Home/Death Valley National Park/Death Valley Backcountry Roadside Camping

Recreation.govCA

Death Valley Backcountry Roadside Camping

Death Valley National Park

Set availability alert Official reservation

Upcoming Availability

14 of 14 days currently show available sites.

View releasing sites

Sun, Jul 26

sites

Mon, Jul 27

sites

Tue, Jul 28

sites

Wed, Jul 29

sites

Thu, Jul 30

sites

Fri, Jul 31

sites

Sat, Aug 1

sites

Sun, Aug 2

sites

Mon, Aug 3

sites

Tue, Aug 4

sites

Wed, Aug 5

sites

Thu, Aug 6

sites

Fri, Aug 7

sites

Sat, Aug 8

sites

Campground guide

What to know before booking

Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley! Backcountry Roadside Campsites: Primitive roadside camping with your vehicle in designated campsites along rugged backcountry dirt roads. Death Valley National Park contains the largest wilderness in the contiguous United States (over 3,190,400 acres or roughly 93% of the entire National Park!).

max Stay

30 nights

max Concurrent Stay

1 campsite(s) held

Official campground details, summarized

Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.

Facilities

Backcountry Roadside Campsites: Primitive roadside camping with your vehicle in designated campsites along rugged backcountry dirt roads. These are primitive, roadside campsites which require extra trip planning. Please take the time to plan and carefully prepare your itinerary. Roadside campsites are intended for high clearance vehicles only. Trailers, RVs and passenger vehicles will not be able to access most of these campsites. High clearance vehicles are defined as a SUV or truck, with at least 15 inch tire rims, and at least 8 inches of ground clearance, as measured from the lowest point of the vehicle (frame, suspension, body, differential).

Natural Features

Death Valley National Park contains the largest wilderness in the contiguous United States (over 3,190,400 acres or roughly 93% of the entire National Park!). Nearly a thousand miles of paved and dirt roads intersect the wilderness, providing ready access to all but the most remote locations. Backcountry travel in Death Valley National Park can be challenging, but the opportunities for experiencing solitude, sweeping vistas, dark night skies, and awesome geology abound within the three million acres of designated wilderness in the park. There are few established trails in the park, but hikers can follow canyon bottoms, open desert washes, alluvial fans, and abandoned dirt roads to get around.

Recreation

There are over 3.4 million acres of Death Valley to explore. The popular main attractions are accessible by paved roads and more remote areas of the park will require high clearance, 4-wheel drive. Please visit the park's website for helpful tips when planning your trip.

Campsite map

22 ft

vehicle

people

shade

Important notices

It is the responsibility of all trip participants to understand and obey all park rules and regulations.

Permit holders are required to carry a digital or printed copy of their permit at all times during their trip.

Wilderness travel in Death Valley National Park is inherently dangerous, and users assume complete responsibility for their own safety. There is minimal cell reception in most areas of the park, and rescue is not a certainty. Plan ahead and be prepared.

Vehicle Requirements - High clearance and 4x4 vehicles are required for most backcountry travel. Check specific campsite descriptions for vehicle requirements to access the site you have selected. Trailers, RVs and passenger vehicles will not be able to access most of these campsites. - Flat tires are common hazards of backcountry travel. Make sure your vehicle is equipped with all-terrain tires. Carry at least one inflated spare tire, a can of tire inflator or a plug kit, a 12-volt air-compressor, a complete jack, and a lug wrench. Know how to use your equipment before you head out. - Most vehicle rental agreements restrict vehicles to paved roads. Be aware that rental companies can charge for damage to the vehicle obtained while operating outside of contractual agreements. - Tow service out of backcountry roads can cost upwards of $1000.

Surrounding campgrounds

Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.

Red Rock Canyon Campground

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

85.7 mi

Cold Springs Campground (Ca)

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

97 mi

Red Rock Canyon SP

98.3 mi

Common questions

Is Death Valley Backcountry Roadside Camping available right now?

Kestrel's most recent scan found openings on 14 of the next 14 days, starting Sun, Jul 26. Availability changes constantly — check the calendar above, then confirm on Recreation.gov.

How do I book Death Valley Backcountry Roadside Camping?

Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.

How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?

Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.