This campground has seen better days. Off a dirt road, a ways back in desert, you have to want to go to this place. The campsites themselves are acceptable but the bathrooms are a mess, unkept and graffiti ridden. No water. $6 / night makes place low cost but it appears that $6 is for a reason. I would look elsewhere. read more

Pack your snacks + water and bring your dogs. Loved hiking here. Bring sunscreen it's the . Photos cannot do it justice. You have to come see for yourself. I had a regular car and I had no issues making the drive to the campground. FREE. Clean ish. Felt safe here. read more

We love Owl Canyon, very clean and so peaceful! No hookups but that didn't bother us as we use a generator anyways. Hiking is fantastic, the night skies are amazing and the sunset is a must see. Only $6 a night. Honestly can't say anything negative about Owl Canyon Campground. read more

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My family has been coming to this place once a year for over 30 years! We are driving home right now and this is the first time this has happened to us. BEES! So. Many. Bees. In every campsite and they followed us and were swarming! We had to abandon two ice chests. It was absolutely terrifying. They got into our tent, out car...I don't understand why or what is going on but omg read more

Owl Canyon Campground - A pile of dead bees? - Campgrounds Near Me - Barstow, California

Awesome spot right in the heart of the rainbow basin! No hookups, but there are clean restrooms, water bibs and large camp sites that each have an overhead shelter, table, fire ring and BBQ. Close to OHV areas and tons of beautiful hiking spots. During the day, you'll see/hear jets doing some sky work. On a clear night, you'll see stars for miles. Definitely coming back! read more

Owl Canyon Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Barstow, California

Okay, for me, camping in a place that isnt next to the ocean, river, or lake is new territory. But that being said, this campground isn't terrible. I've come up here twice for astronomy stuff. Some friends of mine have fancy telescopes, and this is a great area because it gets really DARK and the sky is just all filled with galaxy! The Milky Way seems so close and bright (you definitely dont get that in OC). The campground has no reservation system and its first come first serve. You find an open spot and then you go up to the entrance and you pay and you take a slip of paper for marking your spot. Payment is on the honor system, but guys, it's only $6! C'mon, just pay it! You write your space number and the dates on the paper which gets pinned to your site. Each site has a covered shelter canopy thing with a picnic table underneath. There is also an additional picnic table at each site, as well as a fire pit and a barbeque grill. There are garbage cans throughout the campground for your trash (rocks on top of the lids to keep critters out!). As for restrooms there are a few pit toilets. The only way I can describe it is "better than a porta-potty but that's it." I mean, its in an actual building (there are a few throughout the campground), and there's toilet paper. But the mechanics of it are more on the porta-potty side of things. Basically, there's no flush lol. There are plenty of places to explore. The slot canyons are way cool, and everything is moderate in terms of climbling and hiking. The 2 times I've been out here have both been non-holiday weekends. One weekend back in October it was pretty empty. The most recent was in March and it was pretty full. But its worth a shot, as the stars and the hills are insane. read more

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I live in Barstow and enjoy this campground. When I want a close getaway and need to unwind, my honey, kids, and I camp for the weekend. The restrooms are always clean and stocked with tp. There are water spigots. If you come in the summer when it's hotter than hell (seriously...it gets up to 120 degrees here), bring a lot of water! Each site has a covered patio with a picnic bench (concrete), fire ring w/grill, and an extra large charcoal grill. There are also trash cans near every site. There is wildlife out and about. We've heard coyotes howling (not close to camp), desert fox, and even seen a few tortoises. Desert nights are amazing. Since the campground is away from the city, the sky is super clear and the stars are visible. Hiking is a must. There are all sorts of rock formations and washes that you can explore. There are also small bike trails (paved) that you can ride along. There are a variety of campers who visit. That's what makes it interesting. I like how its a mutual agreement not to bother other campers. I always feel safe here. We've camped here for days and have always left out our supplies, bikes, etc and have never had anything go missing. The camping fee is $6 a night. This must be paid for if you stay past 6pm. There are always envelopes in the box. Just be sure to clip your receipt to the clip provided on your camp patio. There have been a few times that certain campsites have been trashed by jerks, but my family and I take it upon ourselves to pick up the mess. After all, it is our desert and our wildlife. If you're ever in the area and love desert camping, visit Owl Canyon Campground. The price is very affordable and you'll take home some fond memories. read more

