Stovepipe Wells Campground

Stovepipe Wells Campground is a National Park Service campground in Death Valley, California, about 25 miles northwest of Furnace Creek near the base of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. The main campground is a large open gravel lot with 190 first-come, first-served sites and no hookups, about as basic as NPS camping gets. It suits self-contained rigs of any size and dune photographers: there are no RV length restrictions, and the open layout means a 45-foot fifth wheel can park without maneuvering headaches.

Stovepipe Wells Campground at a glance

Hookups	Main campground: none. Village RV sites: 14 full hookup at $33.30/night
Sites	190 (main campground, first-come, first-served) + 14 hookup sites (village)
Max RV length	No restriction
Cost	$18/night main campground, $33.30/night village hookup sites
Reservations	Main campground is first-come, first-served. Village hookup sites can be reserved.
Season	Late fall through April 15 (main campground); village sites may vary
Elevation	Near sea level
Dump station	Yes
Showers	No (available at the village hotel)
Cell signal	Weak to none

Why RVers stay here

The practical picture: $18 a night for the main campground, no reservations, dump station on site, no showers (available at the adjacent village hotel), and weak-to-no cell signal. Separately, Stovepipe Wells Village runs 14 full-hookup RV sites at $33.30 a night that can be reserved. The village itself has a hotel, restaurant, general store with basic groceries and RV supplies, saloon and one of only two fuel stations inside the park, priced accordingly. The season for the main campground runs late fall through April 15; village sites may vary. The trade-off is polish for access: no shade, no pads, but the dunes are a five-minute drive or a 20-minute walk from your site.

✓No RV length restriction and an open gravel layout that suits the largest rigs

✓Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes five minutes by car or 20 minutes on foot; sunset there is Death Valley's signature shot

✓$18 a night with a dump station on site

✓Adjacent village with general store, restaurant, saloon, hotel showers and fuel

✓14 reservable full-hookup sites at the village for those who need power

!Main campground is a bare gravel lot with no hookups, no assigned pads and no showers

!First-come, first-served only, and it closes for summer around April 15

!Weak-to-no cell signal, and village fuel prices reflect the monopoly

What our guides say about Stovepipe Wells Campground

Excerpts from the RV Parks Guide articles that cover this campground. Each links to the full guide.

Regional guide

Death Valley RV Camping: Hookup Sites, Dry Camps & Desert Survival Tips

Stovepipe Wells sits about 25 miles northwest of Furnace Creek, near the base of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. The campground is a large, open gravel lot with 190 first-come, first-served sites — no reservations, no assigned pads, and no hookups. You pull in, find a spot on the gravel, and set up. It is about as basic as NPS camping gets.

What Stovepipe Wells lacks in polish it makes up for in two things: accessibility and the dunes. There are no RV length restrictions. The open layout means you can park a 45-foot fifth wheel without any maneuvering headaches. And the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes — the tallest and most photogenic dune field in the park — are a five-minute drive or a 20-minute walk from your site. Sunset at the dunes with the Panamint Range behind you is the photograph everyone comes to Death Valley to take.

The campground sits at roughly sea level, a few hundred feet higher than Furnace Creek. The Stovepipe Wells Village — a small complex with a hotel, restaurant, general store, saloon, and fuel station — is adjacent. The general store stocks basic groceries and RV supplies. The fuel station is one of only two inside the park, and prices reflect the monopoly.

Read the guide →

Stovepipe Wells Campground: frequently asked questions

Does Stovepipe Wells Campground have hookups?

The main NPS campground has none. Stovepipe Wells Village runs 14 separate full-hookup RV sites at $33.30 per night that can be reserved.

How much does Stovepipe Wells Campground cost per night?

$18 per night in the main campground and $33.30 per night for the village's full-hookup sites.

What is the max RV length at Stovepipe Wells Campground?

There is no length restriction. The open gravel layout accommodates big rigs, including a 45-foot fifth wheel, without maneuvering problems.

Do you need reservations at Stovepipe Wells Campground?

The main campground is first-come, first-served with no reservations. The village's hookup sites can be reserved.

Is Stovepipe Wells Campground open year-round?

No. The main campground runs late fall through April 15; the village hookup sites may operate on a different schedule, so check with the operator.

How far is Stovepipe Wells Campground from Furnace Creek?

About 25 miles northwest of Furnace Creek, near the base of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.