Corn Spring Campground — Hotel in Calipatria

I'm giving this 5 stars for what it is, which is desert camping. Honestly, I'm not a big desert person so in the grand scheme of my personal preferences I'd probably give it more of a 3, but as far as desert camping goes I have no reason to give Corn Springs any less than a perfect score. It's secluded (VERY secluded), clean, has toilets and a water pump (not to be trusted for drinking), and the surrounding area is well-preserved nature. Aside from ancient petroglyphs and an abandoned miner's cabin nearby, there is very little trace of civilization, which is what I look for in camping because otherwise it just feels a bit like run-of-the-mill homelessness. The 8 miles from the highway to get to the oasis may not seem like much, but take it easy on the sharp rocks. We made the trek with a Honda Fit and had no problems, but needed more patience than you might be prepared for when you're so close but still so far from setting up camp after a long drive (I assume it will have been a long drive from wherever you're originating because it's in the middle of literal nowhere).

So by all means, camp in Corn Springs, enjoy the gigantic starry sky at night, stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and don't get killed (because come on, it seems like a place where getting killed wouldn't be a...

I picked this campground on a whim when plans fell through elsewhere. I wasn't expecting much, it's very secluded, it's 8 miles down a dirt road, it's an oasis? But this was a pretty excellent spot to camp a long weekend.

There are 9 (10?) sites, about half are suitable for tent camping, the others dont really have level ground readily available. 3 sites have a canopy over the table, all sites had a fire ring and many sites had a BBQ platform. I saw everything from a Honda Civic, to a rented RV and a ~20ft trailer make it in without issue, so anything smaller won't have any troubles.

There is limited water available, and only via a hand pump well. So bring your own. This is desert camping so plan water accordingly. There are 2 vault toilets available and they were probably the cleanest and best maintained ones I've come across.

You are camping in a canyon so expect wind, but the scenery and surrounding area are fantastic. There is an easy .75mi hike to an old mining cabin, or plenty of trails to...

The Corn Spring Oasis is a delightful destination to camp or spend the day exploring in the California Desert. The petroglyphs are fascinating and worth making the trip to see all on their own. The Bureau of Land Management {BLM} campground is a pleasant setting around the native palm trees. There is water here from a well. The drive to the Corn Spring site is passable for most vehicles, but you may need a high clearance four wheel drive to explore deeper up the canyon to see all the historic mines. Because this is a remote canyon location do not expect cellphone coverage everywhere, but the stars will be magnificent at night. As a local desert resident this is a regular favorite location to spend time with friends enjoying exploring in all seasons of the year. You will be glad you made the trip to discover...