The Mojave Desert spans from Southern California to corners of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, encompassing about 50,000 square miles across the Southwest. It is home to about 2,000 native plant species, the most clearly recognizable of which is the Joshua tree. If you aren't sure if you are still in the Mojave or not, look for the presence of these quirky plants. They are a tell tale sign you are in the Mojave.

You have a few options when it comes to camping in the Mojave Desert, which includes Joshua Tree National Park, the Mojave National Preserve, Death Valley National Park, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, and the Colorado Desert, among other points of interest.

Fully supported campgrounds, dispersed roadside camping, and backcountry sites are all options in the Mojave Desert. A few best practices to keep in mind are water consumption, Leave No Trace principles, setting up camp on durable surfaces, and packing out all your trash. For more on Mojave-specific LNT tenants, click here. Even if you are used to dispersed or backcountry camping, you may want to opt for supported campgrounds just to have a reliable water source.

Here's a list of Mojave Desert Camping options by region:

Joshua Tree National Park:

• Indian Cove Campground
• Hidden Valley Campground
• Ryan Campground
• Sheep Pass Group Campground
• Jumbo Rocks Campground
• Belle Campground
• Twin Tanks Backcountry Campsites
• White Tank Campground
• Black Rock Canyon Campground

Death Valley National Park:

• Panamint Springs Campground
• Mesquite Spring Campground
• Stovepipe Wells Campground
• Fiddlers Campground

Mojave National Preserve:

• Hole in the Wall Campground

Other California Sites:

• Owl Canyon Campground near Barstow
• Lake Havasu State Park Campground near Lake Havasu City
• Ricardo Campground near Ridgecrest
• Fossil Falls Campground near Ridgecrest

Las Vegas Area:

• Atlatl Rock Campground
• Whitney Pockets
• Red Rock Campground

Western Arizona:

• Burro Creek Campground