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Camping on the backroads between Joshua Tree and Vegas

Original Post
Josh Schmaltz · · Evergreen, Co. · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 820

I'm driving in from Vegas late Friday night and was thinking of camping about halfway in between Vegas and Joshua Tree. Anyone have any experience camping along Kelso Cima Road or anywhere else along the way?

Is this BLM land where we can just pull off and set up camp? Are we gonna die?

David A · · Gardnerville, NV · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 405

You know, I have never been to that area, so I could be wrong, but judging from Google Street view, that road looks plenty remote enough for easy dirtbag camping. You won't die. It's all BLM anyway, I believe.

Dow Williams · · St. George, Utah; Canmore, AB · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 240

Josh, at the top of the hill south of Kelso, there is a nice spot set up, firepit, etc....even cell and internet service. Turn right on a dirt road before the crest of the hill, then left again to a dead end firepit area...a piece of culvert laying around. You can hike up the drainage to reach the granite spires. The UofC has all the good crack lines off limits however.

Goes without saying...but..please do keep it cleaned up. Thanks.

Josh Schmaltz · · Evergreen, Co. · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 820
Dow Williams wrote:Josh, at the top of the hill south of Kelso, there is a nice spot set up, firepit, etc....even cell and internet service. Turn right on a dirt road before the crest of the hill, then left again to a dead end firepit area...a piece of culvert laying around. You can hike up the drainage to reach the granite spires. The UofC has all the good crack lines off limits however. Goes without saying...but..please do keep it cleaned up. Thanks.
Thanks man!
susan peplow · · Joshua Tree · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 2,756

You realize that the drive is only like 3 1/2 hours from Vegas right? Plenty of bivy spots along the way or just push through. Depending on which part of Vegas you're in, consider heading south on 95 through Searchlight, then down the back way through Amboy > 29 Palms > JTree.

Safe & awake travels.

Josh Schmaltz · · Evergreen, Co. · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 820
susan peplow wrote:You realize that the drive is only like 3 1/2 hours from Vegas right? Plenty of bivy spots along the way or just push through. Depending on which part of Vegas you're in, consider heading south on 95 through Searchlight, then down the back way through Amboy > 29 Palms > JTree. Safe & awake travels.
We figure there's no way we're getting campsite in the park at that time on a Friday, so why not just camp halfway and be well rested to climb Saturday.
fossana · · leeds, ut · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 13,318
Josh S wrote: We figure there's no way we're getting campsite in the park at that time on a Friday, so why not just camp halfway and be well rested to climb Saturday.
If you do decide to drive the rest of the way or run into issues finding a site on Sat, backcountry camping is fairly easy at J-tree. more info.
JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
David prsn wrote:You could do NJC and break it into a clean 2 day drive
That would be silly. New Jack City is way out of the way on the trip from Vegas to JTree, if you go the proper back way through the Mojave.

Anyway, the drive through the Mojave between Vegas and JT is just about the most empty and desolate stretch of territory I have seen in the US. There really ain't much back there. Regardless of what the legal status for camping is (probably fine), you should probably be able to stop and camp for a night just about anywhere along that route without any trouble. Just pull off at any dirt side road, cruise down it for 5 minutes to get away from the main road, any you're golden.
JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
susan peplow wrote: Depending on which part of Vegas you're in, consider heading south on 95 through Searchlight, then down the back way through Amboy > 29 Palms > JTree. Safe & awake travels.
When I lived in Idyllwild, I drove the Vegas-JTree route a couple of times, and I always preferred the route of going down I-15 for about 50 miles from Vegas to the Nipton exit, and then cutting straight down through the middle of the Mojave Preserve. Although, as you mentioned, perhaps the other route might be better if starting from Henderson; the route I used was for if starting from Summerlin.
Aaron S · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2006 · Points: 150

I've done this drive many times and prefer going down to Barstow and the 247. It's a few minutes longer than the other options but way less remote in case your engine explodes or you want to stop for supplies. There is plenty of BLM land an hour or so before J-Tree that would be fine for camping on.

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

I really enjoy the drive via Cima, Kelso and Amboy.
It is remote, so try not to break down.
The dry lake south of Amboy is pretty cool, if you stop by the side of the road you can pick up salt crystals which will graually sublime when you take them home.
Kelso Dunes are fun. When you run down the dune faces thay make a booming sound which is apparently relatively rare amongst dunes.
The road used to have a totally different color depending on whether you looked forward as you drove or looked in your rear view mirror. And finally, it is so deserted at night you can just drive along indefinitely on the wrong side of the road, in the middle or wherever you darn well please. Yeehaa!!!
I think you could probably safely camp in the middle of the road if you could pound the tent stakes in.

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911

I once mooned the Amtrak train while driving through the hump-de-hump section on the Cima, Kelso, Amboy route. It was tough hanging ass out the passenger window while driving 60mph on a road that drops out from underneath you at every wash

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974
TR purist wrote:I once mooned the Amtrak train while driving through the hump-de-hump section on the Cima, Kelso, Amboy route. It was tough hanging ass out the passenger window while driving 60mph on a road that drops out from underneath you at every wash
I forgot all about those whoop-de-whoops! Always imagined I could get some air, a la the Dukes of Hazzard, but never did. Need to try with a rental car next time :-)
david doucette · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 25

+1 on the backcountry camping in jtree. easy.

another alternative is to crash in the walmart parking lot in twenty nine palms if you don't mind sleeping in the car. there's bound to be a few other rvers there as well.

david doucette · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 25

right! thanks for the clarification.

we stayed on the dry lake bed once. great idea. can't remember how easy it is to find in the dark though.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern California
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