Map showing campground location near Newberry Springs, California

Camper submitted image from Afton Canyon Campground

Afton Canyon Campground

Off-road enthusiasts and desert explorers use Afton Canyon Campground as a staging point for the historic Mojave Road trail, which passes directly through this BLM facility about four miles from Interstate 15. The campground sits alongside one of the few places where the Mojave River flows above ground year-round, creating an unusual riparian zone in the heart of the Mojave Desert.

The approach requires navigating a washboard dirt road that most vehicles can handle, though Susan C. notes "there are definitely some steep and curved spots" that make it challenging for larger rigs. The keyhole-shaped campground layout accommodates about 20 sites arranged around a central loop, with most offering concrete picnic tables under shade structures and fire rings with cooking grates. A single water spigot serves the entire facility near the entrance.

Active railroad tracks run adjacent to the camping area, with freight trains passing several times throughout the day and night. The sound carries across the open desert, though many campers find the rhythm less disruptive than expected. Mosquitoes emerge as a significant concern during warmer months due to the nearby water source. "Because of the nearby water, mosquitoes were a bit of a problem," reports Greg B., particularly affecting evening activities.

Sites operate on a first-come basis at six dollars per night, with half-price discounts for America the Beautiful pass holders. The facility includes vault toilets and trash collection, though maintenance schedules can vary. Cell service reaches most areas of the campground. Wind exposure affects all sites during weather systems, with the back sites offering slightly more protection from prevailing winds.

This location works best for campers comfortable with basic facilities who want desert access without venturing far from major highways, particularly those planning to explore the surrounding canyon system or continue along historic overland routes.

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Location

Public Campground

Afton Canyon Campground is located in California

Directions

Located in the Afton Canyon Natural Area ACEC, adjacent to the Mojave River, about 37 miles northeast of Barstow and a few miles south of Interstate 15.

Coordinates

35.03793648 N
116.38416582 W

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Connectivity

T-Mobile5G
Excellent Coverage
Verified by 27 users
Last on 4/3/26
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 4 users
Last on 4/3/26
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage
Verified by 3 users
Last on 4/3/26

Connectivity

T-Mobile5G
Excellent Coverage
Verified by 27 users
Last on 4/3/26
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 4 users
Last on 4/3/26
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage
Verified by 3 users
Last on 4/3/26

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.
Hike-In
Backcountry sites.

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group

Features

For Campers

Trash
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Drive Time

2 hrs 7 min from Las Vegas, NV
2 hrs 41 min from Los Angeles, CA
2 hrs 46 min from Bakersfield, CA
3 hrs 14 min from Lake Havasu City, AZ

Add Review

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

4.5

out of 5

20 Reviews

Campers regularly praised the spacious sites with shade structures and concrete amenities at an excellent $6/night value. Train noise was generally found pleasant, though strong winds and occasional maintenance issues with trash/facilities were noted concerns.

Brady F.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 21, 2025

Beautiful

Campgrounds are great. 15ish spots. Was there by myself last night Friday June 20th. Multiple vault toilets, substantial fire rings and grill. Each site has a little pavillion and table as well. High winds. Beautiful rock hounding. Site 12 all the way in the back has some wind cover.

Sitesite 12

Month of VisitJune

Dave B.

Guide

Reviewed Feb. 9, 2025

Too windy for tenting

I agree with others warning about the rough road to the campground. Winds blew down my tent and I had to sleep in my car. Left next morning.

Site4

Month of VisitFebruary

Susan C.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 25, 2024

Sunny Delight

It’s a beautiful ride up the groomed dirt road, but there are definitely some steep and curved spots. Definitely not big rig friendly! All spots are in full sun and most have shaded picnic tables. There is a water spigot near the first site on the left when you enter the camping area. The keyhole shaped road does allow for an easy turnaround if you’re towing a small trailer. The sites vary from small and secluded surrounded by tall shrubs, ideal for cars, vans or tents. Others are deep enough for backing in a trailer and not having to unhitch your truck. All sites are back in but the road is just wide enough to provide decent swing space. This area is first come first served and takes cash or checks only. Envelopes and a secure dropbox are available at the info board. The info board is quite faded, but to the best of my knowledge as of November 2024 sites were six dollars per night or three dollars with your America the beautiful pass. 14 day limit. I was there nine days and only saw it get busy on the weekend. Mostly very respectful OHVers making use of the many dirt trails that head off into the canyons. There is a railroad bridge adjacent to the campground and the freight trains do come through fairly frequently, but that is the only other sign of civilization in this area.

