Death Valley

Off of Hwy 190 to the west of Death Valley you can camp pretty much anywhere the BLM signs allow. There are lots of 4X4 trails leading up to old mines (Borax, Salt, gold siver and..) plus other geologic features.
Look here for more info
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/panamint.html

Inside of Death Valley a few of the campgrounds are nothing more than parking spots with tables and pit toilets which I would consider boondocking.

We've never stayed east of Death Valley but based on the terrain and remoteness I'm sure there will be BLM designated areas.

If you're there to tour Death Valley I would suggest staying IN the park. The park is big and involves a lot of driving. Mesquite Springs is a lovely campground and close for touring Scotty's Castle (a must). Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek are other campgrounds.

Mesquite Springs, not far from Scotty's Castle, feels a lot like boondocking, and there is a lot of off-roading in DVNP -- Titus Canyon and Marble Canyon were pretty exciting for an inexperienced off roader (me).

From the park's official website, here is a link for info on dispersed camping within the park:

http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/backcamp.htm

A good spot is on Bonnie Claire dry lake bed N37° 10.450' W117° 09.470'. It's BLM and about 11 miles from Hwy 95 next to Scotty's cutoff road. There is room for hundreds of rigs and it is recommended by the National Park Service when Mesquite campground is full. I'm about 3 miles east of there right now at a gravel pit because there is good 3G service here.

Thanks all for the heads up,it will be info put to good use.

If you were to Google Death Valley camping or 4 wheeling..searches like that, you'll find just a bunch of info on where to boondock. There are restrictions...like you have to 2 miles from any road. You can't just plunk yourself down where-ever. And, some of the places are really remote and require a lot of planning and even ensuring there is more than just one vehicle.

Death Valley is a very cool place and the history is amazing. Get some books or troll thru Google. The people that used to inhabit the area were crazy tough. And I don't mean Charley Manson, although, you can drive in and see his ranch. That's one of the places you have to plan for.

And check out Darwin on the west side of DV.


Gary Haupt

Lots of good information and links and I would suggest you check all of this out. If this is your first trip to Death Valley it would be better to check out the dry camp style campgrounds in the park. Like was mentioned, the park is HUGE. Use this trip to discover some of the remote accessible areas, like Titus Canyon, Marble Canyon, West Side Road and the Race Track. You will find the boondocking locations of Death Valley very challenging on truck and equipment.

If you have your heart set on it, check out Marble Canyon and Echo Canyon for a boondocking opportunity. Both have nearby Stovepipe Wells, Texas Springs and Sunset Campgrounds for you to arrive first, then try boondocking. Don't try after dark or when there is not enough daylight to arrive there safely. Also always check in at the the Visitor Centers/Backcountry Offices at Stove Pipe Wells and Furnace Creek for the parks dispersed camping regulations and current weather and road conditions.

Death Valley, anytime of year, is not a place to make a simple mistake and pay dearly for it. But, it is in my top 5 favorite National Parks and you certainly should go visit.

b

Here's ourselves and two other rigs of our friends boondocking in Death Valley off a 4X4 road. We had to go really slow on the sharp rocks going in and out to prevent punctures and we had to close up every opening tight in the RV during the night due to hot, high winds carrying a lot of dust.

It was a hoot out there in the middle of nowhere sitting around the evening campfire eating fresh popcorn. You should have seen the "how did you get here looks" we got in the morning from some offroad jeepers passing by us. Needless to say, we started out with the tanks full that should be full and the tanks empty that should be empty. We now have long-range cell phone tower access equipment on board in case of trouble, but I don't believe I had it installed back then on this trip exploring Death Valley: