Rainbow basin camp ground

Barstow, California

About

Rainbow Basin is a beautiful and mysterious location in the Mojave Desert, northwest of Barstow, California. It's a place where water and wind have worked magic, sculpting layers of sandstone and sediment to expose brilliantly colored formations. The basin is a gash in a mountain wall where geologic artistry appears in splashes of color and layered waves of stone. It's a surrealistic, other-worldly place that seems to exist on a different planet. The plant life in the canyon is sparse, but the top of the canyon walls are home to many Joshuas, sentinels guarding the mountain. The area is rich in fossils, with many prehistoric creatures once living in the valley, and their remains are embedded in the canyon walls. Rainbow Basin is easy to reach, with a bladed and maintained road that can be accessed by a regular vehicle. However, it's essential to be aware of the desert hazards, including weather extremes, poisonous snakes, and flash flood risk.

Amenities

Available Site Types

• Primitive Tent Sites
• Group Sites
• Equestrian Sites

Local Attractions

• Rainbow Basin
• Barstow