Site7

Month of VisitNovember

(5) View All

Vincent B.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 10, 2024

Convenient stop before the Mojave Trail

Wind was too intense to get the car back tent up at night. Good place to stop before or after the Mojave Trail. There's a small water crossing just after the campground before accessing the trail. My Subaru Crosstrek made it fairly easily just note its presence.

Sites had a concrete table, fire pit with cooking bars, cover over the table and room for a couple cars.

Community vault toilets were available. I'd advise bringing toilet paper!

Month of VisitNovember

Timmee F.

Traveler

Reviewed Mar. 3, 2024

Windy windy windy!

My wife and I stopped here in March on out way to death valley 3 miles down a wasboard road which wasn't to bad though the wind good lordy the wind was soooooo loud and so strong!

Sitegroup cite 1

Month of VisitMarch

(5) View All

Lori K.

Scout

Reviewed Jan. 4, 2024

So beautiful

Easy to access with 34 ft class A motor home. Beautiful spots with a metal canopy over top of picnic table. Plenty of room.

Site16

K C.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 17, 2023

Off the beaten path

The 3.5 Mike gravel road is easy and wash board. Trains are a bit loud every 2 hours or so. Mosquitoes are abundant!! Vault toilets are available. The trails are soft sand, rock and river crossings. Overall a nice stay.

Site13

Month of VisitApril

(5) View All

William B.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 5, 2022

ATV haven

Great place for ATV & OHV to explore the canyon. Weekdays pretty quiet. Busy on weekends. Trash around trash cans- people need to pack it out, not leave it on the ground

Site17

Month of VisitNovember

Greg B.

Ranger

Reviewed May. 15, 2021

Just when you think there won't be anything...along comes Afton Canyon

As I travel, I really have no set destination. Something will pop up. As I left Tucson early that day, I started getting tired, and there wasn't much. When suddenly, Afton Canyon pops up. After 4 miles of 'fun' gravel, I arrived...and was the ONLY one here. It was pretty darn warm (hot), but after setting up camp, I walked to the nearby train trestle over the Mojave River, cooled me off. Because of the nearby water, mosquitoes were a bit of a problem. There is one water spigot at the entrance to the camps (roundabout), and sadly, it had been quite some time since the camp was serviced. The pit-toilets had paper, but needed emptying; and the trash cans were filled to overflowing, thus birds had picked & scattered lots of trash. Overall, this place has GREAT potential, and I completely enjoyed my night. And as always, something will pop up :-)

Month of VisitMay

(4) View All

Brittney C.

Legend

Reviewed Jan. 26, 2021

Pull off on a long boring highway

A place to camp that's covered, and tables. It’s very affordable so it fills up fast, people leave trash everywhere... so people please clean up after yourself. The road is super easy to get to. If you strike out there are plenty of other free spots on the side of the road such as cima... so much trash but any of the side of the roads you can pull over and get a good night in that is decent.

(6) View All

Berton M.

Legend

Reviewed Dec. 13, 2020

Mojave River Camping

Afton Canyon Campground is one of the hidden gems for spring and fall camping in the Mojave desert. The campground is located 4 miles from I-15 down a dirt road. The dirt road is easily accessed with any type of car. The campground is a first come first service basis and cost $6 a night. I believe there are 20 campsites.

There are train tracks located next to the campground but the train doesn't run that much. I think I saw 4 trains in a 24 hour period.

The campsite is located along the only section of the Mojave River that is above ground. It's a great place to explore the desert landscape.

Cell Service: Good

Site15

Month of VisitDecember

(4) View All

Fidel

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 29, 2020

Excellent BLM Camp

We drove in on our Prius and the 3mi dirt road sure was bumpy! No issues though, and the campground was great. We only stayed one night since we were just passing through, but we will definitely be stopping here next time we're driving through.

Peter H.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 8, 2020

Nice little camp

This is in a pretty spot. Much better than other camps right off highway. Trash cans were overflowing and lots of trash everywhere.

(7) View All

Andrew L.

Guide

Reviewed Oct. 8, 2020

Hidden gem oasis in the middle of the desert.

If you find yourself traveling through the Mojave along the 15 between L.A. and Vegas, do yourself a favor and stop off at this little gem of a campground. Located in Afton Canyon, this BLM Campground offers plenty of level sites, compete with concrete picnic tables, fire pits and charcoal grills. There are also pit toilets. The drive in is a bumpy dirt road about 3 miles off of the 15 along Afton Creek Rd. It was more suitable for all-wheel drive cars (esp when wet I imagine), but we saw everything from a Prius to a Class C motor home. We came in at night and found it almost empty, which was a nice change of pace. We went to sleep listening to coyotes howl in the distance. There is also the occasional train that comes through on the adjacent tracks, but it is more melodic than disturbing. The morning brought a riot of colors from the surrounding cliff faces and quickly warmed the cool desert morning. This is one of the few places the Mojave River runs above ground, so the place is teeming with birds and other wildlife. Definitely worth the stop.

Month of VisitOctober

(7) View All

Justin B.

Ranger

Reviewed Apr. 26, 2020

Love This Gem!

This place is great. Its about halfway between LA and Vegas and only 10 minutes off the 15. I arrived close to 1AM on a Friday and didn't have any trouble getting a prime spot. I originally was planning my trip to a different campground but that was full by the time I got there. Afton Canyon was within an hours drive from my original spot and I had it saved as a place I wanted to go on the The Dyrt. We took a chance at midnight and how fruitful it was. 10 minutes off the 15 lies a small campground tucked behind a beautiful trestle. Some trains come by at night and look amazing. The noise from the trains are actually quite soothing. It is located in one of the only areas where the Mojave River is above ground and is close the Mojave 4x4 Off-road trail. There are some great hikes nearby and beautiful views. The campsites have shaded structures grills and big fire pits. Afton Canyon will now be another go to site for me.

Site12

Month of VisitMarch

(16) View All

Blake C.

Scout

Reviewed Mar. 15, 2020

Awesome

We got here after dark, super easy to navigate, even in the dark! The camp sites were huge, with concrete fire pit & picnic table included. Bathrooms easily accessible to all campers, and close to all campsites. The train tracks were about 300 yards from where we stayed, noise was minimal and actually a very cool site when the trains passed. Looking forward to coming back to camp again!

Amanda D.

Ranger

Reviewed Apr. 24, 2019

Ranger Review: Aftershokz Trek Air Headphones at Afton Canyon Campground

Campground Review

This was my first time camping at Afton Canyon, a BLM run campground about an hour east of Barstow. It’s only about 10 minutes off the I-15 freeway but you would never know it! This small but well-kept campground offers access to amazing outdoor opportunities and sits by a true desert oasis. Despite being in the middle of the Mojave Desert, Afton Canyon is the only place where the Mojave River flows aboveground year-round! With ample riparian habitat you get many different ecological experiences at this one of a kind site. The canyon itself is called “the Grand Canyon of the Mojave” and is an awesome geologic feature. The riparian habitat makes wildlife in the area abundant. Plus, the famed Old Mojave Road 4x4 trail runs right through the area.

The campground itself is nice and secluded. Each site has a well-constructed fire-pit/grill and a shade structure over the picnic table. The campground has potable water and pit toilets too. I stayed at a site near the back so we could explore the surrounding area for critters. There are a lot of cool things to see from lizards, kangaroo rats, snakes and more often than not big horn sheep!

A few downsides: There are active train tracks that run by the campground though they did not run all night, which was nice. I had no problem with noise from the trains late at night or early in the morning. The one issue I had was the mosquitoes! Because of the water from the Mojave River the mosquitoes when I was there (April 18) were REALLY bad. I’m a mosquito-attractor and easily got 40+ bites without even realizing they were out. Not too pleasant the next day! So even though you're headed for the desert pack your bug repellant and use it.

Product Review

As a Dyrt Ranger, I also get products to test and review in the field. At this campground I tested the Aftershokz Trek Air Headphones.

These headphones are wireless with bone conduction technology, which means they don’t actually go in your ears. Wrapping around the ears, they sit on your temples and just behind you ear - very futuristic! My favorite qualities are:

The sound quality is great though it’s even better when you wear the provided ear plugs! I would say it’s comparable to other wireless ear buds currently on the market.
They sit very comfortably on my head and don’t move around when active and they don’t get sweaty.
As someone with smaller ear holes (is that the right term?) they don’t hurt my ears which is great!
The buttons are easy to use and straightforward. They also have a built-in mic so it can be used to talk on the phone, say when you’re in the car!
The charge lasts quite a while on these headphones, and it charges rather quickly. The cord is also pretty universal which makes charging a breeze!
Finally, they come in a convenient smooth matte bag so everything (including the cord and ear plugs) can stay together. And I LOVE the forest green color I picked.

They are truly great active headphones and are perfect for outdoor activities when you want to enjoy the world around you or hear you friends while hiking but still want to listen to your tunes! Plus, the bone conduction means that everyone around you isn’t forced to enjoy your music – please say no to hiking with Bluetooth speakers and get some of these!!!

Month of VisitApril

(14) View All

Robert A.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 2, 2018

High Desert Camping

This camp site is a BLM campground with water and and Pit toilets. Stargazer's, off-roaders and Boy Scouts use this campground. It's one of the few places that the Mojave River flows above ground. This is a really nice campground.

Stephanie W.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 6, 2018

Trains:):)

Nice little place tucked away in the Mojave. Not sure exactly how many campsites as we stayed towards the front , there are vault toilets available. The train tracks are directly across from the camp, I liked it:) There are several old mines nearby and a cave you can climb to the top of the mountain through. There’s just plenty to do near this campsite so it’s 5 star all the way;):)

Month of VisitMarch

(7) View All

Brian K.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 29, 2016

Great wildlife

I’ve stayed here every year for the past three years as part of a class studying Mojave Desert Ecology generally the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. It can be windy and hot that time of year. There is lots of wildlife and the geology seems neat. There are pit toilets, no showers some shade structures which are newish. It’s a good pretty campsite not far from I-15 and close to other areas of Mojave Natl Preserve.

(5) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

What amenities and facilities are available at Afton Canyon Campground?

Afton Canyon Campground offers basic amenities suitable for desert camping. The campground features vault toilets, picnic tables, concrete fire pits, and charcoal grills at each site. There is potable water available, though no showers. Most sites provide some shade structures, which are welcome in the desert heat. The campsites are spacious and well-maintained, with ample room between them. Trash cans are provided, though they can occasionally fill up during busy periods. The campground is primitive but functional, perfect for those seeking a more rustic desert camping experience.

What are the camping fees and reservation requirements for Afton Canyon Campground?

Afton Canyon Campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations accepted. The camping fee is $6 per night. The campground is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Payment is typically made on-site, so bring exact cash for the fee envelope. Sites can fill up quickly on weekends, especially during spring and fall when the desert weather is most pleasant, so arriving early is recommended if you're planning a weekend stay.

How do I get to Afton Canyon Campground in California?

Afton Canyon Campground is located about an hour east of Barstow, California, and is easily accessible from Interstate 15. Take the Afton Canyon Road exit from I-15 and follow the dirt road for approximately 3-4 miles to reach the campground. Despite being unpaved, the road is generally navigable by standard passenger vehicles, including sedans like a Prius, though it can be bumpy. The campground is about 10 minutes off the freeway but feels remarkably remote. The turnoff is well-marked, making it straightforward to find even for first-time visitors.

Are there good photo opportunities at Afton Canyon Campground?

Afton Canyon Campground offers exceptional photography opportunities in a unique desert setting. The dramatic canyon walls provide stunning backdrops, especially during golden hour lighting. Wildlife sightings add interest to nature photography, while the Mojave River (one of the few places it flows above ground) creates interesting landscape compositions. Stargazers will appreciate the dark night skies perfect for astrophotography. The nearby geological formations, abandoned mines, and accessible cave mentioned by campers provide additional photo subjects. Train enthusiasts can capture locomotives passing through the canyon. For the best lighting conditions, plan shoots during early morning or late afternoon.

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