Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground
Rainbow Basin Natural Area is an Area of Critical Environmental Concern with outstanding views and geological and paleontological features. Many visitors come to see exciting multi-colored rock formations and walk the scenic canyons. A variety of desert adapted wildlife are found here, including the desert tortoise. Owl Canyon Campground is a first-come first-served campground with 22 campsites (no hookups). Campsites include a picnic table and a fire ring. Fee is $6.00 per night. There is a single tap centrally located for potable water that is brought in weekly by truck. It is advised to bring your own drinking water. There are vault toilets, but no dump facilities.
More like this: first-come in California
Amenities & rules
| Fees | $6 per night, payable via self-serve drop box. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Rainbow Basin Natural Area is located 8 miles north of Barstow, California, off Irwin Road (not Fort Irwin Road). The main acess route is Fossil Bed Road.
| Nearest town | Barstow, California |
| Coordinates | 35.0124° N, 117.0386° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 11.2 mi |
| RV sales & service | Affordable RV ↗ | 41.7 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 9.8 miBarstow Headquarters Information Desk ↗Visitor center
Public land it sits in
Black Mountain Wilderness begins about 8.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 8.7 miBlack Mountain Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Bureau of Land Management · 20,548 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Harvey House Railroad DepotBuilding · Barstow · 7.5 mi
- Alf's Blacksmith ShopBuilding · Daggett · 13.4 mi
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground?
No. Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: How first-come camping works
How much does it cost to camp at Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground?
$6 per night, payable via self-serve drop box.
Is there cell service at Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground?
FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the nearest town to Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground?
Barstow, California.
Source: Getting there
What if Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Sawtooth Canyon Campground (23.9 mi, first-come), Horse Springs Campground (45.7 mi, first-come), and Big Pine Equestrian Group Campground (47.9 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby