Free camping near Indian Wells, CA
Yes. 18 of the 25 camps within 25 straight-line miles of Indian Wells, CA are listed as free; 4 charge a fee and 3 have no price on record. The closest free one is Santa Rosa Yellow Post 11, 13 miles southwest, on U.S. Forest Service land. The closest camp of any kind is Pinyon Flat Cg, 11 miles southwest, a fee campground.
Dave has slept at one of these camps.
All 25 camps near Indian Wells, CA
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinyon Flat Cg | 11 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Indian Wells | — |
| Ribbonwood Equestrian Camp | 11 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Indian Wells | — |
| Santa Rosa Wilderness | 12 | Unpriced | — | 5.0 mi to Vista Santa Rosa | — |
| Santa Rosa Yellow Post 11 | 13 | Free | Omstott Creek (stream) | 3.1 mi to Pinyon Pines | — |
| Santa Rosa Yellow Post 16 | 13 | Free | Deep Canyon Creek (stream) | 3.3 mi to Pinyon Pines | — |
| Santa Rosa Yellow Post Sites | 13 | Free | Omstott Creek (stream) | 2.7 mi to Ribbonwood | — |
| Santa Rosa Yellow Post 9 | 13 | Free | Omstott Creek (stream) | 2.9 mi to Ribbonwood | — |
| Santa Rosa Yellow Post 7 | 14 | Free | Omstott Creek (stream) | 3.1 mi to Ribbonwood | — |
| Santa Rosa Spring Yellow Post 4 | 14 | Free | Omstott Creek (stream) | 2.8 mi to Ribbonwood | — |
| Santa Rosa Yellow Post 5 | 14 | Free | Omstott Creek (stream) | 3.2 mi to Ribbonwood | — |
| Cedar Springs Yellow Post Site | 15 | Free | North Canyon Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Thomas Mountain | — |
| Goff Flat Yellow Post Site | 16 | Free | Honor Lake (water) | 2.6 mi to Thomas Mountain | — |
| Apple Canyon Yellow Post Sites | 20 | Free | Antsell Rock Creek (stream) | 3.8 mi to Mountain Center | — |
| Ramona Campground | 20 | Free | — | 2.0 mi to Thomas Mountain | — |
| Tool Box Springs Campground | 20 | Free | — | 2.0 mi to Thomas Mountain | — |
| South Ridge Yellow Post Sites | 21 | Free | — | 2.6 mi to Idyllwild-Pine Cove | — |
| Mecca Hills Wilderness | 21 | Unpriced | — | 6.3 mi to Mecca | — |
| San Bernardino National ForestDave slept here | 21 | Free | — | 3.1 mi to Thomas Mountain | — |
| South Ridge Yellow Post #2 | 21 | Free | Dry Creek (stream) | 1.1 mi to Idyllwild | — |
| South Ridge Yellow Post #3 | 21 | Free | Dry Creek (stream) | 1.2 mi to Idyllwild | — |
| South Ridge Yellow Post #1 | 22 | Free | Dry Creek (stream) | 0.9 mi to Idyllwild | — |
| Marion Mountain Campground | 24 | Fee | North Fork San Jacinto River (river) | 1.5 mi to Pine Wood | — |
| Dark Canyon Campground | 24 | Unpriced | North Fork San Jacinto River (river) | 0.8 mi to Pine Wood | — |
| Fern Basin Campground | 24 | Fee | North Fork San Jacinto River (river) | 1.7 mi to Pine Wood | — |
| Seven Pines Yellow Post Sites | 24 | Free | — | — | — |
Who manages the camps near Indian Wells, CA
Who manages them: 23 on the Forest Service; 2 on the BLM.
- San Bernardino National Forest — 23 camps: 18 free, 4 fee, 1 unpriced
- Palm Springs/S. Coast Field Office — 2 camps: 2 unpriced
Season read for these camps, today
Our record has no season word for any of these 25 camps today. Call the managing office before you go.
Forecast near Indian Wells, CA
This is the Weather Service forecast for the town, fetched when the page opens. It is not a forecast for any camp in the table; ground higher up or in a canyon can run colder or windier. It needs JavaScript; without it, see weather.gov.
Camping near other towns close by
The nearest towns that have their own page, with the straight-line miles between the towns.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Indian Wells, CA, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.