roadtripper6816991

If we're talking amenities and site size, this park is unmatched. Sites are large and very well situated with a mix of concrete pads and gravel. Bathrooms and showers are brand new, clean and convenient. Pools, spas, dog parks and common areas are situated throughout the property.
Unfortunately, that's where the charm ended for us. We came at the tail end of spring break and the park wasn't full, but was very busy and loud. Lots of large groups in the park and the pools were packed. The staff was less than friendly and check-in was not smooth. There were no golf carts available and the staff refused to put us on the waitlist for any cart smaller than a 6-seater due to the fact that we had 5 in our group, even when we assured them that we wouldn't all use it at once.
If you are familiar with Paso Robles, you know how hot and windy it gets! None of the sites have shade and few are sheltered from the winds that pick up every day. With the proximity of the campground to wineries, downtown Paso and even San Luis Obispo, we were hoping for a campground with some local character and charm. But, alas, we were left feeling like we were in the campground version of a planned housing community. This might be a good option if you're coordinating a large group trip, but it just wasn't our type of experience.

Great free parking lot with plenty of room and 24-hour security. This sure beats Wal-Mart or a truck stop! No hookups, but the area felt very safe, and was quiet overnight.

If you're not familiar with Harris Ranch, it's a sizeable hotel, restaurant, and gas station that even boasts its own airport. The restaurant is great for any meal and the staff is really helpful (I had to mail a package before we hit the road and they provided me with packaging and an stamp, free of charge).

For anyone traveling from Northern California/SF Bay Area, this makes a great half-way point if you're headed to the southern part of the state.

Stovepipe Wells campground is directly adjacent to the Stovepipe Wells Village that offers lodging, fuel, a General Store, restaurant, saloon and gift shop. It's definitely one of the bigger outposts with the most accommodations in the valley. There are 14 full hook-up sites that are operated as part of the Village.

The 190 site campground is operated by the National Park Service, sites are first-come, first-served at $12/night. There are no hook-ups but there is a central dump station and both potable and non-potable water. For $4/day, you can get a pass to the pool (definitely DO this...showers and towels included).

I gave the campground four stars because you won't find anything much better than this in the valley. It's centrally located and the staff is incredibly nice. However, you have to remember that this is Death Valley. Dry camping is the norm, there are no trees and no shade. The campground is dirt and it gets extremely dusty and windy at times. Spaces are small, so I suggest taking two or three if you have pop-outs, awnings or just want a buffer zone.

One last note: If you're coming into Death Valley with an RV or trailer, expect to take your time getting over the passes. We pull a 28' Airstream with a Ford F-150 and made it just fine, but had to take it easy to prevent heating up our brakes.

Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area, we used this as an overnight stop on our way to Arizona.
We requested a pull-through site in our reservation so we wouldn't have to disconnect our trailer. We came in late at night, our site info and map were set out for us at the check-in booth, and the site provided the space and hookups we needed for the quick overnight stop.
Based on the number of other campers who came in during the evening hours and left early in the morning, this no-frills campground likely caters to travelers looking for a one-night stopover.

Overall: clean, safe, quiet and conveniently close to the highway.

Update as of June 2017. This KOA is under new management and, although the grounds and facilities remain the same, we had a number of issues with our last group reservation. The staff seemed pretty disorganized and confused. Requested RV sites ended up being unavailable when we arrived, even after confirming a week prior. Cabins that were booked ended up being the wrong model cabins. Kids are no longer allowed in the hot tub.
We will still stay again, but the experience certainly wasn't what we expected.

Great for an Avila/Pismo Beach weekend, this campground is centrally located and offers pretty much every amenity you could ask for...Pool/hot tub, playground, game room, bathrooms/showers, laundry room, and outdoor movie theater. Cabins available for non-RV campers.

Full hookups with 30/50 amp service, pricing is dependent upon the size of your RV/site. We noticed the sites do run on the small side, so consider sizing up when you reserve your spot.

Staff was really friendly and helpful. According to other campers, this used to be a membership-only campground that had become run-down over the years. KOA recently took over and the staff is clearly working hard to repair and improve the grounds.
There is some highway noise, due to its location, however the grounds are very quiet at night.

We came in on very short notice and were able to book same-day over the phone. After-hours check in was simple. After days of dry camping and boondocking in the desert, this was a welcome slice of civilization for our family. In fact, after two days, none of us wanted to leave, we'll definitely be back!

After three days in Death Valley, we headed here on recommendations from fellow campers...and it didn't disappoint! Access is good, most of the dirt roads are well-maintained, albeit a little washboard. 4WD will get you even farther into some of the trails with softer dirt and steeper hills. Sites are not marked, and are first-come, first-served. Views are incredible, great for kids.
Great place to boondock while still being close to the main highway and town.

Tips:
Stop by the Lone Pine Visitor Center, at the intersection of Hwy 395 and Hwy 136 prior to heading out. They have maps of Movie Road and the surrounding trails, along with some fun movie history for the area. Best of all, they have a fresh water spigot right out front where travelers are welcome to fill up!

Lone Pine has a coin-op truck wash that fit our 28' Airstream with no problem, was great to wash off after days of travel in the dust.

Not wowed by this park on arrival, but gave it a chance and was not disappointed. Sites are small and difficult to get into and the park is definitely still recovering from the Woolsey Fire that swept through the campground in 2017 (and took out a number of the structures, including the office).
With that being said, the location is excellent and the views looking out over the PCH and Malibu shoreline are spectacular. There is a trailhead near the top of the park that will take you deep into the canyon and beaches/sites abound within a short drive in either direction. The staff was nice and the facilities were sufficient.
Book early for the best site! We booked on relatively short notice for spring break, so we weren't able to snag a coveted ocean view site, but were still happy with the location. Highly recommend getting an ocean view site as far up the hill as possible to avoid nighttime noise and a fair amount of car/bike traffic.

Lastly, yes, if you're an Airstream enthusiast you know that this was the rumored site of Matthew McConaughey's Airstream, as pictured in Architectural Digest - and it certainly was, as well as a number of other trailers belonging to famous folks. Makes sense really, prime real estate just a short drive down from Malibu Canyon! Post-fire, the famed long-term trailers are gone, but the thrill of being steps away from one of California's most famed coastlines remains.

We were really impressed with this RV Resort from the moment we arrived. Staff is friendly, sites are very generously sized, the grounds are immaculate and there is every amenity you could want. The location was ideal for exploring Anza-Borrego State Park and the town of Borrego Springs. It's even within a short drive to both the Salton Sea and Julian.

I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about this resort, except that we would have stayed much longer if we had the time. There are many RVs here that stay for a month or more, and it's no surprise based on what it has to offer. Highly recommend the fairway sites, as they back up to a great view of the golf course and front row seats for the morning sunrise.
The town of Borrego Springs, resort included, is a 'dark sky community', so everyone is asked to keep their night lighting to a minimum, and the stargazing is great.