Owl Canyon Campground - We saw 3 of these beautiful foxes. - Campgrounds Near Me - Barstow, California

This campground is very well maintained. Keep in mind you're in a desert so you're not going to have any fancy amenities. Bathrooms are clean for the most part. No sink or mirror in the bathroom, but there are spigots scattered around the campground in case you need water. You get amazing views of the canyons surrounding Rainbow Basin from this campground. There are plenty of trails for hikers in case you need better views. A word of advice: DO NOT CAMP NEXT TO UC SANTA BARBARA. They set up these gigantic tents and then have a moving truck come by to tear them down at like 5am... as other campers are trying to sleep students were being very discourteous and extremely loud in the early hours of the morning. read more

I'm actually giving a review on the trail; haven't camped here YET! (But definitely will to take full advantage of this and surrounding trails) This is a great place to come for hiking if you are in the area! This particular trail has caves which made it quite memorable! read more

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Be prepared for the drive out here. 4.5 miles of dirt roads. Well maintained and good signage but can be very bumpy from being scraped. Your passenger car will make it but take your time. Plentiful pit toilets. Grounds very clean. Heard owls at night and saw shooting stars. Very cool. Great canyon scenery. Bring exact change - $6. Pay via honor system using envelops at front of grounds. Look around for a space away from others if you want solitude. Unfortunately a local family set up five drums near me to enjoy the sounds echoing off the canyon walls. They left after dark, so I did get some sleep. But, really? Could not hear very much of a large boisterous group set up on the other side of a rock formation from me. I was in site 10. So noise not a major issue. Very quiet really and almost no city lights visible at night. Moonlight was bright enough! I had my old dog with me so I couldn't enjoy the trails but I imagine the scenery is good. One sketchy looking back packer with no vehicle way out there. Very weather beaten so he looked homeless. But he left at nightfall and I did not see him again. Hiking in cooler temps I guess, and me being paranoid. Other campers all friendly. Only eight or so sites occupied when I was there. Recommended. read more

I have been camping out at Owl Canyon periodically for about 28 years and I have never seen it more crowded than when I camped there 2 weeks ago. When I first started going out there for undergrad field work, the latrines were so terrible it required a very strong willed person to want to use them and that changed a while back with the new ones, which I cannot deny are a GIGANTIC improvement over the old ones. But that has also resulted in a lot more visitors. I also never really had to worry about securing food at night before either, but now it's a must. We chased foxes out of camp nightly. They like butter...a lot. Last, since the campground is a lot more full nowadays, it would be nice if the universities would only take the number of campsites they need, otherwise use the group camp. *cough cough* UC Santa Barbara *cough cough* And thumbs up to Cal Poly! Nice dog too. read more

The road to the campground was washboard for about 5 miles. There's a fork in the road by the Rainbow Basin sign, make sure you take it to the right because the sign stating no trailers or RV's permitted on the lest road is not too visible because of the high brush. The campsites appear nice however, we were ambushed by bees!!! We were in campsites 15 & 16., many of the sites were empty. The land is BLM so there is a small charge to pay at the kiosk. I will say this though, the sky at night was absolutely Beautiful!! So many stars!!! Sites were clean, I didn't look in the bathrooms but there were plenty. There was also a small playground for kids and each site had a canopy shelter, picnic table, fire pit and grill as well as trash cans throughout the campground. Had it not been for those dang bees, we would have stayed... read more

