of the time during my 1 week stay in January. I had some light rain over the weekend and the ground became a bit muddy. Temps have been very pleasant with lows in the upper 50s, and highs around 70.
Peacefulness: This is a vehicular area and it’s noisy on the weekends, but weekdays are usually quiet.
RV Solar: Abundant sunshine!
Cell Signal: Most of the time I had 3g Verizon cell phone service, though a few times it was only 1x. Verizon mobile broadband internet was pretty fast with the external antenna placed on my RV roof – but it wasn’t quite fast enough for watching videos.
RV Campsite Rating: 7 out of 10. You can camp anywhere and enjoy the beautiful winter weather.