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This review is mostly based on a trail my family and I hiked on that is located at the end of Own Canyon Campground. We hiked Owl Canyon after a week of primitive camping near Black Mountain and my family absolutely loved it. The canyon was not too steep and the kids had fun walking up and down looking for precious rocks. I told them to be on the lookout for gold to keep them interested until we reached our destination which is located about 1.5 miles from the trail head. There is a slot canyon cave located on the right side of the trail. My kids had no idea that we were going to explore a cave. I have them their headlamps at the entrance of the cave and told them to go explore. They were very hesitant at first but didn't want to leave after the realized how cool it was. The cave isn't very long but definitely carry flashlights. Owl Canyon Campground is a first come first served campground. There are no flushing toilets available but they have vault toilets. Each campground is spacious and has a very nice table and fire pit. Some have canopy for shade. There is running water available but I suggest brining your own water as I was told that sometimes the water is turned off. We visited this campground during the peak of the Covid-19 shutdown so the campground was closed for campers. So I don't know how busy this area can get. Based on the cleanliness of the area, amenities, local trails, and seclusion, I would definitely take the family camping here in the future. read more

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I had a fantastic camping experience at Owl Canyon Campground! Bathrooms: There are several bathroom buildings around the campground with pit toilets, no running water. They did not smell and were incredibly clean. I brought some just in case, but there was plenty of toilet paper. Campsites: Each campsite has a covered patio with concrete picnic table, fire pit, and grill. The campground has a few swing sets and things to climb on for the kids. Pretty much every campsite has an amazing view. Trash: There were a few trashcans around the campground, but we mostly just kept our trash in the car to not attract wildlife. Stargazing: incredible. Milky Way is clearly visible, and I got some great photos with my tripod. There is some light pollution from Barstow, but it's still very, very dark. Wildlife: I only saw tiny lizards, and maybe saw one bat at night. Weather: I came here in the middle of August so it was about as hot as it gets. We arrived around 5 PM, and left the next day mid-morning. Honestly... it's hot, but it is very dry, so it wasn't as bad as I thought. It cooled down at night and was a perfect 72 degrees. Hiking: There is one 2-mile flat hike through the Rainbow basin that starts at one end of the campground and loops back to the other end of the campground. Very little shade, but otherwise it's an easy hike. Really beautiful landscapes and things to photograph. Water: We brought all our water in with us. I did see spigots, but depending on the time of year the tanks are not always filled, according to BLM. So I would just plan on bringing your own. Other advice... Bring Chapstick and Tylenol - the heat, elevation, and dry air can often lead to chapped lips and headaches if you're not accustomed to it. Lots of water, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses of course. Keep your chocolate for s'mores in the cooler otherwise it will melt :) The most dangerous thing about the dry heat is dehydration, so keep drinking water even if you don't feel thirsty. As for my specific experience, I just loved every minute of my night at Owl Canyon/Rainbow Basin. We stayed in campsite 21, which was very large and a previous camper had built a large firepit ring with rocks. Our campsite had an extra picnic table so it would be good for larger groups or families. We spent a lot of time exploring the geology of the area, fascinated by the different types of rocks and colored strata in the hillside. I loved the Joshua trees (or Dr. Seuss trees as I kept calling them). I chose this campground because I was visiting the Goldstone Deep Space Station at Fort Irwin the next day, so honestly it was one of very few camping options close by. Oh, and did I mention we had the campground entirely to ourselves for most of our stay? One other campground was occupied after dark, but we couldn't even see/hear them from where we were. But it was incredible and I'm really glad to have spent the night there! read more

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Drove here with my two sons (ages 9 and 12) on Wednesday of spring break week. It was 4pm and I was worried that this "first come, first served" campground would be full. But at that time only 3 of the 22 well maintained camp sites had been taken! (I would guess that by evening only 6 or 7 sites were occupied). Each site has a grill, and a picnic table beneath a small roof. There was a flat spot that worked great for our tent once we'd kicked away the pebbles and put down our tarp. Surrounding the camp ground are rocky hills with interesting geological features that we enjoyed clambering over. I took some great panoramic photos. In early April temperatures were just in the low 80's during the day, and 70's at night with just a slight breath of wind. Perfect for star gazing, although there is some light pollution from Barstow to the south. At night we could hear the owls hooting. On the way to the camp you can stop at Von's to load up on food and bottled water. There are clean pit toilets but almost no running water (just one little spigot that we could find). read more

Wow, what an amazing place! It is literally an oasis in the desert. You will need to travel on about 5 miles of washboard roads, but it's not too bad. Made it easily with my van. Nestled up in the hills, this campground is amazingly clean and well maintained. Pit toilets and no water, but the views and hiking are awesome. Sites are incredibly spacious with a fire pit/bbq, cement picnic table and a steel shade structure. It's first come, first serve, but had no trouble getting a spot despite it being a holiday weekend. Excellent cell coverage here. Beautiful views and scenery. The best part: $6/night! read more

Great place, though it can get a bit crowed in cooler weather with off roaders--even though only street legal vehicles are allowed on the road. Pit toilets are clean, plus plenty of them spread throughout the campground....and...they have the water up and running again! A downer, for some reason folks like moving rocks into and around the campsites along with putting rocks on the picnic tables. Others like destroying the fire pits. read more

Went to Owl Canyon with a geology class. It is a spectacular place to go camping. I was disappointed to see graffiti in one of the caves. Why would anyone want to desecrate a place as beautiful as this. It is a great place if you want to get away from the city life. read more

This is a hidden gem of a campground. Great scenic views of the desert landscape. Clean restrooms. No hook-ups but there is water faucets/ spickets throughout the campground. A 4 mile dirt road to get to the park, but it is grated good enough for a 2wd vehicle to enter. $6 a night, have exact amount in cash. There is a fire ring, charcoal grill, picnic table, and patio in every site. Two playgrounds for the kids, and lots of hiking. There is also a jeep/atv trail. I spent 3 days here and will definitely be back. My kids loved it as well. read more

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BEE ALLERGYS BEWARE!! There was no one camping at this campground when we went a few days ago. Great sleep, but we woke to about 7 bees that were on our tent and it quickly turned into 30, then 50, then more. My husband took our son out to go to the restroom and within a moment of the tent being opened there were 10 bees inside. We got out and started to pack up, the bees were swarming into our car. I drove the car around a bit to get as many out as possible and our family got in and drove out quickly. There were still bees coming out of our car 3 hours away. I felt bad for bringing some of the bees so far away from their home. They were completely harmless--no one was stung. But it was strange and concerning enough that we didn't go hiking in the canyon. read more

I have been here twice: once with my boyfriend and the most recent with his family and it was so fun! We found caves and it was really fun. It is extremely cold at night and windy bring lots of blankets! Some people camp in the little ditches by the mountain side because it's not as windy down there. :-) will definitely come back! read more

This place was awesome!! We were headed towards Vegas and decided we didn't want to be that close to the city. I googled camping in Barstow and this Owl canyon came up. It was super clean, plenty if sites and had great information on the area and native flora and fauna. Best BLM campground we've been to! read more

We drove the last 4.5 miles of washboard road, late at night, after 8 hours of driving, and the whole place was empty! We could pick whichever site we wanted, only 2 other campers on May Sunday night. Each site base a shade roof, a concrete table and BBQ pit, and a fire ring with grill! The outhouses had no odor. There were 3 playground structures, which were such a considerate idea, but wonder who can use them on a hot day! There was potable water available! Wish we could have stayed for at least a day! read more

Owl Canyon Campground - The play structure - Campgrounds Near Me - Barstow, California

This place was beautiful and I'd go there again in a heartbeat. Not sure what it's like on a crowded summer weekend but in January with only a couple of other people staying there it was perfect camping. Gorgeous desert scenery of the Joshua tree and tumbleweed variety. Great walk even just on the dirt road in. My van didn't love the 6 miles of washboard road getting in and out but I just went slow and so worth it. Very clean, outhouse bathrooms did not smell at all. It's well maintained. read more